Tom's in Savannah, Ga., where he finds a British classic that's made its way to the U.S. from Australia and a muscle car lover's dream.
Tom explores the rolling vineyards and winding roads of northern California, where he encounters one of the original California hot-rodders, a car he’s dreamed of finding since he was a boy, and a surprising array of classics in a Napa Valley backyard, including a Lincoln that may or may not have belonged to a music superstar.
Tom spends the day at Turner’s Auto Wrecking in Fresno, Calif., where he’s given free rein to explore the 70-acre property’s barns, sheds and hangars and discovers classic ‘60s muscle sedans and wagons, a perfect ’34 Ford, California ’57 Chevy and a 1910 Flanders.
Tom drives his trusty 1939 Ford Woodie into the Rocky Mountains, with a stop in Leadville, Colo., where he discovers two dusty Porsches and a long-neglected Karmann Ghia. Later, while descending the mountains ahead of a wicked snowstorm, Tom spots a collection of classics off the highway.
Tom proves you can find classics close to home when he explores his own stomping grounds in North Carolina, tracking down a series of stock cars, two cars that made cameos in the movie “Days of Thunder,” and a VW from his past. He also shares his favorite barn find purchase yet.
Tom talks with a woman with a dusty $250,000 treasure in her garage that the family has owned since the 1960s.
Tom explores a seaside community in Maine, where he finds a special Chevy tucked away and meets a car guy with several barns full of enviable classics.
Tom’s in Colorado, where he meets a man with an all-consuming affliction involving a specific marque, and then explores a property with classics hidden in every nook and cranny.
Every automotive project ends with a few spare parts. In this episode, we present our own "spares" – our favorite extras from various locations.
Detroit is the heartbeat of American car culture. Ride along with Tom as he uncovers a Buick Caballero, a pair of Pontiac GTOs and many other American masterpieces, as well as a pair of Jaguar XK140s.
Cars aren’t just hidden in barns. In the latest episode, Tom spots a cinder block motorcycle shop from a sun-bleached Arizona highway and decides to investigate. Not only does he find a pair of Mopars resting in the desert, but they’re for sale. Do they compare to the Big-Block Camaros and Impala he discovers later on?
Did the British invade Colorado? We didn’t think so, but in the latest episode Tom Cotter discovers British armored recon vehicles along with Land Rovers baking in the suburban Denver sun. But it doesn’t end there – racks and racks of MG parts await the British car enthusiast. Which is all just primer for a lead that yields a sports car connected to Augie Pabst Jr.
Barn finds in suburban Detroit? Tom Cotter managed to find some in an “automotive Disneyland:” from a 1914 Princess and an aluminum-bodied, air-cooled 1920 Franklin to a one-owner (who still owns it) 1956 Ford Crown Victoria. The most impressive find of the show? Discovered in a storage unit, is a one-of-one factory hot rod station wagon, authorized by then-Ford president Lee Iacocca himself. Too bad this one’s already found a new home...
Tom Cotter’s drive through Arizona yields several rare cars and trucks—and upholstery. In a yard near Lake Havasu, Cotter discovers a 1950 Ford Marmon-Herrington 4WD truck and hundreds of yards of cloth for automotive interiors, in the back of a weathered delivery van. Later, he uncovers an extremely clean ’63 Lincoln Continental convertible living under a tarp, and close to a Super Marauder-powered 1964 Mercury Colony Park wagon. There are also old Hondas, a Corvair Corsa, and a Lotus Formula Ford featured. And Cotter finishes the episode with tips on how he finds relics when he’s traveling.
Bouncing east, Tom Cotter hits South Carolina and debuts a new ride, discovered in a previous episode. He left his 1939 Ford Woodie Wagon at home and cruises around the Palmetto State in his 428-cid V-8-equipped 1967 Ford Country Squire. This time around, Cotter’s search yields a bounty of convertibles in one location, a one-owner Plymouth ‘Cuda 340 in another, and a shop full of Chevy's with a few Big-Block Chevelles.
Just another day on the road for Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter, finding million-dollar projects. They only made 85 of these, and it needs a full restoration but it seems like most of the parts are there. Can you guess what it is? In a nearby shop, Cotter discovers a ’41 Lincoln Continental, equipped with a Flathead V-12, and a 1950 Plymouth Suburban two-door, both California survivors. Talking with Shelby, the owner, Cotter learns of Dwayne Bower who describes himself as a guy who “doesn’t collect cars, but has never sold one.” And he isn’t interested in selling his ’57 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, Jaguar XK120, 1974 Plymouth Roadrunner GTX, the tow truck featured in The Fate of the Furious (aka Fast and the Furious 8), or any other cars now, either. Cotter arrived in SoCal on a viewer’s tip about the million-dollar find without having any plans. It shows how much you can find just by chatting and listening to locals’ suggestions.
Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter has discovered more than his share of hidden gems over the years. But nearly 1,800 classic cars in one location? Now, that’s a real treasure trove. Needless to say, artist Tom Merkel’s Cuyama Historical Car Garden in northern California—“a memorial to the men of machines and the machines of men”—is unique. Tom Cotter, rattle-snake stick in hand, pokes around a bit and finds a 1960 Jaguar XK 150 coupe with an Oldsmobile engine up front. Barn Find Hunter episode 17, presented by Shell and Quaker State, continues to Fontana, Calif., where Tom checks out a 1929 Ford Model A roadster and a 1965 Ford Falcon Futura, which he quickly discovers is a real “cat’s meow.” Then it’s on to a junk yard, where vehicles (like a 1939 Ford pickup, 1957 Thunderbird, and 1972 Datsun 510) have been accumulating for more than six decades. Farther down the road, Tom wins over a suspicious property owner who agrees to show him his 1956 Ford pickup, 1964 Chevrolet El Camino, 1968 Mercury Cougar, 1966 Ford Galaxie, and 1972 Ford Gran Torino.
Follow along as Tom Cotter pulls the tarp off a forgotten 1954 Chevy C1 Corvette and its numbers-matching Blue Flame Six engine. American classics abound in this episode of “Barn Find Hunter,” with a rare 1970 Buick GS Stage 1 convertible, big-block El Camino, and 1960 Chevy Impala convertible with a 348-cid V-8 and four-speed transmission. For European car fans, Tom doesn't disappoint as he discovers a warehouse of dusty Italian sports cars, including a Zagato-bodied Abarth Double Bubble, Fiat-Abarth 750 Record Monza, ASA 1000 GT "baby Ferrari," and more. Scroll down for a complete list of cars found in this episode.
Tom Cotter's never-ending search for forgotten classic cars continues in the northeastern U.S., where the beautiful barns of Vermont and New Hampshire provide a few surprises. He starts with a 1936 Ford Pickup truck towing a vintage wooden speed boat before moving on to a nicely-aged 1935 Ford Phaeton. Then he comes upon a true New England classic, a Ford Model A snowmobile. Later, Tom and his 1939 Ford Woodie Wagon find a friendly Vermont woman, who reveals a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda convertible that has been in her family for 30 years. To top off this episode, Tom uncovers a gorgeous, unrestored Sunbeam Alpine with a well-documented SCCA racing history, which includes a close encounter with famed race car driver Don Yenko.
Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter has been hunting cars since he was 12 and has discovered more than his share of hidden gems. So when he says, “This is what dreams are made of,” you can take it to the bank. In BFH, episode 20, presented by Shell and Quaker State, Tom heads to South Carolina and gets more than he bargained for. First, he admires the remains of a rare 1953 Woodill Wildfire, one of approximately 300 built by Dodge and Willys dealer Blanchard Robert “Woody” Woodill in Downey, Calif. Tom checks out a 1967 Porsche 912 and a 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special when things get a little wild—literally. After driving to North Carolina to visit old friend Steve Davis, a former member of Dale Jarrett’s NASCAR team, Tom strolls through a car-filled building that Steve claims “is longer than a football field.” He isn’t kidding. Tom also admires a barn full of Jaguars—from an XK140 roadster to an XKE 2+2—and inspects a 1932 Chevrolet moonshine car, complete with a bullet hole in the rear window.
Searching through New Hampshire, Tom Cotter digs up everything from off-beat Volkswagens to a fabulous warehouse of odds and ends that spans the classic spectrum. This episode of “Barn Find Hunter” kicks off with Tom peeling back the cover on an unrestored 1967 Jaguar E-Type roadster, which the owner took for a 100-mph joy ride before he was old enough to get a license. Tom discovers that New England is teeming VW Beetles and buses, but not before he strikes bowtie gold in a warehouse hiding a 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS bubbletop, 1956 Nomad drag racer, and 1966 Nova SS…with Corvette parts lurking underneath.
