If We All Chip In – 340 Cars + A Business!
I hereby propose this find to be the Barn Finds Canadian Hangout! For only (and I mean only, just wait until you see the pictures) C$1,450,000 ($1,091,937.29 US) we can own over 340 collector cars – many of which look pretty darned solid – a five-acre lot zoned for junkyard use, a house, workshop and more! We featured this deal when it first popped up, nearly 2 years later and it’s still available. You can read the original post here. The location is Tappen, BC, Canada, and the deal is offered here on century21.ca. You can get a somewhat out of date overhead view here on google maps. Are you in?
There are literally fields of cars. The best ones seem to be organized loosely by make and model and look very restorable. I’m guessing based on the little amount of rust that I can see on most vehicles that British Columbia doesn’t use salt on the roads? And just look at the view!
There is a small restoration and refurbishment shop as well. Closeups of the work being done are impressive. There’s also a house — yes, one of you can actually live there and watch over things while the rest of us plan vacations to go pick out “our” car and either bring it home or schedule to work on it there. I should point out that included in the auction is enough construction material to put 8,000 square feet under cover — so there will be enough room for all of you members to work somewhere! I’m not sure how we’ll pay the heating bill, though.
As you can see, there’s a wide range of vehicle ages in the “good” car field. Almost all of the cars and trucks are North American in origin, although I did see a couple of Sunbeam Alpines for me, a vintage BMW for Jeff, all kinds of interesting stuff for Adam and hopefully there’s something quirky enough for Scotty. The rest of you staffers and members will have to weigh in with your preferences in the comments. One 340th of the selling price is just over $3,200 — that’s all it would take to have your little share of British Columbia paradise (and it truly is a beautiful place to spend time!)
Here’s a shot of one of the other fields. Sure, the cars here aren’t quite as nice as the others, but there are enough interesting vehicles here that I’m sure we can keep everyone happy. So who’s in? And what’s the most interesting car you see in the pictures — the one that you would pick for your slice of the Hangout!
Auctions Ending Soon
2006 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 SCBid Now10 hours$15,000
2002 Subaru Impreza WRXBid Now3 days$333
1975 Chevrolet Corvette ConvertibleBid Now3 days$3,000
1964 Ford F-100 Camper CustomBid Now3 days$2,000
2006 Jeep Wrangler SportBid Now5 days$10,500
Comments
Wow! Amazing collection & location.
I’m in!
I need help i have a 67 toronado would like convert the vaccum headlights to electric any help finding this conversion
While I don’t see anybody coughing up that kind of money for all of them( be nice, wouldn’t it) at least this is far more presentable than cars all askew, and 30 year old trees growing through the trunk. The trucks interest me the most. Biggest problem for me, is I don’t travel outside the USA, for any reason and shipping will add $800-$1,000 dollars to any car here. That could be a deal breaker for most.
Wait….there are places outside of the USA?
Wonderful places :)
I think I see a Volvo Duett in one picture. I’d be happy to grab that!
Have to wonder if there are any Mercury pickup trucks or strange and wonderful Canadian versions of U.S. cars.
It’d be great fun to go have a look! But a million-plus scoots — even in Canadian dollars — is a bit beyond my bank account….
Ray, I thought I saw a Duett as well, but I wasn’t sure. Ok, that one’s yours :-)
Considering the cost of real-estate in Vancouver, that’s a steel plus get a load of cars!! Win win for someone … oh and last I know, BC does not use salt …
Location is about 300 miles from Vancouver, seems to be in the boonies but looks like a really scenic area. Wish there was an economical way to just move the cars to the US……to, for example, my place!
Ha, no salt…you’re funny ;)
The site is now being used for a discovery show ‘Rust valley restorers’…mildly watchable, usual manufactured drama reality show, but some nice snippets on what’s in the background.
I live in northern BC . They use plenty of salt and chemicals to keep roads clear of ice and snow .
