Our barn find
 

My wife and I have been looking for a year or so (although not very seriously) for an old station wagon to build for her. Funny how things happen when talking with people. We had new mattresses delivered to the shop for some bunk beds we put in the loft. My wife and the delivery guy were talking cars and trucks when she mentioned her desire for an older station wagon. Guy says he knows someone with one that has been in his garage for 20 plus years and is thinking of selling but wasn't positive on what kind of station wagon it was. Phone calls and texts were exchanged. We went to look at it Wednesday and brought it home Thursday. Here is what we found in a small town 25 miles away. Crazy!

Re: Our barn find
 

Nice!

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Wow!!! What's the story? What do you need to do to make it a driver? More pictures???

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great car good luck with it

goes to show you person to person talk is very important something the internet wizards lose out on

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outstanding find!!!! cdowns you are very right about person to person communication and the relationship built

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Now that right there is just plain cool !

Good luck with git'n er go'n......

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I'm impressed!

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I just told my wife that you think I am a wizard! Sadly she is not impressed. :uhmk:

Wagons were so not cool growing up. Now that I am posing as an adult, wagons are so cool! So how does THAT happen?

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Holy cow, what a great find! It always pays to just talk with folks.

What are the build plans?

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That should be just about right for a daily driver. Nice score

Why'd you put a birdhouse on the roof in the fourth pic?

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Good job Wayne.

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I have a '57 Chevy 4 door wagon that I bo't from the original owner back in the early 80's. It's on the back burner for a while. Seems like even the 4 door wagons are getting harder to find. You made a nice score!

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Where is all the rust and rot that need to be fixed ? You guys down south have to be thankful for all the old iron that remains intact.
Nice find. You gonna make a Nomad out of it ?

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That thing is pretty sweet.

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I know – Crazy.

Here’s the story - The gentleman we purchased the car from oldest brother bought the car in the mid 1960’s and died after a couple of years of ownership. The grandfather bought it, drove it, and did a minor restoration in the early 1980’s (paint/interior). When he passed the grandmother gave it to her grandson – the man we bought it from. The car was last driven to a car wash down the street in spring of 2014. He, like so many of us, didn’t have the time, or funds to keep up with the car. He felt it was time to let someone else enjoy it instead of slowly rotting away in his grandmother’s garage. When we first met his first question was – “You guys aren’t flippers are you? I mean what are your plans for the car?” When we told him we wanted the car to rebuild for my wife and to be able to take the grand kids for ice cream someday he seemed relieved and now wants to be updated on the progress. Made a new friend.

The engine will crank and run with fuel down the carb. I think it will take the usual things to get it moving on its own – clean fuel tank, possible carb rebuild, change fluids, check/replace hoses, belt, and brakes. It will definitely need new tires, shocks, and new muffler/tailpipe before being a driver. There is some minor rust in the floor pan on the passenger side and I’m sure some more rust hiding in other places as well as a few other surprises, but overall, the car is clean and probably 90 to 95% intact. Has the original engine as the ID number matches the title. I recently learned vehicles from 1955 and back used the engine ID number (instead of the VIN) on a Texas title for the VIN – weird huh?

The wagon is a 1955 Chevy 210 Townsman with 265 v8 and powerglide transmission. We will most likely upgrade the suspension, add four wheel disks, modern LS drivetrain, air conditioning, etc. I don’t want to say “resto mod” but I guess that’s what it is. We do want to keep a real sleeper look to it.

Thanks for the compliments on the ride. I still cannot believe how fortunate we were to be able to stumble across the wagon. The old saying is true – Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then.

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X2! Yhea, how does THAT happen?

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Ha! Didn't notice that until you pointed it out. The purple martin house is on a pole behind the car & truck. Sure does look like it's resting on the roof of the wagon though....:lol:

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Nice find

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That sucks, cuz I'm sure you weren't thinking on anything that nice. But alas, once the guy went through all the trouble of putting you in touch with his friend you felt obligated to buy it anyway. I'm sure you find a way to make do.

In the '80s when I first got together with the gal I was married to, who had two little ones from previous marriage, I got all in family mode. I went out and found a '55 Chevy 4dr wagon for us. It was a hit everywhere we went. You'll enjoy this one for sure!

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Wow Wayne ,that will look cool in that new shop ,looking forward to seeing more of this one too.

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That's awesome.
Looks like a keeper.

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Way cool! it really takes me back , about 50 yrs....yes, I am getting old! I saw my dad stick his fist through a wing on a 55 chev, after locking the keys in the car! Mom, was raising he!!....what you going to go now? Dad showed her, how to fix the problem.....give me you glove "little woman"! Longhorn

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You nailed it Tim............We really had our expectations set very, very low. Definitely a nice surprise.

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Wow, awesome score! That is a sweet wagon to say the least. A pro touring ice cream getter sounds like a great plan to me. :lol:

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Not me. I would just check out all the safety stuff, wash it, and drive it the way it is. Luckily I don't have to go too far for Ice Cream...:)

LockDoc