The Hemi in the Barn: More Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology

in the barn

by Tom Cotter, Jay Leno

It’s every car lover’s the perfectly preserved classic automobile discovered under a blanket in some great-granny’s garage. And as author Tom Cotter has discovered time and again, it’s a fantasy that can come true. The Hemi in the Barn offers more than forty stories of amazing finds and automotive resurrections. Avid collectors big and small recall the thrills of the hunt, the tips and hunches followed, clues pursued, the heart-stopping payoff. There’s the forgotten Duesenberg—probably one of the last unrestored ones around—that Jay Leno found in a Burbank garage. Unbelievably, Leno found another Duesenberg in a parking garage in New York City—a car that was parked in 1933 and never moved. There’s a Plymouth Superbird found buried in a hedge in Alabama. There’s the rescue of the first 1955 Corvette ever built. As entertaining as these tales are, they’re also full of tantalizing hints and suggestions for readers setting off on their own adventures in automotive archaeology.

Genres: Cars, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[William Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like cars (restoring old ones, specifically, but not at all limited to that), if you like quests with surprises and disappointments, and if you like witty, snappy writing, you might like this book. I did.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neat little collection of stories documenting automotive finds. Some more exciting than others, but still of interest to all us car nuts. The history behind some of these discoveries is amazing. Pete Brock’s story on the Daytona Coupe, was fantastic! Other highlights include the Shakespeare Bugattis and the Herbie Hancock Cobra.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these kinds of stories, even if the specific cars aren't ones I would want to collect. I intend to own & read all of this series.

For this particular book, I have to say that the Aktion P story would make an awesome movie!

The only negative thing I have to say is that most of these archaeolgists have loads of money, so I feel a distance between them and I. For instance, the storyteller seems surprised that the Buick offered on ebay for $55,000 failed to get a single bid. Nevermind that the car may be worth twice that in the right place- how many people really have an extra $55,000 to spend?

[Brian Grouhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Great Stories about finding lost or forgotten cars!

[Darren Baie · Rating 5 out of 5]

More great stories about cars being saved from the forgotten folds of time. If you're a car buff, this is for you!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was loaned to me by the bartender at my local hang out. At first glance, I thought I would flip through it in an hour than politely return it to him. But, once I started, I was hooked on the interesting automotive history and the surprisingly poignant narratives of "car-guys" on the search for a great find, especially in the chapter about men who tracked down the first cars they owned as teenagers. On a personal level, it helped me remember the hours I sat in garage with my dad when he was puttering around with the Austin Healey he restored.

[Bmedley]

Good book. Numerous short stories about people looking for interesting cars in barns, fields and other lost places.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like stories about find old cars in odd places. Second book on the subject by Cotter, he is a good story teller.

[Bennett Cobban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent Book. Had to Read something for school, So I Thought I might as well read about something that I Love... Car's. There Are A bunch of great short stories in here. Easy Short Read's. Have fun!