This lot is right on the transcanada Hwy. between Kamloops and salmon arm, which is more central than Vancouver. You’ll find that access to it is quite good this land though valuable will not be worth as much as land in the greater Vancouver area. It is however in the Okanogan lakes area. So if your going to own it your going to want a bed and breakfast there for members and travelers to stay in. I’m surprised there’s not a boat boneyard included in the stock on this property. This coming summer I may have to venture out on my sidecar vintage goldwing to check this yard out. Good find there’s not to many yards left in Canada most have had a visit from the crusher and are gone.
I would’ve pulled the trigger on this, but that last 29 cents put it just outta my reach. Unfortunately, I’ll have to pass. :)
Didn’t someone say in an earlier post that THE Bill Gates reads this blog? Hey, buddy, can you spare a dime?
Let’s get Mum and Daad and a two four of Labatts and a pack of smokes and go have a look see.
Don’t forget to pick up some Elsinore.
My brother saw Jedi seventeen times Eh!
Beauty ‘eh? 🍻
Is this the same fellow that does the show “ Rust Valley Restorers” on the history channel?
I think so !
yes and he says he just spent (invested) 2 million of his own money to build the shop. So why is he selling everything for less then the cost of the shop.
The pic of the shop you can see his Plymoth Satilite 440 4 speed that he sold for $45k in episode 4 of Rust Valley.
the 2 mil was most likely tv money, its seems to a 200% mark up on air. never seen the show but will look for it. looks like a nice setting.
At around 5’6″, I’m a bit short this week to buy the whole business (damned camel jockey genes!), but would be keen on a solid, restorable 1960 Frontenac two-door and/or an M-100 Mercury panel truck.
I wonder why the place is up for sale?
sorry Beatnik – no ’60 Frontenac’s there as i checked already ! ha
Hmmm, $3,200 for my car, who is going to set up the corporation stocks for ownership? How do we members get to choose our car, or cars? Sell them on Ebay, and we get $3,200 off the final bid price maybe? I see a 69 Coronet, that would make me happy as I could clone the 69 Super Bee I had in high school. Do you suppose a Sunbeam might be a Tiger? It would be tempting if I won the lottery, but I absolutey hate snow, although it could be just a summer place for wrenching out retirement. Just think, mortgage payments are around $5k per month, you could probably sell two cars per month for quite a while.
Unfortunately the closeup of the Sunbeam (or at least one of them, I think I saw two) showed it to be an Alpine (or a de-stainless-trimmed Tiger, I suppose).
Tappen is very close to Salmon Arm and Mara Lake which is an awesome area. There is a car museum very close to this property and we used to stop there everytime we drove through on vacation. We have spent a lot of time in this area for our camping (30 foot travel trailer/Suburban truck). If I were younger I would buy this as an investment. Great place to start a business, restore cars, sell cars, and enjoy the beautiful country that surrounds it. Yes this is the place where Rust Valley Restorers show is based. B.C. tries not to use salt on the roads but they were playing around with using beet juice. Apparently it works.
So, that would make B.C. part of the borscht belt? :-D
Tempting ..
the google street view shows a 72′ bay window vw bus for sale, not that is anything crazy but it is Mexican bus with a water cooled engine, kinda rare in north America, wonder what else is in that field
Looks like that bus can be yours for $625…
Environmental laws in CANADA are so strict that I would bet dollars to donuts that the owner of the five acre lot has been ordered to get rid of all the cars given that there are laws against storing old cars that are not licenced & on-the-road with Safety Checks in order. Today, in CANADA, we can’t just buy an old wreck and store it beside the garage for the winter months or summer months. No cars that are off the road are allowed to be stored outdoors unless they are certified as a running car licenced for the road.
Environmental laws would prevent anyone from buying this lot band keeping the cars on it in open fields.
I’m obviously not in but it is a good collection I must agree.
Bob
Bob,
Not sure where you live, but sure not enforced in the prairie provinces, including cities. Lots of projects sitting in backyards and fields.
