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Man working in yard during coronavirus lockdown discovers mysterious car buried for over 50 years

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If you’ve been missing a Ford Popular for the past 50 years, we might know where you left it.

(SWNS)

John Brayshaw of Heckmondwike, U.K. was building a deck while home on furlough from work during Britain’s coronavirus lockdown when he found a car buried in his yard. He told SWNS he’d moved into the home just six months ago and was driving a post into the ground when he made the unusual discovery.

(SWNS)

“It’s one of those things that you literally have to see it to believe it,” he said.

“I was like ‘What on earth is this?'”

(SWNS)

At first he thought it was a bomb or fallout shelter, but kept digging and realized it was an entire vehicle lying on its side. It even had its license plates and engine intact.

“The only thing that was missing was the wheels.”

The low-priced Popular lived up to its name.
(iStock/umdash9)

He’s identified it as either a 1955 or 1956 Ford Popular 103e, which was the lowest priced car in the U.K. at the time. As for how it got there, that remains very much a mystery.

(SWNS)

Brayshaw said he hasn’t been able to find any record of the registration, and that the son of the home’s previous owners, who passed away, said they didn’t know anything about it and had lived there for 50 years.

HE’S NOT ALONE: FAMILY FINDS 69-YEAR-OLD CAR BURIED IN YARD

However, he said he was told that the neighborhood was home to some people who had worked in the British Secret Service during the war, and that the car appears to be painted RAF Grey.

(SWNS)

For now he’s trying to decide if he should leave it where it is as a conversation piece and build the deck around it, or if he’ll have to bring in heavy machinery to get it all the way out of the ground.

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Moon-Walk bounce-house inventor’s massive secret car collection up for auction

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An amazing collection of over 140 vehicles has appeared out of thin air, so to speak.

(VanDerBrink Auctions)

They belonged to a man named Bob Regehr, who made a fortune after he and his wife developed the iconic Moon-Walk bouncy house a half-century ago.

(Regehr estate/VanDerBrink Auctions)

Regehr had owned a couple of gas stations before that and was very much a car enthusiast who regularly made offers on vehicles he spotted people riding around town in, according to a profile in Hot Rod magazine in 2009.

(VanDerBrink Auctions)

Prior to the article’s publication, Regehr’s collection was something of a local legend. People in the area had heard rumors about it, but it was mostly kept under wraps.

Regehr died last year in Hutchinson, Kan., and the cars are now set to be sold this fall through VanDerBrink Auctions.

Among the cars that remain are 20 1932 Fords, a 1949 Cadillac, several 1957 Chevy Bel Airs, a 1959 Nash Metropolitan and a 1979 Ferrari 308 GTD.

(VanDerBrink Auctions)

The newest of the bunch is a 1987 Ford Mustang GT convertible and the rarest likely a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car that is one of just 43 that were built.

(VanDerBrink Auctions)

Some of the cars are modified, many remain original and, unlike many hoards of this size, there’s not a junker in the bunch.

(VanDerBrink Auctions)

The auction is currently scheduled to take place online and at the Kansas State Fairgrounds on Oct. 24.

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Tony Stewart’s Ford Bronco is a blast from the past

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Tony Stewart was a Chevy driver for most of his NASCAR career, but ever since his team Stewart-Haas Racing switched to Ford a few years ago, he’s been all-in.

To go along with his F-150 Raptor pickup, Stewart has now added a classic Ford Bronco to his collection.

(Ford Performance)

Stewart said in a post on the Ford Performance website that he got it in his head that he wanted one while judging a Ford car show at Homestead-Miami speedway last year and that he found his on the Internet.

The Free Wheeling package was offered on several Ford models of the era.​​​​​
(Ford)

The black 1979 Bronco Ranger XLT has a 400 cubic-inch V8 and is decked-out in Ford’s Free Wheeling graphics package. The iconic red, yellow and orange design is as 1970s as it gets.

THE FORD BRONCO WAS ALMOST CALLED THIS…

It also happens to share some of its color scheme with the livery featured on the sprint car he still competes in.

Stewart said he plans to take the top off when the weather gets warmer around his Columbus, Ind., home.

The timing of his purchase couldn’t be better for the Ford pitchman, of course, as the automaker will soon be unveiling the all-new 2021 Bronco that you can get a sneak peek of by clicking here.

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Classic ‘Phoenix’ sports car burned in barn fire restored

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A classic car enthusiast is back on the road in his beloved vintage motor called Phoenix – five years after it was destroyed in a devastating fire.

(SWNS)

Roger Fountain, 77, rescued the 1934 Riley sports car which was wrecked in a fierce barn blaze.

The retired rally driver loaded the charred and rusted remains onto a trailer and drove it to his home in Sutterton, U.K, where he began an arduous restoration project.

(SWNS)

Amazingly, the chassis survived the fire so Roger built a prototype around it using wood, cardboard and scrap metal.

