Barn Find - What to look for?? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

nartkers · 07-31-2009, 06:58 AM

I am going to look at a 69 shortbox stepside that has been in a barn for 25 years on Saturday. The story is that it came from California to Michigan, a 350 was installed, but he never got it running. It has sat in the barn since then. I am really concerned about body work, I can handle most mechanical stuff.

BarryB · 07-31-2009, 08:48 AM

Snakes, and spiders. Those are what I look for when I go look at a barnfind.

But seriously all the normal stuff. rockers, cab corners, under the battery tray. Since it's been sitting for 25 years, That means it had the possibility to have been driven 15 years of it's life. So you ask how well was it taken care of during those 15 years?
GIve it a good look over.

Sinister · 07-31-2009, 09:39 AM

Also take a peek at the drip rail, inside around the windshield, and cab mounts.

BluTrukker · 07-31-2009, 10:04 AM

Also look closely around the trim and side mouldings, as dirt an stuff can get behind and start rust. Check all the rubber stuff. Ball joints, weatherstrip,tie rod ends rubber deteriorates over time and you may end up replacing most if not all of the rubber which can add up to a pretty good chunk of money.

nartkers · 07-31-2009, 10:09 AM

I'm getting excited to look at it, but I have no idea what he has in mind for price. Solid body's are rare in Michigan, but it hasn't moved in 25 years....looking at prices, they are all over the place

**WorkinLonghorn** · 07-31-2009, 10:22 AM

If it is from Cali it should have the Freemont build code in the VIN (can't think what it is off the top). (Z?)
The other thing that comes to mind is that if some guy went to all the trouble of changing the motor and then totally dropped the entire project,there's a good chance that either the motor is NFG or he found the trans AFU etc. so I would be careful.
And don't let him see you "excited" about it!

monte0185 · 07-31-2009, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sinister

Also take a peek at the drip rail, inside around the windshield, and cab mounts.

I second this!!! This has bit me in the but once!!

northerngmc · 07-31-2009, 11:09 AM

I presonally would be looking in the corner of the barn for a Hemi Cuda or Big Block Corvette!

Seriously I think the others have nailed it. Check Rockers (inner and outer), cab corners, drip rail, around the windshield, under the battery tray. If the floor is full of dirt try and clean it out to get a good look at the floors.

**70cst** · 07-31-2009, 06:20 PM

Wishing you the best with you barn find.

mclairmo · 07-31-2009, 06:51 PM

Noooo rust. If it has rust, junk it.

C/10 King · 07-31-2009, 07:36 PM

..........And,always follow your gut feelings! Don't be afraid to take a step back and think about it.

8door · 07-31-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mclairmo

Noooo rust. If it has rust, junk it.

He is right, Just because it came from Calif. doesn't always mean "rust free"
We have a big ocean out there that can be bad .

mclairmo · 07-31-2009, 08:00 PM

Us Cali guys haaaate rust. Can't stand it. We are just plain spoiled out here by the plethora of rust free virgin sheet metal. My 67 Camaro did not have even one once of rust, not even under the rear window and was only $2,200 back in 1991 with a running 396 under the hood, TH400, Starshifter, Grant steering wheel, nice ralleys and a trunk full of parts. This was before the internet and Ebay or CL. I found it in the Recycler, that ancient paper that nobody has heard of anymore. Awesome stuff.

spatz · 07-31-2009, 09:22 PM

I don't know where your at in MID-MICHIGAN, I'm from Flint if it's over in my area, let me know and maybe I can get away and help look it over with you, I've been wrenching for over thirty years

**special-K** · 08-01-2009, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mclairmo

Us Cali guys haaaate rust. Can't stand it. We are just plain spoiled out here by the plethora of rust free virgin sheet metal. My 67 Camaro did not have even one once of rust, not even under the rear window and was only $2,200 back in 1991 with a running 396 under the hood, TH400, Starshifter, Grant steering wheel, nice ralleys and a trunk full of parts. This was before the internet and Ebay or CL. I found it in the Recycler, that ancient paper that nobody has heard of anymore. Awesome stuff.