I line in BC. No such laws exist here? Shucks in my neck of the woods I can drive down any road and see unlicensed vehicles, many of which will never move again, stored outside on people’s lots.
I live in the West end of Ottawa in an urban ghetto of townhouses that I refer to as ‘slap em’ ups’. This is why I like Barn Finds so much as I am able to look at farms & barns n’ old car/truck wrecks & rusty parts.
I should move to the West coast to be near Cold War Motors so I can join that exclusive car club and get an agent #.
Cold War Motors is my absolute favorite car collecting crew.
Ontario is locked down by the Environmentalists rurally & regionally.
If only to be wealthy enough to be able to move, which I ain’t.
Bob
What province is this enforced in? I’m in Saskatchewan and I’ve never heard of such. Old vehicles everywhere here.
Ontario
Bob
Yeah… never heard of any law like that in Ontario, much less Canada.
Perhaps this is some municipal by-law specific to your area?
Bob, if the area has been zoned for a junkyard (why would anyone call these vehicles junk). As long as the area is zoned there are no environmental issues. If I gad the money I’d be all over this…looks like a couple of very cool classics are in there…if there is a 36 Auburn Speedster Boattail on the lot, please let me know
Thanks
Ray
Sorry Bob. You have no idea what you are talking about.
This is bs. Ignore this guy.
depends on which province and local laws..
Bob—- I’m in Lanark County just outside of Ottawa and that does not apply here, Maybe just some regulation in your rental camplex
2 years later and its still available??? must not be that great of a deal!!!
But but but …. *CANADA* !!!!!
CANADA….best country in the world
2nd best .. ;)
Sorry, no cigar. Yes Canada mentioned, UK not, US…
Here are the top 10 best countries to raise children as detailed in the 2018 U.S. News & World Report:
Denmark
Sweden
Norway
Finland
Canada
Netherlands
Switzerland
New Zealand
This has UK at number 4, I do like Canada though … https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/slideshows/the-25-best-countries-in-the-world?slide=26
Canada is pretty much part of the UK anyway ;)
What I want to know is – who mows all that grass?????
is Forest Gump available?
I see two Alpine’s, one Opel GT, the P444 duett and I like the Austin truck… Didn’t go through all the photo’s as they loaded quite slow
In the article linked to in the original Bf-article he says he has 6 or 8 Alpine’s/Tigers. NL?
Wonder if the guys from coldwar motors
find their projects there. Wherever they
get them, it’s very entertaining to watch
Scott and the guys fix ’em up and get ’em
driving again. Or, is Scott selling out?
Either way, that’s some collection.
Would love to have one of those Plodges
as they look pretty cool to me. We can
dream, can’t we?
Oooooh, I call dibs on the American LaFrance open cab firetruck!
Per the realtor listing, it is still licensed as a salvage yard, and it is grandfathered in, and whoever does purchase it can keep it a salvage yard. I would prefer to have the decent stock under a roof though. If I got the right 6 numbers, I might consider it. Nice way to spend retirement from my point of view. Lots of potential toys!! Isn’t that area of Canada milder than the eastern provinces?
Damn environmentalist always gotta stick their noses where not needed. You pay taxes for “your” property yet tell you what you can and can’t have on said property.
Anyway good luck to new owner. Would hate to know this place got visited by the. crusher.
SC/Rambler ……. now that’s a car on my want list !!
i’m in!
He has an auto wrecker license. This is likely more than half the value.
most interesting in the photos is the ’59 Biscayne 2-door station wagon.
when’s the last time you saw one?
Tappen is located on the west side of Shuswap Lake, a very popular lake for tourism in a beautiful part of central BC. I know that area fairly well, because I was born and raised in the Okanagan, approximately 90 miles south of this area. It has a dry climate, summers are beautiful, so old vehicles are not inclined to rot away.
I remember back in the late 70s, there was a business along the side of the Trans Canada Highway, in that same location, that specialized in old classic vehicles, and this is probably the same place.
