a true barn find
January 18th, 2013, 07:13 PM
#122
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Medford, Oregon
Posts: 13,690
Just to update.... as of today I have sold enough to be paid off and debt free to all this. 2012 has been a tough year with lots of ups and downs. New management job at work, buying/rebuilding the jetfire, buying this guy out, getting it all home, light fixing of cars to sell, selling loads of parts, worrying about the mortgage on my parents house.......
Time for some R&R!!!!!!
Time for some R&R!!!!!!
John
January 19th, 2013, 02:34 PM
#127
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
January 19th, 2013, 06:06 PM
#128
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: MA
Posts: 138
I just stumbled on this and read it from start to finish; I couldn't stop reading until I got to the end. Excellent find and I got a real good feeling knowing that you got a good deal without screwing your family or the seller.
Thanks for the story.
P.S. makes me think what else is lurking in some barns out there!
Thanks for the story.
P.S. makes me think what else is lurking in some barns out there!
January 22nd, 2013, 01:49 PM
#129
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Meriden CT
Posts: 823
Glad things turned out well for you Eric. I know firsthand that 2012 was a not so good year. Hope you get the time to sink your teeth into one of your new project's and please know if you have any questions about any 1970 stuff don't hesitate to contact me at all.
STeve
STeve
January 22nd, 2013, 05:16 PM
#130
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Chi-town
Posts: 4,511
Just to update.... as of today I have sold enough to be paid off and debt free to all this. 2012 has been a tough year with lots of ups and downs. New management job at work, buying/rebuilding the jetfire, buying this guy out, getting it all home, light fixing of cars to sell, selling loads of parts, worrying about the mortgage on my parents house.......
Time for some R&R!!!!!!
Time for some R&R!!!!!!
Congrats, and does this mean from here on parts are free - put me on the list for any of them then
What happened to the 71 blue convertible, I lost track, what a gorgeous car!
January 22nd, 2013, 06:46 PM
#131
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
It went to a guy in Indianapolis. I drove it about 200 miles and people were going nuts over it. It had a couple issues that needed addressed but for the most part it was a real nice car.
Thanks to everyone for the comments and support this past year.
Thanks to everyone for the comments and support this past year.
March 20th, 2013, 06:24 PM
#133
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
Nothing much to update. I sold the W-27 like i mentioned in your thread. I sure wish i had it but just couldn't turn down the offer. That is why i got my parents mortgage paid off. Also why i am starting on restoring the W-30 this year. I still have both W-30s and lots of parts. I am almost sure i can completely restore my W-30 with what i make from the left over parts. In the end, I should have a documented 70 442 W-30 restored with $0.00 in it. If you count the hours in buying the guy out, getting it all home, selling it all off, boxing & shipping, restoring the W-30,.... The amount of time invested into a free car is going to be huge. It sure will be worth it. I had, am having, and will continue to have a ball doing all the work.
On another note, I know where there are three more barns at
One the size of this one, another with five 66 Toronado's in it, and another with three 62 Starfires in it.
On another note, I know where there are three more barns at
One the size of this one, another with five 66 Toronado's in it, and another with three 62 Starfires in it.
Last edited by jensenracing77; March 20th, 2013 at 06:30 PM.
April 19th, 2013, 08:30 AM
#135
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Macedon,NY
Posts: 137
God I would love to find something like that! I have a short list of parts to see if you have them and how much.....1970 passenger front fender, ashtray insert, , trunk lid, and rear bumper with exhaust cutouts? Please send me a message. If prices are manageable I'd gladly make the drive from Rochester ,NY to pick up what is available. Most interested in rear bumper and trunk lid for 70 holiday coupe. Thanks!and good luck with those W30's ! Hell I'd even come out just to take the tour. That's what I'd call treasure!
May 10th, 2014, 12:02 PM
#136
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
Just an update...
This car is now sold. After listing it on eBay and Craigslist several times I just couldn't get what the parts were worth out of it. Each time I listed it I lowered the price but had replaced parts with standard parts. In the end, I had most all the 442 parts removed and cutlass parts installed. It sold today and headed to Bowling Green KY. We will deliver it in the morning.
Only car left is my Blue W-30 that I am restoring. I still have piles of parts left from this find but starting to run out of the real good stuff.
