Barn Finds & Egg Hunts: Easter Holiday Weekend in Utah
Odometer (RLX): 23,456
Trip Distance: $80 Round-Trip Flight (Gasp)
With all the fancy paint jobs and gleaming chrome at the 34th annual Easter Car Show in Hurricane, Utah last Saturday, the car that most stood out to me was in fact the dirtiest. It was a 1963 Chevrolet Impala that had literally been pulled from a 20-year-slumber in a barn in Milford, Utah the day prior. The only things touched prior to its entry in the car show were the tires, which needed replacement in order to facilitate transport.
A registration renewal sticker on the back license plate confirmed – this car was last on the road around September 1999. I was a senior in high school at that time. It seems like eons ago.
Even the interior remained filled with dust and had a crusty paperback book sitting on the backseat. There is something so fascinating about a “barn find” vehicle – a certain mystique, like the feeling of encountering buried treasure. I’m sure it took a lot of restraint for the owner, Brent Pearce, to resist wiping off the dashboard or at least running a vacuum through the carpet.
I neglected to take a look at the odometer (I know, of all things) but given this car’s condition, it looked to be a low-miler. I’m sure it will take some time, effort, and money to get its V8 engine to awaken from a deep 20-year-slumber.
My second favorite thing about the car show was this $6 sloppy joe.
I had an enjoyable weekend in southern Utah with family and friends, especially since mom (pictured below) let me borrow her “new” Crystal Black 2016 RLX as my rental car for a few days.
I enjoyed tooling around my old digs and doing it in style. The seat belts make a satisfying “tug” at you when you buckle them, and when you take a corner at a moderately high speed. Fit & finish are top notch, and the audio system rocks.
The other noteworthy vehicle at the show was my brother’s 1954 Ford F-100 pickup. It’s powered by an engine from General Motors, which is a little odd. The supercharged “LT4” V8 was tuned to 650 horsepower by Blake Foster from Speed Tech Performance.
Body work is perfect, and that “Snapper Rocks” paint color is one of BMW’s offerings.
Here’s a short walkaround along with Q&A with Blake who was there representing his business.
We got the family together on Sunday morning for a 500-egg (!) Easter hunt.
Luckily some of the eggs were bigger than my 4-month-old niece Ava, so they were easy to spot.
Thanks to my friends David and Matt for their recent visit!
Have a great one!
drivetofive 
April 24, 2019 at 9:32 am
500 eggs! Was there a final tally to ensure they were all found? 😀
April 24, 2019 at 9:47 am
Yes, confirmed, 500! Each participating child had 60+, and there were 8 children. I was there at 6:45 in the morning to start hiding them for a 9:00 a.m. start time. Haha
April 24, 2019 at 9:40 am
Ummm…. does Beckam have his hoodie on backwards? Details, son, details! “Our” RLX enjoyed having you behind the wheel this past weekend. I really should give him/her a name. I love the tradition of the car show in Hurricane — perfecto weather this year! I guess we will be seeing you again in a few days. Vegas or bust!
April 24, 2019 at 9:48 am
He wore that hoodie backwards because he was using the hood portion as a cup holder when dad got him a vanilla bean frappaccino at Starbucks earlier in the morning…
April 24, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Of course he did! He is genius!
April 24, 2019 at 11:51 am
The RLX should be named Bianca.
April 24, 2019 at 11:53 am
I’m not opposed to it. Mom will have to weigh in!
April 24, 2019 at 2:00 pm
I am here, weighing in! So Bianca is Italian for “white, shining.” A black car named Bianca?! Give me another option…
April 28, 2019 at 5:44 pm
Onyx!
April 24, 2019 at 12:00 pm
Sounds like a great, fun-filled weekend! Your brother’s Ford hot rod pickup looks terrific – I’m sure it’s a beast to drive (in a good way!). That barn find Impala was quite the time capsule. I can spend hours going through barnfinds.com – it’s amazing the condition some of these forgotten vehicles are in.
Any thoughts on the RLX? You had it as a rental from “Tia’s Rentals, Inc” – first impressions from driving it?
Have a good week!!
April 24, 2019 at 12:03 pm
Well I’d technically already reviewed the RLX in greater detail back in 2013, so I’m accustomed to what to expect… but it’s a solid cruiser! I liked the performance and refinement. Mom is doing her darndest to preserve the interior & exterior condition. It still smells new and fresh. Tia’s Rentals, Inc was great to work with!
https://drivetofive.com/2013/11/13/drive-to-five-review-2014-acura-rlx-advance/
April 24, 2019 at 2:04 pm
Dear Open Road Ahead (Tim), it was due to Tyson’s endorsement that I pursued RLX purchase…. and I trust his taste! Zero regrets here! It IS indeed a solid cruiser. I find myself spending ‘extra’ time out and about, taking the long way home, etc. It’s nearly as therapeutic as a massage! True to its reputation, black is tough to keep looking polished and clean, but I am up to the task. Stop by sometime and check it out for yourself. I can make a reservation with Tia’s Rentals, Inc. 🙂
April 25, 2019 at 8:27 am
Happy belated Easter! That sloppy joe is making me tummy grumble. And your brother’s F100 is quite a show piece! How long has this project been so far? Can tell a lot of work went into it. RLX looking sexy as ever.
April 25, 2019 at 8:30 am
That Ford pickup sat in my brother’s back parking lot at his workshop for a few years waiting for the mechanical and cosmetic restoration to be done. I think the actual start to finish build once he finally got motivated was completed in about a year’s time. You can almost buy everything for that truck “new” these days – including body parts. Yet I struggle to find parts for my late model Hondas. Haha
April 26, 2019 at 3:10 am
It sounds like you had a really cool Easter Tyson – I hope you got a share in those 500 eggs! I love the barn find, and the fact that the owner took car not to disturb the condition it was found in. I bet that’ll look superb when it’s restored.
April 26, 2019 at 5:53 am
Agreed – maybe I can reach out to them for some progress on the restoration.
April 26, 2019 at 6:18 am
That would be cool!