There are several vehicles in the yard that I would love to get my hands on, but I have enough projects to last me the rest of my life. For one, that cabover Jeep, while not rare, would be desirable.
http://britishcolumbia.com/plan-your-trip/regions-and-towns/thompson-okanagan/tappen/
Bob
Does anyone know if they are selling any of the cars individually? I saw some nice possible first cars.
I spotted a complete looking 59′-60′ looking Buick Lesabre, that’s what I would take.
So many comments! I’ve been watching this site for about a year and love it. Currently restoring a ‘65 Chevy 3/4 ton fleet side pickup. Never done anything like this before but loving every second
Why not form an LLC and a bunch of us put up some money and save this treasure.
By the way, I’ve learned so much from all you guys and gals with your comments.
I’m in for the $3,200.00.
DJS Chevy Lover
I live about 45 minutes from from this place and just looked at the listing for it . Wow is it ever miss leading half of the pics are from another lot 1/4 mile down the road. All the nice cars might be part of the deal but not that land or that nice looking shop with the Nova in it.
You might even need a place to put those cars as the 5 acre piece looks kind of full.
I have over 20 cars in my yard and there are no problems so far.
I do belive so. Rust Valley Restorers is in Tappen so it wouldn’t surprise me
I will pony up my share of the cost for sure! Might even live there, I am so close to there anyway! We get the same weather here, so it wouldn’t bother me in the least!
Just my opinion, but if this were located in the states, the seller would get twice the money by holding a well advertised auction and using someone along the lines of the Vanderbrink auction service. Much like the well publicized Lambrecht auction in Nebraska a few years back that drew 30k people to that small town.
Perhaps a better plan is divide by 100? Get it around 900K US and another 100 to set up the corporation and have a fund to deal with expenses getting started up on this venture. This would be a no brainer as far as I am concerned and I wouldn’t even pick a car. Just be happy to own 1/100th of this adventure.
My biggest concerns would be environmental and regulatory. We would need to ensure that the license is transferrable to a new owner ( thus the need for a slush fund for the lawyers, etc…).
The AMX in the front corner next to the ChevyII
1/340th of 5 acres is approx. 632 square feet. That is enough room to work on one car. (covered and heated naturally) Some very cool vehicles to play with. I will go to California and buy a few lottery tickets in the next few weeks. Then I can start bringing these vehicles across the border for you guys to buy and help finance the restoration on the ones that I would want to keep. (THAT WOULD BE A HARD CHOICE!)
What is involved in bringing them across the border? Also I bought an Oldsmobile that came from Canada (I don’t remember what province) that did not issue titles for cars. (The car at the time was about 6 years old.) Your registration was proof that you owned it. It took several months and a small pile of paperwork to convince The State of Nevada to issue a title for it.
Neat dreams!
Cars with no titles can be the biggest head you ever get into, I know in Oklahoma it’s a major pain and some $$$ also. hardly worth it on must old iron.
Sorry guys but BC dose use Salt on there roads,so make sure you have a close look.
yep – this is Mike Hall’s property , but some of the cars are already gone ( sold individually ) or fixed + sold for his new show Rust Valley . He has a great attitude for helping others in the car hobby . i don’t think the comment re BC scrape laws has any bearing here . Canada = Bob + Doug country !!!
I’m in.
Hey guys, I worked up in this area on & off for years, beautiful there, hot in summer, very cold in winter. Much drier climate than the coast where I live now. Keep in mind that these aren’t just home grown cars, the owner has purchased & transported these cars from all over North America, the numbers I don’t know.
this is home to history channel’s rust valley restorers reality tv show the show was pitched after it was listed i’m not sure if it still for sale
https://www.history.ca/shows/rust-valley-restorers/
The picture of the nicely organized field is actually the White Post Auto Museum – see: https://www.whitepostautomuseum.com/ . If you go a couple of Miles west along the highway, you can find the property that is for sale. There is currently a 5 acre lot listed in this area with road frontage and a creek running through for $can 279,000. You can see the property for sale on Google Maps – Satellite and street view to get an idea of the shop and house. There is a reason this property has been highly publicized on the internet over a long period of time with no sale.