I had hopped to completly pay for the restoration the blue W-30 with what I get from the leftover cars and parts after the loan was paid off. It looks like I will be very close to doing that. I will likely have to use just a little from other Olds related investments to finish it. In the end, The finished blue W-30 will be what i gained from this deal. When it comes down to it, it was all worth it because of how fun it was/is. BUT if you count my hours involved I could have made as much at work. The was MUCH more fun though.
This car is now sold. After listing it on eBay and Craigslist several times I just couldn't get what the parts were worth out of it. Each time I listed it I lowered the price but had replaced parts with standard parts. In the end, I had most all the 442 parts removed and cutlass parts installed. It sold today and headed to Bowling Green KY. We will deliver it in the morning.
Only car left is my Blue W-30 that I am restoring. I still have piles of parts left from this find but starting to run out of the real good stuff.
I had hopped to completly pay for the restoration the blue W-30 with what I get from the leftover cars and parts after the loan was paid off. It looks like I will be very close to doing that. I will likely have to use just a little from other Olds related investments to finish it. In the end, The finished blue W-30 will be what i gained from this deal. When it comes down to it, it was all worth it because of how fun it was/is. BUT if you count my hours involved I could have made as much at work. The was MUCH more fun though.
December 1st, 2014, 11:28 AM
#137
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
I just got word thet the guy I got all this from passed away last march. I tried to email him a couple times over the summer but never got a reply. I didn't think to much of it at first because he was always having computer problems. here lately i started getting concerned. I just talked to his wife and she told me. His name was Larry Conn and was an incredible machinist and fabricator. All summer I wanted to get up there to see him and had no idea. He had me buy him out because of health reasons but would never talk about it. He was always there and never seemed to get any worse so i just thought he was going to be ok. I wanted to get our picture together with these cars when we got them from the barn but he didn't want his picture taken. He changed my life forever and will always remember him.
Back when he wanted me to buy him out he wanted $80,000 for everything he had. After thinking it through There were two reasons I couldn't do this. One I could not get that much money and two, At that time I did not think I could make enough from it to justify that amount. After thinking about it for 3 weeks I told him that I would hook him up with some other people because There was no way I could come up with that kind of money. He ask what I could come up with and I said I would not even tell him because it would be an insult. He talked me into telling him what I could do, he thought for a little while and then said "lets do it". My first thought was "OH CRAP, WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE!" 2012 was a real rough rear for me and not sure I would do it again but now that it is over I am glad I did it. So sorry to hear about him gone. When it is all over i will have sank ALL my profits from this barn find into my W-30. In the end, this entire endevor will have been to accuire a restored 70 442 W-30 with zero money in it. If I spent that same amount of time at work I could have avoided all this and just paid for the car, lol. This was MUCH more fun!
I will never forget you Larry Conn!
Back when he wanted me to buy him out he wanted $80,000 for everything he had. After thinking it through There were two reasons I couldn't do this. One I could not get that much money and two, At that time I did not think I could make enough from it to justify that amount. After thinking about it for 3 weeks I told him that I would hook him up with some other people because There was no way I could come up with that kind of money. He ask what I could come up with and I said I would not even tell him because it would be an insult. He talked me into telling him what I could do, he thought for a little while and then said "lets do it". My first thought was "OH CRAP, WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE!" 2012 was a real rough rear for me and not sure I would do it again but now that it is over I am glad I did it. So sorry to hear about him gone. When it is all over i will have sank ALL my profits from this barn find into my W-30. In the end, this entire endevor will have been to accuire a restored 70 442 W-30 with zero money in it. If I spent that same amount of time at work I could have avoided all this and just paid for the car, lol. This was MUCH more fun!
I will never forget you Larry Conn!
December 1st, 2014, 01:03 PM
#139
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South River, New Jersey
Posts: 3,515
Your a good man, and I am sure larry is smiling down at you today..
December 1st, 2014, 02:20 PM
#140
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 731
Sad to hear about the former owner. If it were me, I'd have to have some sort of momento in the car with his name on it as a reminder of him and where the car came from. It would never have been possible without your hard efforts and his giving you a great deal.
December 1st, 2014, 07:28 PM
#141
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 303
I just got word thet the guy I got all this from passed away last march. I tried to email him a couple times over the summer but never got a reply. I didn't think to much of it at first because he was always having computer problems. here lately i started getting concerned. I just talked to his wife and she told me. His name was Larry Conn and was an incredible machinist and fabricator. All summer I wanted to get up there to see him and had no idea. He had me buy him out because of health reasons but would never talk about it. He was always there and never seemed to get any worse so i just thought he was going to be ok. I wanted to get our picture together with these cars when we got them from the barn but he didn't want his picture taken. He changed my life forever and will always remember him.
