Did you ever fantasize about finding hidden treasure or discovering something valuable in your grandparent’s attic? For car guys, it’s the search for that old car hidden away in a pole barn. The hunt for barn-find cars brings an element of mystery and you never know what you might find. Classic cars that have been tucked away and forgotten are like gemstones waiting to be unearthed.
In fact, there was a USA Today article about Mike McElhattan, who answered an ad for a 1981 DeLorean with only 977 miles on it. The owner, who was 90, showed him a car covered with dirt, dust, and mouse poo and ignored for over 20 years. And some people hit the lottery. It happens. Just doesn’t happen to me.
All I wanted was to find a Datsun roadster like the first car I bought in high school. In the late 1960’s Datsun sold two models, the 96-HP 4-speed 1600 and the 135-HP 5-speed 2000 model. According to Datsun.org, of the ~45,000 models sold, less than 15,000 were Datsun 2000s. The most coveted model is the 1967 Datsun 2000 low windshield version. Of those, about 1000 of those were manufactured with a 150-HP factory competition kit. Intended for racing, it’s the Holy Grail of all Datsun Roadsters.
I found some nice roadsters online but 2BukChuk said to keep looking for that undervalued gem. I wanted a drivable car to take to car shows, not a project car or a costly trailer queen. My search covered the USA.
Finally, I found it! It was a 1968 metallic red Datsun 2000. The paint, chrome, wheels, and interior looked great. It was in running condition and was priced at half the value. I talked to the owner, Joe, and he assured me the car was in “A-1 mechanical condition” and the engine compression was “great.” He had driven the car and wished he could keep it but was moving out of state. This was almost too good to true. He had it painted, installed a new windshield, exhaust, new wheels, tires, and had all the chrome polished or replaced.
Normally, I use my check list to go over everything on the car. It’s ok if it needs work but best to know in advance than be surprised. Well, I skipped a lot of steps to buy the car before someone else jumped on it. For example, I didn’t travel to see the car in person. Joe started the car on a live video so I could confirm the motor was running.
You might guess what happened next. When the car arrived, it started up but seemed to be running on 3 cylinders. The brake pedal went to the floor, and It wouldn’t start back up after I stopped to check it out. I had to roll it down the street and jump start it in gear. It definitely wasn’t in A-1 mechanical condition.
At the top of my checklist is to verify the title and owner’s name, which I skipped doing. It turned out the title was still in the previous owner’s name. Joe owned the car for four years and had never registered it. If he didn’t have plates, it wouldn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out he couldn’t have driven it much at all. The car was purchased from a man in Minneapolis and prior to that, it had been in a barn for 20 years. It was in relatively good condition, other than mechanically.
Working with a retired mechanic, we replaced the water pump, master brake cylinder, rear brake cylinders, and alternator. A defective spark plug wire caused the car to run on 3 cylinders and the compression was good. After a tune up, the motor ran strong for the first time in over 26 years.
Then, when I could drive it, the clutch slipped. Ouch! That meant pulling the engine. No one in the Detroit area would do it so I bought a used hoist and did it myself. I also had to replace the fuel pump and a number of items in the interior. All in all, it took over $9,000 to get the car roadworthy.
On the positive side, I learned a lot about these roadsters and how to maintain them. It’s not hard to do the work yourself, and there’s an online forum with answers to almost any problem you run into. It’s a relatively rare car and people smile and wave when they it on the road.
I continued to look for Datsun roadsters and 240Z cars. Then one day on the phone, my brother in California mentioned that his next-door neighbor had a Datsun roadster in his garage. What? Yeah, for at least 18 years! The owner was planning to restore it “someday.”
On my next trip out to California, we met up with Brian, the neighbor. He was happy to show me the car, but I only had a few minutes before heading to the airport. Brian said he had purchased the car from a buddy and planned to fix it up but never had the time. I asked if he had ever owned a Datsun or had some connection to the car. No, he hadn’t, and he admitted he couldn’t fit in the car as he’s over six feet tall. Seemed odd for him to be so attached to the car but, who am I to judge?
The little white roadster was stored in his garage and covered up with boxes. A lot of miscellaneous items were stacked around it. It was a California car, a bit rough but the body itself was solid (no rust). It had dents and the paint was in poor shape, maybe painted with spray cans?
Looking closer, I could tell by the flat dashboard and low windshield this car was a 1967 or older roadster. The interior had most of the components but needed refurbishment. The previous owner had painted the vinyl seats with the same white paint that was on the body of the car. And all the exterior chrome parts were painted over as well.
We didn’t have time to take everything off the hood and look at the motor. Brian said it was a 1967 Datsun 2000, the rare model. The Datsun emblems were missing, and based on what I saw, I left assuming it was indeed a 2000 model.
What are the odds of finding that car in my brother’s next-door neighbor’s garage? A car like that would be worth restoring as it might be worth $60,000. This could be the hidden gem…
Last year I returned to California and arranged for a closer look at the Datsun. As I said, “It happens.” Not often, but people do find collectable cars that have been ignored for decades. Just doesn’t happen to me.
This time, we carefully removed all the junk off the top of the car and opened the hood. What if it had the competition package? This might be the Holy Grail right in front of me! The mystery would be unveiled any moment now!
Alas. It wasn’t the 2000 model U20 motor. It was the motor used in the 1600 model. The manufacturer plate was missing, so I reached into the interior and checked the speedometer and stick shift to confirm it was a 4 speed. Brian was mistaken. It wasn’t a 2000 model.
The fantasy and element of mystery disappeared in a poof, like popping a balloon. It was a bit of a let down, but don’t give up hope on your treasure hunt. It happens, not very often, and it might happen to you. It just doesn’t happen to me!