what constitutes a "barn find"

[Lord Warlock]

Just wondering and tossing it out for discussion.  Have a car that has been in storage for 32 years, always been covered, but was in a garage for a while, then a plastic tarp covered 12x20 quanset hut looking structure for 10 years, then in a garage once the tarp split from sun damage.  Eventually built a 2nd garage just to house the car.  Up until 7 years ago, all it did was sit, and occasionally get started to move a short distance. Last 7 while in its own garage, worked on restoring it but not a full bore restoration, more of a bring it up to date type restore.  If I ever get around to setting the timing manually I'll get it running again, its all assembled, even looks good, but has had boxes and other crap piled on it from time to time over the years, now its cleaned off and just waiting warmer weather to get running and driving again.  

Don't really consider this to be a barn find, even if it has been off the road since 1988 (hasn't been driven since 84), but it does have a similar story of sitting neglected for long periods of time.  I may end up selling it sooner than I expected, Cancer diagnosis 2 years ago was a surprise, not sure how long I have left, so shooting to driving it this spring and summer, after that...high likelihood of putting it on the market.  Was a survivor until I restored it myself over the last few years to a condition better than it was when I first got it in 78.  Now its just a y3 tan top RT SE, only 1 of 2 I've ever seen, 1 of 5 RT SE's made this color combo.



But what is a barn find? does it have to be in a barn, or a field, rusting away, or would the same title apply to cars stored for 20-30 years? Not every owner is willing to allow their first car to mildew or rot in a field, or sink into the dirt sitting in the front yard off of skinny country roads.  Both me and wife sacrificed much in losing half or all of the garage space for 20 years, house before this was a 1 car garage, guess what got that space?

[crj1968]

Ive always considered it a car found in decent shape that been sitting inside (garage, barn, storage...) untouched for decades.

[Lennard]

You knew that your charger was there from the day you parked it so it's not a barn find. I don't think the person that owns the car can find it.

[Daytona R/T SE]

You knew that your charger was there from the day you parked it so it's not a barn find. I don't think the person that owns the car can find it.

I've got five cars I keep in a friend's barn.

I "find" them every time I go to his place to pay the rent. 

[Challenger340]

I'd qualify it as a "Barn/Garage/Shed/Whatever Find" on general fawking principle, just because of the known storage history for 32 years ! 
BTW,
Great looking Car 

[E86/A47]

My 1st 69 was a Y3 rt/SE but I don't think it was a tan top. When I bought it the color was a horrid mint green with black top. The resto was poor but it was matching numbers rt/SE and i got my money back when I sold it.

I can't speak to the definition of barn find.

[ws23rt]

I like the question.

When a new term comes up and gains popularity it tends to be something used more frequently by many that don't know what they are talking about but think they do and want to sound current and knowledgeable  

My take on one of the meanings is that it implies a treasure has been found. And that treasure that has been found has extra special value because it might be had for a financial gain.----Opportunity---  

In this hobby a barn find is something we dream about when looking for a project that fits our passion for a car that has been sitting in wait for us as we regroup and can now get back in the game/fun etc.

A barn find is something that has lived as long as we have and still has much (or more) of it's original life left in it than we may have.

[Brock Lee]

I would consider it to be a recently discovered car that has been sitting in the same spot, undriven, and untouched for over 10 years. It could be in a barn, pole barn, garage, storage unit, under a tarp. whatever. But it has had to be sitting in that spot long enough to have been forgotten by the people in the area. Going out of circulation.

[68X426]

America was a barn find to Columbus.

[XS29L9Bxxxxxx]

Ive always considered it a car found in decent shape that been sitting inside (garage, barn, storage...) untouched for decades.

sounds reasonable to me... 

[Lord Warlock]

Some times, I wish that I had left the body alone, and kept the original paint intact, the seats and interior were good enough and It could have been classified as a "Survivor" as I still have the same tires and wheels it had on when I got it (ET Slot mags).  taking it down to metal kind of ruined the survivor class, I didn't think cars would become more valuable as survivors...we can all be wrong once or twice.  

To me, the car isn't a barn find, because I built the "barn" it sits in, just specifically for this car, spent about what it was worth to build the garage at the time,  around 35k.  However, to anyone else that saw it in its storage place, they may consider it to be a barn find.  Even though we don't have barns here in the suburbs of Jacksonville florida, you'd have to drive 15 miles further south to find barns on farms.

