Latest news with #barnfind
The Sun
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Rusty 1950s Porsche sat languishing in barn for over 60 years tipped to sell for whopping £400,000
A RUSTBUCKET Porsche which has spent over 60 years in a barn is tipped to sell for a whopping £400,000. The Porsche 356 Speedster was bought new in 1955 and has been in only one family since then. 5 5 After clocking up 62,000 miles in seven years, it was taken off the road and tucked away in a barn on a smallholding in Ohio, US. The classic vehicle was recently rediscovered after a car expert received a 'tip off' about its existence. They found the Porsche in a sorry state with all its silver paintwork peeled off. It has since undergone an extensive restoration and has now been shipped over to England to be sold in Iconic Auctioneers' forthcoming Silverstone sale. The engine and gearbox have been stripped out and rebuilt so the car is roadworthy and has been driven recently. As the carpets and seat coverings were beyond preservation, they were replaced with aged leather. But the left-hand drive Porsche retains its original dashboard, steering wheel and gauges. An Iconic Auctioneers spokesperson said: "Following a tip-off, this early 356 Speedster was uncovered at a smallholding in Ohio, where it had reportedly remained with the same family for over 70 years. "The engine was disassembled and remarkably, only required new piston rings before being fully inspected and reassembled. "The matching gearbox was similarly stripped, checked and rebuilt, while the fuel system was recommissioned, retaining the original fuel tank with its attractive patination. Ultra-rare 'prettiest' Ferrari kept under wraps for over a decade is set to fetch an eye-watering sum at auction "Externally, every effort was made to preserve the integrity of the original early 356 body. "It is understood that the Speedster was in regular use only until 1962, covering approximately 60,000 miles before being laid to rest in the barn where it was later discovered. "At some point early in its life, possibly by the supplying dealership, it was repainted silver, traces of which remain visible on the bodywork today. "We are informed that the Speedster performs exceptionally well, idling smoothly with no smoke and having completed various trips without issue. "This is a rare opportunity to acquire an exceptionally well preserved Pre-A 356 Speedster, a model highly regarded for its purity and iconic design. "From the few Pre-A Speedsters that do make it to market, it is very rare to see a survivor car as many are now restored." The sale takes place on August 23. 5 5
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Rusting Porsche left 60 years in a barn now tipped to sell for £400,000
A rusting Porsche that has been left in a barn for over 60 years is now tipped to sell for a whopping £400,000. The Porsche 356 Speedster was bought in 1955 and after clocking up 62,000 miles in seven years was taken off the road and tucked in a barn in Ohio, America. The classic car was rediscovered after a car expert was given a 'tip off' and it was found with all its silver paintwork peeled off. It has since undergone an extensive restoration - the engine and gearbox have been stripped out and rebuilt and all the carpets and seat coverings were replaced with aged leather. But the left-hand drive Porsche retains its original dashboard, steering wheel and gauges. The car, which is now roadworthy and has been driven recently, has been shipped over to England to be sold in Iconic Auctioneers' forthcoming Silverstone sale. An Iconic Auctioneers spokesperson said: 'Following a tip-off, this early 356 Speedster was uncovered at a smallholding in Ohio, where it had reportedly remained with the same family for over 70 years. 'The engine was disassembled and remarkably, only required new piston rings before being fully inspected and reassembled. 'The matching gearbox was similarly stripped, checked and rebuilt, while the fuel system was recommissioned, retaining the original fuel tank with its attractive patination. 'Externally, every effort was made to preserve the integrity of the original early 356 body. 'It is understood that the Speedster was in regular use only until 1962, covering approximately 60,000 miles before being laid to rest in the barn where it was later discovered. 'At some point early in its life, possibly by the supplying dealership, it was repainted silver, traces of which remain visible on the bodywork today. 'We are informed that the Speedster performs exceptionally well, idling smoothly with no smoke and having completed various trips without issue. 'This is a rare opportunity to acquire an exceptionally well preserved Pre-A 356 Speedster, a model highly regarded for its purity and iconic design. 'From the few Pre-A Speedsters that do make it to market, it is very rare to see a survivor car as many are now restored.' The sale takes place on August 23.