We left our viewers hanging at the end of the last episode of The Barn Find Hunter, but classic car aficionado and host Tom Cotter is back and ready to reveal one of the show’s most significant finds so far. In this episode, Tom uses bolt cutters to open the door of a trailer and pulls back a car cover to reveal a 1972 De Tomaso Pantera L that hasn’t seen sunlight in three decades. The rare Italian sports car (with a Ford 351 engine) was in the midst of restoration/modification before being locked away. Its claim to fame, in addition to its divine looks, is that it competed in the 1980 U.S. Express, a 2500-mile cross-country race from New York to California. You’ll want to know the judge’s reaction after it was pulled over for speeding in Texas.
A barn-find Ferrari is about as good as it gets. In this episode, Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter pulls the cover off a gorgeous unrestored 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Ellena that has been sitting for over 40 years. This amazingly complete V-12 Ferrari was brought over from Switzerland in the 1970s by the current owner’s father, who was in the business of buying and selling cars, motorcycles, and airplanes he imported from Europe. Follow along as Tom goes through the details of this beautiful grand tourer, which is complete with an original factory tool kit and the oft-overlooked genuine European cigarette butts in the hand-etched ash tray.
Searching in the heart of North Carolina’s NASCAR country, automotive author and Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter ventures into a garage full of cars and is hit with a lightning bolt. Parked before him is a silver 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/2, covered in decades of dust and spider webs. The Italian Sleeping Beauty has only 13,000 miles on the clock and, Tom soon realizes, is one of only a handful that were built with an alloy body. It just can’t get any better than this, Tom reasons, and then—miraculously—along comes a 1967 Shelby Cobra 427.
In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter returns to the scene of his latest, greatest find: a garage in suburban Charlotte, North Carolina, housing five forgotten cars. Among them are a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 Long-nose Alloy coupe and a 1967 Shelby Cobra 427. The uninhabited house and garage have been condemned by the local municipality and are scheduled for demolition soon, so the cars need to be moved to a secure location. With no local towing companies willing to take on the risk of moving such valuable cars, Tom and his friends set out to transport this amazing stash to a warehouse where they’ll reside until being offered at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island Auction on March 9, 2018.
Barn Find Hunter extraordinaire Tom Cotter is in southern California again to further his endless search for forgotten classics. A local bookstore owner gives Tom a tip about a woman whose car-loving husband recently passed away. Tom soon discovers that this man’s interest in cars knew no international boundaries as he finds a Citroën, Datsun, Buick, and Ferrari all under one roof.
Win some, lose some. One week you uncover millions worth of dusty treasures, another you get a firmly slammed door in your face, as Tom Cotter knows all too well after decades of hunting for old cars. In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom is rebuffed left and right by grumpy car guys and their neighbors, until he eventually lands in a yard full of classic Swedish wagons. And after peeking in a few garage windows on the same property, he happens upon a curious British car in a sea of boxy Volvos.
You can never have too much Cobra, right? Yes, Tom’s at it again with more Shelby goodness, this time at the behest of Cobra guru Lynn Park. Once inside the heavenly garage, we get a look at an original 289 Cobra—affectionately dubbed “Dirtbag”—which Lynn liberated from a 20-year backyard parking spot under nothing but a blue tarp. Then it’s on to Cobra race cars, unique builds, and much more.
You watched Tom Cotter discover them. Then you got to see him help relocate them. Now it’s time for the barn-find 427 Shelby Cobra and Ferrari 275 GTB/2 long-nose alloy coupe to cross the auction block. In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom heads to Florida to attend Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction in hopes of witnessing these two rare cars go for big money. Will they meet reserve and find new homes? Do barn finds still have a special allure on such a stage? Follow along as we see how the story ends for these exceptional cars.
Finding old Fords, Chevys and other American iron in backyards, barns, and garages isn’t hard to do in Michigan, a state that’s been the crucible for generations of car enthusiasts. Discovering old, dusty European cars in the Mitten State isn’t nearly as common. So when Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter met David Korwin and his stash of ragtag Alfa Romeos, he was both excited and intrigued.
“You oughta go see Denny,” was the advice Tom Cotter kept hearing as he scoured northern Michigan’s countryside for forgotten classics. Fortunately, we know a few people in these parts and soon located this “Denny” of local lore. Tom was not disappointed. What started with two small garages holding a Buick Riviera, a Ford Falcon, and some Impalas, ended with two huge pole barns filled with cars. And Denny is ready to sell—for the right price.
After the exceptional barn-find 427 Cobra and Ferrari 275 GTB/2 from the same garage a few months ago, we asked Tom Cotter what could possibly be left to uncover. “I dunno… It’d be cool to find a Gullwing.” Kismet’s a funny thing. With the help of the legendary Bill Warner, Tom makes the trek to an undisclosed location to open an old storage unit. Inside? You guessed it, a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. Not just any Gullwing, either, but a completely original and unrestored example that was the 43rd off the assembly line. Follow along as Tom and Bill explore this stunning slice of automotive history.
Sunny Southern California is a hotbed for classic cars, from road-worthy beauties to the forgotten junkers that Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter wakes up every morning hoping to uncover. But California is tightening state laws concerning the possession of non-functional vehicles, making it tougher for folks to put off projects. In this episode, Tom scours Craigslist to track down Alex, a car guy whose motherlode of Fords and Mercurys has managed to evade the ire of California’s enforcement. Cougars, Fairlanes, Comets, and Torinos—many with 390 engines and/or factory four-speeds—count among the forgotten gems in Alex’s stash.
Tom Cotter's sojourn to oil country proves fruitful. With no leads to go on, he cruises the dusty landscape around Midland, Texas, only to stumble upon a fellow barn-find enthusiast with a yard full of Ford Galaxies, Fairlanes, and Ranch Wagons. The dry climate means many old cars can linger outside with little risk of rusting, and while paint and interiors get baked and dried out, fixing those issues is a cinch compared to a disintegrated frame. Topping it all off, Tom attempts to bring a desert-faded paint job back to life with good old-fashioned elbow grease (and maybe a little help from an electric buffer).
Following a lead from an owner on last episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter continues his oil-country campaign, unearthing more dust-covered classics in the desert of Midland, Texas. This week starts with dusting off a couple of Oldsmobiles, but Tom uncovers a whole bounty of American metal. In the shed and out back, the property showcases a landscape of Eighty-Eights and Cutlasses, as well. Lined bumper-to-bumper between the Texas shrubbery, this menagerie of lopsided grills and sunbaked hoods is now kept by the family of the late collector, and among these American gems, Tom investigates a Dodge Dart 270 and a Pontiac wagon, eventually coming upon a Plymouth Road Runner with bizarre scars of mods past.
While cruising down the road in central Florida, Tom Cotter spots a familiar-looking pair of GT-package headlights. Languishing in a pile of leaves outside the owner’s house is a moss-ridden relic of the early pony-car craze—a 1965 Mustang. Originally a project car for the owner and his son, the car started the process of becoming one with the lawn after it got its hood smashed in. The owner’s hopes that his grandson would take up the cause proved fruitless. But when Tom wanders out back to peer into a garage, he discovers another titan of Ford muscle. Hiding in the shadows is none other than a 1970 Shelby Mustang GT500 convertible, and as luck would have it, the owner is eager to share the car’s story.
When there are a pair of unlikely automotive Frankensteins languishing half a mile from the Mexican border, leave it to Tom Cotter to sniff them out. These homemade Volvo and Mercedes pickup trucks, parked in a garage before being sculpted from bits of old Fords and restaurant refrigerators, find company with a hoard of other hidden classics. Two 1951 Packards, a 1939 Buick, and a 1930 Plymouth-all of them for sale. Tom continues the hunt elsewhere, on a dusty rental lot where he finds a complete Dodge Omni GLH and reminisces about the early days of the hot hatch. Between the barbed wire and hunks of scrap metal, he comes upon an El Camino, a Plymouth Road Runner, and a pair of MG Midgets.
They told him that he couldn't find any more cars in Midland, Texas. This week, Tom Cotter hits the oil country highways to prove them wrong. Drawn in by the rusty bones of an old Torino, Tom investigates the pickings of a fellow car guy, among which is a 1972 Dodge Charger housing a 318-cubic-inch engine that, after some gentle prodding, slowly coughs to life. Cold calls come next, and soon Tom visits a woman who proudly imparts the history behind each hollowed-out shell in her yard, from an engine-less 1957 Thunderbird drag car to a VW Beetle with a Ford V-8. Touring through her garden of drag metal and classic iron, Tom turns up a McLaren Mustang convertible, the body of a 1963 Econoline Van, and a half-restored 1977 Chevy Blazer, each with a story-and a price.
Tom Cotter's 1939 Ford Woodie wagon comes to the rescue once again in this week's episode of Barn Find Hunter. While Tom is having lunch in Midland, Texas, a man takes kindly to the old Woodie and strikes up a conversation that leads to a whole day's worth of finds. The tip yields plenty of cool hot rods as well as a Plymouth and Pontiac that could be sale… for right price, of course.
