It’s the fantasy of every car enthusiast: Pull a tarp off a pile in a barn, or hear a farmer say “there’s an old car out back” and discover a classic collectible such as a Hemi ‘Cuda, a rare Porsche, or a Jaguar E-Type racer. Many such tales told during enthusiasts’ bench racing sessions are urban myths. But this book is full of true tales of rare gems pulled out of haystacks or junkyards—and there are before and after photos to prove it! Author Tom Cot… More >>
The Cobra in the Barn: Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology
Tags: jaguar e type
#1 by J. Hackman on June 28, 2010 - 2:43 pm
I have scouted, searched, and on occasion bought an old car that has been sitting somewhere without a “for sale” sign on it. This book reads like the journal I’d like to write. The cars and their circumstances are mostly unique situations, and the lost/found and long term pursuit angles are the best. For the most part the buyers have a genuine interest, if not a personal one, in the cars they seek. Thankfully, the megabucks trophy collectors and hoarders who fill their warehouses (and ruin it for most everyone else) don’t dominate the book.
If you are looking for high end writing and extensive stories, or if you only like certain cars, this book may not be as much fun for you. It is not Peter Egan’s “Side Glances.” Some accounts are better than others, but overall it is an enjoyable and entertaining book.
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by Angus Lemon on June 28, 2010 - 5:25 pm
Cotter has done a wonderful job of assembling short stories about finding old, desirable cars. The stories are different enough that they do not become repetitive and they don’t get bogged down in the detail. The pictures are well done and add interest to the book. I enjoyed this easy to read book probably because it is as much about the people as it is about the cars they find. Very well done.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by Thistle 746 on June 28, 2010 - 7:20 pm
I bought this great book along with Egans Leanings 2. Both books are great for a quick ’shot in the arm’ of gearhead wonderland. Cotter has compiled this wonderful selection of stories and presented it in a very tasteful package. High quality paper and equally good photographs make for a satisfing read. Well recommended for any automotive enthusiast.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by Armchair Interviews on June 28, 2010 - 9:29 pm
Guys and gals who love cars (and those who care about those obsessed people), this book is for you. You’ll relish reading about people as crazy as you are about finding and restoring old cars.
Eureka! Dream cars such as a 1938 woody station wagon–or Rolls, desirable Porsches, Cobra and many more specialty cars were found in old sheds, barns and garages.
With most old cars, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, usually from unforgettable memories of their youth (hmmmn). Now this person is a grown up and has money to spend on that dream.
Like buying a dog, buying a needs-some-work car is the cheapest part of owning it. The idea is to find an old car, drag it home, and then bring it back to live, with money and a lot of elbow grease.
Author Tom Cotter thinks, reads and breathes old cars…and he loves the hunt. He’s the right guy for this wonderful job of writing about old cars and the people who love them.
Even if you don’t love old cars like the people in this book, you’ll still enjoy reading their quest, success and disappointments. You might even get the urge.
Now if I could only find a ….
Armchair Interviews says: A great gift book for a car lover–especially one who takes a neglected and abused heap of metal and makes it a dream come true. Anyone for a COX 6057 Cobra that needs just a little paint and a few “minor” body repairs?
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by Steve Jeltz on June 28, 2010 - 9:57 pm
I looked forward to reading this book about stories of unbelievable barn/garage finds and the circumstances that lead to these amazing cars abandonment & the subsequent rediscovery many years later. These stories should appeal to car lovers and treasure hunters alike; I can not imagine finding, like the book’s title implies, a Cobra in an abandoned barn (even if it was repainted an ugly brown & a raccoon was calling it its home). The stories truly temp me to stop & look in every old barn/garage I drive by to see what gem might be resting under the roof.
I would have liked a bit more historical background about the the cars that were discovered but that’s being picky. The photos of the cars were great — unbelievable to fathom that someone would let such amazing automobiles sit unprotected & unloved. The photo gallery at the end of the book — all shot an undisclosed garage/property in Europe — will amaze you & make you cringe as there are countless breahtaking cars (we’re talking old Bugattis & the like) sit sadly in a tired, filthy garage & overgrown property. After seeing them you’ll want to embark on your on odyssey to track them down!
Rating: 4 / 5