by Everyone loves a good muscle car barn find. Vehicles sat hidden for decades are sometimes the most interesting cars of all, and YouTube channel Junkyard Digs has unearthed a pair of barn finds that are truly spectacular. An abandoned Pontiac Bonneville and Tri 5 Chevrolet have sat in a barn for over 30 years, gathering dust, and the YouTuber has decided to uncover the two cars. Plus, they aim to see if they will run and also drive.
The two cars have sat in a barn for decades, surrounded by a few other vehicles, and look likely to be in reasonable condition. So getting them to run again might not be the toughest task in the world.
Unearthing The Barn Finds Is The First Task
The first part of the video is about getting the cars out of their covers and into a place where they are accessible. Tires, a combine and lawnmower are just some of the things sat in the way before they can even get at the Pontiac. The classic front-end is visible poking out of its covers, with the pointy grille and quad-headlight setup. The Bonneville is also finished in a deep green, preserved remarkably well although there is a fair amount of dirt and dust sitting on the car.
We get a look under the hood of the Bonneville and we can see the complete powertrain setup. Everything is there, although there are clear signs of rust and dirt from its 30+ years sitting in a Minnesota barn. A badge on the side of the car says that this is a Bonneville 455 and the team check out the interior which is in good condition. There are signs of wear and tear, but nothing excessive. The dashboard and trim are remarkably well-preserved, with the trap covering the car protecting the interior. There are a few interesting pieces of luggage still in the Bonneville too, including a couple of maps.
With enough of the dirt and coverings taken off the Pontiac, there is now the chance for the team to get to work on the engine. This is the next step. Some initial work on the car sees the ignition spring to life, and there is electrical power evidenced by the fact the electric windows go up and down. A new battery arrives, and with this fresh power even the radio works, before the team attempts to turn the car over. A faulty terminal is one thing that needs fixing instantly.
The Bonneville Fires Up After 30 Years In Storage
via Junkyard Digs YouTube Channel
A few initial fire ups don’t result in a positive result with the Pontiac struggling. But they do have spark, so a bit more work should see it come back to life. The team provide a bit of gentle persuasion initially to get it to fire up, and it does indeed fire up and run but it doesn’t sound happy. The Junkyard Digs crew doesn’t give up and manage to get it running and idling, which means the next step is to get the Pontiac out of the shed.
Prior to getting the Pontiac Bonneville out of the barn, the crew find a Tri 5 Chevy hiding under its covers in a bright blue color. Outside, this Chevrolet looks quite good but away from that it’s seen better days. The interior is quite messy while under the hood, the Chevrolet looks rough. So while work carries on with the Bonneville, Junkyard Digs decides to see what they can do with the Chevrolet. A bit of work takes place and fresh fuel is added to the Chevrolet so see if it can fire, and it does cough and splutter as it tries to work again.
The team rig up a makeshift fuel system to try to get it to fire, and amazingly, this Chevrolet does splutter back into life. When it is running, the Chevrolet has a much happier sound than the Pontiac and even revs up well when some power is then added. Like the Bonneville, this Chevrolet has not run for over 30 years and has spent most of that time sitting in that barn. So to get this particular classic car fired up again is a big win for the crew, so now they can focus on getting the Pontiac and Chevrolet out again.
The Bonneville Is The First To Emerge From The Barn
via Junkyard Digs YouTube Channel
With a lot of the junk removed, the team work to get the Bonneville outside again. Rather than towing, they drive it out of the barn with the Pontiac making its first move under its own steam in decades. This does not go without its problems, with the crew running out of gas and then needing to provide some assistance to the big 455 ci under the hood. Running the car out reveals a very flat rear tire.
Remarkably however, the Bonneville drives quite well as they take it around the farm. The brakes are a bit weak with just the front-left working but it still rides well, and a look at the odometer sees it has just 90,000 miles on it. The Bonneville just floated away in second gear which surprised the team themselves. The Pontiac does break down on them, but there is promise in this car. Next up, the crew head back to the barn to see if the old Chevrolet can also roar back into life on get on the move.
Even The 1950s Chevrolet Will Run Again
After a bit more work, the Chevrolet also ran again for the first time in decades. Junkyard Digs drives it out of the barn and into the daylight again, revealing its attractive two-tone blue paint. The biggest problem seems to be the mouse deposits left inside the classic car. Aside from that, the Chevrolet seemed to drive okay, and they head up to the Bonneville to see if it can go further than the other car. The team give the Chevrolet some gas, and it flies up the hill, impressing them with its speed after 30 years.
The steering is a little off however, but aside from that the Chevrolet makes it up the hill before heading back to the barn. The video shows that some cars can indeed come back to life, even if they have spent decades sat in a barn covered in dirt. Maybe both of these cars can have a full restoration given their potential.
Source: Junkyard Digs YouTube Channel