The finds keep on coming in Midland, Texas, in this week's episode of Barn Find Hunter. A lunch conversation with a local man leads Tom to Jeff Roland, who, until several years ago, operated a Mustang restoration and repair shop. Having shifted the focus of his business, Jeff is eager to sell any of the 100-plus cars on his lot. Mustangs abound, including a rare K-code model, along with more Ford, Chevy, and GMC trucks than you can shake a stick at.
During a visit to San Diego, Tom gets a lead on a couple unique cars way outside of the city. He and the woody hit the road and arrive at Randy Carlson's house a few hours later. As it turns out, Randy has more than just a couple cars and, to Tom's delight, a good number of fun stories to accompany them. After checking out some Fords, Packards, Volkswagens, a Lincoln, and some old Hondas, Randy pulls back the cover on an interesting custom Porsche coupe, hand-built in Germany by a design school.
"There's no other place on the planet that can possibly resemble what we're about to go see right now," said Tom Cotter as he parked his car outside of Fiberglass Farms in Tampa, Florida. In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom meets up with his old friend, Geoff Hacker, to dive into the world of one-off fiberglass kit cars.
Tom meets up with his good friend Geoff Hacker once again. Geoff shows off a very unique race car transporter custom built back in the late 1950’s by some California hot rodders. Most notably, it was used to transport Jim Hall's Chaparral 1 race car to Riverside Raceway in the 1960s. Tom and Geoff then head to a storage unit containing a 1948 Packard Super Eight Convertible, previously owned by a drug dealer. While there's a lot to be done on both vehicles, Geoff is motivated to restore both of them to their former glory.
A field full of rusty cars just off the Interstate in southern Virginia leads Tom to Snowball Bishop, an old stock car racer and true car guy. Snowball recalls a great story of buying a 426 Wedge engine from Richard Petty. Tom then browses the field of parts cars before checking out a 1963 Ford Galaxie convertible that's looking for a new home… with a price tag that may have you reaching for your wallet.
Alaska: The last frontier… for finding old cars! In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter heads to Fairbanks, Alaska, and finds a nice sampling of Ford Mustangs, including a rare 1971 Mach 1 with a 429 Cobra Jet engine, factory 4-speed, and air conditioning.
You’d never know that down an unmarked, unpaved road lives a barn-find collection that would melt any car enthusiast’s face off. Dodge Daytonas, a Plymouth Superbird, big block Chevys, Ford Thunderbirds, an L-82 Corvette with under 10 miles, DeTomaso Pantera... and the list goes on... and on... an on! This is the episode of Barn Find Hunter you've been waiting for.
Tom wrangles a herd of first-gen Ford Broncos outside a remote town in Alaska. As Tim, the owner of the vehicles, shows Tom around, it’s apparent that his love of classic SUVs doesn’t start and end with Ford’s iconic two-door 4x4.
Another day, another amazing barn find for Tom Cotter. In this episode of Barn Find Hunter, Tom meets Robert, the owner of an Art Deco-style Buick dealership built in 1946. Inside the weathered building lies a treasure trove of unique classics, including but not limited to a Jaguar XKE, Lamborghini Espada, De Tomaso Mangusta, and more Crosleys than you’ve ever seen in one place.
Hidden behind a lush tree line, off a well-traveled road, lies a collection of cars that has flown under Tom Cotter’s radar for years. Among the stash is a pair of desirable K5 Chevy Blazers and an early-model De Tomaso Pantera. But the real gem is hidden inside a warehouse, buried in the corner, under a couple decades’ worth pile of dust and junk.
Tom Cotter travels to North Pole, Alaska, where he meets Terry and Preston, a father/son team of muscle-car enthusiasts and fellow barn-find hunters. Just like Tom, Terry and Preston spend their weekends driving around looking for hidden treasures in nearby towns. In their endeavors, they have uncovered many rare and desirable muscle cars, but none as important as a 1969 Trans Am Ram Air III that once belonged to Jim Wangers, the man behind the original Pontiac GTO. Follow along as Tom takes you on a tour of Terry and Preston’s barn-find collection.
In this episode of “Barn Find Hunter,” Tom Cotter meets Willie Vinton, curator and manager of the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, in Fairbanks, Alaska. Willie invites Tom to his airplane hangar, where he keeps several cars. One of them happens to be particularly rare—a 1947 Mercury 1-ton pickup. But Tom is in for an even rarer treat. On the opposite side of the airport, hidden away in a warehouse, sits a 1957 Chevy sedan delivery—with windows. Sit back and enjoy the ride as Tom dives into the details of these two uncommon beasts.
Tom finds himself in North Pole, Alaska, where he meets John, an eclectic car guy with all sorts of fun stuff. You’d never guess a stash like this– that includes several Ford hot rods and some very interesting Studebakers–could exist in a remote town in Alaska. But after many years of collecting these vehicles, John seems more than ready to part with most of them... for the right price, of course.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," ride along with Tom Cotter and experience a rare glimpse into his process of barn finding. He's in Le Claire, Iowa, (hometown of the American Pickers) in search of cars the Pickers haven't gotten their hands on yet. Tom finds a few things here and there, but his persistence at one particular location pays off in the form of a plethora of classic Pontiacs and Fords, some of which are looking for new homes.
In this episode of “Barn Find Hunter,” Tom reunites with his 1939 Ford Woodie Wagon and is en route to St. George, UT. With no connections or leads in mind Tom is expecting a challenge, but after two strikes he finally hits a home run and finds an eclectic collection in a dusty old storage unit.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom follows a Facebook lead to an old Chicken farm that harbors a few desirable muscle cars.
Tom always says, “You need to drive a classic to find a classic.” Why? It’s a perfect icebreaker for someone to approach you or for you to approach them. In this episode, after Tom comes up empty-handed all morning, the woodie prevails. A gentleman approaches Tom, curious about the woodie and gives him a lead, which leads to another, and another and another. It turned out to be a prosperous day of barn-find hunting.
While in St. George, Utah, Tom Cotter learns of a junkyard with hundreds of solid old cars, where the owner never sold anything and never allowed anyone inside. In classic Barn Find Hunter fashion, Tom makes a few phone calls and sweet-talks his way into Blake’s Auto Salvage. It is indeed a veritable fortress of forgotten cars. Many are only good for parts, but among them Tom finds an R-code Torino, a vintage White 706 tour bus from Yellowstone, and a low-mile Lincoln Continental Mk III.
More finds in Alaska! Tom starts out deep in the woods in North Pole, AK, where he meets Robbie and gets a tour of his massive personal junkyard filled with all sorts of American iron from the 50s and 60s... Fords, Chevys, Lincolns, Cadillacs, Buicks and more. Next, it's onto another Alaskan Ford Bronco enthusiast . Tom then bushwhacks his way to a rotary-powered Mazda RX-4 that's been with its original owner its entire life.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom teams up with Davin Reckow, from our "Redline Rebuild" series, to unearth a large collection of forgotten classics. This find didn't come easy. After a fair amount of investigative work, Tom finally locates the owner, who allows us to roam the property in search of treasure. Why is Davin along for the ride? Watch until the end and you may find a clue.
If Tom Cross hadn’t produced a can of rubbing compound and a shop rag 18 months ago, this episode wouldn't exist. In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom Cotter gets to carry out his childhood dream by reviving a desert junkyard car. Follow along as Tom walks you through the restoration process of a 1962 Ford Country Sedan he found
It's day one of the road trip from Midland, Texas, to McPherson, Kansas, and Tom has already struck gold. Hidden just outside of Lubbock, TX, lies a yard chock-full of desirable muscle cars that normally would make Tom go wild. But in this case they were all overshadowed by a particular orange Pontiac. Follow along as Tom checks another rare and desirable car off his barn find bucket list with the discovery of a GTO Judge.
It's day two of our 700-mile road trip to McPherson, KS, and Tom stops in a small town along the way to see what he can dig up. Lo and behold, Tom strikes gold. Tucked away in a dark corner of an old gas station lies a 1940's Pontiac Streamliner disguised in cobwebs and dust. Tune in as Tom shows you just how rare this beast is.
It's the home stretch of our road trip from Midland, TX to McPherson, KS, and it has been an action packed adventure of hunting down old cars. We've heard the story of our 1962 Ford Country Sedan and how it came to be . Next, we found a Pontiac GTO Judge and a '57 Chevy Bel Air convertible . In the most recent episode Tom proved what you can dig up when you embed yourself into a small town . In this episode, Tom takes you through what are known as "The Sheds" which sit across the road from McPherson College where all the students rent out a stalls and work on their project cars. Follow along as Tom walks through what he considers to be "Automotive Woodstock".
Tom heads to Bozeman, MT, to share a location he discovered while driving on a Cobra tour the previous year. The owner was nice enough to hold off any changes to his collection so we could bring you along and show you his wild and eclectic taste. No matter your taste this man has it all, Steam Cars, Rotary, European sports cars, American Muscle, and even race cars. Sit back and enjoy one of Tom's favorite discoveries in the "Barn Find Hunter" series.
