Exotic Barn Finds: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and More
by Matt Stone
That these “barn finds” titles have proliferated is acknowledged by both author Matt Stone in his introduction and publisher Car Tech in its marketing info. Each also strives to explain the reason for producing yet another one, citing that none of those published to date have focused exclusively on exotics as this one does, hence its title and subtitle: Exotic Barn Finds, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and More.
The book’s 32 chapters are arranged chronologically by year of the vehicle, from oldest “find” (a 1925) to newest (a 1974). As each stands alone the reader is invited to explore at random, which is what your commentator did until the entire book had been read.
It feels like an “old saw” but again your commentator finds it difficult to overlook that such a nicely written and produced book is marred by some combination of sloppy writing and/or copyediting. The most glaring in this book appears on facing pages no less. The familiar name of a noted and respected car dealer in Southern California is first spelled incorrectly as Burt but then on the facing page and throughout the rest of the chapter, which is about a Shelby GT350 Mustang, H.F. “Bert” Boeckmann, founder of this nation’s most successful Ford dealership, Galpin Motors, is spelled correctly. Nit-picks aside, on balance this is a pleasant and entertaining read. Some of the “finds” you may have read about elsewhere as author Stone acknowledges where applicable. Others he feels certain are being presented in general print and imagery for the first time. And while all of the cars were “worth” finding and saving, some are more historically significant than others.
Stone selected the stories to tell in this book based in part on availability of good photography. Yet, wanting to include some worthy others for which good images were lacking and unobtainable there are three “catch-all” chapters that conclude the book mentioning additional “finds.”
Copyright 2016, Helen V Hutchings (speedreaders.info).
This review appears courtesy of the SAH in whose March / April 2016 Journal it was first printed.
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