People in the other 49 states hate rust,too.Maybe more than So Cal since it`s a problem we deal with more than you guys.I love rustfree and have gone to great lengths to get it.But,when rust appears I fix it,just like rebuilding an engine that has problems.Anything you rust haters find out there,please sell them off to the rest of us and not send it to the crusher for minor body flaws.

extd56 · 08-01-2009, 07:57 AM

We would love to sell the parts that we do not use but the shipping is alwyas a killer

**FRENCHBLUE72** · 08-01-2009, 08:55 AM

Make sure ya take pics as you know we will all want to see...

70Custom10Nut · 08-01-2009, 07:57 PM

The Old "It's originally from California" trick. I grew up in the Thumb area of Michigan and even when I was a kid, people always tried to get a few more bucks out of a vehicle by saying it was from out of the rust belt. If it's been sitting in a barn, in Michigan, for 25 years, it doesn't matter where it came from. The fluctuation in temperature over that many years is going to do bad things all over the truck. Dry rot of all the rubber, rust on all the exposed metal, and body rot. OK I'll stop. I hope you find a diamond under the dust. Let us know. Cnut

07-31-2009, 06:58 AM	#1
nartkers Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 178	Barn Find - What to look for?? I am going to look at a 69 shortbox stepside that has been in a barn for 25 years on Saturday. The story is that it came from California to Michigan, a 350 was installed, but he never got it running. It has sat in the barn since then. I am really concerned about body work, I can handle most mechanical stuff.

07-31-2009, 08:48 AM	#2
BarryB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Blountville, Tn. Posts: 3,904	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Snakes, and spiders. Those are what I look for when I go look at a barnfind. But seriously all the normal stuff. rockers, cab corners, under the battery tray. Since it's been sitting for 25 years, That means it had the possibility to have been driven 15 years of it's life. So you ask how well was it taken care of during those 15 years? GIve it a good look over. __________________ We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp; some are pretty;and some are dull. Some have weird names; and all are different colours;but they all have to live in the same box. You may be only one person in the world, But you may also be the world to one person. * Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once. Two rules in life. 1. Never sweat the small stuff! 2. Everything is small stuff!

07-31-2009, 09:39 AM	#3
Sinister Between Trucks... Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 3,830	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Also take a peek at the drip rail, inside around the windshield, and cab mounts. __________________ Beat it to fit, Paint it to match... Last edited by Sinister; 07-31-2009 at 09:39 AM.

07-31-2009, 10:04 AM	#4
BluTrukker BOHICA Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stewartville, MN Posts: 440	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Also look closely around the trim and side mouldings, as dirt an stuff can get behind and start rust. Check all the rubber stuff. Ball joints, weatherstrip,tie rod ends rubber deteriorates over time and you may end up replacing most if not all of the rubber which can add up to a pretty good chunk of money. __________________ Trying to save someone from their own stupidity is like teaching a pig to dance. It is a waste of your time, and it annoys the pig!

07-31-2009, 10:09 AM	#5
nartkers Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Mid-Michigan Posts: 178	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? I'm getting excited to look at it, but I have no idea what he has in mind for price. Solid body's are rare in Michigan, but it hasn't moved in 25 years....looking at prices, they are all over the place

07-31-2009, 10:22 AM	#6
WorkinLonghorn Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Studio City, Calif. Posts: 2,865	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? If it is from Cali it should have the Freemont build code in the VIN (can't think what it is off the top). (Z?) The other thing that comes to mind is that if some guy went to all the trouble of changing the motor and then totally dropped the entire project,there's a good chance that either the motor is NFG or he found the trans AFU etc. so I would be careful. And don't let him see you "excited" about it! __________________ '69 GMC C2500 Custom Camper, 8 1/2' bed, New GM 350, NP 435 Close Ratio 4spd. Trans., 3.73 Dana-60 open.Camper and Trailer wiring, PS, PB, AC, tach , three gas tanks, 2nd owner, Work-Truck supreme. Best $300 I ever spent.

