Genuine Barn Find

Have you got yourself a barn find and want other to know?

Genuine Barn Find

Postby Bandit » Sun Jul 30, 2017 12:23 pm

Just picked up a Viva yesterday. This car has been off the road since 2007. The last 5 years were spent in a hay barn, so I guess that makes it a Barn Find.

Image Image

The story I got when I bought the Viva was... The original owner from new only drove it to work at the local Council and home again and then once a week to get his groceries, so it had low mileage. He stopped driving it in 2007 due to old age and it sat unused in his carport for about 5 years.

After the original owner died, the mechanic that had been doing the regular servicing of the car bought it and transferred the ownership into his son's name expecting his son to learn to drive in it when he was old enough and stored it in the barn.

It sat there in the barn for 5 years, but his son learnt to drive in a different car.
So now I have a 81,000 mile completely original condition HC Viva with one owner... two counting the mechanics son who didn't actually use it.

I checked out the online records for the car and this backs up the story given to me with the ownership history and recorded mileage between the 6 monthly Warrant of Fitness checks and registration required to keep cars legally on the road here in New Zealand.

Image
Image
Bandit
De Luxe Viva
De Luxe Viva
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:12 pm
Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby timbuk » Sun Jul 30, 2017 11:35 pm

hey that car looks real good great find! question what kind of car is the red one? good luck with the viva
car guy from canada
User avatar
timbuk
SL Viva
SL Viva
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:53 am
Location: bc canada

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby Bandit » Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:02 am

Hi Timbuk, thanks for looking. The red one towing the Viva is an Australian GM car.
It's a Holden VX Commodore with rear wheel drive and a supercharged 3.8 V6 powering it.

You can get a 2006 Pontiac GTO two door version over there with a 6.0 LS2 V8.

They were also sent to England and re-badged as the Vauxhall omega or the the
Vauxhall Monaro and vxr8.
Last edited by Bandit on Thu Aug 10, 2017 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Bandit
De Luxe Viva
De Luxe Viva
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:12 pm
Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby timbuk » Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:46 pm

i kinds thought it was like a G8/GTO you dont see to many of them here but the guy i know who has one loves it!
car guy from canada
User avatar
timbuk
SL Viva
SL Viva
 
Posts: 96
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 4:53 am
Location: bc canada

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby Kraken » Tue Aug 01, 2017 5:00 pm

Nice to see another Cameo (beige) HC on the forum :respekt:
User avatar
Kraken
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 791
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:01 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby Bandit » Wed Aug 02, 2017 11:26 am

The paint is a bit rough especially on the bonnet it's very cracked.
After I get it legal and going well, it will get repainted the same color.

I haven't done much with it yet as I only picked it up on the weekend.
The starter isn't engaging with the ring gear, the brakes are spongy the carb is leaking from the bottom and I'm sure I will find other issues too.
It was sitting so long before I got it so things have degraded, but it will be good after I get it going again.
Bandit
De Luxe Viva
De Luxe Viva
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:12 pm
Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby yoeddynz » Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:09 am

Good score! Was it on trademe? Rego on hold? Whereabouts in NZ are you?
Are you going to restore it and just use it as is :-)
yoeddynz
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 707
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby Bandit » Tue Aug 08, 2017 1:02 pm

Thanks Yoeddytnz, I am in Nelson.
I found the Viva on Facebook - Classic Cars and Wrecks NZ for Sale.

Yes, lucky for me the Rego is on hold, so we have transferred the ownership over and are now the third owners since new.
I bought it for Andrea cos she is keen to have a classic car to drive and she really liked this Viva because it's 100% original condition,
The current plan is to get it road legal and keep it in as standard condition as possible for now.
Then it needs a repaint as the paint is very cracked and rough. Carpets are extremely faded and disintegrating. It needs allot of tidying up all round, but we don't need to rush it as we have other cars for daily use and the Viva is now in our garage and out of the weather.

If the Viva was for me I would be looking into upgrading the engine and box too, but will have to wait and see what Andrea wants after she has driven it for a while. She may yet decide that she wants an updated engine for ease of use.
Anyway one step at a time!
Bandit
De Luxe Viva
De Luxe Viva
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:12 pm
Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby yoeddynz » Sun Aug 13, 2017 4:37 am

I reckon she'll like it. I just drove a mates HC that I was doing some rust work on. I was pleasantly surprised at how peppy the 1256 was. Even my 50 bhp HB wagon is fine for daily use until you hit the steeper hills. I've just recent scored a 70bhp '90' engine that the wagon would have had originally so it'll be interesting to see how much that extra 20bhp helps.

You should look at oldschool.co.nz and check out our Nelson area meets! There's a few of us in Nelson with Vivas. Check out this link for the latest updates (which needs to be updated.... :-) )

https://oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/topi ... m/&page=42

Alex
yoeddynz
Brabham Viva
Brabham Viva
 
Posts: 707
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 2:47 pm
Location: South Island, New Zealand

Re: Genuine Barn Find

Postby Bandit » Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:22 am

Thanks for the link Alex, I will keep an eye on it for the Nelson area meet up.
I have another car that should fit with oldschool too - a 1963 EJ Holden Premier.
Image
Bandit
De Luxe Viva
De Luxe Viva
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:12 pm
Location: Nelson, New Zealand

Next

Return to Found a Viva in real life?

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests

cron