Not exactly a barn find... more of an attic find

[JaggedEdge]

Now here is a really cool collection of old parts and the story about them.
Five years ago I was working on an old truck in my driveway in Clinton. My neighbor across the street would come over regularly to check my progress. In his late 70's he had owned and operated a body shop for 40+ years. He offered to rent me a space in a building he owned. Next door in the building he had leased his previous business to another body man. I jumped at the chance.

Fast forward to today. Unfortunately my neighbor was taken by a heart attack in March. He was 83. His wife in ill health, the family decided to sell everything and move his wife to assisted living. All the tools, compressors, paint booth, ect were disposed of. The building housing the body shop and my rented space was sold to an investment company in Weatherford.
Working as a Union electrician, I find myself between jobs frequently, and do remodels on the side. The investment company hired me to clean out the building where the body shop was, in exchange for rent on my space. They want me to gut it so they can convert it to retail space. In the process we discovered the building had an attic space cram full of collected parts and pieces!
The owner asked me to get it all down and clean it up. I took pictures of the process and all the parts and pieces. The owner intends to post it on Craigslist or Ebay and sell it all in one lot. I recovered some excellent chrome, and some other parts for my truck, in exchange for helping them with the parts process.
I have posted pictures on Photobucket of the remaining parts. Check this out... it is really interesting.
http://s676.photobucket.com/albums/v...%20Collection/

[1LoC10]

Thats pretty cool.... what is that boomerang shaped taillight off of?

[JaggedEdge]

I have to admit... I have no clue!!!!
I can identify nearly any part on a Chevy truck from 1956 to 1966, but outside of that... just guessing. There are some amazing pieces here!! Even a cave man would recognize the 57 tail fin panel, and I recognize the Mustang Grill, the Laguna grill, the quarter panel for a Lemans/GTO (?), and the Corvair quarter. A lot of the parts have the factory part number still on them, but I haven't searched to see if there is a database available to track them.
What I can't figure is why they all ended up in the attic!!
Cleaning out the building has turned into more of a job than I signed on for, as there is an inch thick layer of flour fine sanding dust on EVERYTHING!!
I come home at night looking like I work in a coal mine!!
I have learned the building was originally built as a Desoto dealership on the body shop side, and the side I had rented was a Frasier (sp?) dealer.
I wish that neon sign that used to say "DeSoto Fire Dome V-Eight" was in better shape, as I would love to deal for that and hang it in my den!!!
Some of the chrome is incredible, and the fenders and quarters are obviously from a LARGE dinosaur automobile!! Man, cars used to be freaking huge!!!!

[Keith Seymore]

(sorry - disregard; thought I knew what the taillight was from)

K

[jeffspower]

Wow... some hard to find parts there for sure. I spotted a tail panel for a 63-64 Riv, and a LH quarter for a 66-67 Riv.

[62 Longbed]

The horse shoe taillight appears to be 61-64 Pontiac Catalina Taillight Lense ..Or full size Pontiac of that time frame .. Wow !!! Thats incredable !!! Good Luck !!

[1LoC10]

Catalina's dont have that much a curve to em

[1LoC10]

[62 Longbed]

OOPS !!! The taillights are not for a Catalina but a 1962 Pontiac Bonneville ... My mistake .. Do I win the prize ???

[DPowers]

Originally Posted by 62 Longbed

OOPS !!! The taillights are not for a Catalina but a 1962 Pontiac Bonneville ... My mistake .. Do I win the prize ???

U Get a pat on the back and an "atta boy" as a prize.

[62 Longbed]

Thanks DPowers !!!! Its better than a kick in the rear ...

[JaggedEdge]

jeffspower I first thought Cutlass about that quarter, but after getting it cleaned off I agree with you. It has the tail section resembling the Riv.
The long pieces look like early sixties chev's but have sections removed. Guess instead of replacing the whole quarter he just used the sections he needed.
The hood and trunk lid for early sixties chev could possibly be worked out, but it would be a job. I am an electrician not a bodyman so I would have to pass.
Its interesting to see others recognize the parts.

62 Longbed thanks for the pics. I have been puzzled about that light, as I don't recall having ever seen one!!!

[Rich 5150 69]

The one gray replacement panel in one pick looks to be for an 67 to 69 a body dart... left rear quarter

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by 62 Longbed

OOPS !!! The taillights are not for a Catalina but a 1962 Pontiac Bonneville ... My mistake .. Do I win the prize ???

There ya go!

I was going to say '62 Catalina, but I pulled up a picture and realized that wasn't right.

K

[msgross]

Have him call this guy for a possible buyer...

"Passenger Car Supply" Don Bock 856-467-7966. They are out of NJ and deal in NOS auto parts.

You and I can split the finders fee...

[JaggedEdge]

Thanks msgross!! Passed the info along, and none too soon either! Listed all of it on OKC craigslist yesterday early morning asking for any offers, and have received only one offer that pissed off both me and the owner. (250 and I'll haul it off) Owner says it will go in the dumpster before that is accepted. Wishing I hadn't gotten involved.
Rich 5150 69 that quarter has been indentified by two different people (after posting numerous additional pictures) as a 66/67 Lemans/GTO. You would think that would be worth something even though I have never been a Pontiac fan!!
Meanwhile I guess I'll go back to my old trucks, as the construction project has stalled because of this!!

[ChiefRocka]

Wow, thats amazing ...