About Marty Wilke
Marty Wilke lives in St. Louis, Missouri. He is restoring his 1930 Ford Model A, a "bullet nose" 1951 Studebaker convertible, a 1963 Chevy Impala and several other vintage vehicles. Marty has "cars in his blood," and that bloodline goes back for at least three generations. He has traveled many areas of the automotive universe, from truck assembly line worker to salvage yard scavenger, body repair and mechanical, restoration, sales, photography and more. The cars he usually likes best are not the sheltered rare and exotics, but rather the "barn finds", the everyday vintage vehicles that have been used in the real world. He also restores antique slot machines, and enjoys home improvement projects with his wife Marie.
Alpaca Edition! 1971 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow
Look, we don’t make this stuff up. We just write about and post what we see. This time around we have a 1971 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. In common configuration four-door sedan. Well, “saloon” as our friends across the… more»
Big Nasty Fish Project: 1970 Plymouth AAR Barracuda
Project cars are our bread and butter here at Barn Finds. We remain steadfastly committed to the nuts and bolts of owning cars, you know, the fun part. Part of that fun, of course, is whatever potential a given… more»
Oh No You Di-int! : 1971 Ford Mustang…
If 700 monkeys had 700 typewriters, eventually they’d produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Or so went the old saying. I think modern computers (and actual experimentation) have demonstrably proven that theory false. The concept apparently having been… more»
Never Go Back: 1972 Mercury Marquis Brougham
When you love big cars and you mean it, this is the kind you buy. Big, black and beautiful. If you don’t love big cars, this one might convert you. It’s a 1972 Mercury Marquis Brougham, with just forty-six… more»
Not In California: 1963 Ford Thunderbird
If great big FoMoCo personal luxury cars are your thing, this one might be worth checking out. It looks relatively straight, very solid and rust-free. It’s in Modesto, but nowhere near California. Two thousand miles away, in a tiny… more»
The Long Way Home: 1947 Chevy Truck
“So you think you’re a Romeo…playing a part in a picture show…” goes the lyrics of the old Supertramp song circa 1979, “Take the long way home…” That would be easy to do with a truck like this, and… more»
Ramblin’ Around: 1965 Rambler Classic 770 Convertible
When they were new, and now as much as then, American Motors products may be seen as underdogs. The underdog sometimes wins, even when going up against some pretty big dogs. The fellows who put in the long hours… more»
Hide Away: 1970 Plymouth Sport Fury
Hidden away in the wilds of west-central Illinois, is this great 1970 Plymouth parts car. In very desirable “Sport Fury” trim, and with a big block slumbering peacefully under the hood, it’s in just rough enough condition that it… more»
Bargain Box: 1950 Ford Tudor Sedan
In my frequent perusals through the daily offerings that can be found on the local craigslist page, I see several of the same names in the advertisements, over and over. That coupled with the photos which were clearly taken… more»
Blank Canvas: 1970 Pontiac LeMans Coupe
This could be the blank canvas for your next project, that is, if you’re a Poncho man. This 1970 Pontiac is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and appears here on craigslist. If you’re not a Poncho man, the asking… more»
Number Fifty-One With a Bullet: Studebaker Champion Convertible
Does this classify as a fat-fender car? Or a “shoe box”? It’s kind of both, really. This 1951 Studebaker Champion convertible is listed on eBay, and as of this writing, has about 4 days left to go. It has… more»
Plainly Muscle: 1964 Oldsmobile Cutlass
It’s plain for all to see, how original this 1964 Oldsmobile is. Wearing what looks like original color and paint, and dog-dish or “poverty” wheel covers, this car stands proudly awaiting its next new owner. The asking price is… more»
Attention Future Collectors: 1993 Nissan 300ZX 2+2
A car made for model year 1993 is not going to fit everyone’s idea of a “barn find.” But I’m proud to present it to you, because any intelligent discussion about classic or collectible cars eventually will turn toward… more»
Build It Your Way: 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne
Sometimes it feels like there are endless numbers of craigslist ads with terrible photos and awful descriptions. Different from the rest of the pack, at least this one has an actual description as countermeasure to the bad photos. And… more»
$500 Car Hoarders Unanimous: 1964 Plymouth Valiant
In beautiful downtown Maplewood, Missouri, is this blue Valiant sedan, awaiting your perusal. The ask is just $500.00, and it can be found here on craigslist.
Pony In Distress: 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe
“My little pony, my little pony, I comb and brush her hair. My little pony, my little pony, I tie a ribbon to show how much I care.”
