Tri-Five Chevys, vintage Volkswagens, and a unique 1930s Dodge Sedan | Barn Find Hunter - Ep. 118 - Hagerty Media
Deep in the heart of Virginia, Barn Find Hunter Tom Cotter comes across an eclectic collection of cars owned by Nick, who’s a Tri-Five Chevy enthusiast but isn’t limited those 1950s icons.
To confirm that, the first car Tom admires is an unrestored 1967 Chevrolet Caprice with a 396 Turbo Jet big-block engine and its factory eight-track player still in place. Attention quickly shifts to a nearby array of Tri-Fives, of course. Nick explains that he owns two 1955 Chevy convertibles, a ’56 two-door sedan, a ’56 convertible with an original six-cylinder engine (“I’d never seen one,” he says), and a ’57 convertible.
“They’re just what I grew up on. I’ve always like ’em,” Nick says. “My dad’s a ’55 guy, my brother’s a ’57 guy, and I’m a ’56 guy. It just kind of worked.”
In addition to his Tri-Fives—and Tom’s lesson on how to tell the 1955–57 Chevys apart just by looking at their taillights—Nick shows a dust-covered Nash Metropolitan that was intended for his daughter before she lost interest. There’s also a Corvair, a 1950s Chevrolet flower car, a variety of vintage Volkswagens, and a 1966 Lincoln owned by a friend. Then Tom and Nick come upon a classic firetruck. “The firetruck is mine,” Nick explains. “[But] it could be yours …” To which Tom replies, “Oh, no it can’t.”
Nick shows off a group of VWs owned by his 19-year-old daughter—three Beetles and a bus—which explains why she strayed from the Metropolitan. Nick tells us that there are 60 or more vehicles on the property.
“You’ve got it bad, I’ll tell ya that,” Tom says. “This is what our viewers love to see: somebody who’s as passionate about cars as they are.”
Then it’s on to Greg’s place—a return visit for Tom and the Barn Find Hunter crew—to take a closer look at Greg’s luxurious 1930s Dodge four-door sedan, which boasts every conceivable option. The Dodge has two spare tires, dual generators, overdrive, a straight-six engine, large headlights, driving lights, bumper guards, blinkers, a dash fan, heating in the floor, a sun visor above the windshield, and a luggage trunk.
“This is an amazing car. I’ve never imagined a Dodge being built like this …,” he says, then turns to the camera and speaks to his viewers. “Hopefully in your travels you can find a car as interesting as that.”
Happy hunting.
— Jeff Peek