Back when he wanted me to buy him out he wanted $80,000 for everything he had. After thinking it through There were two reasons I couldn't do this. One I could not get that much money and two, At that time I did not think I could make enough from it to justify that amount. After thinking about it for 3 weeks I told him that I would hook him up with some other people because There was no way I could come up with that kind of money. He ask what I could come up with and I said I would not even tell him because it would be an insult. He talked me into telling him what I could do, he thought for a little while and then said "lets do it". My first thought was "OH CRAP, WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE!" 2012 was a real rough rear for me and not sure I would do it again but now that it is over I am glad I did it. So sorry to hear about him gone. When it is all over i will have sank ALL my profits from this barn find into my W-30. In the end, this entire endevor will have been to accuire a restored 70 442 W-30 with zero money in it. If I spent that same amount of time at work I could have avoided all this and just paid for the car, lol. This was MUCH more fun!
I will never forget you Larry Conn!
Back when he wanted me to buy him out he wanted $80,000 for everything he had. After thinking it through There were two reasons I couldn't do this. One I could not get that much money and two, At that time I did not think I could make enough from it to justify that amount. After thinking about it for 3 weeks I told him that I would hook him up with some other people because There was no way I could come up with that kind of money. He ask what I could come up with and I said I would not even tell him because it would be an insult. He talked me into telling him what I could do, he thought for a little while and then said "lets do it". My first thought was "OH CRAP, WHAT HAVE I JUST DONE!" 2012 was a real rough rear for me and not sure I would do it again but now that it is over I am glad I did it. So sorry to hear about him gone. When it is all over i will have sank ALL my profits from this barn find into my W-30. In the end, this entire endevor will have been to accuire a restored 70 442 W-30 with zero money in it. If I spent that same amount of time at work I could have avoided all this and just paid for the car, lol. This was MUCH more fun!
I will never forget you Larry Conn!
July 3rd, 2015, 07:44 PM
#143
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
I just visited Larry's wife today. I drove the 442 up there and showed it to her. She was a little surprised that it was one of the cars from the barn. Larry made a stainless steel ring with an Oldsmobile logo in it. I ask her if she thought about letting it go and that I would be interested in it since he made it. She said she did not remember that one but will look for it. I sure hope I can buy it from her.
Adding a couple pictures to complete the thread.
Hard to believe it was just over 4 years ago that I started this thread.
Adding a couple pictures to complete the thread.
Hard to believe it was just over 4 years ago that I started this thread.
Last edited by jensenracing77; July 3rd, 2015 at 07:47 PM.
January 21st, 2017, 04:54 PM
#146
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
Found this video a couple day ago, I had forgot that I recorded it. I recorded this just after I got everything from this barn find home. I loaded it to YouTube and thought I would post it here. I hope to sell the W-30 this year and that will bring this thread to its conclusion. Other than the W-30 I don't have much left from this find, an OAI hood, red inner fenders, an OAI air cleaner setup, some engines and some small parts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBm3j6QBTys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBm3j6QBTys
July 17th, 2017, 01:47 PM
#148
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
I wanted to update this thread also, I have sold the last car from this "find of a lifetime"...
Has been a very long road with this deal and I am close the the end. I still have some things left that I was hanging onto till after the car sold and may still hang onto but other than that I mostly only have some engine stuff left. The good stuff I have left that I may keep are red inners, OAI hood, OAI air cleaner, rust free doors, and some chrome parts.
All this was possible because of Larry Conn. Turned into a great friend and is missed. I sure wish you could have seen the car finished Larry!
Has been a very long road with this deal and I am close the the end. I still have some things left that I was hanging onto till after the car sold and may still hang onto but other than that I mostly only have some engine stuff left. The good stuff I have left that I may keep are red inners, OAI hood, OAI air cleaner, rust free doors, and some chrome parts.
All this was possible because of Larry Conn. Turned into a great friend and is missed. I sure wish you could have seen the car finished Larry!
May 19th, 2018, 05:24 PM
#150
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Brazil Indiana
Posts: 11,502
I was on my way home of the H/O gathering at Ron Memmer's house today and was in the area of where Larry Conn lived. I decided to stop in to see his widow and found new owners of the house living there. Turns out that she had passed away last year. Sure wish I could have seen her again. RIP Mr and Mrs Conn.
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