Motor 1
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
This Abandoned Alfa Romeo Dealer Hides a Treasure Trove of Iconic Cars
There are numerous abandoned dealerships around the world, and every now and then, we'll tell you about a specific find. They'll have sheds crammed with models of all kinds, among which cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are hidden. Or even more. But that's not the case here. One YouTuber, The Bearded Explorer , discovered a dealership in Holland stuffed with Alfa Romeo cars mainly from the 1990s and 2000s, with a few slightly older models. It's a barn find hunter's dream. Old Glories The video opens with a Ferrari 360 Modena, which has nothing to do with the Alfa Romeo world, but we certainly can't deny it's a beautiful sight, even if it is in a sad state of repair. A few kilometers later, we come to the dealership with an incredible collection of abandoned Alfas. We start with an Alfa Romeo 156, followed by a handful of 159s, a 145, and what appears to be a 1970s Giulia . All that remains of her is the rusted bodywork and little else. Next appears an Alfa Romeo 166 with the 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6 engine. The legendary Busso, here in the 226-horsepower version, delivers a top speed of 147 miles per hour. Not an unremarkable pedigree for Alfa's last great flagship—a good design that was unable to break through and play on equal footing with the usual Germans. The Era of Front-Wheel Drive While the 166 had little luck, the 155 , designed by Ercole Spada, who recently passed away, with almost 200,000 units sold, was a good success—even if it was too closely related to the Fiat Tempra, which received some criticism. The abandoned example looks like one of the best-preserved, with the green bodywork almost immaculate and the black alloy wheels intact. Behind it hides a red 33, heir to the legendary Alfasud, which surpassed it in quality. It was rewarded with about one million units sold in 12 years. Alongside it was another 33, this time in Quadrifoglio Verde and recognizable by its rear wing and body-color bumper. It's equipped with the 105-horsepower 1.5 boxer derived from the Alfasud Ti and is capable of reaching 185 mph. Then, there is a true piece from the 90s (at least for those who, as I wrote, did not enter adolescence in the 90s); the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, the ultimate expression of the Biscone's sportiness between the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. It had the Busso engine, tweaked aesthetics, and nastiness to spare. The Surprises The long tour takes us into the workshop where a GTV6 sits on the deck, in apparently good condition. It has a 2.5-liter, 160-hp V-6 under the hood. Then there is a 33 decked out in a special way with six additional lights perched on the front, presumably a safety car for some local championship. Check Out More Abandoned Cars: Someone Save This Alfa Romeo Montreal Barn Find This Mustang Barn Find Looks Like a Basket Case... But There's Hope Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Source: The Bearded Explorer / YouTube Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Auto Car
28-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
I bought 70 classic Skodas, and I keep them in the garden
Think this year's Festival of the Unexceptional winner knows about Skodas? Mark is the real Skoda oracle Open gallery Mark's Skodas live barn-find style in assorted farm buildings Mark says generally classic car people are very interested in Estelles... ...but much less so with Favorits and Fabias. Close Mark Torok says his love affair with Skodas has, at times, got a little out of hand. 'There was a stage in my life when I was buying Skodas like other people buy groceries,' he admits. The Skoda enthusiast has amassed a collection of more than 70 cars for what he calls his 'Skoda orphanage', many of them dating from the company's transition period in the 1990s. The oldest is a 1973 S110 DeLuxe that Mark rescued from a scrapyard in the Czech Republic. The newest is a 2006 Skoda Superb V6 that he saved from re-export to eastern Europe. His favourite is an original 'stretched Passat' Superb of 2002. Mark says: 'In the UK, people's interest in Skodas stops at the Estelle and starts again with the Skoda Fabia and Skoda Octavia of the 2000s. Sadly, the Favorit and Felicia in between are trapped in that no man's land of obscurity. That's where I come in.' Mark's Skodas live barn-find