Latest news with #TomCotter
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
One of the Oldest Datsun 240Zs Ever Built Emerges from New Orleans Warehouse
⚡️ Read the full article on Motorious One of the earliest Datsun 240Z sports cars ever built has been unearthed in a dusty New Orleans warehouse, marking a rare and significant discovery for Japanese car enthusiasts and collectors. The coupe, chassis number 00021, is believed to be the ninth 240Z ever sold to the public and the sixth-oldest known to exist, according to records maintained by Z enthusiast site Only 543 examples of the original 1969 model year were built, making this particular car one of just 195 early survivors from that first run. The discovery was made by veteran barn-find expert Tom Cotter, who stumbled upon the car while seeking storage for his 1939 Ford Woodie. Cotter learned that the property's owner was safeguarding the historically significant Z car, which had spent over a decade off the road. Still equipped with its original 2.4-liter inline-six engine and four-speed manual transmission, the Datsun is remarkably complete. Though covered in dust, the body appears nearly rust-free—a rare feat for early 240Zs known for corrosion issues. The odometer shows just over 27,000 miles, though weathering suggests the car may have logged well over 100,000. Originally purchased by a mechanic who delayed its restoration for years, the car changed hands two years ago. Its current caretaker, a collector named Brett, now plans a full nut-and-bolt restoration to bring the iconic coupe back to its former glory. When new, the 240Z offered an affordable performance option to European sports cars like the Jaguar E-Type and BMW 2800 CS. Today, early examples have become increasingly collectible, with top-condition cars fetching six-figure sums at auction. Given its exceptional provenance and condition, chassis 00021 is poised to become one of the most valuable Datsun Z cars ever restored.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Shelby GT350 Hertz Is Completely Original
Read the full story on Backfire News Watching someone dig up rare barn find cars like this completely original Shelby GT350 Hertz is fascinating. That's especially true when you're dealing with the Barn Find Hunter, Tom Cotter. He's one of the best in the business and his show documenting some of his exploits is rather this episode, Tom visits Andy Van, a guy people call 'the race car man.' He used to be a racecar driver and immediately shows off his Peking to Paris he drove, obviously proud of that impressive achievement. We can certainly understand why. The guy's property is just littered with old racecars and random components. He's obviously been collecting for a long time and has accrued quite the array of things, having raced and still building cars. One of the more impressive rides he has is a one-of-three Holman-Moody Ford Falcon called Challenger 1. Created before the Mustang, it was a sporty, small car which was supposed to appeal to younger buyers. Tom thought he would never see Challenger 1 in person, yet there it was. But the main attraction is the all-original 1966 Shelby GT350 Hertz. Once the rental agency was done with it, a Ford dealer was selling the muscle cars off and this man scooped up one, making him the first and only private owner. While it looks dusty and has a little bit of body damage, the thing is well preserved. In fact, as the owner notes, the only part that wasn't on it when he bought the Shelby was the fuel pump, but he kept the original. Tom notes it's probably the most original Shelby GT350 Hertz in the country. The guy says his wife used to commute to work in it, but got sick of people following her home, asking to buy the GT350, so they parked it in the garage. Image via Hagerty/YouTube
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
This Man Rescues Classic Fire Engines
Read the full story on Backfire News Tom Cotter is good at sniffing out barn finds, but in a recent video he uncovers something just as miraculous. A guy in rural Maine named Andy Swift runs a shop dedicated to rescuing and restoring classic fire engines. We know a lot of people have fascinated about one day buying and restoring a fire engine, but that's all this guy focuses on, day in, day Tom shows up at the shop, Swift is working on restoring an old steam-powered fire engine originally built in 1901. The massive boiler is on its side as the restoration is in full swing. What's more, it's the last one of that model still in existence, so this is a piece of history that's all but lost. At 71-years-old, Swift has accumulated quite the collection of junked fire engines. He has them scattered about his property, some hidden away in overgrown vegetation. Certain ones will be restored while others will be stripped of their valuable, hard-to-find parts to put on other vehicles with a better shot at restoration. Swift has been restoring classic fire engines for 40 years and he obviously not only loves what he does but is good at it. He was a professional firefighter before, leading him to focus on the machines which saved so many lives and structures from blazes long ago. But Swift mentions that he's still in the craft in part because of fears it will die out without his help. He isn't getting any younger, so there's a possibility once he is gone, restorations of classic fire engines will become even more of a lost art. One of our favorite online car shows is Barn Find Hunter and it's precisely because of episodes like this. When else are you going to get to peek behind the curtain of one of the last fire engine restoration shops in the US? Images via Hagerty/YouTube
