Barn finds are the nickname given to a specific scenario, where a classic vehicle is found rusting away in a barn and the correct person can restore it to a thing of automotive beauty. Some are monetarily good finds, but others are money pits, so one has to be somewhat cautious diving into one. Will you be trying to buy or sell a new or used auto? If this seems like you, check out CarDealExpert.com!

Cost of a Lancia

An antique roadster, the 1956 Lancia Aurelia, just sold for $266,000, according to CNN. The vehicle was sitting in storage since 1968 and was just recently discovered. Gooding and Co. sold the car. The vehicle, after sitting in a garage for all those years, was not restored or improved before the sale, though it is not doing that bad. It does not run, but that is to be expected. Cars in their natural state of decay are called “barn finds” and are actually worth a lot of money. Being in this state, it was worth more than many preserved vehicles would go for.

Barn find information

“Barn finds” is a blanket term for a typical situation. An old vehicle, either running or almost entirely rusted away, is found in a barn or garage and is recognized as a classic or having potential. Somebody buys it and has it hauled off for a restoration or parts it out. For The Absolute Best Buy On A new Car, Van, Truck or SUV Please Visit Bmw Houston Here! Sometimes, a barn find is of a very rare and very valuable vehicle; the restoration can pay for itself, if sold at auction. For example, a page of barn finds on Motor Trend's site includes a Volkswagen Microbus, a couple of old Cadillac’s and a couple of Lincoln Continentals, not exceedingly rare, but also a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, a 1958 BMW 503, and a 1965 Aston Martin DB5. Here in the U.S., it's a bit more common to find classic muscle vehicles, hiding under a bucket of rust. However, be careful of diving in, as there are pitfalls aplenty.

How can you sign up?

There is no such thing as a bank loan for car restoration project, which means you will have to have a lot of money sitting around to do a restoration. On top of that, you are likely to need to have a lot of time. You have to have the money for every little part of the repair. You either need to have the tools and know all about automobiles or know somebody you trust who can help you out. Popular Mechanics points out that you have to have access to all the parts for the vehicle to be able to complete the restoration. Not all companies are willing to keep producing parts after a vehicle has gone to rest. Fortunately, the person who bought the Gullwing will have no problem since Mercedes-Benz still produces every part for every car they still have. Ford and GM both have restoration parts divisions or agreements to keep the parts being produced, but not all vehicles are going to have that luck. Make sure you know before you start the project.

Sources

CNN

MotorTrend

Popular Mechanics