Tom has crawled over and around cars before but never through one. In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers a warehouse full of rare Brass Era cars and desirable Mid-60s classics that are so packed in that he has to crawl through a Toronado to get to a Corvette.
It has always been Tom's dream to open up a barn door and see either a Jaguar XK120 or 140 Roadster sitting inside. Well, Tom, dreams do come true! In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom gets to relive his dream twice when he finds two Jaguar XK's sitting only a quarter-mile from one another.
Missing out is part of the game of hunting barn finds. Tom Cotter proves it when he arrives at a long-stored GT350 but can’t see it. What does he do? Keeps hunting, and finds a fleet of Dodge Power Wagons, a Factory 428 Cobra Jet, and a Cougar XR7. It just goes to show it takes some persistence to find the good cars—even if they aren’t so pretty.
It's the fourth and final day in Bozeman, MT, and Tom strikes gold again! At location number one we have Hudsons, Plymouths, Jeeps, Lincolns, Studebakers, Nashs, AMCs, Chevys, and Chryslers. Moving onto location number two, Tom finds a car he hasn't seen in over 25 years, an Oldsmobile F-85 Rallye 350. The third and final location holds a wonderful story about a Dino and Rosie Seppi, a couple who traveled all around the United States in their Volvo 122 wagon.
Hunting for old Cars is all about connections, finding people who know people who can give you any lead they can think of. In this case, Tom heads to a familiar part of North Carolina where he has hunted before, he reached out to a former guest of "Barn Find Hunter" and he tells Tom about two brothers who have an eclectic collection of cars that were left to them by their Father. It turned out to be a great lead!
Why is this the greatest barn find collection? Aside from the vast spectrum of American and European sports cars, every single one of these cars is for sale. Accompanied by the collection owner, Mike Sperber, Tom walks around and gives you his best assessment of the cars and what he likes best about each one. Some of these cars have appeared in other "Barn Find Hunter" episodes but there are many firsts among this collection, the best of which include a Daimler SP250, Volkswagen GTI, and several Porsche Speedsters. Leave a comment below and let us know what your favorite car is.
Back to basics! Tom hits the road with zero leads and zero intentions of coming home empty-handed. Due to six straight days of bad weather, Tom is forced to leave his 1939 Ford woodie wagon at home and break his number one rule of barn find hunting, driving a classic when hunting for a classic. Driving a modern vehicle is not the best way to hunt for old cars, there were many strikes but lo and behold persistence pays off, the first of many finds was an all original 1966 Volkswagen Beetle with period-correct Barrecrafter surfboard racks. After some more digging Tom finally strikes gold when he meets, Buddy Lackomy. Buddy, is the local car guy that everyone knows and refers to when you have any pressing questions or want to buy any old cars.
Tom Cotter continues the hunt for forgotten cars in St. George, Utah. After talking with the owner of a street rod shop, Tom makes a few connections and sets up some appointments to talk to a few people about various interesting project cars. One of the cars ends up being of particular interest to Tom: an Atlas fiberglass coupe from the early 1950s that was created using a mold of the famous Cisitalia 202 Coupe designed by Pininfarina.
When Tom arrived in St. George, UT, he didn't have a single lead to go off of, but using his basic barn finding techniques he begins to cultivate leads. Before you know it we are on our last day and the leads are still pouring in. In this episode of " Barn Find Hunter," Tom finds some unique barn finds where you least expect it.
In hopes of finding more youthful barn finds, Tom heads south to Atlanta, GA, to meet up with an old friend and co-inventor of the Hans Device, Jim Downing. Jim has been a staple of the Mazda racing scene since 1974, which naturally led to amassing more than a few interesting imports. Follow along as Tom walks you through Jim’s timeless collection of Mazda racecars and desirable streetcars. Tom then stumbles upon two young businessmen who live for Datsun Z-cars. Watch as Tom is blown away when he discovers they have a set of first-gen Datsun 240Zs.
It was 25 years ago when Tom first met David Sosbee and they haven't spoken since. What better way to reunite but over David's most prized possession, a 1965 Ford Fairlane 500 with a 289ci and 4-speed manual transmission. Sit passenger with Tom as he reunites with David and reminisces over the stories of his father and his significance to the southern racing scene.
Mike Nickels has been restoring old Woodies for several decades. Fortunately for Tom and us, he's located right in Hagerty's hometown of Traverse City, MI. Tom thought Mike might have some leads on where we could find cars in the area, but as it turned out, Mike had plenty of interesting cars of his own to keep us busy for the day. WWII-era military vehicles and several Ford and Plymouth wagons in the process of being restored are only part of the story in this episode. Tom asks Mike questions about Woodies that he's been wondering about since he first found his 1939 Ford Woodie Wagon at the age of 15.
Within the SCCA racing scene, Tom has always heard about an Atlanta local legend, Paul Spruell. Paul is a national champion of SCCA G-production and 3x national champ in E-production. Ride along as Tom stops by to see his race shop and hear his stories of barn find cars that he's collected over the years. The fun doesn't stop there! You are in for a real treat as Tom stops by his son Brian's house and reminisce over his barn find's that he has collected over the years.
Seventy-eight episodes, 30,000+ miles driven and we finally found an AMC Rebel Machine! If that doesn't illustrate just how rare of a sighting this is then I don't know what will. Follow along as Tom walks you through two very impressive barn find collections in the Atlanta area.
Meet Ron Borher, a man who has been a Mercedes-Benz technician for over 49 years. When you have been collecting as long as Ron, you tend to have some hidden treasure. Among the Chevy pickups and Toyota 4Runners lies a true unicorn in Ron's Mercedes Benz line-up, a 190E 2.3-16. This particular model is special because it was the only fast version of the 190E ever offered in the United States.
Tom heads to Great Britain in search of some exotic barn finds and has some great luck at his first location where he discovers a Mercedes-Benz 500SEC AMG and a Jaguar XJS TWR that was one of several hundred produced between 1984 to 1988. To finish out the episode Tom's friend, Bernie directs him towards a 1951 P1 Allard with Monte-Carlo Rallye history.
It's episode two of Tom's UK barn find escapade and he stops off to visit a longtime racing buddy, Cliff. Cliff has a great collection of cars but Tom's main interest is with Cliff's son, Sam. Sam has a 1957 Austin A35 which was restored by an anonymous person as part of a charity program. Sit back and enjoy this episode as we find out how and why Sam's car was restored.
It's episode three of Tom's trip to the Uk and he comes across several Hot Rods with substantial engines. The most interesting of the bunch is a 1928 Ford Model A Roadster with a supercharged 1948 Hemi engine equipped with Ardun heads which produces a whopping 330 horsepower. The fun continues as Tom discovers a 1956 Morris Minor split-screen convertible that hasn't seen the light of day in 25 years.
If you have been following our Barn Find Hunter UK endeavors you will have met Bernie several times already. Now you get a whole episode dedicated just to Bernie and the cars he owns or manages for his clients. In addition to owning Liberace's Gold leaf car, Bernie shows us some unique race cars that would stop any automotive enthusiast in their tracks.
Just in case you can't get enough of Bernie, here is another episode full of laughter and banter while Tom and Bernie put their heads together to get "Mable" the Morris Minor running once again.
A small lead and a glimmer of hope are all Tom Cotter need to make the impossible, possible. With the help of Tom's long time friend Vernon, he is able to convince a gentleman who has five separate Barns full of cars to allow him to come onto the property and view the cars so he can share them with all of you. We hope you enjoy this final episode from our UK Barn Find Hunting trip, we saved the best for last.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom takes you back in time to 2017 when we discovered a group of cars in Lake City, MI that had a wide range of muscle cars, including a Chevy Nova that is 1 of 3259 ever made with a factory sunroof. In addition to the muscle car yard, Tom meets a young gentleman who is bonkers of the classic car hobby, so much that he makes and fabricates custom parts to make hot rod AMC's
After the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d'elegance Tom thought it would be a good idea to head down to Jacksonville, FL, to visit a friend Brian Walsh, Son of the Pinto Parts Legend, Jerry "Racer" Walsh. Follow along as Brian shows Tom two barn find Pintos with IMSA and SCCA racing history.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom takes you to visit a long-time friend of his, Tim Considine, who tells the story of how he once lost his most prized possession, a 1967 Austin Mini Cooper S, and then found it again five years later.
Back in 2018, Tom discovered a 1967 Shelby Cobra 427 and 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 sitting side by side in a garage buried deep in NASCAR country. Those who have seen the episode know that there were two other desirable cars sitting next to the Cobra and Ferrari, a 1978 Morgan Plus 8 and a 1976 Triumph TR6, both with low miles. In this episode we aren't just discovering cars, you get to see the trials and tribulations of moving classics that have been sitting for decades.
Back in 2018, we ran into a Gentleman who was at the Bonita, CA Cars and Coffee and invited us to see his barn finds and collection of rare cars. What we didn't realize was that we were talking to the Chief Engineer and Designer of Santee Automobiles Inc. In 1961 Santee Automobiles was founded with the goal of building high-performance race cars and the man at the helm of this massive endeavor was Fred Puhn. We hope you enjoy this episode as Fred shares his story and the role he played in vintage sports car racing.
