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'Barn find' stories what's your best find?
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Air-Cooled Head
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This happened more to a buddy of mine, a few years ago.

My buddy & I drove 90 miles to check out a "nice" project Beetle. Besides being a stripped shell, the "nice" project has some horrfic body-work. My buddy declines. The seller says he knows of another VW that's about to be sent to the crusher.
We go about 2 blocks from the seller's house, and see this guy pushing a flat black Bug out of the garage. The guy says he's been trying to sell the car forever, so now, the truck is coming to take it to the crusher.
Upon closer inspectiong, it's a 54 Oval, battered, but mostly complete and mostly original (except for some rust repairs). Even the pans were OG, as was the bat-wing steering wheel. The guy said he'd been asking $400 for it, but couldn't sell. Shocked
Since my buddy had only $200 (the price of the first, "nice" project) with him, and I didn't have any money, he worked out a deal to give the guy $200 + a 68 KG Vert that had been sitting behind my garage for over 3 years. All we had to do was get back there with the KG before the wrecker showed up.
We drove 90 miles back to my house, hooked up the KG to the tow bar, and drove 90 miles back to his house. We got back just as the wrecker was pulling into the alley. Very Happy
Not a bad find for 360 miles, $200 and a rusted out KG w/ no motor that was sagging in the middle. Cool
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crukab
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm working on a deal to score my second barn find, a '66 Singlecab, from another 80+ year old owner.......

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I know you will always be with me, rest in peace with no more pain. 8/13/14.....

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fifty8
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

crukab wrote:
I found this '61 15 window in a Barn. The guy that told me about it noticed my VW shirt & looked at my truck and figured I was a VW fan.....


I've only found a few fat chics from people noticing me wearing a VW shirt or driving my 66. Nothing worth writing about, usually too rusty. Alot of times if I'm out and in my Dodge pickup I at least try to wear a VW shirt or hat. You never know when somebody with a treasure hidden away will notice your shirt. I'm still waiting for an old man with a split in his barn to notice my shirt and make conversation!!
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CarreraRS2.7
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

crukab wrote:
I'm working on a deal to score my second barn find, a '66 Singlecab, from another 80+ year old owner.......

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What is that next to the SC?
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HERBIEMANIA
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PostPosted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:47 pm    Post subject: vws Reply with quote

In my 25 years of VW living I have never once had anyone ask me if I was interested in an old VW sitting somewhere. I was never that lucky. Sad
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regalasr
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PostPosted: Wed May 02, 2007 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This lady I work with asked me if I would be interested in looking at some VW parts her gandpa had in his garage. He passed away not too long ago and she needed to clear the garage out so she can get the place fixed up. Just a bunch of junk she told me, her grandpa's best friend already took what he felt was the most valuable items. This is a small portion of what I saw Shocked

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Anyhow, I told her we need to go into business together.......
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KamperKitJay
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PostPosted: Fri May 11, 2007 12:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not a barn find but a "driveway find" My OG paint 1965 Kamper Kit found in North Park, San Diego back in 1999 from the original owners in the original house they lived in when they bought it new. It had been sitting in their driveway for 15 years on four flats...They had been non oping the original black plates that whole time!!! I guess she said it had brake problems and they parked it.....When I originally found this bus I was working construction in the neighborhood and while driving down 33rd I caught a glimpse of this thing with my 90 degree vw periferal vision!!! .... Anyway I hit the brakes, backed up and said hmm, a split, lets investigate further...I went to the door and this lady answers and says yes of course let me get the keys (the originals).. She opens it up and after many years of learning my lesson I put on the best poker face ever!!! She tells me that lots of people thru the years tried to buy it but it had to much sentimental value having been across the US twice in it and numerous trips to Mexico with the whole family etc. Well the kids are all grown up and moved away and they were selling their house and needed to get it out of there...(picture this woman calling ecology pick ur part ...shudder!!) Well I got her number and she said she would talk to her husband about it... I go home and go thru the most painful month of my life...I give them a couple of days and call them back...still undecided..more time goes on...days,,, weeks,,by this time I am reeling...are they on the internet lookin at prices etc... Anyway I get a call and she says they are ready and want me to make an offer,,,remember I am a dirt poor surf bum construction worker!!!......"GULP...um $500.00...squeek"!!! "ok sure that sounds good"!!!..... OMG!!! no way!! She tells me come out tommorrow and we will do the paper work...I wanted to do it right then!!! but I had to wait till the next day..The next day comes and I get this phone call telling me someone has seen the bus and has offered them $600.00... I am thinking no F&*%ing way...They found out what it was worth and are trying to get out of the deal or something,,,, I am fuming..I say ok and match it...GRRRR!!! She says she will call the other guy back and see what he says... Well awhile later I get a call back and she tells me that since I was so patient and waited a whole month that they would sell the bus to me for the $600...holy crap what stress...Anyway I ask her who this other guy was or to describe him... "baseball cap, long ponytail... hmm well guess who it was?? Randy of Randar wheels fame!!! I had cruised on a few vw hunting expeditions with ole randy and I new right away it was him...Later on I saw him at a show and sure enough it was him... Thats my story....

