Old car header

OLD CAR, VAN OR PICKUP TRUCK WANTED (UK).

Wanted - an old car or similar to restore, preferably a complete car that has been out of use for years. A non-runner would be fine, ideally I'd like to find something that has been parked under cover and left.
Any classic or vintage car from the 1900s through to the 1970s considered, it could be a sports car, a saloon, an estate or a commercial vehicle such as a pickup or a van. If it needs restoring - no problem. If it has flat tyres and will need a bit of work to get it moved - not a problem either. Dustier the better, the more "barn find" it is, the better - anything old and restorable would be of interest. If you have a barn, garage or outbuilding with early motoring-related items in it that needs clearing, I may be interested in buying the contents too.
Your car wanted
Shown below are examples of the types of vehicle I'd like to find if possible.

Austin 7 Ruby.

Unassuming suburban garages can hide all manner of automotive gems, such as was the case with this lovely 1930's Austin 7 Ruby saloon, which had been tucked away in a garage alongside a bungalow for several decades. While "barn finds" are all the rage nowadays, "garage finds" in the unlikeliest of town locations are probably more likely to be encountered.
Austin 7 Ruby saloon car

Rescue of a 1930's Ford.

The car shown below is a Ford CX saloon from the mid-30s, and is just the kind of vehicle I'd like to find. The Ford had been parked in the corner of a driveway when we went to view it, rusting away quietly to itself for many years. The gent that had owned the car, had planned to restore it but sadly it never happened and the family needed this pre-war project car gone, so that they could put the house on the market. The brakes were stuck on, and all four tyres were flat. The years (and weather) hadn't been kind to it, but my understanding is that it went on to be restored. Whoever took it on will have needed either deep pockets, and/or a wide range of skills, to bring the bodywork, interior and the running gear back to life, so poor was the car's overall condition.
Ford car from the 1930s

1940's Hillman.

Like the Ford, this late-1940's Hillman needed the brakes freeing up before it would even consider moving from its long-term, driveway, parking spot. Its owner had good intentions, but simply never found the time to work on it. Three of the car's tyres held air, but the fourth had a blown inner tube. While some welding was required, the upper body of this rare motor was in very tidy condition, especially given how poorly it had been stored, so was a worthwhile project for someone.
A 1940s car

Ford 10cwt pickup, early 1950's.

Poor storage conditions had led to this post-war, 1950's, Ford 10cwt (E83W) pickup truck falling into the state you see it in here. Covered in moss and missing many parts, it looked decidedly sad when I first clapped eyes upon it, on a farm only accessible via a long winding track off a quiet lane, somewhere in Suffolk as I recall. Still, the Ford had survived this long and, last I heard, it had been sold to someone with the vision to fix her up and get it running again.
Ford 10cwt pickup E83W type

Morris Minor saloon.

I run a Morris Minor myself, so always keep an eye out for saloons, convertibles, vans and pickups. This late-1960s saloon was in poor shape, having sat on a driveway for many a year. At least most parts are easily found for Morris 1000s, but the amount of welding that this car required (it's now on the road) was considerable.
Morris Minor

A 1950's Morris van.

Many years ago I was party to this old 1950's Morris Z van being retrieved from a driveway down in the South West of England. It had been restored many years before, but in more recent times had fallen (again) into disrepair. It later passed into the hands of a serial restorer of classic vans, so should be out and about at shows this year.
Morris Z Van

"Barn find" Bedford found on a farm.

The term "barn find" is bandied around all too often, and seems to apply to any older vehicle that has fallen on hard times, irrespective of whether a barn has ever protected it from rapid deterioration. This though was the real deal, a proper old Bedford that had been parked up in a farm building for decades, resting, forgotten, in an agricultural building at the bottom of a rutted field, well away from prying eyes (and fingers). While the bodywork had suffered in places, the CA's rarity meant that it deserved to be restored, or at least treated to a re-commissioning, "oily rag", job. Hopefully that's what happened.
Bedford CA

"Barn find" Austin A35 van, 1960s.

Another interesting "find" was this A35 van, and like the Bedford could be classed as a "barn find". It had sat in an old tin building for quite a few years when I first saw it, and the generally dry conditions had helped keep most of the tin-worm at bay.
Austin A35 van from the 1960s

A classic Ford Thunderbird.

While many American cars don't interest me all that much, this old Thunderbird was well worth a trip to see. It ran, sort of, but was some way from being roadworthy. The overall condition of the bodywork was pretty good as I recall, and the interior - an expensive thing to put right if badly deteriorated - had stood up to the test of time well, saving whoever took it on a pretty penny in restoration costs.
Ford Thunderbird

Vanden Plas 4-Litre R, 1964.

Few of these 4-Litre R Vanden Plas saloons have survived. I went to see this one that had been parked up on a driveway. Despite the lack of covered storage, it was in reasonable condition and definitely deserved TLC before it fell into serious disrepair.
1964 Vanden Plas 4-Litre R
So if you're thinking to yourself "who will buy my old car?", "does anyone want my old van?", or "find me someone to clear my garage?", then get in touch and I may be able to help, anything 1900s to the 1970s considered.
Barn finds and garage finds wanted
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