Barn Car Recovery
 

Trying to stay away from the tired "Barn Find" cliché but no escaping this car was in a barn for decades. However, I had known about it for about the last 40 years as the owner was a longtime friend. He passed away several years ago and after negotiations with the family was able to acquire it due to my long history with the car and the owner. Going to be a while to sort it all out.

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Yep. If anybody gets to use the "barn find" naming convention it should be you.

Congratulations on the acquisition and sorry to hear about your friend.

K

More pictures

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I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your friend...My goodness though - what a car. Great find - I look forward to seeing it come back to life.

Great Story and your Honoring your friend very well to get this car going. What an incredible car and ultra rare car !!! How many of the 108 convertible 69 Judges were Burgundy or for that matter hardtop Burgundy Judges ! Plus 4 speed ! WOW !

Wow - your friend certainly had excellent taste in cars!

Here is a picture of the car in 1981 when it was looking good.

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This picture is me driving with some friends. The owner was away on extended business and made the mistake of leaving the car with me. Sent him this picture to stress him out. :) I'm guessing this was around late 1980's.

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Sorry for your friend as well. What a car! Amazing to say the least!

Wow, '69 Judge ragtop, 4-speed, hideaways. I surmise #'s matching. Barn finds just don't get any better!!!

Glad you could keep the legacy going. That's about as good as it gets... gorgeous '69 vert!!

What happened to the car between 1990 and now? Everyone knew a Judge convertible was a rare and desirable car 35 years ago. Bittersweet to come into a car like that after the loss of a friend or family member. Thanks for sharing and best of luck getting it back on the road

He was a very unique individual. He got burned out with the 8-5 grind and checked out of full time employment. Sold most everything and would travel the world and be gone most of the year. For years he worked in the Antarctic for a few months. So the car got stashed at a mutual friends with plans on one day restoring it if he ever settled down.

P.S. - there is a considerable stash of NOS GM parts he had collected for later over the years I have to get still.

WOW! Amazing car! Do your friend proud!

Wow!

Great story and my condolences on your loss.
Im sure your friend will be watching over you every time your driving the car. Mine sat for 43 years and would still be sitting if I hadnt found it and bugged the owner to death. Keep us posted and wish you many happy miles.

Sounds like your friend had a great, free spirit. Sorry for your loss. Great, unique car!

And a WS too...very cool

Incredible car and great pics. I'm sure your bud would be ecstatic for you to bring it back to life and get to drive it.

Was going to say nice find,but you knew about it for sometime. Good luck with the car. Philly area, perhaps I'll see it at a show soon.

I thought it was my old one I had back in 81 but mine had a white interior. Dont know whatever happened to it.
Awesome story
Here's my hardtop

Curious, which type of restoration would give it the most value and not hurt its rarity?

Frame off too much?
All parts most be factory and restored?

Great friend and amazing car! What was his response with your four friends in the car?

Wow, Good luck with your project. Very Rare

Can you post trim tag picture?

Was your car a RA3 m20 4 speed? PS PB
It might be up here in Canada?

Don, yours wasn't a convertible.:D

Look forward to seeing this car live again. Amazing owner story and your personal, long term tie in with the car and friend, and oh, by the way, it is the cream of the Goats, in fantastic colors.

Ha, not too much of a reaction but we knew it had to keep him awake, which we all expected and hoped for. He was a prankster so giving him a dose of his own medicine. He knew though it was all in fun and it was actually good the car got fired up and the wheels turning as it had been sitting.

Looks like originally it had a Ivory top.

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Amazing story and car. Sorry for the loss of your friend. You will keep his spirit and memory alive with this very, very special car. PLEASE keep us posted.

Yes it was! I bought it from greentree road in blackwood NJ. Guy in the neighborhood vandalized it and I sold it on a snowy night for 3500 bucks.

No it was a m21 390 gear car.

Glad it fell into your hands!!!
Things don't often work out like this...
Can't wait to see it in your shop, and more details of it's condition, and all the parts!!!

I likely nearly had something like this happen to me. My buddy sold his 72 HO455 GTO a couple of years before he passed in 2018. BUT thankfully it's in the hands of someone that can afford to bring it all the way back to it's "day 2" glory. He regretted selling it to his dying day. He said, at least I could have gone out in the garage and started it, and heard it run!!!

That car is an iconic muscle car, if there was EVER ONE!!!

If ever there was a legitimate use of the term, "barn find", you have it sitting right there. A rare car and a rare friend. I am sure it will be fantastic when your done with it. Best of luck, restoring your friend's car to greatness. Love the colors.

Hope I'm not bore-A$$ing everyone but had to share this picture as it still makes me chuckle. This was at the P.O.C.I convention at Niagara Falls in 1982 (?). We had plans on making an excursion into Canada. At the crossing we were asked routine questions on the purpose for our visit. Our friend in the passenger seat made a wise-ass reply to the guard (Guard: Where were you born, Him: In a hospital) and well, didn't get too far. I was driving so had the honor of being interrogated by the Customs Officers as seen in the picture (Was I ever really that skinny?) The owner was taking the picture. Nothing came of it but a hard time and duly deserved stress.


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With all of your history with the car, I'm happy to see you wound up with it. It was meant to be.

My thoughts as well.

That is an awesome car and a even cooler story, good luck on bringing it back to it's former glory.

I don't think you're boring a single individual.

I too am sorry to hear of your friend's passing.

I am glad to read that after the history between you and your friend, and this car, that you got it.

I hope you are able to negotiate to get the other stuff, and build the car as something of an honor to your friend's memory - and enjoy it a little bit with some of his family.

X2...100%

I was blessed by being able to work on my buddies 72 GTO, helping him to get it ship shape, mechanically to sell (it did not need a lot). Getting to work on one of Pontiacs most powerful engines/car was a cool deal to me. I worked on it on Saturdays, mostly. Got paid via him buying lunches...:clap2:
Best part was, it wasn't stock. It was still a viable (but outdated) stock eliminator car!!!

Disc brakes???
Power steering???

yep, that is exactly the plan and what was discussed with them. He left behind a good size family which I also have a history with so really looking forward to sharing this car with them as well.

Yes and yes

This is quite the opportunity - not many of us get a chance to memorialize a friend of ours from the hobby like this.

I’m very happy this car ended up in your hands and wish you the best. I hope you keep the car open to the family for special events if requested.

Just bringing this thread to the top, so hopefully more folks will read it!!!

Awesome car!!! Awesome people!!! Awesome story!!!

Well if there is still interest... went back for the parts this weekend. Off to a good start with a GM NOS Endura bumper still in the box.

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Bonus what else did yah get???

WOW!!

That's really cool! That bumper was made about 1 mile from where I live now! Former Inland Division plant in Vandalia, OH They made all the Endura bumpers there, some steering wheels, the Corvette plastic rear leaf spring, and later air bag components. Now some Chinese company is making batteries in the old shell of a plant. An NOS Endura bumper is a fantastic part to have. Best of luck with the car. Your a lucky guy.

Is that the same Inland Company that made the worst shifters to be placed in an automobile?