(SWNS)

Over the next five years, he painstakingly searched out the missing parts needed to completely restore the car back to its former glory.

To celebrate his work, Roger named his pride and joy ‘Phoenix’ in honor of the car’s remarkable transformation.

(SWNS)

Roger, who has no children and lives with his wife of 53-years Penny, said: “It was a real journey and the project has had lots and lots of twists and turns.

“I never thought it would never get there but there were times I thought it may take longer than expected.

“I’m thrilled with the end result and very proud of the work which has gone into it.”

(SWNS)

Roger’s life-long obsession with classic cars led him to put the word around enthusiasts that he was after a restoration project.

In 2015, a friend called him to say a Riley sports car had been in a fire so Roger drove up to have a look for himself.

“I drove 200 miles to inspect the car and it was completely burnt out, with nothing remaining of the body,” he said. “I wasn’t put off and returned with a truck and trailer and loaded up the remains.

MORE COLLECTOR CAR NEWS FROM FOX NEWS AUTOS

“On arriving home I was able to give the charred and rusting pile a closer examination, and it was obvious that the chassis had escaped most of the damage and would make a sound basis for my new project.

“Thus work began, sourcing replacement period parts, designing, repairing, refurbishing and fabricating.

“I was anxious to utilize as many original parts, especially the chassis, to retain the soul of the original car, to maintain its heritage as an example of a golden era of English automotive design.”

In 2018, Roger was stunned to discover the DVLA had classified it as a write-off so technically it no longer existed.

In a bizarre twist, this meant that all surviving parts of the car had to be destroyed to comply with the law.

Roger finally persuaded the DVLA to send an independent insurance engineer to inspect the car who agreed that it could be re-registered.

But the project was almost scrapped in the final two years when Roger suffered a smashed knee and broke his back in a horse-riding accident before being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He added: “The recovery meant I could only carry out very light duties for some weeks but an offer from a good friend saved the day when he gave his time to keep the project rolling.

“Before the project was completed I again had surgery to eliminate prostate cancer, thankfully successfully.”

Finally, in January this year, Roger was able to take his beloved Phoenix out for a spin with wife Penny, 77.

Roger has now written a book about the remarkable restoration, entitled “Phoenix,” which is available on Amazon.

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Return of the Hornet? That’s the buzz at Dodge

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What’s the latest product buzz at Dodge? How about a reboot of the Hornet.

Fiat Chrysler has filed trademark applications for “Hornet” and “Dodge Hornet” in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, Motor Trend reports.

The James Bond stunt car was sold at auction in 2017 for $110,000.
(National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images)

The AMC Hornet was a compact car sold in the 1970s that’s perhaps most famous for performing a corkscrew jump over a canal in the 1974 James Bond film “The Man With the Golden Gun.” The stunt car was auctioned for $110,000 in 2017.

Chrysler inherited the model name when it took over AMC in 1987, but has yet to use it on any of its brands’ production car. However, it did appear on a 2006 subcompact crossover concept called the Dodge Hornet that never made it to showrooms.

As for where it may show up this time around, Dodge hasn’t said or even confirmed that it intends to use it. The future of Dodge’s lineup remains murky, as the company hasn’t offered much guidance as to what is on the horizon, aside from the elimination of the Grand Caravan minivan this year and the arrival of updated versions of the Challenger and Charger at some point.

50TH ANNIVERSARY DODGE CHALLENGER IS A FUTURE COLLECTIBLE

The Dodge Journey crossover is also nearing the end of its life and is currently not for sale in the 13 states that follow California’s emissions standards. Several years ago, Fiat Chrysler had suggested that Dodge would get a large crossover built on the platform of the Chrysler Pacifica, but such a model hasn’t been officially announced.

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The Ford Bronco was almost called the Wrangler

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Ford is bringing back the Bronco name on an all-new SUV this year, but the original 1966 model was almost called something very different.

The production Bronco’s design stayed true to this prototype.
(Ford)

Bronco was the code name for the project when it started in 1963, the idea being that it would join the Mustang in Ford’s stable as a “four-wheel-drive sports car,” and the off-road imagery of the name speaks for itself.

That was no guarantee the moniker would make it to the production car, however. Names often change once the marketing department gets involved.

The Mustang came so close to being called the Cougar, for instance, that Ford even built a prototype with a feline logo a couple of years before the name ended up on a Mercury. No reason to let a good idea go to waste, right?

(Ford)

Similarly, Ford archivist Ted Ryan said alternative names were considered for the Bronco, including one you’ll be familiar with today: Wrangler.

Ryan told Fox News Autos that it was one of the candidates, but that Ford’s product planner Don Frey decided to stick with the equine connection to the Mustang. Back then, the Jeep Wrangler’s forbears were called CJs, and it wasn’t until 1987 that the brand started using the Wrangler name on its own SUV.

