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Vent Thread - Buying "Barn Finds"

gqchris

gqchris

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Ok, so lately I have been on a quest to find a Fox body mustang. I know, its higher then giraffe pussy still, and its all the 50 year old guys trying to live their high school dreams causing the market to not stabilize.

But I know you guys feel this frustration. Why can't I ever be the recipient of old Don selling his 1989 Notchback with 15k miles pristine with all paperwork to his neighbor for $3000? Anyone have stories of being on the positive side of a "friend" deal?

What's even more pissing me off is that 99% of the time, the recipient then proceeds to flip this gift, and no care in the world cares for Dons wishes or the widow. Its always the same story when you look at Marketplace. No one respects the car they were blessed with and they just want to make a quick buck.

OK, enough venting, who is selling me their Mustang? 😂
 
Runs2rch

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In the early 2000's I picked up a 90 Notch creampuff from an old guy. Was 3800 then if I remember right. So dumb that I sold that car.
 
gqchris

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Runs2rch said:
In the early 2000's I picked up a 90 Notch creampuff from an old guy. Was 3800 then if I remember right. So dumb that I sold that car.
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I know the feeling. I had to sell my GT from a divorce in my 20's. That sucked!
 
steamin rice

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What are these cars worth now? I had a 1989 GT 5.0 Hatchback that I drove for a while - I think I sold it for around $6k in 1995 or so. That was a fun car
 
SJP

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There was a nice white GT convertible in our storage barn barn back east. The owner did not pay storage fees on it and had not taken it out summer time in like 5 years. Mice were pissing all over it etc. My dad mentioned it and he was sick of looking at it. I told him to float an offer over to the guy and release his storage fees. Dude ran over and picked it up the next day. People are weird.
 
530RL

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steamin rice said:
What are these cars worth now? I had a 1989 GT 5.0 Hatchback that I drove for a while - I think I sold it for around $6k in 1995 or so. That was a fun car
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Somewhere between 3,100 bucks and 211 thousand.

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gqchris

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SJP said:
There was a nice white GT convertible in our storage barn barn back east. The owner did not pay storage fees on it and had not taken it out summer time in like 5 years. Mice were pissing all over it etc. My dad mentioned it and he was sick of looking at it. I told him to float an offer over to the guy and release his storage fees. Dude ran over and picked it up the next day. People are weird.
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Its the same type that hold on to projects until they die.

“Im gonna restore that soon”

Yea OK
 
ChrisV

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Would love an 93 mr2 turbo. Prices for them tripled. Fackkkk
 
mjc

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I feel the same way, all these barn finds and I can never anything weather I want it or not. The right one come along and I might be anything. For a long time I would see a 59 2 door caddie convertible sitting in a storage lot un touched for year but they wouldn't sell or try to contact owner for me.
 
81Sprint

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I was watching this on ebay everyday, almost exactly like my first mustang except for the cowl hood. Was soooo tempting!

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Todd Mohr

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gqchris said:
See thats my problem. No way do I feel like thats worth 16k. Here lies my problem!
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I agree, I bet 12k would buy it, but a real nice one will be 30k. FB Marketplace has a ton in the Phoenix market. Whatever you pay you will spend some $$ to make it yours, all part of the fun.
 
81Sprint

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Kachina26

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I hated the look of them, but my mom bought one after I had moved out of the house. I got to drive it a couple of times. It was bone stock but still a hoot to drive. Found out she needed tires the hard way. I took a sweeping curve with my then new girlfriend, now wife, and did a 360. I could feel the ass end starting to pick up moments before it happened and said, "don't freak out". About the time she asked why, the ass end came around. A tiny bit talent and a shit ton of luck kept me from curbing it. Mom got new tires the next day. Turned out she liked to light them up more than I did.
 
Todd Mohr

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The Fox bodies had a severe case of lift throttle oversteer, great fun if once you knew. I heard that's why the CHP switched to Camaros, too many spin outs. I my have spun out once or twice......
 
Sharky

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My "barn" find- 06 Silverado, 2500HD

Had been looking for a used Silverado for quite some time. Wanted an 05-07 2500.

Had to pick up a door part for work one day at the manufacturers rep's house. He lived pretty close to my house.

