Why are "barn finds" so important to some people?
We have all seen the Internet melt down when someone stumbles into an old garage, shed or farm building and finds a long-abandoned car sitting lost and forlorn.
These discoveries became known as "barn finds" as they were often discovered hiding in old barns on farmland, as farmers would often park old cars rather than going through the chore of selling them.
Marty and MOOG discovered their own "barn find" when they were told about a pair of Brumbys on an apple orchard in Bilpin, 90-mins west of Sydney. You can watch the full project build HERE, and it is a doozy as they go completely through the tiny Subaru to restore it.
Finding one of these utes in good condition is rare today as they were dependable workhorses around Australia for decades - and that means they were normally left in the weather, and subject to all the environmental factors which ruin cars. As these old cars age fewer and fewer are spotted in the wild, which means finding an original one gets harder and harder.
Like many "barn find" cars the MCM Brumby had its share of nicks, knocks, and rot but finding classic cars left as time capsules are rarer than gypsies with mortgages. Every "barn find" is unique as its history is individual to the car's ownership, to how it was used, where it was driven, if it was modified or raced or used to transport depressed lemurs.
People froth "barn finds" so hard because there are no two cars the same, and you have a direct link back to the car's original history. And this is where barn finds get contentious, as some people believe they are only custodians of a car and it should be preseved as is while others believe that car should be restored to relive the car's glory days.
As you can see, Marty and MOOG chose the latter path for their Brumby build as they wanted to build a reliable, safe car which retains the vibe of the original vehicle but is upgraded to perform like a modern car.
The big question is; would you restore the Brumby, or would you have left it as-found?
