How do people find "barn finds"?

[Rich2388]

This might seem like a strange question, but i always see and hear people finding cars in "barn finds". But how do people find or stumble upon or know about these cars and so called "barn finds"? I know theres probarbly just as much old tat that people find in barns as there is nice lost treasures, but i wouldnt mind finding something nice,like a old sport or m3 like you see some lucky people do.

[Simon13]

i just find driveway finds, word of mouth is how these motors are found and who you know and what your into

[zaust]

Right place right time.

[pacerpete]

Being a very observant pikey helps, so I am told

[Jesus325iTouring]

It's mainly down to luck I would say, i've had many conversations with people and end up with "oh I know somewhere there is a......"

Last barn find I came across in terms of cars was down an unsurfaced track in the middle of nowhere, I took a wrong turn so turned around in a field entrance, as I backed around I saw covered in ivy, a small open fronted tin shed, in it was a very dusty Humber Hawk Really was in the middle of nowhere and the car had clearly been there many years.

[Grrrmachine]

i wouldnt mind finding something nice,like a old sport or m3 like you see some lucky people do.

Like who? We haven't had a decent barn find thread on here in years; it's always "my farmer mate's got an m3" which turns out to be a Montego or a Nissan Sunny or a povvo spec 316 with ebay badges on it.

The recent thread of "little old lady selling rare alpina" was a good example. People thought that because it was a woman with wrinkles, then the car could be bought cheap. But she wouldn't entertain offers below at least five grand - she knew what she had was worth something.

The actual "barn finds" that you read about in the classic press are normally cars that have been known about for years, but the curmudgeonly owner wouldn't sell "for sentimental reasons". They only come up for sale because the owner's carked it, and the next of kin can finally sell the car, very much knowing how much it's worth and priced accordingly.

[Duke137]

I used to do a lot of mileage in a van around the Midlands, and to pass the time of being on my own all day and because I am a sick weirdo I was as Pete says "a very observant pikey" and I used to be able to tell you double figure locations of various old BMW turdzzz festering.

I still know of a Council Tech 1 sport, Kedge on here went knocking but the bloke sent his Mrs to the door to tell him to f**k off IIRC!

I know of a 1984 323i 2 door in Polaris with LSD according to the BMW register still...

It is also very much a right place, right time to obtain said turdz.

[Duke137]

I also know of a E28 Y plater that's been sat under a car port for 'long time'... I was very tempted by that one, it's still there too

[Kedge]

Yep, that Tech 1 is a rotting corpse now. I bet it's not moved in 5+ years, could tell the Mrs wanted it gone as she told me to comeback round when as he was out the first time I knocked.

I'd consider knocking for that Polaris turd but I reckon they know it's worth with the other scrap they have.

I also know of a Delphin Tech 2 that's not moved for at least 8yrs in a right posh village near Leicester.

[Andyboy]

I found a 1959 XK150S in a barn in 1990. I bought if for £150. It was an absolute ruin, total scrap but I managed yo make a few coins from it. It was 50 yards from my folks house as well.

[Duke137]

Find a barn then look in it.

You said that already it wasn't funny the first time

[Jesus325iTouring]

I found a 1959 XK150S in a barn in 1990. I bought if for £150. It was an absolute ruin, total scrap but I managed yo make a few coins from it. It was 50 yards from my folks house as well.

You bought an XK150S, the farmer on the other hand sold you an MGA

[Andyboy]

I found a 1959 XK150S in a barn in 1990. I bought if for £150. It was an absolute ruin, total scrap but I managed yo make a few coins from it. It was 50 yards from my folks house as well.

You bought an XK150S, the farmer on the other hand sold you an MGA

That's what he thought, hence the £150. It had been there since the early seventies.
My other great barn find was a 1996 LHD Benz S350 diesel for£600..........in 2003. Sold it over the phone for £2800 the same day. Wish I could find one of those every month.

[Speedtouch]

Just around the corner from me, there is a 1967 Mini Cooper 1275S that's been left for years in an open garage. Numerous folk including myself have approached the owner (some weirdo reclusive immigrant) to make offers on it but he steadfastly refuses to sell, so it just sits there rotting and getting vandalised - such a sad waste. He did tell me that it had a 1293cc lump with 1.5" SU carbs, so probably went pretty well in its day...

While waiting for my MOT, I went walkabout and found a few barns next to a cowshed which had various old cars including Land Rovers, Triumph GT6, some old pre-war separate chassis thing and some others under tarpaulins which I haven't yet investigated.

[jimmyoldskool]

Computer operator has no life of its own and posts shite?

Fixed it for you........


















.......I'll get me coat

[whiterhino]

In my experience the owner always thinks he has the Crown Jewels.i used to see a white c1 2.3 in black health for years rotting and the owner wouldn't budge.theres an e30 m3 near me that hasn't moved for years the owner won't sell.i was once put onto 2 cabs one was a Motorsport and both cars had less than 50 k on the clock.the owner turned out to be a wolly.maybe it's not them and its me.

[Rtaylor2208]

There is an old dear in the street next to us with an exceptionally tidy K plate 325i touring in a dark green (lagoon?) that refuses to give up driving. The car is immaculate in what I think is a SE spec, bottle tops but leather sports seats and SE skirts. She has owned it from new and the only journey it does is between her garage and the weekly Morrisons shopping trip.