Was shooting the shit in his driveway and saw a Chevy sitting in the garage 2 doors down. Said "that sure looks like a nice truck" Sales rep says he knows the lady that owns it and she wants to sell it.

Took me over and introduced me to her. It was her husbands truck. Retired manager, GM Powertrain at the Romulus engine plant. He special ordered the truck before he retired. Picked through the RPO list with a fine tooth comb. 2006 Silverado, 2500HD, 4x4. 6.0L, LQ9 (yes, an LQ9 in a 2500), manual transfer case on a LT trim package. Odd mix of LT/LS options. On-Star delete and other mix & match RPO options. Z85 Hd suspension, Z81 Camper Special, Z82 Trailer Special. PYO rims included with new tires. Got the truck with steel rims and winter tires. The PYO's were in the bed of the truck. He got 2 sets of rims & tires. 40K original miles. His initials are on the side of the block. Other people at Pontiac East assembly had signed the inside of the frame from where the truck was built. Got his truck, retired and moved to colorado. Was going to tow a trailer behind it for camping.
Found one of his pay check stubs from GM under the seat.

Poor guy had a heart attack before he ever got to use his truck to tow the trailer they bought. Been sitting in her garage since 2012.

She had looked it up on Kelly Blue Book and "they" said the truck was worth $3500

Gave her $3500 that afternoon. 2018. Still have it. 60K miles.

IMG_5635.JPG
 
HNL2LHC

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My grandfather used to hand over the keys to his 84 convertible 5.0 with a 5spd to me when they left to travel in their RV on the mainland. Boy, was that a fun car to have in the summers in Hawaii. Their cars were always convertibles and that was a blast growing up with him to drive us around town.

🚗💨
 
4Waters

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I bought a '69 fastback mustang for 300 25 years ago
 
bowtiejunkie

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Story time Monday? Here goes. Not a ford and not technically a 'barn find', but in 1995 a 1971 Chevelle appeared at my high school friend's parent's house. My friend was away in the Army. Friend's dad's step-father had recently passed away, and had owned the Chevelle since 1973. I stopped in to visit with Gary (the dad) and we struck a deal for $4k; I was 19. Gary had a beautifully restored 55 Chevy, so didn't want the Chevelle. Aside from a re-paint in mid-1980's, the Chevelle was original (307/Th-350) through and through. The body/paint was in excellent shape then and still the same today, 29 years later. I replaced the drivetrain, suspension, detailed underbody, new repop seat covers in 1998. Interior otherwise still original today (not even a crack in the dash pad).

Gary passed away in 2017, the mom in 2023. I lost touch with them and my friend. My other good friend, Keith, that helped with the engine build and other mechanicals passed in 2014 of cancer. I regret not keeping in touch with the dad as he was a super chill cool guy (you know the old racer type that could tune anything while hanging over the fender smoking a cigarette?). Anyway, I still have the car and just can't part with it. I moved to Texas a few years ago and had to take off the original blue plates. As luck would have it, I found a matching set of year of manufacture license plates at a vintage market with all the patina you'd expect from 1971 and only $20. Got them assigned to the car, so that was cool.

Good luck with the search! The cream puffs are still out there. I'd like to run across another myself!
 
evantwheeler

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You don't find barn finds or even good deals on eBay or bring a trailer. You can find them on FB or CL or Offerup, but you have to dedicate your life to it, have cash on hand at all times, and the free time to GO immediately. Or, you just have to be lucky and fall into the deal. I feel like the "right" car will only present itself at the least opportune time, so I'd go buy a car now and start enjoying it, but leave yourself enough of a wad to go buy that right car once it pops up after settling for the first one. .
 
D

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This one still haunts me ….. neighbor had an ALL ORIGINAL pristine 66 Chevelle SS Convertible … black… this car was built in the LA Plant and sold at Felix Chevrolet… even had the Felix license plate frame …. All numbers matched …. 396 with the manual 4-speed.
After they had lived in the house for a while they started to do some re-models. I offered to tile the entire house, floors, kitchen, bathrooms, fireplace… you name it for free, materials incl uded … and I said I’d also throw $10K in for the Chevelle.

The wife said ‘When do you wanna start’?….. but the husbandwasn’t having it. Sadly he got sick & eventually passed, and some random vulture ended up with the car.

Still haunts me to this day.
 
