Google Earth Barn Find of the Century

[Moto-Mucci]

Or you could just trade it in with Cash for Clunkers and get a sweet new Prius.

[88ratrod325]

Oh, man! I just missed the Cash for Clunkers.

Man, how cool that Prius could have been... I always miss out. :)

I think I'm gonna park the 325 in the trunk of the Bel-Air. :D

[Moto-Mucci]

can I rent out the other side?

[TrentW]

Don't go changin'. Leave it original. The car gods will bless you for it.

[JasonC]

It's not a low mileage BMW or anything, but...

I was recently given my great-grandfather's 1960 Bel-Air 4-door. He bought it new in '59, was diagnosed with cancer and died 4-5 years later. My great-grandma didn't drive, so the car sat in a garage for 20 years. Then, my grandfather and uncle moved the car to New Jersey, where it sat in a garage for another 25.

The car has 30k mi on it. The clear plastic floor mats and seat covers have never been off. The interior looks like it was assembled yesterday! I'm going to be moving it to PA in the next couple of weeks.

I didn't have my camera with me when I went down last time, but I'll post pics soon.

I can't decide what to do with it... Clean it up and show it as a 'survivor', or could I get away with restoring and actually driving it? What about updating the brakes and suspension to make it safer? Would that be sacrilege? It is a 4-door after all- it's not like I'd be driving around in an all-original bubble top 409. What do you guys think?

Its a 4 door. It would be a great parts car for someone with an 2 door or someone who is fixing up a station wagon.

[Moto-Mucci]

Are you serious Jason?
By general rule of thumb - you DO NOT part out anything that's 50 years old with 30k miles.

[JasonC]

I know this goes against most people's beliefs on here about 4 door cars. But 4 door cars are not that popular with the general older car crowd. Station wagons are somewhat, but the grandpa 4 doors just isn't. There are some people out there that want an older 4 door car, but they are far and few between. Plus the car is allmost the base model for that line. And i'm not just saying this cause i don't care for four door cars myself.

[BigBumperNick]

A 2002 in a trailer park about 10 min away...

I don't know if it's for sale or not. I'm just too scared to ask.

[wolfgangstbd]

in a like "rural" area by my house some jerk off has a rotting early 2002 me and my friends asked if he would part with it and he said hes been workin on it lately even tho theres webs all over it and about half covered in leaves that havent moved ever

[Moto-Mucci]

Who knows, maybe he's part hoarding first. Atleast he said he's working on it and he's not one of those people who rather let the earth eat the car rather then put forth some effort in getting rid of it.

[einstein57]

There is a 2000cs with the original registration tag in some lot behind an interior shop.

[Moto-Mucci]

Get It!

[88ratrod325]

Jason- Harsh, man. I definitely won't be parting it out. That'd break grandpa's heart. Who wants to see an old man cry? Then again, maybe I'd have an 80 year old man wringing my neck... :)

I do appreciate what you said, however. I am leaning towards upgrading the brakes, suspension, distributor- not a lot, but enough to make it safer/more reliable to drive. It IS a 4-door. Of course, I'd keep all the parts.

On the other hand, all original is just so damn cool.

[Moto-Mucci]

Bag it and call it a day :)

[Moto-Mucci]

It's a good time to bump this thread:

http://jalopnik.com/5493601/best-barn-find-ever-two-brand+new-bmw-e30-m3s-and-a-fast-ford

"Best Barn Find Ever: Two Brand-New BMW E30 M3s And A Fast Ford"



The RS Owners Club story begins with an amazing find: an E30 M3 with just 37 miles, yet concludes with something even more amazing: a second E30 M3 with 57 miles and, wait for it, a Ford RS200.

Now, if you're an average Jalopnik reader, you've likely just crapped your pants with jealousy. I know I have. The Ford RS200 was a Group B homologation special with a mid-mounted 1.8-liter four-cylinder sending 350 HP to all four wheels. Only 200 were ever made, purely to satisfy homologation requirements and almost all have been hidden away in private collections never again to see the light of day. This example has only covered 1,042 miles.
Slightly less rare, but almost as desirable, the E30 M3 is rated as the best handling car ever by many auto hacks, including this one. It was actually an homologation special too, this time for Group A Touring Cars.
The man who found and purchased all three of these cars is a fast Ford collector in Swansea, England. No word on his plans for the RS200, but one of the BMW's is being sent to a dealer to have all its gaskets, seals and other items that could be suffering from dry rot replaced in anticipation of its engine being started for the first time in 20 years. We wish we could be there to see it happen. [RS Owners Club]













Repost, but I thought I'd organize it in the barn find thread.