So a museum with a junkyard permit and all wrapped up nicely over several years on a television series and online while the property is listed for sale. What could possibly go wrong…it’s a HIT!
I smell collusion. Don’t like the looks of that blonde cornrow guy either.
Boy it would sure be nice to see what this really looks like, get a list of the cars and conditions. Then learn some Canadian laws about what it takes to move them out, then what is the property worth when the cars are gone. Then let’s take a hard look at the numbers and see if it’s a possibility. Hey if there is a good chance to make enough money to be worth our time I think I would be in and yes I am serious, the before mentioned AMX us is mine though!! Keep me posted guys
One of those Javelin/later AMX has what looks like factory T tops. Can’t be many of those around. I’ll take the Jeep COE.
Surprised there are so many US cars and not many Canadian variations in the photos.
I don’t think they ever did T-Tops. I think it is a paint job, or a special vinyl top.
The AMX/Javelin fans here will know.
has anyone seen WALDO amongst all those rides. wheres WALDO??????
LOL v !
Dibs on that 48 F1 panel, in the back row. I have an F250 4×4 frame, looking for a new job.
What struck me after looking through the photos numerous times, no bent fenders, no caved in trunk lids. Do you suppose these were all deserted vehicles, bought from a police impound lot? Or used cars bought years ago as an investment?
They didn’t salt the roads in that part of BC back in the 60s, they just used sand. I still have nightmares of my semi-trailer attempting to pass me on that highway while driving on the hard packed snow on a windy day. I did a lot of driving on that highway and knew it well.
It is quite possible that a lot of these cars never saw any salt.
Bob
“They didn’t salt the roads in that part of BC back in the 60s”
My thoughts exactly Bob … and if they DO use salt in BC where? how much? & how often? Today with all the green environmentalist groups pushing for cleaner BC, one would think that there would be even less chance they would be dumping salt on the roads …
Unlike SW Ontario where they salt if they THINK it’s going to snow :(
Lived in northern,BC all my life . Use salt as long as I can remember. Now they use a liquid solution to melt ice . All exposed metal including brake lines and fuel lines rust and and leak within 5-10 years it seems if you don’t wash regularly . Seen trucks with bad rust in box and cab corners in ten or less years .
Wasn’t this listed a few years back – or one like it ? The price was about the same as was the site that had the cars set up like the ones in the ad
.
https://www.history.ca/shows/rust-valley-restorers/
Based on the photos on the home page of the show’s website, I don’t want to follow these guys. The guy with the blonde dreadlocks looks creepy. Wouldn’t be well-received cruising a vintage car swap meet around these parts…..
This must be the site of the worst car show in the world. Rust Valley Restorers is such crap. The two idots that run it can not be real people I have met a lot of people in my years but never anybody as unbelievable as these two characters. The are goofier than the Count. This is just lowering the bar too far. I find it insulting to the human race. Just saying Morley
Well if somebody does truly organize this im in for 3200
Im in.. who’s pulling this together? contact me when your ready. Looks like fun and Im helping to save the environment, Wow I can’t believe I said that.
Keep me in the loop too if someone does run with this. If return looks good and solid plan I would be interested but no point in me getting hands on from over here.
Email is [email protected]. Thanks!
Dunno. This looks like a deceptive paint job or actual T Tops on this later AMC.
True, that picture makes it a tough call.
I was referring to this roof treatment.
I would buy the two late model cudas.
How about getting just ten investors at $109,000 each? Each investor gets 34 cars. And you own 1/10th of a nice property in a beautiful part of Canada. Count me in! I’m from Vancouver and know this part of BC well. $1M will barely get you a one bedroom condo in the City.
I’m liking that flat window Chevy van and there’s a panel delivery van I’d love to have.