Cole Trickle

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You would be better off spending a little more and buying a 2011+ GT manual or a 2001+ corvette, camaro,ws6 manual.

Ive owned a couple mustangs including a nice 1990 no options 5 speed notch. It was dog shit slow by todays standards and one of the worst handling cars i have ever owned. I still wish I didn't sell it but I don't really understand the infatuation and peoples desire to over pay.

As far as barn finds I'm not sure its really a thing since covid and the explosion of FB marketplace. You used to have to know someone or hunt craigslist for deals. Today to many eyes are looking and the decent deals are gone in seconds.
 
gqchris

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Cole Trickle said:
You would be better off spending a little more and buying a 2011+ GT manual or a 2001+ corvette, camaro,ws6 manual.

Ive owned a couple mustangs including a nice 1990 no options 5 speed notch. It was dog shit slow by todays standards and one of the worst handling cars i have ever owned. I still wish I didn't sell it but I don't really understand the infatuation and peoples desire to over pay.

As far as barn finds I'm not sure its really a thing since covid and the explosion of FB marketplace. You used to have to know someone or hunt craigslist for deals. Today to many eyes are looking and the decent deals are gone in seconds.
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We all know that they are total slugs compared to the newer stuff, stir! Its the nostalgia factor of rowing thru the gears and going back in time.

My twin turbo Masi is 700 hp and a rocket.guess what, Its boring. Im over it. I want a raw weekend car now.

A badass GTO would fit the bill also!
 
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attitude

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gqchris said:
We all know that they are total slugs compared to the newer stuff, stir! Its the nostalgia factor of rowing theu the gears and going back in time.

My twin turbo Masi is 700 hp and a rocket.guess what, Its boring. Im over it. I want a raw weekend car now.

A badass GTO would fit the bill also!
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What year GTO?
 
gqchris

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Wasn’t it like 2004 or 2006?? I think cole trickle Has has one
 
Spitfire

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Had an 89 GT back in 94 and picked this one up in 2016 Was one family owned.
 

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attitude

attitude

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gqchris said:
Wasn’t it like 2004 or 2006?? I think cole trickle Has has one
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You are correct. I had a 04. 04s were more bland and had the LS1. 05 & 06 came with the LS2 and had the hood nostrils and dual exhaust. Prices are rising but not crazy yet, not many people find them attractive.

I’d love to find a 05 or 06 with a SAP kit, for my kids of corse, momma isn’t onboard lol.

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hallett21

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Cole Trickle said:
You would be better off spending a little more and buying a 2011+ GT manual or a 2001+ corvette, camaro,ws6 manual.

Ive owned a couple mustangs including a nice 1990 no options 5 speed notch. It was dog shit slow by todays standards and one of the worst handling cars i have ever owned. I still wish I didn't sell it but I don't really understand the infatuation and peoples desire to over pay.

As far as barn finds I'm not sure its really a thing since covid and the explosion of FB marketplace. You used to have to know someone or hunt craigslist for deals. Today to many eyes are looking and the decent deals are gone in seconds.
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How are the 08ish era Mustang GTs?
 
eand28

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attitude said:
You are correct. I had a 04. 04s were more bland and had the LS1. 05 & 06 came with the LS2 and had the hood nostrils and dual exhaust. Prices are rising but not crazy yet, not many people find them attractive.

I’d love to find a 05 or 06 with a SAP kit, for my kids of corse, momma isn’t onboard lol.

View attachment 1456141
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I'm surprised they are still affordable
 
gqchris

gqchris

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attitude said:
You are correct. I had a 04. 04s were more bland and had the LS1. 05 & 06 came with the LS2 and had the hood nostrils and dual exhaust. Prices are rising but not crazy yet, not many people find them attractive.

I’d love to find a 05 or 06 with a SAP kit, for my kids of corse, momma isn’t onboard lol.

View attachment 1456141
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Bad ass. Love it. I never drove one but they look like a blast to drive.
 
Xring01

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Regardless its still a Ford???

My wife has 64.5 Conv Mustang that I got the privilege of doung a frame up restoration on.

I will not admit what we have invested, versus what its worth. Way upside down.

Its her car that she rarely drives, that I hate.

Give me a Pantera any day. That would be motivation to lose weight and get healthy.
 
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