Some cars arrive in a family with a story already attached. A car show owner named Mike, featured by the film channel @289filmco, tells the tale of a Chevy that came out of an Indiana barn, survived a mishap that nearly ended it, and eventually became a candy apple red show winner with a tribute to veterans painted on the hood. The details come from Mike’s own telling, so they are his recollections of the car and its past.
@289filmco
A Barn In Indiana
Mike says his father found the car in an Indiana barn. As the story goes from his uncle, the family worked on it, got it up and running, and then it sat. By Mike’s account, the car had been in that barn for about 30 years. Fluids went in, along with fresh gas, and it started. They drove it out of the barn.
His father paid $500 to the man who owned it. Then he made a long drive, from central Indiana to the south side of Chicago, stopping only to put fresh gas in once he got it home. By the end of that trip, Mike says, the front two tires blew, so the car would not go any farther.
The Fire
Here is the part that gets a laugh. When Mike took ownership, all he had was a 350 engine and a burned out cab. He explains that his father had set the car on fire while trying to install a four speed, and that he had forgotten to take the interior out first. It is the kind of mistake that every shop veteran has heard a version of, and it turned a running barn find into a project that needed to be rebuilt almost from scratch.
What It Became
Today, Mike says, the car is painted candy apple red and white. Under the hood is a 383 stroker making 425 horsepower. The paint job is 14 years old, and so is the interior. His wife picked out the paint, and then she named the car “the mistress.” He also owns a Mustang, and he says that when he brings it out to car shows, everybody asks him where the Chevy is. In his words, everybody loves the Chevy.
The car has also racked up a long list of trophies. Mike says it has won best in show nine times since he started showing it, and that it has won over 150 awards. For the last three years in a row, he adds, it has won Best Car at the Veteran Show in Bullard. At that event, he explains, Medal of Honor recipients pick the best car or truck, so he considers it a special honor to have been chosen by them three years in a row.
A Mural For Veterans
The most meaningful detail may be the tribute on the hood. Mike says he dedicated the car to veterans. A painter Mike calls Mr. Jones painted the mural, and Mike says he asked for an eagle and a ribbon bearing the words “All gave some and some gave all.” When the painter asked if he wanted anything else, Mike told him to surprise him. The result added the flag raising on Iwo Jima and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Mike did not say why the cause matters so much to him, and it would be wrong to guess. What comes through is that the mural turns a flashy show car into something more personal, and that it has clearly resonated with the judges who picked it.
Lessons From A Barn Find Turned Show Winner
This story is a good reminder of how much goes into taking a forgotten car and making it a winner. If you are thinking of chasing a barn find, a few practical thoughts may help.
- Check the paperwork. Before you hand over cash, confirm that the seller has a title, and check that any identification numbers on the car match the documents.
- Do not assume a car that starts will drive well. Fluids, fuel and tires age, and a car that has sat for 30 years can fail quickly once it moves, as the story’s blown tires show.
- Take the interior out before any work involving heat, welding, or wiring near seats and carpet. Upholstery and foam burn quickly, and a stray spark can do enormous damage.
- Keep a fire extinguisher within reach in your garage whenever you work on a vehicle, and know how to use it.
- Plan your build before you start buying parts. Decide on engine, transmission and finish early, so pieces work together. A 383 stroker, for example, is a popular upgrade over a 350 small block, but it needs supporting parts to match.
Getting Ready For A Car Show
Mike’s trophies suggest he has learned what judges look for. If you want to start showing your own vehicle, there are some basics worth knowing.
- Clean the car everywhere, including the wheel wells, engine bay and underside if it will be on display with the hood up.
- Bring simple supplies such as microfiber towels, quick detailer spray and window cleaner for last minute touch ups.
- Prepare a small display card with the year, model and a few facts. A short story about the car’s history, like the one Mike has, draws people in.
- Arrive early to get a good spot, and be ready to talk to visitors. Judges and spectators love to hear where a car came from.
- Be gracious. Whether you win or not, thanking organizers and fellow owners helps keep shows friendly.
One more thing is worth noting. Mike says the paint and interior are 14 years old, and the car still wins. That is a good lesson in how care and maintenance can keep a build looking fresh for years. A steady routine of washing, waxing, covering the car properly and keeping it dry goes a long way.
In the end, the Chevy is a story about second chances. A car that sat for three decades, set on fire and handed down as a burned out cab became a family favorite with more than 150 awards to its name. Not every barn find has such a happy ending, but this one shows what patience, a little humor and a meaningful mission can do.