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While the facts which follow will primarily be of interest to
residents of the northeast, the spirit of the allegory may, perhaps,
hold wider appeal.
If you've been involved in the automotive hobby, be it as a rodder,
racer or, restorer, you've probably heard stories about automotive
treasures discovered in
out-of-the-way barns and byways. Some of these tales become legends
of Bunyan-esqe proportion. But how many of us ever take the time
to follow innocuous clues and hunches?
My friend Dick Stewart is a racing veteran, and he's ALWAYS got an eye
for a bargain. Not too long ago he was looking to upgrade to a larger
car trailer. An ad in the local classified gazetteer caught his
eye "enclosed trailer, and assorted racing parts and tools". The phone
number was for a small town along I88, southwest of Albany NY.
In the midst of a snowstorm he took a cursory look at the trailer. The
return visit, with spring's promise in the air, turned into an apocryphal
pilgrimage for a handful of us.
There was indeed a barn of sorts. Regrettably the half-dozen
Austin Healey Sprites/MG Midgets that were gathered around had never
made it to the inner sanctum, and showed the ravages of this
inhospitable clime.
Collectively they could offer up an array of parts, but only a
couple would seem to have any potential for restoration. There was also a
Jaguar sedan; lettered up to signify its roles as "official pace car of
Bridgehampton Motor Sports Park" it
regrettably too has probably rolled its last mile. Within the barn
there were assorted BMC engines, transmissions, rear ends, and
probably at least 4 or 5 sets of wheels, some steel,some wire, and some
aftermarket. When was the last time you saw a Goodyear Blue Streak or a
cardboard sided, metal-topped quart of Kendall GT?
The barn, however, was only an appetizer.Out behind the log cabin
was a plain looking over-sized garage, belying the fully outfitted
racing shop within. The gentleman who had owned this fine spread had a long
career racing with EMRA and RCCA. In his early 70s, he had passed away
after a brief illness around Christmas, but had been actively
campaigning as late as last summer.
>From Dick's newly acquired trailer we unloaded 2 Formula Fords
-- a Lola T342 and a PRS 002, complete and looking ready to run.
There was also another Formula Ford in kit form; no one knew
exactly what it was, and we couldn't find a manufacturer plate on the bare
chassis, but the bodywork hanging on wall suggested it might be
another PRS. For Ford 1600 devotees, there were engine blocks, crankshafts,
cylinder heads, dry sump systems, pistons, gaskets, Hewland gear sets,
more FF wheels and tires, and even an in-assembly short-block,
never to reach the completion its owner had planned.
Enough? There were also two TVRs stored in the race shop; one
was a Triumph-engined 2500, the other an earlier model of the English
sportster with a four-cylinder engine. Unlike the Spridgets these
were finely preserved, though far from road-ready. I also spied a
bare TVR frame in the undergrowth, all that remained of a
burned-to-the ground shell, but perhaps with some utility left.
The owner's widow and her family had invited us to view this
collection to get some ideas on value, and also were agreeable to
selling some of the garage hardware: besides Dick's trailer, various
members of our expeditionary force purchased a nearly new TIG welder,
band saw,precision milling machine, and hydraulic press. And even after
that a fair bit remained; there was also a complete woodworking shop built
above the auto shop.
My acquisitions were more prosaic: a souvenir program from the
'68 Bridghampton CanAm, a copy of the New York Region SCCA
"Regional Review" from the same event, some photocopies of
newspaper articles chronicling the endless travails of "The Bridge"
and a couple of EMRA jacket patches.
Where does the story go from here? The real estate market will to a large
extent determine the disposition of this collection. For now the
family is open to offers on an individual basis; should the property be sold
before the collection is dispersed its likely there'd be a one-time auction.
Unless of course there's an enthusiast out there who doesn't do things by
half-measure, and wants the whole package: rural living halfway between
Watkins Glen and Lime Rock, acreage with pond, picturesque log cabin,
barn, race shop, and extensive,and eclectic,car collection. I do have two
lottery tickets for this Saturday's drawing.........
In the interest of privacy I have not included specifics such as the exact
location or the owners name. If you have an interest in any of the cars or
remaining equipment I'd be happy to convey contact info. to you privately.
Let me add that I have no financial interest in this transaction --
in fact my offer, which my son INSISTS was only our initial bid, for
one of the TVRs was politely turned down -- but I've always had
this altruistic idea that captivating cars belong in the harmonious
company of captivated owners. I'm kind of an automotive yenta.
It was bittersweet to be among these cars; they were a part of a
life now over, plans unfinished. But they were also testimony of a
man who had savored his days, his cars, his sport.
When someone tells you they heard about this car in barn, let your
sense of curiosity be your guide -- it won't steer you wrong.
You might catch a glimpse of someone's dreams, maybe even your own.
Cheers !
Greg Rickes
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