The show is home to the UK's biggest Barn Find display with around 20 barn finds in various states of rust, all bidding for visitors votes to be crowned the winner. |
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The 2023 finalists!
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This was the model made famous by the popular television cop show, The Sweeney. The car that appeared on screen bore the registration number of NHK 295M, and it has since been fully restored and appea ... -
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Despite being off the road for two decades, and living in a barn for many years, this Scimitar is in remarkable condition. The body is sound with no crazing, just paint fade. This is because the previ ... -
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The owner thinks this unusual vehicle was used by Lockheed Industries as an ambulance at their factory, and that interesting history means it really should be saved. But having been off the road for m ... -
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Purchased along with another Mk IV from a deceased estate, this rather special Jaguar was discovered in Scotland. It clearly needs plenty of work if it’s to be returned to the road, although the owner ... -
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These earlier Land Rovers are popular with enthusiasts across the world, and the arrival of the Series II in 1958 introduced a number of improvements. But the long wheelbase example you see here boast ... -
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The current owner says that he’d bought this ‘80s classic just recently, and that it had been stored away for the last six or seven years. But the rarity of these models - there are very few still on ... -
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Who can resist the charms of such a big slice of classic Americana? It’s certainly eye-catching, and a car that we think will grab plenty of attention at this year’s show. It’s got quite an interestin ... -
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We’re always excited to see a Mini in the barn finds display, but this extremely early example - owned by Andy since 2020 - is particularly interesting as it’s had just one previous owner. And it was ... -
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This impressively original example had only one owner before Craig bought it just a month ago, although he’d known about it for a few years. “A mechanic I know was looking after it for the original ow ... -
MG’s large saloon was launched in 1953, making the example you see an early model. Powered by a B-Series engine, it remained in production until the latter part of 1956 when it was replaced by the ZB ... -
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The current owner explains that this stately saloon was one of a pair that he purchased, and while some work has been done, it is best described as a stalled restoration. Which is rather a shame for a ... -
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The Ford Capri was ‘the car you always promised yourself’ and by 1978 it was time for the third generation. However, sales had begun to slow down by the beginning of the 1980s, so Ford introduced some ... -
Launched in 1957, this compact luxury saloon was powered by a 43bhp B-Series engine. Mk II and Mk III versions would follow in 1960 and 1961 respectively, these benefitting from a number of revisions ... -
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When the first Cortina was launched back in 1962 it was the beginning of a model that lasted for twenty years. A favourite of company reps and families alike, it has plenty of fans more than sixty yea ... -
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Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1963, the Corsair certainly stood out thanks to its American styling cues. It wasn’t a sales success with just 300,000 made, but the car you see here is a ... -
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Launched in 1963, so celebrating its 60th birthday, Rover’s new saloon was safe, stylish and innovative. The addition of the legendary, Buick-derived 3.5-litre V8 engine five years later boosted perfo ... -
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This car was purchased new by Cyril Taylor in 1952 who used the car around Northwest London up until 1958. He then passed the car onto his son Peter Taylor, who used the car frequently up until 1966 w ... -
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These ‘half-ton’ commercials from Austin first arrived in 1957 and remained on sale right through until 1973. That makes the charming example you see quite a late model, and it’s one powered by the 16 ... -
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This just so happens to be the second 850 in this year’s display, and it was one discovered in a barn just last year. And for a Mini enthusiast like Ian, it was simply too good an opportunity to pass ...
How do you define a 'barn find'?
To some, it has to be a vehicle covered in four decades worth of dust but to others, it is a car that has laid dormant for many years. The cars displayed are unearthed from garages, sheds, the bottom of peoples gardens hidden by years of weeds. Some have been rescued with the plan on restoring them back to their former glory, while others should be left to 'rust in peace.'
It's fascinating what you can find when you’re on a walk or even just sorting out your own garage – like a vehicle that’s been long forgotten!
Footman James' Display
Footman James sourced a number of classics from their Coffee & Chrome Community, all at different stages in their restoration. Some fully restored, some half way through and some in their original state. See their selection below.
