Southern California barn find in middle of nowhere has 17 hidden gems waiting to shine

A huge Southern California barn with cars inside might not initially sound like the most promising place to find hidden gem vehicles, but wait until you see what was inside.

American classics had been hiding away in a pretty much unused garage until a car YouTube account went to uncover them and discovered some iconic models that hadn’t been seen in years.

From rare Chrysler models to retro style Studebaker and Lincoln cars, the treasure trove of this unused cars has to be seen to be believed.

Whilst many are in need of big repairs and some have tyres that are dangerously thin, for any car fan these are exciting finds.

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Uncovering rare finds

On the YouTube account Carchaeology, vlogger and presenter Randy explains that he’s been given a tip off to go and help a friend who’s bought some classic cars.

In the video, Randy arrives at the barn which is in the middle of nowhere and he’s pretty surprised by what he sees.

A collection of truly classic cars awaits, including not one but three 1956 Imperial Chryslers and one in a bold salmon pink.

Finding a 1956 Imperial Chrysler is no mean feat either.

There was less than 12,000 of them made.

In fact, in 1956, Chrysler produced only 11,430 Imperials making them rare and even more sought after.

The collection doesn’t stop there either as it also includes a Chrysler 300B.

Whilst some Chrysler models echo Rolls Royce for style, these are classic in their own right.

The 300B model by the heritage car brand was one of the fastest around in the 1950s and could reach speeds of 140mph (225 kph).

The 300B also made a difference with its compression ratio of 10:1, which pushed the car to 355 horsepower.

This technology saw it become the first American production car to deliver one horsepower per cubic inch.

As the video continues and uncovers more finds, another stand out is the V12 Lincoln Convertible as well as some Porsche and Mustangs.

There’s even a 1962 Oldsmobile Starfire, which is another rare model to discover six decades on.

It’s the 1956 Chrysler Imperial in pink that becomes the star of the show.

After the engine appears to still work it becomes the main focus for repairs and the workshop, as Randy points out: “This is a really really super fun project to clean up.

“Obviously that motor is alive, which is phenomenal and I should be able to get it up and running without too much difficulty.

“That original paint is gonna buff up amazing.”

Car nostalgia in Southern California

Commenting on the YouTube video, viewers have been stunned by Randy’s Southern California find as one viewer wrote: “That’s the kind of trouble I’d love to get into! Love the old school Washington plates on the Imperial too. A bit of nostalgia for me.”

Another shared: “Man what a collection all those Imperials and that 300B what a collection man am I jealous.”

“That Starfire is wickedly cool. Even though it’s a grandma car. Would be cool to see it running,” said a third.

Another posted: “The 4 door hardtop Imp is a rare find. 56 first year for that body style. Pay attention to how they engineered the back door glass and how it folds within itself as the window goes up and down.”

“Not so sure that place can be described as a ‘barn.’ It seems more like a ‘Mausoleum to Motordom.’

“RIP Rust In Peace!” said another.