1940 Oldsmobile Barn-Find Restoration by Erndog

3 minute(s) of a 39 minute read

1940 Oldsmobile Barn-Find Restoration 

Compliments of Erndog @ aaca.org

7-7-2009

Well, my son wanted his first car to be something he could work on and actually see around the engine. At first it was to be a 60's or late 50's car, 70's if absolutely necessary, but then I came across this one. He liked it immediately. 

It is a 1940 Series 70 Four Door Sedan.

It sat on blocks in a barn in WV for at least 35 years as part of a 30+ car collection a car loving farmer had. Whether or not he was ever going to restore it, or just own it, who knows? Upon getting it home in VA, I managed to get the stuck hood latch open. It was the first time the hood had been open since it was driven into the barn. I checked the dipstick and found no water or evidence of moisture. I then grabbed the fan and pulled. It turned easily with a pleasant fwoosh! from the cylinders. God is good. The interior has a set of early seat covers installed and from the peeks I have managed, they were put there to protect the upholstry, not hide it. I can see a beautiful fresh grey material everywhere I look under it. The headliner is perfect, except for a small hole over the driver. The instruments look as fresh as the day it was built. Every piece of glass is perfect. Three original hubcaps are on the wheels and the fouth is in the trunk. The key was in the ignition. I tried it on the trunk (only made for ignition and door) and it locked it. However, it won't unlock it. The original horn button is in the glovebox, along with a pass to Skyline Caverns that expires in 1952 and two free tickets for five gallons of gas each at the local station. 

Now we need to freshen it up. It has one ding on a front fender and a handful of minor bumps, but all are easily fixable. The one piece of missing trim was hiding in the glovebox. Of course, the bumpers will have to be redone.

First pictures.