Barn Finds

Erik,

I enjoyed your article on Barn Finds and in fact I would like to get hold of any of the cars you mentioned. You might be surprised to find that I am writing to you from Melbourne, Australia, where I have been collecting, restoring, and driving Italian cars for 25 years.

I have had a few successes over the years but one might interest you in particular. In the early 90's I bought a basket case ASA 1000GT that was missing its motor. Undaunted I thought I would eventually come across one but 5 years down the track I was having no success when a man I had never met, wrote to me from Paris to say he had heard of my plight. He knew of a wreck I could cannibalize for a motor, or a complete original car I could buy. I was tempted to buy the wreck but he convinced me to go to Europe and have a look at the good car. That's a very interesting story in itself, which I would be happy to tell if you are interested, but suffice to say I bought a really nice original car which I still have.

As we drove back to Paris we talked about things we would like to own and I mentioned a Stanguellini Formula Junior. I'am not sure if my new friend had even heard of a Stanguellini but three years later the phone rang and he said "I have found one"! This time I immediately said I would come over but the response was that a sight unseen decision was required or the car would go to a Japanese buyer. I took the challenge and said yes.

Quite some months later the car arrived in Australia and my reaction was immediate disappointment. There were dents, cracks in the aluminium, and the car was very dirty. My mood changed when I decided to tow it past one of the major classic dealers on the way home and he became very excited. You see this car had only one previous owner and was put away when he hang up his helmet and gloves in 1962. It was untouched since and was probably original down to it's spark plugs!

Over the last four years of ownership my thoughts of a Pebble Beach restoration have given way to appreciating this car for what it is. Apart from tyres and brakes it has only been washed and cleaned. Those cracks and dents that it has had since 1963 are still there. Time prevents me from getting it out as much as I would like to but it is always a crowd favourite and the appreciative comments far out number the questions about when I might restore it. I attach photos of two unrestored cars from "Down Under".

Regards,
Ean McDowell Manager,
Technical Resources SMEC International

Reader John Foster is willing to take on the Pantera.

Hi, Pete, Erik, Karen, Lorenzo,

I am a Ferrari fan, but I am also interested in other Italian cars as well. I have always thought there are abandoned cars in somebody's barn and you have found some. You are great doing this!!! I would like to get in touch with the owners of that De Tomaso Pantera.

Thank you in advance!
John Foster

Not Erik's fault. Even though the editor owned a 2000 many years ago, he mistook this for a 2600. Several readers caught it.

Erik,

One correction to your interesting article on barn finds. The car you identified as an "Alfa Romeo 2600" is in fact its predecessor, the 2000 Spider. These cars were built from 1958 to 1961, with a total production run of 3443. They are known as the "cast iron 2000" due to their 2 litre cast iron 4 cylinder engine. The car in the barn is a US version identifiable by the closely spaced twin hood scoops. European versions had the scoops farther apart. The 2600 had a single scoop and a different and less elegant nose treatment. The decklid on a 2600 is also more squared off. The 2600 has windwings and the 2000 does not. Inside, the interiors are very different, with the 2000 having a metal dash and the 2600 an ugly vinyl covered one with central glovebox. I have recently seen asking prices for the 2000 exceeding those of the 2600, with two cars on offer over $30k. I have both a US and Euro version of the 2000, and am assisting in the restoration of two 2600's.

Regards,
Arno Leskinen
National Concours Chair and Board of Directors, Alfa Romeo Owners Club (USA)