[1]Images: American Power on Wheels [2]
The diamond in the rough; it’s a common saying that’s usually reserved for warm-hearted individuals with a scabrous appearance. However, the same can be said of the much heralded barn find automobile. These are cars that were once owned by someone who strongly cared for them, until their respective owners either had lost interest, passed on, or could no longer afford to care for the once beloved car.
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It’s a shame really, because more often than not it’s usually a desirable car; one that any passionate enthusiast would be proud to own. Cars like the 1969 Dodge Daytona, for instance.
Offered as a functional appearance package from the factory to help the intermediate B-body cars win in the NASCAR stock car circuit, they unusual looks weren’t well received in the showrooms when they were new.
As a result, many people who bought them got a bargain -as the beak-nosed, massive-winged Mopars were largely regarded as a joke to the majority of the population. After all, between 1969 and 1970, many people still drove cars from the ‘50s and early ‘60s, and the wing cars were a stark contrast by comparison.
Fast forward some 30-40 years later, and people are eating the remaining examples up. Most of which have been rediscovered and restored, but so many more have fallen victim to theft, decomposition, or seemed to have vanished out of thin air.
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Fortunately, there are countless enthusiasts out there determined to find that diamond in the rough, and barn finds are being discovered seemingly on a daily basis thanks to the internet. We found this link chock full of countless Daytonas and Superbirds located all across the country over on the American Power on Wheels Facebook page [8].
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As is usually the case, a lot of these cars are not for sale with the owner claiming that he will “restore it someday.” In some more extreme cases, the owner has absolutely no intention of restoring the car, nor is he interested in selling it. Almost as if to say, “Yes I have this car, no I’m not going to fix it, and no, neither are you.” What a shame.
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