Imagine you bought a farmstead property at auction. You plan to grow crops and live the country life; what a dream. After closing on the property, you walk down to the old barn to give it an inspection. In the back of the barn, you see a large object covered by a drop cloth. Your curiosity piques. You pull off the cloth to find a 1967 Shelby GT 500 underneath, in mint condition. Barn finds like these have become more popular and sought after. But why are cars found in barns?

Why are Cars Found in Barns?

Sometimes, it’s an old clunker; sometimes, it’s a collection of highly desirable vintage cars, often untouched for decades. A collector’s dream!

Barn Finds: Lost Treasure

In most cases, cars found in barns resulted from life plans gone wrong. It could be that the owner passed away, went bankrupt, or had an accident. The barn makes an ideal space for something that needs long-term storage.

The owner may just have forgotten about the vehicle. Possibly, they neglected to tell anyone about it before leaving the property or passing away.

They may have stored the car with good intentions planning to leave it there for a few months or years, and those days bleed into decades. Whatever the reason, it makes for some exciting treasure hunting.

Barn Finds, Who Owns the Car?

The most common reason people will find a car in a barn is that the owner neglected the vehicle and stashed it away. Usually, because they couldn’t afford to refurbish or maintain it. Some cars are stored in good condition, while others are left to rot with no preparation for their storage.

So, who owns the car? Well, if the property is yours and you paid for it, you have a claim. If the owner left the vehicle to someone in their will or trust after passing, their estate has the claim. It’s a patchy grey area in the legal system, and you might have to hire an attorney to navigate the issue.

However, in many cases, these cars are a forgotten memory. So, the owner won’t be coming to collect it any time soon. If you can register the vehicle in your name, it’s yours. However, if it’s not your property and you don’t have any legal claim on the car, you’ll need to find the owner and make them an offer.

About Barn Finds and Other Places to Find Abandoned Vehicles

Barn finds are usually on agricultural properties with large stands. The property is generally neglected or abandoned and unsold. However, barns aren’t the only structures housing abandoned vehicles.

You could find muscle cars or foreign cars in abandoned storage containers or facilities, old underground parking lots, warehouses, or airplane hangers. Look for locations that are large enough to allow for vehicle storage.

Some geographic regions have a higher chance of providing a find. For a good starting place, consider using Google Maps to look in areas around a 25-mile radius of old military bases, airfields, dragstrips, defunct mills, or assembly plants. Plan your hunt and get to work.

You never know what type of classic car you might find. Good luck! Enjoy the challenge of restoring whatever classic cars you find!

Check this out! Over 300 Classic, Abandoned Muscle Cars Unveiled in Texas Barn Find

Dave & Rays Automotive Repair Shop in Omaha, NE

Our team has learned one thing: automotive problems are as varied and unique as the customers who bring them to us. Fortunately, our decades of experience in auto service and repair also mean that our skilled network of professionals is ready to accommodate an impressive scope of automotive issues. Contact us today.