Kamper Kit is a company out of Campbell Ca. and thats all I know about them.. I have seen pics of two other Kamper Kits and I have seen only one other one in person...but that doesn't matter because its not a westy right??....Maybe I should part it and cut it up??? :O) Oh by the way I will try to scan some of the original photos of when I found it!! This pic is obviously after I cleaned it up a bit....just a bit!! :O)
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mynameismud
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Took the '56 kombi out for a spin with my son to try to figure out what the issue is with it. As I pulled up to a stoplight in a 1-horse town right down the street from the house a taxi pulled along side of me and the driver asked "what year it was" - I said '56 and he asked if I would pull off somewhere. I pull of the road- and tell my 8 yr. old to stay in the bus.. I got out and the driver (nice teeth to say the least... ) mentioned he had a '56. My mind was already saying..."yah- right", but then he said it was Dove Blue and he's had it for about 25 yrs..SO- then I am paying attention. He says it is pretty rough along the bottom edge - keep in mind this is Indiana, so the weather plays hell on everything. He then proceeds to tell me he isn't going to do anything with it- and would rather it go to someone who could use it, or any parts. Then he states he isn't looking to get any money from it- whatever I want would be free.. Shocked
The next day I called and arranged a time to meet him at his place, When we pulled up, sure enough - a '56 kombi
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more rust- and rust thru then mine- but hey- for free...one shouldn't be choosey.. Cool
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Campy
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PostPosted: Fri May 18, 2007 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That reminds me of the free 1960 kombi that I got about thirty miles from my house. The man bought it about 29 years ago when he lived in San Diego; he said he used to park it by the beach, sit on a chair on the roof, drink beer, and look at the nearly nude females passing by. Laughing I assumed that he had a rack on the roof.
When he moved up north, he had only used it when he went hunting and out on a desert. When I got it, it had been sitting for 15 years and was full of rat turds. When I was cutting it up, so much sand came out of the rockers, outriggers, and crossmembers (totally filled with sand), I could have had a beach party. Cool The ash tray was full of old roaches and when I removed one of the door panels, someone had spray painted the words "get high" on the inside of the door.
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dubshack1
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In 95 I lived and worked in Henderson NC,I would drive around and buy vw's or get them for free,I was a tow truck driver.People would give them to me just to clean up their yard.SO this story starts possibly in 90.I was driving around in my 68 bug that was the only lowered bug in Henderson at the time and came across a bus in a driveway,I stopped to talk with the owner because it didnt look like it had moved in years. He told me he was the original owner and used it to deliver news papers in Henderson and then used it to sell rugs at the local flea market and then parked it.It ran and he started it for me,it was a really good conversation,old memories and the such.So he said it wasn't for sale.I gave him my # and left.I would drive buy about once a year to try to buy it,but never for sale.So one day I am at work and in walks the owner of the bus,I had changed jobs since the last time I saw him so how he found me I never knew.He seemed like he was mad,but told me to come buy the house as soon as I could so we could talk.I left work and went there and the bus was moved out in front of the house and emptied out,the middle seat was insalled and had been washed. I know this seems a little sappy but he seemed like he was gonna cry.He told me since I was the only one that would come buy and talk with him and shared stories the I could buy the bus. He said he wanted only $800.I almost fell on the ground.So I went to the bank and got the cash.He gave me a bundle of recipts and repair history along with some extra parts.He said it was to nice to let sit any longer.So that is how I found a one owner 63 Kombi driver og paint with 63,000 miles for $800.All it took was listening.
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Mongo63
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My boss's father recently cleaned out his garage and gave to me a 9 slat BeKoWa roof rack for my type 1 and an n.o.s. Coronado Sea Aire swamp cooler. He bought both at a garage sale decades ago, masking tape tags with $3 asking price on the rack and $5 on the swamp cooler. And if they were asking $8 for the pair Pops got them for $2.50... Laughing
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pilcher
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I pulled this out of a barn in NE. It had only 75000, and 2 owners. Everything was there, including the distributors books and radio gaurantee.IMG]http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa45/pilcher68105/2007_0327babyfastback30029.jpg[/IMG]
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draginwagen
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

