Aussie Barn Find....

[Porsche News]

now there is an aussie beer and barn joke in there somewhere

Adelaide, South Australia. Australians might be the world's greatest hoarders. We don't like to throw out anything even if it is broken. We especially don't like to dispose of favorite cars from our younger days, though our wives eventually run out of patience with non-running dreams that fill up garages and driveways. But imagine if you lived out in the country and had room to store all your projects? Why, you wouldn't have to get rid of anything... You'd be like a collector I know who has been buying such cars for decades. Today he has almost three hundred cars and trucks.

Started small and got carried away

The passion began when our collector gained his driving licence but he became serious when he bought his farm in the 1970s. He stored cars in sheds until they filled up, then the collections spread into paddocks. The semi-arid climate is tough on paint and trim, but metal lasts forever.

Over two hundred of the cars are in sheds. The undercover storage is not quite a plush palace like the Nethercutt Collection in California. This is an Australian Country style - with corrugated iron roofs, no doors and dirt floors. The cars are tightly packed in every available space, so you cannot walk between them. Any other space is packed with spare parts like wheels, engines and gearboxes. The paddocks are crammed with about one hundred cars, also surrounded by spare parts. Wheels are stacked against fences. Windshields and trunk lids rest on hoods, bumpers are under cars.

Cars from A to Z

As you might expect in this far-flung outpost of the one-time British Empire, English cars dominate this collection. But the combination of an arid climate and vehicles far from any spares support has led to other interesting marques being stranded here over the years. There are European, American and even Australian oddities, including Alvis, Austin, BMW, Borgward, Chrysler, Daimler, Dodson, Fiat, Goliath, Graham, Hudson, Hupmobile, Jaguar, Jensen, Lancaster, Lancia, Morris, Nash, Oldsmobile, Renault, Singer, Sunbeam, Vauxhall and Wolseley.

The range of body styles includes sedans, coupes, roadsters and convertibles trucks and vans which range from the 1930s to the 1980s. One of the rarest is the 1910 (or thereabouts) Dodson, made by a company owned by David Brown, who later owned Aston Martin. Another interesting car is the 1908 Ford Model T special home-built in Australia and said to have been raced in the 1930s. It even has Barney Oldfield's signature on the hood, though heaven knows how that could have been accomplished.

These cars may all be in long-term parking but you can see from the photographs that they are eminently restorable. Consider them projects with a capital P. Then again survivors are a growing class and whatever you think about the cars, you can't say they don't have patina.

The collector's philosophy

The collector regards himself as a guy who is keeping cars from the crusher. He maintains that even humble cars, such as pre-war Austins, should not be scrapped and that he's is not hoarding them but saving them for future generations. He'd like to build a museum and restore some of the cars - and about one hundred and fifty cars on another farm.

Before you start Google-earthing the barns, be aware that the collector does not sell cars or parts. The only way a car leaves his collection is when he trades it for another car. So you'll have to figure out how to ship a car to Australia and maybe use the same container to bring one back...

Cars

Alfa Romeo

1975 Alfetta sedan: 1

1976 Alfetta GTV coupe: 2

1980 Giulietta sedan: 1

1983 33 sedan: 1

Total: 5

Alvis

1947 TA 14 sedan: 1

Armstrong-Siddeley

1953 Sapphire sedan: 1

Audi

1967 90 sedan: 1

Austin

1930s unknown tourer: 2

1930s unknown sedan: 1

1947 A40 sedan: 2

1949 A90 sedan: 2

1949 A70 sedan: 1

1949 A70 sedan: 2

1951 A30 sedan: 2

1951 A40 sedan: 1

1950s A90 sedan: 4

1957 Lancer sedan: 1

1957 A95 sedan: 2

1959 A99 sedan: 1

1958 A40 sedan: 1

1961 A60 sedan: 1

1961 A60 sedan: 1

1961 Freeway sedan: 2

1961 A60 sedan: 2

1961 A60 station wagon: 1

1961 1100 sedan: 1

1966 1800 sedan: 2

1970 Kimberley sedan: 1

Total: 31

BMW

1962 3200 CS coupe: 1

1971 2000 sedan: 1

1974 728 sedan: 1

1983 635 CSi coupe: 1

1979 733i sedan: 1

Total: 5

Citroen

1973 DS 23 sedan: 1

1974 CX 2200 sedan: 1

1978 CX 2400 sedan: 1

Total: 3

Dodson

1910s unknown: 1

Daimler

1950s unknown sedan: 2

Essex

1920s unknown sedan: 1

Fiat

1946 500 sedan: 2

1955 1100 sedan: 1

1966 124 coupe: 2

1965 850 coupe: 1

1971 130 sedan: 1

1971 130 coupe: 1

Total: 8

Ford

1908 Model T home built racer: 1

1950 Consul sedan: 2

1939 Prefect sedan: 2

1956 Zodiac sedan: 1

1950 Zephyr sedan: 2

1960 Anglia station wagon: 1

1956 Zephyr sedan: 2

1962 Cortina sedan: 4

1966 Zodiac sedan: 1

1974 Cortina sedan: 1

1977 Falcon sedan: 1

1977 LTD sedan: 1

1977 Capri hatch: 1

Total: 20

Goliath

1960s unknown sedan: 1

Hillman

1952 Minx Californian coupe: 1

1956 Minx sedan: 5

1958 Minx station wagon: 2

1970 Hunter sedan: 1

Total: 9

Holden 1956 FE sedan: 1

1963 EJ sedan: 1

1966 HR sedan: 1

1979 Commodore sedan: 1

Total: 4

Honda

1971 Coupe 9 coupe: 1

Hudson

1948 Commodore 8 sedan: 1

Humber

1945 Snipe sedan: 2

1958 Hawk sedan: 2

1961 Vogue sedan: 1

1964 Sceptre sedan: 1

Total: 6

Hupmobile

1920s unknown sedan: 2

Jaguar

1945 unknown sedan: 1

1950 Mk VII sedan: 1

1955 Mk I sedan: 2

1959 Mk II sedan: 1

1960s home built special sports: 1

1968 XJ 6 sedan: 1

1975 XJ-S coupe: 1

Total: 8

Jensen

1967 Interceptor coupe: 1

Jewett

1920s unknown sedan: 1

Lanchester

1950s unknown sedan: 3

Lancia

1963 Fulvia sedan: 2

Leyland

1973 P 76 sedan: 1

Lloyd Alexander

1958 unknown sedan: 1

Mercedes-Benz

1951 220 sedan: 1

1968 250 sedan: 1

1978 450 sedan: 1

1988 300 sedan: 1

1989 500 coupe: 1

Total: 5

Mercury

1973 Cougar XR-7 hard top: 1

MG

1953 Magnette sedan: 1

Morris

1920s Cowley sedan: 1

1949 Oxford sedan: 1

1949 Oxford station wagon: 1

1949 Isis sedan: 1

1949 Minor sedan: 1

1949 6 sedan: 1

1950s A90 sedan: 4

1957 Marshall sedan: 1

1960s Oxford sedan: 2

1962 1100 sedan: 1

1965 Mini Deluxe sedan: 1

1960s Nomad 1500 hatch: 1

1960s Marina sedan: 1

1960s Elite sedan: 2

1973 Allegro sedan: 1

Total: 20

Nash

1949 Airflyte Ambassador sedan: 1

Peugeot

1947 203 sedan: 1

1953 403 sedan: 3

1960 404 sedan: 5

1968 504 sedan: 1

1979 505 sedan: 2

1978 604 sedan: 1

1984 205 hatch: 1

Total: 14

Pontiac

1973 Grand Am coupe: 1

Renault

1939 Juvaquatre sedan: 1