MORE: THIS IS PROBABLY THE 2021 FORD BRONCO BEFORE YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO SEE IT

The Bronco R race truck is based on the upcoming model.
(Ford)

Soon the Bronco and Wrangler will be battling for supremacy in showrooms and on rocky trails, with the all-new Ford set to be revealed sometime this spring.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Ford Bronco was almost called the Wrangler

By

Ford is bringing back the Bronco name on an all-new SUV this year, but the original 1966 model was almost called something very different.

The production Bronco’s design stayed true to this prototype.
(Ford)

Bronco was the code name for the project when it started in 1963, the idea being that it would join the Mustang in Ford’s stable as a “four-wheel-drive sports car,” and the off-road imagery of the name speaks for itself.

That was no guarantee the moniker would make it to the production car, however. Names often change once the marketing department gets involved.

The Mustang came so close to being called the Cougar, for instance, that Ford even built a prototype with a feline logo a couple of years before the name ended up on a Mercury. No reason to let a good idea go to waste, right?

(Ford)

Similarly, Ford archivist Ted Ryan said alternative names were considered for the Bronco, including one you’ll be familiar with today: Wrangler.

Ryan told Fox News Autos that it was one of the candidates, but that Ford’s product planner Don Frey decided to stick with the equine connection to the Mustang. Back then, the Jeep Wrangler’s forbears were called CJs, and it wasn’t until 1987 that the brand started using the Wrangler name on its own SUV.

MORE: THIS IS PROBABLY THE 2021 FORD BRONCO BEFORE YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO SEE IT

The Bronco R race truck is based on the upcoming model.
(Ford)

Soon the Bronco and Wrangler will be battling for supremacy in showrooms and on rocky trails, with the all-new Ford set to be revealed sometime this spring.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Man learns long-lost classic Chevy Impala was turned into a barbecue

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Talk about getting burned. A man on a quest to find a 1965 Chevrolet Impala he once owned posted a photo of the car on Facebook and received one in return: of a barbecue grill.

(SWNS)

A “car-b-que” to be more precise, as it had been constructed using the front end of his Chevy with the license plate still installed.

Derek Carroll of Edinburgh, Scotland, told SWNS he had sold it in 1980 to pay for his wedding for 400 pounds, and was shocked at the response to his post.  Even worse, the grill had been sold some time ago, and the builder told him that he hasn’t been able to contact the buyer.

(SWNS)

“I felt so cool in it, Saturday Night Fever was quite popular around the time and I wanted to be cool with my car, white T-shirt and leather jacket,” the 61-year-old said.

LAST CHEVROLET IMPALA BUILT

“I have so many great memories in that car, some things I can’t say but let’s say it has seen some things.”

The former taxi driver-turned-board game designer did not say if he has any leads on where the rest of the car is, but is accepting any hot tips.

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Roy Rogers’ classic Jeep CJ, Nellybelle II, for sale on eBay

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Woah, Nelly!

A replica of the “Nellybelle” Jeep featured on “The Roy Rogers Show” is up for sale on eBay.

According to the seller, Nellybelle II was built as a promotional vehicle for the program but is identical to the one that appeared on screen.

Both of the gray trucks are based on 1946 CJ-2As and feature custom bodywork that wraps around the passenger compartment to shoulder level.

On the show, the troublesome Nellybelle was driven by Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans’ sidekick Pat Brady, who spoke to it almost like it was a horse to get it to cooperate, while Rogers mostly stuck to his tried and true Palomino, Trigger.

The Jeeps were featured at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo., until it closed a decade ago. The original was auctioned soon after for more than $116,000, but sold again in 2018 for just $38,400, according to Hagerty.

Nellybelle II is currently in Arizona and listed in running condition with 43,500 miles on the odometer and a Buy it Now price of $29,500.

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Roy Rogers’ classic Jeep CJ, Nellybelle II, for sale on eBay

By

Woah, Nelly!

A replica of the “Nellybelle” Jeep featured on “The Roy Rogers Show” is up for sale on eBay.

According to the seller, Nellybelle II was built as a promotional vehicle for the program but is identical to the one that appeared on screen.

Both of the gray trucks are based on 1946 CJ-2As and feature custom bodywork that wraps around the passenger compartment to shoulder level.

On the show, the troublesome Nellybelle was driven by Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans’ sidekick Pat Brady, who spoke to it almost like it was a horse to get it to cooperate, while Rogers mostly stuck to his tried and true Palomino, Trigger.

The Jeeps were featured at the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, Mo., until it closed a decade ago. The original was auctioned soon after for more than $116,000, but sold again in 2018 for just $38,400, according to Hagerty.

Nellybelle II is currently in Arizona and listed in running condition with 43,500 miles on the odometer and a Buy it Now price of $29,500.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP