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So I get this email today and I'm thinking, yeah yeah yeah......another "car found in barn" story. Who hasn't heard this one before, somebody finds a pristine Shelby GT500KR, '70 Chevelle SS454 or '63 Split Window Vette in an old barn somewhere and buys it for $500 or whatever.

And while I don't accept, promote or condone the usual email stories I gotta admit the link provided at the end makes for some pretty compelling evidence. Although the description of this being a "barn" is a bit of a stretch as you'll see (if that's a barn, I'm DYING to see the tool shed!!). Anyway, here's the interesting story as presented and the link with the pictures is at the bottom, check it out:

"Subject: Wished you had bought it

WHAT WAS IN THE BARN?

A New York man retired. He wanted to use his retirement money wisely so it would last, and decided to buy a home and a few acres in Portugal. The modest farmhouse had been vacant for 15 yrs.; the owner and wife both had died, and there were no heirs. The house was sold to pay taxes. There had been several lookers, but the large barn had steel doors, and they had been welded shut. Nobody wanted to go to the extra expense to see what was in the barn, and it wasn't complimentary to the property anyway ... so, nobody made an offer on the place. The NY guy bought it at just over half of the property's worth, moved in, and set about to tear in to the barn ... curiosity was killing him. So, he and his wife bought a generator, and a couple of grinders ... and cut thru the welds. What was in the barn ...?

Go to: www.intuh.net/barnfinds/afa70.htm and start wishing it you had bought the place."

The only thing that slights the credibility in my view is that I don't believe the descriptions are written by the supposed New York native owner, since the American cars are referred to as "barges", and some fairly obvious U.S. makes and models are captioned as "Unknown", while all the European cars are very specifically ID'd with make & model, so the writer must be from across the pond (or over on your end of the pond depending who's reading this ) or really just only be into that genre.

Interesting nevertheless........and can you ID some of those "unknown" American cars?

very intresting. wish i could get that Trimuph TR4, Austin Healy sprite mkII, and those forumla racers. talk about a tresure trove (sp) right there.

Yeah but where'd they leave the keys?

Great story Stoopy! I must admit I didn't know quite a few of those, but some I remember or have seen before.

An old gear head such as myself would have been jumping up and down in excitement once those doors opened...lol

Glad ya like it! I'm gonna take the easy guesses first, and in Picture #6, titled "Pre-war stuff, 1970's American barges, who knows? " it looks like there are two Oldsmobiles, same model but different years:

It looks like a we got a good ol' 4-door Olds Cutlass, 1970 or '71 judging by the character line above the rear wheelwell.

Then just next to it on the opposite side, REALLY sure that's a '65 Olds F-85 (Cutlass) 4-door, two pictures before this pic you can see the rear of this car.

Maybe Olds's are a status symbol in Portugal???

Not sure about what car that is that's titled "American, 1920's"....wanna say it's a caddy but the grille isn't right and I don't know my jalopies or old hood ornaments....what is it???

Some of the Lancias (the Aurelia B20 especially) and the Alfa Giulia SS would be very nice to have!

- Combat

Yeah but where'd they leave the keys?

'Zactly. Seen a tow truck in one of the pictures... what with a few missing or open windows, and electrical wire hanging under the dash in some of those shots, I got a feelin' maybe the keys were somehow seperated from the cars.....or vice versa. Then just weld the "barn" (more like "clearly conspicuous hangar") doors shut and you can sleep better at night I guess.

- Doug_Kibbey

Some of the Lancias (the Aurelia B20 especially) and the Alfa Giulia SS would be very nice to have!

Man - I was hoping that some of our fine local treadheads who specialize in identifying specific tank types and variants with just a picture of a rusty broken-off bolt or half-buried suspension component would show up to help...and since some of those 1920's jalopies look to be from around your era, can you make any of 'em out?

- JG300-Stoopy

- Doug_Kibbey

Some of the Lancias (the Aurelia B20 especially) and the Alfa Giulia SS would be very nice to have!

Man - I was hoping that some of our fine local treadheads who specialize in identifying specific tank types and variants with just a picture of a rusty broken-off bolt or half-buried suspension component would show up to help...and since some of those 1920's jalopies look to be from around your era, can you make any of 'em out?

Bite me. (Can you make out the gesture I'm making now?)

well the 20s job is rhd! n i searched every directory going n cant find that grille or hood ornament!!!also the rotating winshields looks intresting could help identify her......

- Doug_Kibbey

Bite me. (Can you make out the gesture I'm making now?)

Aww now, I was just jivin'....ya can't be that old, although I thought I heard about recent reports of some tank drivin' around out there on the highway with it's left blinker signal on all the time...

If there ain't a guy walkin in front and wavin' a red flag, it's gonna be too modern for Doug.