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Diamond in the Rough: Lost Cars Worth Saving

  • Story By
    Evan Griffey
diamond-in-rough-week-1-finding The thrill of stumbling upon that partially covered gem in the backyard, back alley, or ‘back 40’ that’s been depraved for years but still brimming with potential keeps me vigilant. I live in the woods in western Washington where population density is working against me but I still find the good stuff… cool cars that have fallen on hard times. It’s kinda like a barn find without the barn. There are more industrious ways to dig up or discover precious automotive metal. But in most of these scenarios the seller knows what he or she has - and wants to sell it with a price that reflects this. I've found that the the three best avenues towards a quality project car are: car show used-car corrals, classic car swap meets and Craigslist. Goodguys events have a great place to find it all…fresh from the barn basket cases, partially completed projects, fully finished propositions, and parts galore. Someone will be dying to do this sinister project. It’s a 1970 Pontiac dropped on a ’74 Chevy ½-ton pickup chassis. Sign says it’s been stored 10 years so there is tons of wrench left to do. 70 Pontiac You can also unearth some sweet projects that are 90-percent done. 50 Ford This ’50 Ford Custom smelled like a good deal at $15,000. The Blue Oval has been resto-modded with upgraded drivetrain, chassis and brakes. It also has some nostalgia-based body mods and fresh paint. A Tuned Port Injection small-block Chevy motivates the Shoebox Ford. It’s backed by a 700R4 automatic and sits in a ’69 Camaro subframe. All in all this is a tidy custom that you can cruise to your heart’s content as it sits. 50 Ford engine Local swap meets like the 45th annual Olympic Vintage Auto Club swap meet held at the Kitsap Fairgrounds in Washington, offer a good chance to get a great deal on a car or custom parts. swap sign Dubbed ‘The Swap’ by local rodders this particular meet is an indoor/outdoor affair. A word of advice…go the first day of the event, and get there when the doors open because these guys invented the term ‘early bird get the worm.’ Many vendors take a one-and-done approach and don’t even participate in the second-day activities. Bills booth Cool rides abound as someone was loading up their new rat truck project. truck loading What’s better than finding one Studebaker bullet nose? …finding two. Finding beyond rare parts like this is sometimes like getting the needle in the haystack. Vendors at smaller meets are, in my experience, more hospitable and can be a very valuable sources of not just parts but information, so strike up a conversation…we’re all car people here! Bullet noses Hitting smaller shows and even cruise-in type events can put you on a collision course with your next project. This ‘73 Challenger just rolled into a recent Mopar show at the local XXXRoot Beer stand (covered in a previous article here). challenger This was an honest car - road worthy (I saw it drive in the show) and every bit the desirable muscle car many of us hold in high regard. I dial the number to find out more - ends up the owner, Dwayne, showed up on a whim and had no advertisements for the car, a 123,000-mile, 318 V8 two-barrel automatic. He’s owned it since 1980 but had no real price set; his pie-in-the-sky price was $20k but I felt a little haggling would drop that figure dramatically. Craigslist is a more high-tech way to sniff out the cool project cars, but remember you’re not alone. You must be vigilant and when the listing pops up on your screen, your phone needs to pop to your ear. Being first to call is key. This is, in fact, how I found my current project car - a 1968 Toyota Corona. I prefer looking out the window as I drive around, on my commute or a long road trip. In July I spotted an old Willys wagon from the Seattle to Portland Amtrak train! It’s amazing what you can come across…stay tuned this month and you’ll see three wicked cool possible projects that I have found in the last four months or so around my home. -Evan Griffey
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