However, I'm not above calling it a barn find if I advertised it to sell, despite the fact that it is semi restored.  I think its a candidate for a real restoration and could eventually pull a 100k price in the future.  Just not from me, as I got it when it was 10 years old and had 70k miles on it.  and I only paid 800 for it back in 1978. No one has seen the car except one neighbor who bugged me to get it started again before I took the engine apart to detail it.  Most of the neighbors don't even know its there and would be shocked to actually see it drive out under its own power.  The local car clubs have heard whispers about it but not seen it in well over 10 years, probably closer to 20. It'll be a shocker to see it just show up at a gather sometime. 

[crj1968]

It's a great car....but you can't call it a barn find, because you didnt find it, you own it.   

Actually you can call it anything you want it's yours....BUT if you run an ad that says  "1970 Dodge 2 door for sale" the first person who shows up will scream from the rooftops "BARN FIND!" 

[Lord Warlock]

I'm pretty sure that would be the first thing they thought it was, and would call it that.  And probably try to flip it fast.  Dash still needs restore work, and some effort to make the woodgrain pieces match up right.  Gauges probably need a rebuild, they were working last time I fired it up, but I've put a tank in it since then, a firecore distributor and an updated alternator, so figure I'll be sending off the cluster for a rebuild soon after starting it.  Really wish I'd kept the spare cluster I got out of the green/green/green (dark forest?) that I pulled the motor and transmission out of.  Donated it to a needy club member 15+ years back, original was less faded, but spare had the actual mileage on the motor (69,425).  If still had it could send it off for rebuild and then swap out for original, and  original would go into the original parts bins on the shelves.  Plan on putting the parts in the trunk to ensure wife knows it should be included.  Think I have a few console pieces from that car still but think they are in attic of house, haven't seen in years.
They aren't in garage the car is in so probably lost them up there. Car used to sit in attached garage before spare was built.

Only visual non stock item is the v21 treatment, I painted the car so painting the v21 was a personal preference, remembered how bad glare was on the tan hood sometimes. 

[G-man]

Barn find = finding a car in a barn. Thats what I always thought!

[polywideblock]

to me a barn find is a car that has been off the road /stored / out of sight for more than 10 years 

   it should still be covered in all the dust and crap       

      can only be a barn find once ,once you wash/detail    its a "survivor "   or the next step is restored   

[Lord Warlock]

It can be covered in dust just by leaving the garage door open and running the lawnmower too close

[polywideblock]

 

[6spd68]

May the car gods be with you to get it running by the spring! 

[Charger_Fan]

Mine is my garage queen too, but yours looks better. 

[HANDM]

I just wish I had a barn to find mine in! 

It's currently housed in a costco quansit hut and while it doesnt leak, the condensation during winter is a pain in the butt and f's up the engine every time I detail it. I suppose I could put a heater in ther but risk of fire is worse than condensation any day...

[Charger_Fan]

Do you have a tarp on the ground, under the car? That helps a bunch.

[CDN72SE]

Barn find = finding a car in a barn. Thats what I always thought!

Gotta go with what G-man says, something unique to me, seeing a car found (or revealed) in a barn. Especially since in my neck of the woods finding a barn would be a find. 

[dual fours]

IMO, Finding a vehicle that you do not own yet that has been sitting, covered with a tarp or not and not started up or moved for over 20 years. It must have a roof over it's head and enclosed with three walls and maybe a door. "Barn Find" is used to loosely in todays car culture (and some people stage the background) because someone wants to have something special. Had I decided to sell or had died two or three years ago, and my wife/estate put the Charger up "For Sale" anybody coming to look at it could say it's a "Barn Find". It's really in a stable , whom ever would had bought the Charger back then, in my mind could rightly call it a "Barn Find".  

This is what someone would have found two or three years back, sitting in the same spot since maybe May 1987. I am so embarrassed for you all to see the Charger this way .
We had our first road trip in twenty eight plus years, 11 miles added to the odometer on December 12, 2015.  

[crj1968]

LOL nice picture. 


Glad to hear it's rolling again !   

[VegasCharger]

Finding a vehicle that you do not own yet that has been sitting, covered with a tarp or not and not started up or moved for over 20 years. It must have a roof over it's head and enclosed with three walls and maybe a door. "Barn Find" is used to loosely in todays car culture (and some people stage the background) because someone wants to have something special. Had I decided to sell or had died two or three years ago, and my wife/estate put the Charger up "For Sale" anybody coming to look at it could say it's a "Barn Find". It's really in a stable , whom ever would had bought the Charger back then, in my mind could rightly call it a "Barn Find".  

This is what someone would have found two or three years back, sitting in the same spot since maybe May 1987. I am so embarrassed for you all to see the Charger this way .
We had our first road trip in twenty eight plus years, 11 miles added to the odometer on December 12, 2015.  

Stage the background? Like this one