My wife knows her through the local church as she's been guilted into going since the little fella was christened, many hints have been dropped on my behalf that if she gives up driving I would love first refusal but time will tell as she's a sprightly old thing for 92.

[leeparkes]

In my experience the owner always thinks he has the Crown Jewels.

This

I know of a Racing dynamics E32 that aint moved for yonks and the owner dont want to know. Ive been half tempted to nick the coont

[rh306]

I bought a lock up a few years back which the estate agent thought had an 'old BMW in'... the prospective 3.0Si/ 2800CS/ M1/ 2002 Turbo turned out to be a 'b' reg Metro

[assassin]

Coincidently, I came across these this week.

[steve_k]

I've had two barn finds over the years,

First was a mk1 cortina (so the owner thought) I checked the vin & reg plate & it turned out to be a lotus cortina still with its twin cam lump, payed nearly £1k for it but moved It on a few weeks later after a service & clean up for £3.5+k.

2nd was an engine, got asked to do a house clearance & was told by the new owner that if I found anything in the garage/shed/barn type thing that I wanted I could keep it, went in there & under a tarp in the back corner was a hartge h27 2.7 lump complete with 6 branch, rocker cover etc & that was sent on it's way to a local guy who was building a hartge replica, his face was a picture when I told him what it was, a nice wedge of folding was made from the sale of that.

Still keep my eye's open & an ear to the ground I case anymore turn up.

[steve_k]

In my experience the owner always thinks he has the Crown Jewels.

This

I know of a Racing dynamics E32 that aint moved for yonks and the owner dont want to know. Ive been half tempted to nick the coont

I know where there's a genuine RD k27 e30 but as normal the owner won't let it go,
Mind you it is totally mint & very well looked after so I suppose my offer of £500 to "take that old bmw" off his hands is miles off as he knows what he's got.

One day he'll give in

[Rich2388]

Oh ok. As long as it is just being observant, right place right time, and being lucky. If there was some kind of secret to it, i want a piece of the action lol.

[steve_k]

Oh ok. As long as it is just being observant, right place right time, and being lucky. If there was some kind of secret to it, i want a piece of the action lol.

Just keep your eye out lol

When Iived in mablethorpe I had a guy come round 17 times trying to buy my sport,

He said he 1st saw it while heading over to skeg on the bus & when he was driving into & from work he would make a extra 5mile trip just to have a look at the car to see if it was still there.

I've even seen him round here a few times 70miles from where he 1st saw it thank god it's going into a lock up soon.

[Rich2388]

Yea i do keep my eyes out. Seen a couple of things over the years but i was younger and didnt have a driving license or much £££. But come to think of it 2 out of the 3 things i used to see over the years are still there.

Just round the corner from me there is a old merc, i couldnt tell you which type of the top of my head, but it looks like it would have been nice and decent spec in its day. Its some kind of old merc 2 seater sporty ish covertible, original merc allots etc. Thats got to have been sitting as long as i can remember at least 8yrs id say. I have always driven past it thinking what a waste of what would have been a beautiful car in its day. Its gone steadily down hill as long as ive seen it, i think last time i had a look it even had mould growing on the leather interior. But its on a main road so i rekon hes probarly been approached loads of times by people trying to have it of him and if he wanted it gone it would probarly have gone by now.

I also know of a black cabby 320i thats been sitting on a driveway, doesnt look like it moved for a good few years. A bit tatty but doesnt look too bad. If i remember rightly, when i walked past and had a look in the interior didnt look too bad and about 170k on the clock. I mean yea ok i know an old 320i cabby isnt exactly a prize find. Again its on a main road so dont know if they might have been approached countless times already. I might go and have a knock anyway. Thats probarbly more realistic for me.

There was another house that had a couple 325s sitting on the drive for a long while, but they have gone know. But i think thats person dabbles in a few motors by the looks of it, as these days he seems to have a couple e36 and golfs sitting there.

[bmandy68]

Being a tradesman i do alot of work for the public, so i am always on the look like a pikey when working around peoples houses. This is how i came across my sport, sat in dry garage for 12 years but never used. With only 44k on the clock rust free a deal was done and to date i still own this car.

[Rich2388]

Being a tradesman i do alot of work for the public, so i am always on the look like a pikey when working around peoples houses. This is how i came across my sport, sat in dry garage for 12 years but never used. With only 44k on the clock rust free a deal was done and to date i still own this car.

Niceeeee! Looks like you done well there mate

[bmandy68]

Yes Rich , just got try find m3 the same way and i would have the perfect garage collection just being in the rightplace at the righttime

[bmandy68]

Yes Rich , just got try find m3 the same way and i would have the perfect garage collection just being in the rightplace at the righttime

[Duke137]

Just makes you realise that if you have a nice one there will be plenty of vermin already knowing about it

[lhd220turbo]

it is right time, right place & normally word of mouth.

Ive had a few "barn finds" myself and missed out on a few i still kick myself for.

1) 1989 2wd sierra cosworth, £1500. 54k came with spare engine, 3 owner car
2) 1990 318is £325, 80k, 4 owner car
3) 1972 MGB GT, £400, 58k from new!

i still own the MGB & 318is, sadly i sold the cossie - wish i never had to be honest

i've missed out on a bmw 2002tii once, i regret it to this very day!