1949 750 sedan: 1

1951 Fregate sedan: 2

1950s unknown station wagon: 1

1957 Dauphine Gordini sedan: 1

1961 R4 van: 1 1971 R17 coupe: 1

Total: 8

Reo 1910s unknown unknown: 1

Riley 1953 Pathfinder sedan: 2

1947 2.5 litre sedan: 1

Total: 3

Rolls Royce

1920s unknown unknown: 1

Rover

1946 P3 sedan: 4

1950 P4 sedan: 3

1953 105 S sedan: 2

1960 P5 sedan: 5

1967 P5 coupe: 1

1966 2000 sedan: 1

1978 SD 1 sedan: 5

1981 SD 1 Vanden Plas sedan: 1

Total: 22

Simca 1951 Aronde sedan: 1

Singer 1934 9 sedan: 1

1939 1500 special body tourer: 1

1949 SM 1500 sedan: 2

1950 SM 1500 tourer: 2

1959 1500 sedan: 1

Total: 7

Skoda 1945 1101 sedan: 1

1945 1101 station wagon: 1

Total: 2

Standard 1948 Vanguard sedan: 1

1953 Eight sedan: 1

1954 Spacemaster sedan: 1

Total: 3

Sunbeam 1949 Ninety sedan: 1

1955 Rapier sedan: 1

Total: 2

Triumph 1949 Mayflower: 2

1959 Herald sedan: 1

1959 Herald coupe: 1

1959 Herald station wagon: 1

1963 2000 Mk 1 sedan: 2

1970 2500 sedan: 1

1970 2500 TC sedan: 3

1968 2500 PI sedan: 1

1973 Dolomite sedan: 1

1973 Dolomite Sprint sedan: 1

Total: 14

Vanden Plas

1961 Princess 3 litre sedan: 1

1964 Princess 4 litre sedan: 1

Total: 2

Vauxhall

1946 Fourteen sedan: 2

1948 Wyvern sedan: 1

1957 Velox sedan: 1

1957 Velox sedan: 1

1957 Victor station wagon: 1

1961 VX 490 sedan: 1

1964 Cresta sedan: 1

Total: 8

Volvo

1967 144 sedan: 2

1970 144 station wagon: 1

1975 244 sedan: 1

1975 244 station wagon: 1

1975 242 sedan: 1

1975 264 station wagon: 1

1977 264 sedan: 1

1977 265 station wagon: 1

1986 740 sedan: 1

1986 760 sedan: 2

Total: 12

Wolseley

1946 12/48 sedan: 1

1948 6/80 sedan: 2

1956 4/44 sedan: 2

1958 1500 sedan: 1

1962 24/80 sedan: 3

1959 6/ 99 sedan: 2

1964 110 sedan: 1

Total: 12

Total Cars: 261

Racing Cars

Elfin

1984 Formula V: 1

Jebentte

1968 Formula 4: 1

1976 Formula 2: 1

1978 Formula 2: 1

Total: 3

Lasos

1974 Sports Racing: 1

Nimbus

1978 Formula V: 1

1978 Formula Ford: 1

1979 Le Mans Sports Racing: 1

1984 Stratos Sports Racing: 1

1984 Formula Ford: 1

1986 Hurricane Sports Racing: 1

1988 Cirrus Sports Racing: 1

1990 Clubman Sports Racing: 1

Total: 8

Ralt

1980s Formula 3000: 1

Royale

1980s Formula Ford: 1

Total Racing Car: 15

Commercial vehicles

Austin

1949 A70 utility: 1

1950s Gypsy 4 x 4 truck: 1

1957 A35 panel van: 1

1961 A60 utility: 1

1961 Freeway utility : 1

1966 1800 utility: 1

Total: 2

Chevrolet

1940s unknown truck: 1

Commer

1940s unknown truck: 1

Fargo

1920s unknown truck: 1

Ford

1950s Thames van: 1

1964 Falcon utility: 1

Total: 2

Goliath

1957 Express van: 1

Graham Brothers

1920s unknown truck: 1

International

1960s unknown truck: 1

Morris

1930s unknown truck: 1

1940s unknown van: 1

1950s unknown van: 1

Total: 3

Overland

1920s unknown truck: 1

Standard

1951 Vanguard utility: 1

Studebaker

1940s unknown truck: 1

Total Commercial Vehicles: 21

Cars: 261 Racing Cars: 15 Commercial Vehicles: 21

Overall Total: 297

 

[Carrera4S]

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