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The car has been well used but also well cared for with little to no rust at all. Plus, it has kept hold of many of the original features including the original wheels and stereo. The interior was als ... -
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I will confess that before this project, I had no experience in building or working on cars, but I’ve always thought it best to learn to do practical things on the job. With no pressure on me to compl ... -
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This Porsche 356a was buried in a barn in Pennsylvania, USA for almost 30 years. The story goes that it was an old hill climb racing car that had an accident. It was going to be restored and someone d ... -
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This car is an original US LHD drive car in need of full restoration. Its first owner was Lt. Col Van Cusdell and has benefited from living in a dry state in the US. It therefore has what we call 'goo ... -
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Nearly 50 years later, Gary travelled to Northern Ireland to purchase his very own 1975 Rolls-Royce Corniche Drop-head in desperate need of restoration after being kept in a barn for 16 years. The car ... -
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Jacqui said: “I always thought that they were quite a pretty little car. However, during my engineering training I became interested in American-style hot-rods - during the 1980s, I drag raced a ’32 F ... -
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It didn’t take long until Adrian had developed a passion for the car, which one day led him to discover a laid-up ex-1976 RAC Rally Hillman Imp sitting in his friend’s garage. As for how it was found ... -
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Credit: Healey Drivers Club Warren purchased the first car in this story in 2008. He thought it was the Westland Roadster that founder Donald Healey had built for his entry in the Mille Miglia in 1948 ... -
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Classic Motor Cars commenced a complete strip down and restoration of the car totalling over 2500 man hours over many months. Painstakingly restoring every part and in some cases making subtle improv ... -
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Adrian said: “I was smitten by the style and performance and set myself the goal of owning a Lotus. During the last 40 years I have enjoyed working on them as much as I have enjoyed driving them. This ...
About Footman James
Whether your classic is in concours condition after a nut & bolt restoration or in pieces in your garage, Footman James have an insurance policy to suit your requirements. If your classic is currently off the road, FJ’s Laid Up policy protects your vehicle against accidental or malicious damage, fire, theft and attempted theft when kept in a locked garage. It’s also covered during transit to and from competitions, exhibitions and restorers. Call us on the number at the top of this page or request a call back online for a quote.
Past Finalists & Winners
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Thought to have been stored away some time in the 1970s, this saloon was discovered in an Essex garage. With just two previous owners it’s a rare find indeed, especially as very few remain on UK roads ... -
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After it had spent around twenty five years in a barn, this owner acquired the Alfa less than a year ago and says it’s his mission to save it. Already stripped down to little more than a rolling shell ... -
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Seemingly abandoned in the 1990s, this big saloon looks a bit sorry for itself thanks to the layer of grime and moss. However, the owner says it appears complete and original, and while full restorati ... -
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It’s not often that a hearse appears on the barn finds display, so this one makes for a rather unusual project. It was built and used in Ireland and then ended up in storage until around 2010, and wit ... -
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This huge American motor sustained crash damage sometime in the 1970s, and spent decades in storage after being imported to the UK. It’s certainly a big project, but it came with plenty of original pa ... -
Having been discovered in a field back in 2011, this delightful van was in need of plenty of work and Peter bought it the following year. A complete and pleasingly original example with a reasonably s ... -
An interesting survivor of the once-ubiquitous Escort, the owner bought it five years ago in what he describes as an ‘impulse bid’ on an internet auction. Not too much work was needed and he’s been im ... -
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When the owner wasn’t able to restore the car he contacted Practical Classics editor, Danny Hopkins, who can’t wait to get started on the project. Plenty of parts were included in the deal, so the nex ... -
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This ice cream van is one of only four known survivors, so it’s both rare and incredibly charming with plenty of unique details. The engine has already been rebuilt, and while a re-paint will be neede ... -
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Purchased new by a London-based upholstery business and still in use until 2007, this charming classic commercial needs some attention to the bodywork although it won’t be resprayed. The owner doesn’t ... -
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Imported from the US, this desirable Coupe has suffered a bit in the hot Californian sun but it’s left an exterior patina that’s going to be kept. The interior and mechanicals will be refurbished, tho ... -
Rescued from a dilapidated garage, the popular family car hadn’t turned a wheel in fifteen years. The owner is a true Ford enthusiast and having been collecting parts ahead of a full restoration that ... -
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This very solid example has been awaiting restoration since being purchased four years ago, and the owner will retain as many original features as possible. Work will include a respray in its original ... -
Keen to try a modern classic as a daily-driver, the car Andrew chose had been owned by the same family from new. He’s already undertaken some work but says there’s plenty more ahead, so this is a roll ... -
The owner says this car wears its age with pride, and being almost seventy years old it’s certainly a treat for ‘Bug’ enthusiasts. It’s spent plenty of time laid up in garages over the years, but it r ... -
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Alongside a fascinating history that saw the car spend its life in South America, this Cortina was built at Dagenham as a special order so that it resembled a GT model. As a result it features some un ... -
Although a restoration was started circumstances intervened and this desirable Escort then languished in a garage for twenty years. But now the owner can’t wait to complete the job. It’s in his favou ...