^^^^^^^
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zundapp
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back in '00 my wife and I were aimlessly riding our bikes around a very nice nieghborhood about a mile from our place. We turned up this one street and I look down a cul-de-sac to see a split bus in a driveway.
It's got a for sale sign in the window. I pedal over for a closer look. Turns out to be a 62 so-34
flip seat westy. Original paint and interior. All the cushions and stuff were just kind of piled inside. Straight as an arrow body, still had bias plys on her. NO price on the sign. Called the number the next day. Got the son in law of the original owners. Still married to the daughter. Been in the family the whole time. Brought over from germany in 62. Replaced motor with a 1500 in 63. 34K original miles! Interior was mint. Tent , rack, chemical toilet, water bottles, the works. He had it parked on a street with the sigh but no takers. Told me he was going to take it to a car show that weekend and start the bidding at $6k.
But since I had called first and drove up to look at it in a nice bug, I could have it for the starting price. That was the luckiest bike ride ever. You just never know were there hiding, but they're out there.
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TDC Auto Parts
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 1:04 am    Post subject: Found this solit in 1983 Reply with quote

I found this 1951 split in a guys garage in Carson Ca back in 1983 I paid $3000 for it.

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Here is the 1951 I bought two years ago unrestored for $11,000 it was sitting in a VW Dealership for over 20 years on Display before being sold in 2000 then I bought it in 2005

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Rowroy
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:34 am    Post subject: Re: Found this solit in 1983 Reply with quote

TDC VW Parts wrote:

Here is the 1951 I bought two years ago unrestored for $11,000 it was sitting in a VW Dealership for over 20 years on Display before being sold in 2000 then I bought it in 2005

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[/img]http://www.tdcvwparts.com/images/RightSemaOn.jpg[img]

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Are you F'ing kidding me!?!?! I never find deals like that!
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vw_chick
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 12:03 pm    Post subject: under the tree find Reply with quote

In 1992 I wrecked my 1979 rabbit which had 36k original miles. I was walking out my house in Seattle one morning and a gentleman approached me to ask the condition of the engine and if I'd be willing to sell my car which was quite wrecked (T-boned on the passenger side). He was elated to hear about the low mileage and undamaged engine which he wanted to put into his German rabbit that he'd imported during a tour w/ the Navy. He offered to trade for his 1974 Super Beetle which had been sitting for quite sometime after he'd gotten out of the Navy.

When we drove up to his place the car (now named Avalon) was in sad shape cosmetically. She'd been sitting under a pine tree for many years but he assured me the car ran. All she needed as a good washing, a new driver's side fender and headlight and an alternator. She become my daily driver for the next 7 years. I still have her - in storage now but looking for a refurb in the near future. Oh, and we did exchange an obligatory $50 for the swap.
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aircooledmark
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 1:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found a 64 vert in North Dakota with 18,000 miles on the odometer. Last registration was 1972. Under the dust revealed very nice, shiny paint.

I had struck a deal with the family that owned the property (mom and dad owned the car, both died). We agreed to $500, before they starting arguing amongst their selves about who the car actually belonged to (not left in the will).

I joined the military, and went back to look for the car 8 years later. Car is gone, barn is gone, house is gone. WHO GOT MY CAR?? Or maybe I just turned into the wrong driveway... Laughing
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drscope
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It was a field find. An ad in the Baltimore Sunday paper....1949 VW free.

Went and picked it up, stripped off what we could save and gave the rest to a hot rod guy. We didn't have any room for it. Apartment life sucks!
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KdF1
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:55 pm    Post subject: My Barn Find Reply with quote

I found an early 1944 KdF beetle in a Barn in 2002. Actually, I found a 7 year old Ad over the internet and then tracked down the previous owner (great guy). The fellow he sold it to 7 years ago had just decided to sell it and mentioned it to him. Timing was right for everyone and I was able to purchase it. Still have it today. Very Happy
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