Byron's Barn Find

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:37 pm Post subject: Byron's Barn Find

from my post in the "post your oval" sticky

Hi all. I'm here from the Ghia Forum. Been there about a year but now I can post here. Because Saturday I found 4 ovals: a 55, 56, and two 57's. Brought the best one home today. Edit: turns out to be two 56's and two 57's

I never in a million years thought this could happen to me. This is the kind of thing you only read about happening to other people! So here's the story:

My wife sold a goat to a lady about 20 minutes away and, being the nice helpful husband I am, I went along to help unload the creature, etc. Well, we pull into the pasture as directed and there are old Mercedes Benz parked everywhere. And Chrysler New Yorkers from the late 40's and early 50's parked everywhere. And Saab's with little 3 cylinder motors everywhere.

Of course I asked her about all this and she told me her husband just liked to collect unusual cars for the past 60 years or so. He died this summer and she's trying to unload some of the approximately 75 cars on her property.

So being the vw guy that I am, I said, "don't have any old vdub's around, do you?" "I believe there are a few", she said. Proceeds to lead me to on old 56 with no front driver's side fender and a big dent in the driver's door and lot's of rust. "He bought this one new in Germany when we lived there and had it shipped home to the states." One owner car. That one has spent the past 36 years outside in the elements. Pictures of that one coming soon. Then we go on to the barn...

And here's what we saw:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

So I try to keep my mouth closed so as not to jack up the price as I'm looking it over. Not too much rust, nice floor, solid heater channels, no dents anywhere, engine turns by hand, etc. a dream come true. The dark spot on the fender is where I cleaned a spot to see what was underneath.

She said, "If you buy the four of them..." "FOUR of them?" I said, "...you can have all the spare parts too."

Maybe 10 36hp engines, two big trailer loads of parts, lots of nos stuff in old vw boxes, just too much stuff to really comprehend.

Did I mention the box full of mint dealer brochures and tons of other paperwork from the late 50's?

And to think I almost told my wife to take the goat by herself. I was this close to not finding these cars....
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:47 pm Post subject:

Here it is once we got home:

Miss Cate (po) owns about 12 cats. Apparently they like to walk on old vw's.

I guess the first thing is to get 4 tires on it so I can roll it into my shed and get it out of the weather. Big blue tarp on it tonight.

The last sticker on the tag is 1979. I was a college sophomore driving a '73 basic beetle the last time this car was on the road! And now I'm a retired educator. Lot of water under the bridge.
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

motofly196 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:51 pm Post subject:

That's an awesome find!!! I think I'm not alone in saying...MORE PICS!! I love to see old part stashes like this, dig through it, roll around in it! Too bad he isn't still around to tell you all the stories of where all the parts came from. That's the best part! I bet the black on that car buffs out REAL nice!!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:00 pm Post subject:

motofly said [quote] love to see old part stashes like this, dig through it, roll around in it!

well, roll in this:

This is the first truck load. Going back Thursday for at least 2 more loads.

This must be what gold miners feel when they hit the mother lode.

Is that a luggage rack?
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:03 pm Post subject:

One more before I call it a night.

What a day this has been.
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

motofly196 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:04 pm Post subject:

Been there, that's exactly what it feels like! It almost looks like the rack will fit a bus? The legs look pretty long...maybe it's for another type of car?

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:17 pm Post subject:

That's a good question. He collected all kinds of stuff but this rack was mixed in with the vw stuff so they gave it to me. It had this sticker on the side:

any help?
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:32 pm Post subject:

Ok, this is it for today. Everett asked for pics of the dealer stuff. Here's a teaser:

sorry about the holes. PO had hole punched everything and bound up together. Someone with sweet photoshop skills could probably fix that.
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

laneven28 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:47 pm Post subject:

What a score!! Congrats man! Wish I was closer so I could come check it all out.
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1950 Pearl Grey Hoffman Standard Split Window
1954 Iceland Green Euro 3-Fold Oval
1955 Strato Silver Transitional 3-Fold Oval
1956 Iris Blue Convertible
1958 Pearl White Lowlight KG Convertible
1961 Turkis Ragtop

Abscate · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 7:59 pm Post subject:

Incredible find...and much better than a scrap metal guy crunching them up to clear an estate sale

Crying or Very sad

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.ssS!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 8:02 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. Don't forget about the other THREE ovals this lady had. Brought the 56 home today also and the other two will be here Thursday.

I'm going to stretch this out like a cheap dime store serial novel from back in the day.
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

BulliBill · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:55 am Post subject:

Hooooooolllllllyyyyyyy Shit! That is awesome! Please keep teasing all of us with the cool details and lots of photos too! That shot of the Oval outside caked in dirt/dust is AWESOME!!!

Congrats and thanks for driving us all crazy with this one!

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

stale air · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:51 am Post subject:

That's a great looking car. I bet with some serious elbow grease it will clean up nicely. Keep the updates, and pics coming.
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WANTED: Henry Veale Santa Rosa plate frames
WANTED: Brittsan Motors Fresno plate frames
WANTED: Any Georgia plate frames

sunroof · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:18 am Post subject:

How do you keep an idiot in suspense? I'll tell you tomorrow!

Ha ha, more pictures please.

Don

Blue Baron · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Byron's Barn Find

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:04 am Post subject:

Thanks for reading. This is the new thread so just stay tuned to this channel. More pics when I get home later today.
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

EverettB · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:11 am Post subject:

dmcglynn · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 1:42 pm Post subject:

Also in agreement at the amazement of this find! Very much looking forward to the remaining pictures! .. And here I thought my recent find (on my birthday of all days) of a '55 owned by a 94 yr old lady was a good story!

Gwdghiaguy · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:40 pm Post subject:

Thank you all for your comments and for the 400+ views the past 24 hours. I'm always amazed by the sambanistas.

Let's do some exterior pictures

This one is the new wallpaper on my iphone:

Here is the driver side turn signal. Do you all call it a bullet style?

This one is nice, too.

Looks like she spent some time in Tallahassee:

Driver side front end. Can't wait to see how these headlights clean up. Keep your fingers crossed for me:

Missing a tailpipe. But everything else back here looks pretty good to me.

Front hood latch.

The hood...boot lid...engine compartment cover...WHATEVER YOU ALL CALL IT!! hits the bumper when you lift it. You'll see why later.

Smooth and straight. I have found one...ONE...little blemish in the body work. And I was able to pull most of that back out with just a little finger massage. You can just make it out on the fender right at the edge of the photo. The small darker area that runs almost parallel with the edge of the pic...

I'm sure our Roman Catholic friends are honored with the name you guys gave this.

Took about 200 pics today, documenting every little detail inside and out. I plan to spend most of Saturday continuing to do this before I clean a single thing. Hope you all approve.

And please send more encouragement, suggestions, biting sarcasm, whatever moves you. It will help me feel like I really belong. This still feels like a dream.

And if you're in the neighborhood, drop me a pm and we'll set up a date. We love visitors here on the farm!

One more for Everett. This is the reverse side of the post from last night. Don't you love "it gives a courteous but undeniable warning" What a hoot!

And the chassis number says its from May of 57. One of the last oval windows, right?

See you all later,

Byron
_________________
1957 Oval Window
1963 Alabama Camper Bus
1971 Ghia
1971 Baywindow Bus

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Karly · Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:43 pm Post subject:

Very cool! Will look forward to seeing some more photos of everything and the clean up of the oval Smile

_________________
1960 Beetle ''Heidi" daily driver
1964 Karmann Ghia project


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