This episode of "Barn Find Hunter," is a throwback to 2018 when we were hunting for cars in San Diego, CA. This was a very successful trip and we still had footage leftover so we figured we might as well share it. Just because it's leftover footage doesn't mean it's any less entertaining. This episode is filled with quirky cars and a little surprise for any Shelby fanatic.
A few years ago we had the pleasure of viewing a once in a lifetime collection that had Tom speechless the entire time we were there. When we film locations of this scale, there are often cars left out of the edit so we thought we would go back and put together another video containing all the leftover cars. We hope you enjoy it!
In episode twenty of "Barn Find Hunter," we visited a gentleman named Steve who had thousands of motorcycles stashed away in barns. There were so many bikes we had to go back. Welcome to our first motorcycle-dedicated episode of "Barn Find Hunter," where you will see a slew of significant Japanese bikes, over 200 Triumphs, bikes with Wankel engines, you name it, Steve has it. The second location we visit has a handful of extremely rare British motorcycles that even make somebody like Steve jealous. Bikes like a Velocette Venom Thruxton, Norton Dominator, Vincent Rapide, Triumph Bonneville, and a factory BSA 650 Road Rocket in a Goldstar frame.
A while back we asked you, the barn find hunter viewers to submit your barn find stories using our Hagerty Community page. Using these submissions, we have created a news series we think you may enjoy where Tom reacts to your barn find stories, and gives his thoughts or opinions.
Who would have thought that the little town of Hickory, NC has such significant Porsche history? In this episode, Tom takes you to a friend's restoration shop, Herman & Walker LLC to show you some significant Porsche 356 barn finds that even the Porsche family themselves have an interest in. In addition to some high-end 356 finds, Tom spots a few affordable Porsche 944s sitting alongside the road waiting for a home.
On "Barn Find Hunter," you always get to experience the joys that come with hunting for old cars. The leads we follow up on, opening that garage door for the first time in 30 years, hearing the stories, and sometimes even finding new homes. Rarely do we get to see the final product or happy ending to any of these stories. Behold, the first restored vehicle that has been featured on the show. This 1972 De Tomaso Pantera was sitting in a trailer for over 35 years and was rescued by a gentleman by the name of Peter Weeks. Peter has spent the better part of two years restoring this beauty and has allowed us the opportunity to share his work with you.
Tom explores the collection of a fellow Datsun enthusiast while reminiscing about the Datsun's from his own past. He finds the much sought after 510s, plenty of Z-cars, and a Japanese copy of a British roadster. We also get to see some of the progress on Tom's own 510 rebuild.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom reacts to barn find submissions from our Hagerty Community Page. One of the members on the community page, Longboard Luv, who goes by the name of Matt Jackson, submitted multiple posts about discovering different types of Volkswagens. It turns out it's a group of five guys who all go out and hunt for Volkswagens for fun. Tom was so intrigued he decided to get them all on a Zoom call and find out what makes this group of enthusiasts tick.
Tom rarely comes across a barn find location that traverse's more than 40's years of automotive evolution. In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom takes you to a Volkswagen repair shop that he's known about for years to show you the 40-year generation gap of Volkswagen sitting behind the shop.
If you remember episode 59 of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom found a 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88 Tri-Power Rocket that had been sitting for over 40 years. Since then, it has been purchased and restored by a gentleman from Ohio who was generous enough to share the final product with you, the "Barn Find Hunter" viewers.
Tom gives us a tour at his own collection of barn finds and automotive oddities at a storage facility in North Carolina. We also head to Tom's favorite repair shop to get an update on some barn finds from past episodes.
In 102 episodes of "Barn Find Hunter" Tom has never found so many cars in such a small stretch of road. Tucked away in a back alley of Davidson, NC are three significant Triumphs and two Jeep CJ 2As that Tom has passed for many years but never knew of. Just a testament to his saying, "that there are always cars in your backyard."
After a long break, Tom is back on the road hunting for cars in Traverse City, MI, in a 1970 Dodge Challenger as his new conversation starter. One of the biggest struggles when hunting for old cars during the workweek is people are never home. This proves to be an issue as Tom strikes out several times before finding a diamond in the rough. With the taillights peeking out of the garage, Tom spots a Mopar that he has never seen in all his years of barn find hunting, A 1966 Dodge Polara 500. P.S. - If you stick around, you may see these two Mopars go head-to-head.
On "Barn Find Hunter," you always get to experience the joys that come with hunting for old cars. The leads we follow up on, opening that garage door for the first time in 30 years, and sometimes helping cars find new homes. Rarely do we get to see the final product or happy ending to any of these stories. Behold, the second episode of our "Barn Find Hunter," (Revisited) micro-series where you get to see cars that have previously aired on our show and see what they have become after finding a new home
In the previous episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom made friends with a Gentleman named, Cliff Wilson who owned a Dodge Polara 500. As usual, Tom asked the question, "Do you know of any old cars around?" Sure enough, Cliff pointed to a location down the road to a man who restores Case Tractors and also has a barn full of cars. The fun doesn't stop there! Tom then hears about a local who has an all-original low-mileage 1984 Buick Grand National that was a press car in Detroit during the early '80s
Tom visited Mike Nickels Woody restoration shop and was fortunate enough to see all the patterns, equipment, and projects he was working on. Since then, Mike suffered a devastating fire that brought his everyday life to a screeching halt. Ride along as Tom and Mike walk you through what exactly happened.
Buried inside a dusty New England barn for 36 years sat this 1960 Austin-Healey Bugeye Sprite. Andrew Bolasky, the new owner of the 1960 Bugeye, was not a born and bred car guy. He went from a music major to an automotive specialist and mechanic for the Nicola Bulgari car collection. Ride along as Andrew explains how he came to own this car and his interesting background with cars.
Looking for barn finds in the middle of the week always proves to be a difficult task. People are usually at work or out running errands, and any chance of catching a glimpse of their prized possession is slim to none. That's when Tom likes to change his methods a bit and look for cars behind businesses or by industrial parks. This method comes through for Tom when he drives past an Automotive detailing business with a Hot Rod Z/28 Camaro with a 1995 LT1 and a lifted Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Another trick for hunting barn finds during the workweek is to talk to Farmers. Farmers, naturally, are always home or around the barnyard. And if they don't have any cars, they can probably point you in the right direction. In a previous visit to Traverse City, Tom met a syrup Farmer who owns several Broncos lying in a field and some American Muscle hidden inside his barn.
On "Barn Find Hunter," you always get to experience the joys that come with hunting for old cars. The leads we follow up on, opening that garage door for the first time in 30 years, and sometimes helping cars find new homes. Rarely do we get to see the final product or happy ending to any of these stories. Behold, the fourth episode of our "Barn Find Hunter," (Revisited) micro-series where you get to see a Ford Galaxie 500 XL that has previously aired on our show and see what it has become after finding a new home.
Have you ever been in a commercial airliner 30,000 feet up thinking to yourself, "What's down below?" It's always been a dream of Tom's to fly around and hunt for cars from an airplane. You can cover more ground, see what's behind fences, as well as rusted treasure buried in the woods. In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers a collection of cars from the air that turns out to produce another lead of a gentleman who has a stash of unique Fords.
You met a man named Vernon Brannan, who took us on a tour of one of the most impressive barn find collections we've ever had on this show. Vernon has since invited us to see his collection of Triumphs and other British sports cars buried deep in the hills of North Carolina. One car that makes this collection so unique is a Triumph sedan that has an interesting backstory. Back in the late 1970's British Leyland began negotiations with Honda to develop a small family sedan that would fill a production gap until the release of the Montego in 1983. To keep a long story short, Honda ultimately ends up re-badging one of their cars known as the Honda Ballade to become what we now know as the Triumph Acclaim. It's Vernons collection of unusual triumphs, such as the Acclaim, that make his collection one of the most complete collections of Triumphs in North America.
In our final episode of the season, Tom lets you ride passenger through the highs and lows of a typical barn find trip. Despite what most episodes portray, not all barn finds come easy. This episode is a prime example of Tom digging for leads and finding any way possible to discover cars. After several failed attempts, Tom finally discovers a Dodge A100 sportsman van the good ole fashion way, the traditional drive-by. This van proved to be a decent candidate for a runner, despite some of the rust. This particular A100 was packaged with a 318 V8 and served as a daily driver for most of its life. Heading on down the road, Tom finds another location of cars that is littered with unique finds. Among the bunch, there’s one car that takes the cake, a car we’ve never found on “Barn Find Hunter,” a GMC Syclone. This low-mileage beast of a pickup sits nestled up on blocks to keep the pressure off the original Firestone tires and suspension. It’s rare you ever find an old car this well preserved
Let's go back about six years when Tom met a gentleman named Howard at the Hershey Swap Meet. Howard told Tom all about his unique collection of GM barn finds, so they exchanged contacts in anticipation, one day, to film a Barn Find Hunter episode at his house. Well, that day has finally come! Howard has what could be considered one of the more unique Buick collections in the country, which consists of low-mileage and rare packaged mid-50s Specials, Supers, and Roadmasters. Peppered among the Buicks are five Rolls Royces that caught Tom completely off guard and prove to add substantial value to Howard's eclectic collection.
