Barn Finds

French Rarity: 1987 Citroen CX 25 Prestige

Jeff Lavery — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 03:51:07 +0000

French cars are a mysterious spot on the automotive landscape these days, a reminder that they were once an import like any other brand sold stateside. However, for the predominant brands of Citroen and Peugeot, a series of challenges...

Rare French Classic: 1988 Renault 4 “Frog”

Adam Clarke — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 03:00:00 +0000

Some cars are so quirky they can’t help but be cool. Such is the case with this 1988 Renault 4 “Frog” Convertible. The seller claims that only around 500 of these classics were produced and that they were a...

Rare Restoration Project: 1923 Bugatti

Adam Clarke — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 00:38:53 +0000

Bugatti has a history of producing some of the most desirable classics to grace the world’s roads. It spent decades flirting with bankruptcy, and even under the umbrella of the Volkswagen Group as its halo marque, it sells every...

Restore, or Not? 1956 Citroën Traction Avant 11B

Michelle Rand — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Many car makers lay claim to some fame or another: first this, first that. My favorite “car of firsts” is the Lancia Lambda. Yes, I probably like Lancias too well, but the Lambda did deserve accolades for the first...

Cheap Hatches: Flock of Renault R16s

Michelle Rand — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 04:09:30 +0000

Leave it to the French. The country’s designers had a knack for eyeing a thing everyone else had seen a hundred thousand times and doing it differently. So goes the Renault R16. Introduced in 1965 at the Geneva Motor...

French Mercedes: 1985 Peugeot 505S Turbo Diesel

Scotty Gilbertson — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 21:19:23 +0000

If you want to buy a new French car in the U.S. today, you have one choice and you had better be a trust fund baby or a YouTube mega-star, as the new Bugattis are sold out, even for...

1 of 6 French Exports? 1957 Ford Thunderbird

Russ Dixon — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 17:10:21 +0000

The first generation of the 2-seat Ford Thunderbird ended its three-year run in 1957. After that, it would convert to a 4-passenger personal luxury car. But not before a half-dozen of the cars were supposedly shipped to France for...

Oddball Beauty: 1972 Citroen DS

Elliot — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 03:00:00 +0000

There are a few automakers which don’t follow the grain and just do their own thing. Citroen is a very good example of this, always shunning traditional design conventions and how a car should operate and look. Sometimes they...

No Reserve Barn Find: 1973 Citroen SM Project

Michelle Rand — Sat, 09 Sep 2023 04:57:53 +0000

In 1964, Facel S.A. expired. Facel was renowned in France and beyond for its luxury cars. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Debbie Reynolds, Ringo Starr, the Shah of Iran, Stirling Moss – Facel owners read like a Who’s Who of...

Only 2 Owners and 20k Miles: 1966 Renault Dauphine

Russ Dixon — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Like the Volkswagen Beetle and Morris Minor, the Renault Dauphine was one of the entrants to create Post-WW2 European-built economy cars. It was in production from 1956 to 1967 with more than two million copies, although only a small...

South Dakota Car: 1985 Renault Encore 5-Speed

Scotty Gilbertson — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 02:00:00 +0000

Almost looking as if it had AWD, or was missing an engine – or better yet, was set up with the ever-popular Carolina Squat, this 1985 Renault Encore looks good in black. This Wisconsin/France marriage made in heaven (or...

Classic Jet: 1964 Fouga CM170

Adam Clarke — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

We certainly can’t be accused of not providing variety at Barn Finds, and for those with an aeronautical leaning, this 1964 Fouga CM170 could be the classic of your dreams. Its condition is excellent, and a recent inspection confirms...

BF Auction: 1961 Peugeot 403 Break Wagon

Adam Clarke — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 17:57:27 +0000

French manufacturers have earned a well-deserved reputation for producing cars that aren’t loaded with luxury appointments but feature excellent engineering and unsurpassed versatility. One such car is the Peugeot 403, which remains a firm favorite in many African nations...

Cheap Wheels? 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta

Russ Dixon — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:00:00 +0000

The 1981 model year was the swan song for the second-generation Chevy Camaro. After 12 years in production, the design had run its course (sales were down by more than half in just two years). The Berlinetta was the...

Wrecked 30 Years Ago: 1979 Renault 17 Gordini

Russ Dixon — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:04:55 +0000

The calendar year 1979 might be an eventful one in Renault’s history books. That’s the last year they built the 17 Gordini, a sports coupe, and the year they began buying up interest in American Motors. We mention this...

Price-Dropped French Classic: 1963 Panhard PL17

Adam Clarke — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 01:00:00 +0000

Manufacturers need to look outside the square if they plan to produce a car with limited engine power. Such was the case with Panhard and its PL17 model. Its engine bay housed a tiny motor with modest power, but...

Le Project: 1980 Renault Le Car

Russ Dixon — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 21:00:00 +0000

Who remembers the Renault Le Car? It was the little French automobile that was really a Renault 5 that was rebranded and sold through American Motors dealers in the 1970s and 1980s. Though popular on its home turf, it...