style in assorted farm buildings but his aim is to get them together under one roof. For the time being, the main thing is that they are safely hidden away from the scrapyard. Remarkably, most of them require just basic recommissioning and a good wash. Skoda can trace its origins to 1895 when it was founded as Laurin & Klement. It made its first car in 1905 and was renamed Skoda in the 1920s. A succession of well-regarded models followed until progress was interrupted by World War II. The firm barely recovered under communism and, by the 1980s, 'Skoda' was a byword for unreliability. With the fall of communism and the arrival of new partner Volkswagen, things began to improve and a succession of impressive new models including the Favorit, Felicia and Skoda Fabia helped prepare the ground for the brand's revival. 'My grandfather was the biggest Skoda fan going and got me hooked on the company,' says Mark. 'It's been fascinating seeing the firm develop and grow. I often wonder what he would make of it all now.' He says the UK scraps and wastes cars far too quickly and believes there's never been a more important time to secure vehicles such as his Skodas for preservation: 'People say I am wasting my time but my girlfriend Victoria says they are not thinking in the fourth dimension, as Doc Brown does in Back to the Future. She says I am creating a treasure trove that will delight future fans of the Skoda marque. 'The doors to my orphanage will always be open to any unwanted Skoda. I will be to Skoda what the Schlumpf brothers were to Bugatti!' Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The $4 Million Barn Find Bugatti Hidden in a Garage for 50 Years
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector In 2009, one of the most astonishing barn finds in automotive history stunned the collector car world. Hidden in a dusty garage in Newcastle, England, sat a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante—untouched, forgotten, and coated in nearly five decades of dust. When auction house Bonhams announced its discovery, enthusiasts called it a 'once-in-a-lifetime treasure.' But the story behind how this car ended up locked away is almost as fascinating as the car itself. Watch the full story of this incredible Bugatti barn find in our video below. A Forgotten Treasure The Bugatti was found in the garage of Dr. Harold Carr, an eccentric British orthopedic surgeon who purchased the car in 1955. Once owned by Francis Curzon, the 5th Earl Howe, a renowned Le Mans racer, the Type 57S Atalante was already considered a rare and desirable car in the 1950s. But sometime in the 1960s, Carr parked the Bugatti and never drove it again. For the next 50 years, it sat untouched, with cracked tires, cobwebbed headlights, and dust settling on every surface—a true time capsule. What Makes the Bugatti Type 57S Atalante Special The Type 57S Atalante is one of the most sought-after pre-war Bugattis ever built. Only 17 were produced, and its design was considered revolutionary at the time. Equipped with a 3.3-liter straight-eight engine, the 57S Atalante was lightweight, elegant, and fast, with a distinctive teardrop-shaped body that has become one of the most iconic Bugatti silhouettes in history. The fact that this particular car still had its original components intact after 50 years of storage made it even more valuable to collectors. The Auction Frenzy When the Bugatti crossed the auction block at Bonhams in Paris, collectors from around the world competed for the chance to own it. Despite its dusty, unrestored condition, the Atalante sold for an incredible £3.4 million—around $4.4 million USD. Some argued it should be preserved exactly as it was found, while others believed a full restoration would reveal its original beauty. The Mystery of Why It Was Hidden The biggest question remains: why did Dr. Carr hide the car for so long? Some believe he lost interest in driving as he grew older. Others suggest he may have wanted to preserve the car's originality, knowing it could someday be historically significant. There's even speculation that financial concerns or personal reasons may have played a role. Whatever the reason, Carr's decision inadvertently created one of the most important barn finds of all time. A Once-in-a-Lifetime Find Today, the Bugatti Atalante serves as a reminder that automotive treasures are still out there, hidden in garages, barns, and sheds, waiting to be discovered. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