It's not often that Tom looks at shiny new cars, but when he heard about a Japanese import specialist who has collected and sold over 4000 Japanese manufactured vehicles, he couldn't pass the opportunity up. We're talking Datsun Z cars, GT-Rs, Accord Aerodecks, Figaros, Totota Coronas, Suzuki Jimnys, and many more. But the fun doesn't stop there! Tom visits a nearby location that holds 300 plus Volkswagen Westfalias that have been collected from around the U.S. by a gentleman to help preserve and maintain the Westfalia population. Among the collection are a few rare utility Westfalias from different countries.
Wherever Tom hunts for Barn Finds he’s always looking to visit old friends or guests that have been on the show. Aside from shooting the breeze, they may have a good lead on a local barn find. This time around Tom stops by to see his friend, Dave Coleman who has added a few new barn finds to his collection since he last saw him. Among the many is a Ford Merkur, which would be a first-ever discovery for Barn Find Hunter and certainly a rare car in general.
It's part two of Dave Coleman's collection and the list of cars keeps on growing. The list consists of but is not limited to Porsche, Volkswagen, MG, Crosley, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Studebaker, Hudson, Buick, Lincoln, and more. Dave certainly has one of the most eclectic tastes in cars we have seen so far. Tom walks through the rest of Dave's barn find collection and points out the cars he thinks have appeal and finds out some have interesting stories.
Deep in Virginia, Tom comes across the eclectic collection of Nick, a Tri-Five Chevy enthusiast. After a lesson on the differences between the distinctive Tri-Five taillights, we check out an assortment of other cars, including a Nash Metropolitan, a 1950s Chevy funeral flower car, and a variety of vintage VWs. Afterwards, Tom revisits an old Barn Find Hunting friend with a very unusual and luxurious 1930s Dodge.
With the help of his friend Zach, Tom discovers a cache of rare and forgotten cars hidden away in Virginia. The second Ferrari ever found on Barn Find Hunter, an AMC Javelin and an assortment of Dodge trucks round out a collection of rougher cars that may ride again with a little (or a lot) of 'sweat equity'.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom Visits two old friends to see what remains of their car collections. One friend has a plethora of Buick Reattas along with a Dodge stake-bed that's been passed down from generation to generation, and the other friend has two handmade Afla Romeo 6C 2500s. See what Tom thinks of these hidden gems!
Tom hits the streets of Nashville, TN in search of some old iron and great stories. While having some lunch Tom got a lead on an old auto parts store liquidating all of its assets and there's talk of some old cars being stored inside. Will this lead pan out? Tom also visits an old friend while he's in town and is surprised by the number of rare motorcycles he has in a storage unit. Find out what he has!
Tom heads for the hills just outside Nashville, TN and stumbles across a little slice of heaven that has cars of every make and model, most in good condition! Barn Find Hunter has been around for 7 years and Tom has seen his fair share of eclectic collections, but this one is one of the best. This place has Dusters, Darts, El Caminos, 57' Chevys, Ford 289 Comet, Mustangs, Torinos, pickups, wagons, vans, and more. Stick around to find out what else the owner has.
In seven and a half years of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom has only found one Opel GT. In this episode, Tom finds a whole farm full! An Opel GT may look familiar too. Opels are often referred to as the baby Corvette, but there's a funny connection to the Corvette. Back in 1951, when the Corvette program was created by Harley Earl, it was named "Project Opel." All with the Intention that Opel was boring and wouldn't garner any attention. Turns out the Corvette in all its glory can thank the name Opel for keeping its secret so well.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom steps outside his comfort zone and explores the world of some highly sought after JDM icons. Tom is used to traditional hot rods, taking low power motors and adding parts. When Tom heard about how much power you can get from a JDM car just by altering its computer, he was intrigued. Follow along as Tom has his mind blown by a group of JDM greats.
Any time Tom can add a new manufacturer to the list of cars discovered on Barn Find hunter, it's always a good day. In this episode Tom visits several locations outside Nashville, TN that harbor some 1st for the show: 1955 Cadillac 62 series, 1988 El Camino Conquista, and a 1937 Riley Lynx that has an interesting past. The owner of the Riley lynx had a previous owner reach out to him and inform him that she raced it in the 1972 Singapore vintage Grand Prix when she was only 17 years old. As Tom always says, it's not the car I'm interested in, it's the story; these are the kind of stories we like to uncover on Barn Find Hunter.
Not matter what hobby you are into, it's always good to stop in and check on the next generation and see what they are up to and how the hobby may be changing. In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom visits a Father, Mother, and Son who all share a love for cars. So much so, that they are building a 600HP 2JZ for their Mom's Lexus GS. While at the Same location, their son, Gauge, showed Tom his most prized possession. A 1989 Toyota Supra with a turbo charged 2JZ imported from Japan. Gauge also invited his group of friends over to show off their modern hot rods. A supercharged Ford Mustang Mach 1 with 550HP and a Mercedes CLK 55 AMG with 430HP. While at gauge's house he suggested we visit his friend Shea who has original Datsun's and a few hot rod Nissans. A Drift Datsun 240Z, Datsun 810, and a Nissan 240SX with a Nissan L-Series Turbo.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom gets a private tour of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN by the man himself, Jeff Lane. Those most remarkable part of the Lane museum is not available to the public eye. It's the private stash of one-off makes and models buried in the basement and warehouses surrounding the museum. Stick around to find out what is hidden within.
How many barn finds can Tom find within walking distance of his house? In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom practices what he preaches and is only looking for cars close to his house. Within walking distance to be specific. You wouldn't believe the variety of cars stashed away in Maine. Take our advice and never bet against tom when it comes to discovering barn finds.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom has the pleasure of looking at a 1963 Mustang, yes, that's right, you heard me, a 1963 prototype Ford Mustang that was once owned by Henry Ford II. The current owner walks through the finer details of what exactly makes this Mustang so different from the rest.
In the previous episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom looked at Henry Ford II's 1963 Prototype mustang. What you didn't know is we left some meat on the bone, Art, the owner, still had a rare gem hidden inside his garage, a 1950 Mercury Monterey. It's appears to be 1 of 500 made with such options and this particular car has only 15,000 miles on the odometer. The next stop is a guy who has a TON of odd-ball cars packed into his driveway and a 4 cars garage. Make sure to tune in and find out what lies within.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom visits two gentlemen that he met while at the Green Field Village heritage festival in Dearborn, MI. One has an all original 1967 Jaguar E-Type and wide variety of MGs, the other has a 1927 Chrysler 60 that's original down to the door knobs and electrical. Both gentlemen have equally impressive stories to pair with the cars. Tune in and find out!
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom got a lead on some unusual automotive American icons, some are even hot roded. The most notable of them all is an early production 1967 Pontiac GTO bought originally by this owner with a tri-power 389ci V8 and a factory 4 speed. Come to find out, this rare optioned American muscle is worth quite a bit of money, how much? tune in and find out!
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom cotter has the pleasure of viewing the underground car collection at the world renowned Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI. From new cars to old, the collection is littered with amazing stories and visuals to WOW any car enthusiast. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom visits four young gentlemen who are all best friends as well as neighbors. Anyone into cars can understand how this is car enthusiast heaven! If someone is missing a 10mm socket they can go next door and borrow one for a friend. If it's a late night and you have to fix your ride for a rally the next day, you're never short a helping hand. Tune in and follow along as Tom tours you through their Volkswagen, Lotus, and Land Rover collection.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom tries to find Cars within walking distance from his vacation home in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Much to his surprise, he is able to find many different makes and models. Tune in to see what he finds.
Ever wonder what a pickled Chevy C10 looks like? In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers a 1985 Chevy Silverado C10 short-bed pickup with only 148 miles on the odometer. This Chevy pickup is original down to the factory chalk marks, tires, and deal stickers. Tune in to find out how this car was purchased and how rare it is.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers cars the organic way, by driving around and looking for Cars in yards, in hopes of more inside barns or garages. In doing so, Tom discovers a Triumph stag on a dead end road that leads him to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. A treasure trove of forgotten vacation cars hidden in 100yr old barns.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom uncovers a rare gem: a 1957 Chevy Bel Air with a history of family drama and memories of the owner's Mother. The car used to belong to his father, and the two had a falling out which resulted in the Father ultimately deciding not to pass the Car on to his Son. In an effort to keep the Car in the family, the son turned to his uncle and convinced him to purchase the Car. The son then bought the car from his uncle, ensuring that it would stay in the family and carry on its legacy. Tom's discovery of this unique vehicle is a testament to his expertise and dedication to uncovering the hidden stories behind these forgotten automotive treasures.
Tom finds a Ford F100 (Short bed), Plymouth Barracuda with 350K+ miles on it, and a 1963 Ford Fairlane with a 221ci V8. All buried beneath 22 years of clutter and family memories. Tune in to find out the crazy family stories these cars have.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers a rare piece of Ford history tucked away in an industrial storage unit in the suburbs of Detroit. A 1 of 5, Ford Cortina GT Wagon that was part of a test batch made for the Canadian Mounties back when the MK I was first introduced. The Owner also has many other rare cars with interesting history and stories. Tune in and find out!
Where do Barn Finds go if nobody discovers them? In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," finds out what happens to cars when they are never sold, never discovered, and forced to sit until the the estate sale. Tune in as Toby from the Owls Head Museum explains the process and how it helps fund the Museum's future. Oh... And you get a tour of their secret stash of cars.
In this episode of "Barn Find Hunter," Tom discovers a 1962 Jaguar E-Type with a 327ci Chevy Small Block V8 and a Borg Warner T-10 Transmission. But, it's not just the car that interests Tom, the owners of this car could have a movie written about them with the amount of adventures they have been on: A life on Wall Street, living in the West-Indies, hanging with Burt Munroe at the Bonneville Salt Flats, vintage racing, owning the worlds most desirable cars, and traveling the world together.
Ray Evernham shows Tom his incredible collection of his vintage IROC, Stock Cars, and Modified Cars from the early days of racing. He also has a few surprises up his sleeve which leave Tom speechless.
Junkyards don't always provide the best barn find episodes because the cars don't come with stories, but this junkyard is different. Tom stops by an old friend's place to see some vintage race cars and is surprised by something unusual and out of this world.
Tom has been trying for five years to access to an old dealership in Northern Maine that houses a massive collection of cars and trucks. Through some investigative work, Tom was finally able to contact the owner, Todd, who gives us a VIP tour of his lifetime collection of rare metal.
Tom Cotter strolls down memory lane as he reunites with an old friend from his NASCAR days, Tony Price. Tony Price, a name synonymous with speed and precision in the world of motorsports, worked with legends like Jack Roush, Robert Yates, Gary Nelson, and many others from the NASCAR industry. Stay tuned as he gives Tom a tour of his well-curated collection of old Fords and rare motorcycles.
Join Tom Cotter in this thrilling episode of "Barn Find Hunter" as he unravels the mystery behind a long-sought-after Corvette and visits an old friend hiding a trove of British sports cars in a hidden barn. Discover the fascinating stories behind these hidden treasures, learn how they were found, and their future plans.
Tom visits a remarkable motorcycle collection in Staten Island, NY, filled with Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Vincent motorcycles. The collection is so extensive that it overflows from the garage and basement and even finds its way into the living room and dining room of the house. The motorcycles span from 1910 all the way to 1980. We hope you enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime collection.
BIG NEWS: This is the first video in a five-part series featuring a DeTomaso Pantera, a collaboration between "Redline Rebuild" and "Barn Find Hunter". On "Barn Find Hunter," we always uncover cars that have been hidden for years and delve into their fascinating stories. Typically, we are involved in the initial phase of the barn find story, step one. Rarely do we have the privilege of witnessing steps two and three: the exchange of ownership and the restoration. Today is that special day! Tom's son, Brian, has purchased a DeTomaso Pantera that has been frozen in time for nearly 40 years. The Pantera gets loaded onto a flatbed and taken back to the shop for a thorough assessment of its condition, with plans to get the engine running and potentially turn it into our next Redline Rebuild project. Stay tuned for more videos from the Redline Rebuild Team!
Tom teams up with his friend Rob Ida to continue the search for cars in New York City. After visiting a few locations, he follows a lead on a late '30s LaSalle, a key piece in a massive collection and one of the best discoveries on the show
Rarely do we come across barn finds in perfect condition that aren't too rusted, yet only need minimal work to get them running. Welcome to this extraordinary collection – 40 barn finds featuring various makes and models, each waiting to be discovered and find new homes.
Tom travels to Michigan to visit Mick, a previous guest on our 'Will it Run' series with Davin Reckow. Mick has a massive collection of Chrysler 'Hemi' cars, rare one-off models, and some celebrity-owned vehicles, specifically, 'The Fonz's' motorcycle
Tom visits Rob Ida's custom car shop, where he checks out his barn-find projects and gets an EXCLUSIVE tour of his one-of-a-kind shop. The best way to explain Rob's shop is not only by calling it a car shop but also an innovation factory. Using the latest technology in metal CNC stretching, 3D printing, and electronic accessories, Rob and his team are setting a new standard for what it means to build custom cars. Follow along as he shows us the latest projects and technology the engineering world has to offer.
In this episode of "Barn Find hunter," Tom was driving down side roads in rural Maine and stumbled upon a property that had vintage gas pumps and signs outside, which is always a dead giveaway for anyone looking for Barn Finds. Turns out, Charlie, is a huge Pontiac and International collector who happens to have some really rare cars in original condition.
In this episode of 'Barn Find Hunter,' Tom is in Maine, visiting friends with collections and projects worthy of an episode. Among the treasures are a Plymouth Belvedere drag car, a dusty Barracuda, a $350 Rolls Royce set for an LS swap, and an ultra rare 1of 5 Harley Davidson VFD Solo.
90,000sqft or six barns full of dusty, rusty, forgotten treasures from decades of collecting. To name a few, GTOs, Caprices, Firebirds, Blazers, Suburban, Trucks, Jeeps, Broncos, and some pre-war cars. Everything is for sale and everything must go
Tom Cotter gets an exclusive and in-depth tour of the Detroit Historical Society's backroom collection, showcasing priceless Detroit icons. These rare cars are meticulously preserved in climate-controlled bubbles known as car capsules to suspend and slow the aging process so future generations have the opportunity to enjoy them.
Everything is for sale! - Imagine if, 40 years ago, you owned an AMC dealership and decided to close down shop and build a fence around it. That's what AMC Collier Motors looks like today—a scene straight out of 'I Am Legend,' where everything is essentially frozen in time as people left it. Enjoy a private tour from two of the three brothers who inherited their father's dealership, full of amazing AMCs and other vehicles from the 1970s and 80s.
Tom visits his long-time friend Jay Leno to get a candid and detailed tour of his epic barn find collection, with untold stories and his favorite details about the cars.
Meet Omar, one of the most interesting Barn Find Hunter guests we've ever had. If you were to step into his driveway, you would think you had time-traveled back to the 1960s. He owns a 428ci Galaxie 500 built from scrapyard parts, a HiPo 289 Mercury Comet, and a Torino. The Galaxie 500 was once a forgotten car in the Texas desert until Omar saw it on an episode of Barn Find Hunter and purchased it. Omar is a man who teaches himself everything as he goes: engine building, bodywork, welding, paint, and upholstery, all under a lean-to in sunny California.
Introducing SCCA royalty: a car that has more history and drama attached to it than most SCCA legends combined. This car has ties to Bob Sharp, Jim Fitzgerald, and Paul Newman, and was mainly driven by Linda Sharp, who later became an IMSA driver, a well-known journalist, radio broadcaster, and race announcer. Tom is here to buy it after hearing about it 25 years ago. Follow along as he pulls the car out and finds hundreds of Nissan Factory performance parts and irreplaceable memorabilia from its heyday.
Tom has access to Herbie Hancock's most prized possession: his all-original 260 Cobra, which was so early in production that it wasn't even built by Carroll Shelby, but by Ed Hugus in Pennsylvania, in his European car shop. Herbie's Cobra has spent the last 20 years nestled in the corner of a friend's shop, collecting dust, until recently when Herbie got it running for an episode of 'Jay Leno's Garage.' We have the ultimate pleasure of picking through this time capsule to see what's all original and hear the crazy stories that come with a lifetime of owning the world's greatest sports car.
Tom visits an old friend's house that he vowed he would come back and visit because of the variety of rare European sports cars he has. Nick is a Venezuelan/Greek pizzeria owner who, in his life, has sold millions of pizzas to fuel his hobby of collecting, preserving, and restoring European exotic sports cars. Buckle in and see what he has!
We have been searching for four years for some of the last remaining Sleeping Bear Dunesmobiles, made famous by a northern businessman, Louis Warnes. This truck is one of the seven original trucks, but since the program closed in 1979, the number has fallen to just three remaining. Of the three, this is the only one with the original paint job and Dunesmobile lettering on it, making it the rarest of the bunch. This isn't the only generation of Dunesmobiles. Before WWII, Louis was running an assortment of 1930's cars over the rolling sands of Michigan's Sleeping Bear Dunes, before it was a national park. After WWII, the business took off, and he bought a fleet of 1948 Fords that he then used up until 1956 when he replaced them with Oldsmobile Super 88s. Then there was the final generation of Dunesmobiles, which were an assortment of 1965, 1966, and 1967 Ford F100 pickups that ran until the program closed. Join us as we get this local legend running and introduce you to its new owner,
Tom travels to Lime Rock, CT for the IROC (International Race of Champions) revival and kickoff event, after it was purchased by Ray Evernham and Rob Kauffman. IROC was originally intended to bring racers from various racing disciplines together and put them in identical cars to see who among them is the best. Tom talks with the new owners about their memories of the former series and their new plans for it. In addition to the owners, Tom chats with Bobby Labonte, Mike Joy, and Jay Signore. He even gets to drive what is arguably the most significant car of the bunch: a barn-find 1st Gen IROC Camaro driven by multiple racing legends.
We've found cars stashed in all sorts of places, but never have we found them inside a grocery store. Meet Paul Gentilozzi, a former Trans-Am and IMSA driver, winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, team owner, businessman, and avid Oldsmobile collector. He's invited Tom to come tour his secret stash of cars hidden inside a former grocery store that he owns. You won't believe the kind of all-original, low-mileage cars he has.
Meet Tim. He's been holding onto his Jaguar E-Type for almost 50 years. He bought it when he was 16 and has been planning to fix it up ever since. After he bought it, he went around school telling all his friends that he would give them rides. Recently, some of them have come out of the woodwork after all these years to see if he's finished the car. Well, it's time to pay the piper. Join Tom as he opens this time capsule and discovers in real-time what's been hidden for almost half a century.
Meet Hayden, a man who plays all 88 keys of a petrol-head's piano. An industrial designer by trade, his side business, a Speedshop, features everything from highly collectible 1990s Audi Quattros and modern Audis with 1,000 horsepower to Shoebox Fords, Camaros, and British sports cars like Opel Mantas, Mini Coopers, and MGs. Join us as we tour his one-of-a-kind Speedshop and hear the story of how he came to America from Great Britain.
Tom visits his friend Ray Ayer, who recently discovered that he was chosen to be the executor of his friend's entire car collection and memorabilia.
This might be the most versatile and possibly one of the greatest car collections we've ever seen since the beginning of Barn Find Hunter. Tom first heard about this collection nearly 20 years ago, and now, the day has finally come for a private, in-depth tour. He'll hear stories about cars from all around the world, the unique tales behind each one, how they were discovered, and why they've been added to this impressive collection.
Tom finds a barn full of iconic cars spanning from the early 1940s to the early 1990s and all have low-mileage. Three of the most prominent cars in the collection are a 1986 Porsche 930 Turbo, 1991 GMC Syclone, and a replica Lotus Indy car used in the Paul Newman movie, Winning. Join us as Tom uncovers and extracts these cars to explore their history and evaluate their condition.
Justin Gurney, son of racing legend Dan Gurney, invited Tom to receive and unveil his father's long-lost 1961 409ci Chevy Impala. Dan raced this car only once before selling it out of frustration. The racing authorities (FIA) refused to allow him to compete against a class of British saloon cars, claiming, "It didn't meet regulations," even though it was built perfectly to the rules. Follow along as Tom and Justin see the car for the first time and explore all the documentation that came with it.
Tom visits his long-time friend Phillip Reinhardt, who undertook the steep task of restoring one of only five Chevy-powered V8 Jaguar E-Types featured in a previous Barn Find Hunter episode. This Jaguar has a rich history and was well-driven and well-loved by its owners, Ruth and Rod Franzius. Tune in to discover the highs and lows of restoring such a uniquely modified British sports car.
Tom visits one of the last remaining fire engine restoration shops, located in rural Maine. Andy Swift, a retired New York firefighter turned vintage fire engine restorer and expert, has been collecting a wide variety of fire engines, tankers, ladder trucks, and even horse-drawn fire carriages. Andy gives Tom an in-depth tour and explains the struggles and hardships that come with such a niche job and hobby, as well as what could ultimately lead to the decline of the hobby.
Tom travels to the Deep South, specifically Meridian, Mississippi, where he imposes a challenge on himself: finding a barn find within an hour before our next scheduled appointment. He wanted to discover something of substance—a desirable car. Wouldn't you know it? Within just 17 minutes, Tom finds a 1977 Ford Bronco with a 302 V8, an Edelbrock intake, a Holley Dominator 4-barrel carb, front disc brakes, and a winch—the perfect, all-original early-gen Bronco that people dream of finding.
Dan Gurney was one of the most versatile and influential figures in motorsports history. As a driver, engineer, and team owner, he left a lasting impact on Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR, and endurance racing. Gurney was the first driver to win races in F1, NASCAR, IndyCar, and sports cars—a feat few have matched. In 1967, he became the first and only American to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix in a car of his own design, the legendary Eagle-Weslake. That same year, he co-drove to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with A.J. Foyt, famously starting the tradition of spraying champagne on the podium. Beyond his driving career, Gurney pioneered motorsport innovations, including the famed Gurney Flap, a key aerodynamic advancement still used today. As the founder of All American Racers (AAR), he helped revolutionize car design and engineering, leaving a lasting legacy.
This episode is packed with two rare cars and one incredible road trip story. Andy Van, known as "the race car man" in Birmingham, Alabama, kicks off the episode with a story about a 13,000-mile race across two continents in 45 days—in an old 1950 Ford two-door sedan. Andy also owns two exceptionally rare cars that immediately caught Tom's attention: a 1-of-3 Holman-Moody Ford Falcon, known as Challenger 1, which Tom never thought he’d see in his lifetime, and possibly one of the most untouched Shelby GT350 Hertz cars. Tune in to hear all the details!
Tom Cotter is usually rummaging through dusty barns and garages, searching for old cars and hearing their stories—and the significance they may hold for their owners. In this episode, Tom gets a private tour of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum from Lee Clark, a former restoration expert and lifelong car enthusiast. The museum was so overwhelming that Tom couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share the experience with you, hoping you'll add it to your automotive bucket list.
Tom has known about this 289 Shelby Cobra for over 20 years and has been pursuing it ever since. This Cobra belonged to a gentleman named Alan, who also owned the 427 Cobra and the Ferrari 275 GTB/2 that we discovered back in 2018. It has been collecting dust in a storage unit since 1982 and hasn’t been opened since 1994. Follow along as Tom and his friend Jim uncover the mystery of this long-lost Cobra, with Alan’s friends and family in tow.
The granddaddy of all barn finds! A 1966 Ford GT40 that had been stashed in a barn since 1982 now sees the light of day. In total, only 100 GT40s were made—about 30 were built specifically for the track, while the rest were made for the road. Many of the road cars were later converted into track cars, so finding an all-original road car with all its original parts is extremely rare! Follow along as Tom and the new owner, Chad, walk around and inspect this legendary time capsule.
Tom travels to the Deep South in Alabama to tour an old, abandoned mining town called Acmar. The town has a rich history and wild stories from its heyday, but buried inside the main building are a few prominent, dusty European sports cars that spark Tom's interest.
While searching for proper storage solutions for Tom's 1939 Ford Woodie Wagon in New Orleans, he discovered that the owner of the storage facility, Brett, happens to own the 21st Datsun 240Z ever made. Assembled in late 1969, this early-production "Z" features several unique details that set it apart from later models. See what makes it special—and what this car is worth!
Tom needed a place to store his Woody Wagon in Mississippi and was lucky enough to meet JD Pass. JD may have one of the most unique collections of exotic barn finds Tom's ever run across. These cars have seen better days, but as the saying goes, "one man's trash is another man's treasure."
Tom Cotter literally wrote the book(s) on barn finds, including the award-winning "In the Barn" series. Tom firmly believes that there are great classics to be found all over the country. Ride shotgun this season for our new series, "The Barn Find Hunter," in which Tom travels the country in his '39 Ford Woodie seeking out forgotten treasures. We're pleased to share the pilot episode, and we'd love your feedback, especially your recommendations for cities Tom should visit next.
It was the first of it's kind to be sold in 1979. It was known as the world's best-selling car for much of that decade. By 1991, this Coupe was selling 500,000 units per year, making it the top-selling model in the United States, outselling the 399,000 Accords and 299,000 Taurus vehicles sold that year.
Take a look behind the scenes of "The Barn Find Hunter" as Tom Cotter searches for forgotten classics across the country.
Last summer, Tom Cotter discovered a 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Ellena that had been sitting, basically untouched, for more than 40 years. One of the Marchal fog lights on this beautiful car was broken when the owner mistakenly backed his truck into it many years ago. We brought that video to you this past January in Episode 23 of Barn Find Hunter. When viewer, hero, and all-around good guy Etienne Musslin of France saw the video, he contacted Tom and sent a replacement fog light completely free of charge! Tom has already given the light to the Ferrari's owner, and both of them pass along their gratitude to you, Etienne! Thanks so much!
Over the past five years, we have come across some remarkable cars and many of them paired with amazing stories. In celebration of the five-year mark, we decided to do a breakdown of Tom Cotter's Top Ten Barn Finds and you may be shocked by his selection.