07-31-2009, 11:09 AM	#8
northerngmc Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Whitehorse YK Canada Posts: 2,651	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? I presonally would be looking in the corner of the barn for a Hemi Cuda or Big Block Corvette! Seriously I think the others have nailed it. Check Rockers (inner and outer), cab corners, drip rail, around the windshield, under the battery tray. If the floor is full of dirt try and clean it out to get a good look at the floors. __________________ Blaine 59 GMC 9314 a.k.a. Whoopee 68 C20 50th Anniversary a.k.a. The Rat http://www.flickr.com/photos/northerngmc/ http://www.members.tripod.com/P-wee/index_032.htm 1.61803 is one H of a lot better than 3.14159, no really it is!

07-31-2009, 06:20 PM	#9
70cst Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: New Madison, Ohio Posts: 21,365	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Wishing you the best with you barn find. __________________ A husband can be right...or...A husband can be happy. 67-72 Chevy and GMC Trucks...The Classic Truck for the Classic Folk. 1970 CST Two tone green, 402BB, 400 Automatic, Tach, Buckets, AC, AM-FM, Tilt, GM CB, GM 8 Tract, LWB, etc JOHN 17:3...The better side of "LIFE" Remember: Everyday is a good day...Some are just gooder!

07-31-2009, 06:51 PM	#10
mclairmo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Take Off Posts: 1,908	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Noooo rust. If it has rust, junk it.

07-31-2009, 07:36 PM	#11
C/10 King Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: A****er, CA Posts: 5,594	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? ..........And,always follow your gut feelings! Don't be afraid to take a step back and think about it. __________________ C/10 Rene 1966 Short Fleet "The Hag" 1967 CST Short Fleet "Dark Poly" 1971 Short Fleet 1970 Jimmy Custom 2 WD "Golden Ticket" 1972 Blazer 2 WD "Retro Blaze"

07-31-2009, 08:00 PM	#13
mclairmo Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Take Off Posts: 1,908	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Us Cali guys haaaate rust. Can't stand it. We are just plain spoiled out here by the plethora of rust free virgin sheet metal. My 67 Camaro did not have even one once of rust, not even under the rear window and was only $2,200 back in 1991 with a running 396 under the hood, TH400, Starshifter, Grant steering wheel, nice ralleys and a trunk full of parts. This was before the internet and Ebay or CL. I found it in the Recycler, that ancient paper that nobody has heard of anymore. Awesome stuff.

07-31-2009, 09:22 PM	#14
spatz Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Flint, Mi Posts: 200	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? I don't know where your at in MID-MICHIGAN, I'm from Flint if it's over in my area, let me know and maybe I can get away and help look it over with you, I've been wrenching for over thirty years

08-01-2009, 07:57 AM	#16
extd56 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Vacaville, CA Posts: 2,272	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? We would love to sell the parts that we do not use but the shipping is alwyas a killer

08-01-2009, 08:55 AM	#17
FRENCHBLUE72 PROJECT 7DEUCE Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: GRANTS PASS OR Posts: 21,608	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? Make sure ya take pics as you know we will all want to see... __________________ GO BIG GREEN GO DUCKS MEMBER #6377 72 k-5 daily driver 6'' lift 35'' 350-350-205 slowly getting rust free. Project "7DEUCE" check out my build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=267665 Tim Powell..R.I.P EastSideLowlife..... R.I.P..

08-01-2009, 07:57 PM	#18
70Custom10Nut Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Vilseck Germany (currently) Posts: 317	Re: Barn Find - What to look for?? The Old "It's originally from California" trick. I grew up in the Thumb area of Michigan and even when I was a kid, people always tried to get a few more bucks out of a vehicle by saying it was from out of the rust belt. If it's been sitting in a barn, in Michigan, for 25 years, it doesn't matter where it came from. The fluctuation in temperature over that many years is going to do bad things all over the truck. Dry rot of all the rubber, rust on all the exposed metal, and body rot. OK I'll stop. I hope you find a diamond under the dust. Let us know. Cnut



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