Rusty Treasures: Some of the Most Amazing Cars Found in Abandoned Garages

Ergo, finding a car that has managed to take roots in the backyard or in an old garage might not seem that special or appealing, but don’t fall for it.

The interesting thing is that these cars somehow manage to dodge the usual warning signs that scream “don’t buy me” when one is in the market for a car. Rust? Sure, no problem. Mold? Yes, don’t worry. Flat tires for more than 40 years? Sounds like a winner!

Obviously, dozens of years in a barn are unlikely to positively affect the general condition of a car, but sometimes there’s more than what meets the eye. Sales specialists that deal with these type of situations can tell really quickly if a barn find has potential, or if it has to be melted simply because it’s entirely covered by rust.

In addition, the history and personal status of the car have a direct influence on the final price, which in some cases is actually lot, considering the state of most of these finds. Another crucial factor is scarcity, the rarer the car was at the time of assembly, the more expensive it will be now. And if somehow you find yourself in this lucky scenario with a truly unique model, then most likely the potential buyers will not give a darn about how you found the car.

Sometimes in sheds and piles of iron, entire collections of rarities could be hidden, as it happened a couple of years ago in France, where they found the abandoned collection of Roger Baillon. This “barn-find” was actually envisioned to become a unique museum, but as things turned out that didn’t materialize.

After Roger’s death, the collection dusted and rusted almost under the open sky in a half-abandoned estate, until Baillon’s grandchildren stumbled across it. Auctioneers who were invited to evaluate the rarities stated that the collection exceeded $25 million.

Among many models found there, a few were quite exquisite pieces. A 1956 Maserati A6G 2000 Gran Sport Berlinetta Frua, a Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider and a Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux, just to name a few.

Another mind boggling find took place in Japan, where a 1969 Ferrari Daytona that was considered lost for over 40 years was found in a pretty decent condition. A car that was prepped for the 24 Hours Race of Daytona featuring an all-aluminum body made by Sergio Scaglietti, who has been working with Ferrari chassis since the 1950s.

The car was sold at a RM Sothesby’s auction for little over $2 million, unrestored. It even had the dust on it. Builds character, apparently.

Yet another beautiful find happened near Chicago, where a very rare Aquamarine Blue Metallic 1957 Porsche 1600 Speedster has been waiting in a garage untouched for almost 40 years.

It was back in 1975, when the owner parked his Porsche in the garage, and it sat there forgotten until the his death in 2012. The car is supposed to only have minor rust patches, mostly around the battery which is a pretty common thing among Porsches of that era, especially the ones which have sat for such long periods of time.

This one in particular is a very rare find, as it only had one owner prior to its rediscovery. The man who had it for 59 years displayed the car at several Porsche Clubs of America events but somehow resisted the urge to take it on a track day.

It was rumored before going to auction that the car will get bids for around $200,000, but in fact it was sold at an impressive $605,000 without including any sales related fees.

Most often than not, barn finds are indeed a game with very high stakes, but may result in the rebirth of a complete rarity, as people are active in the market for such things. For those who don’t want to keep them rusty and dusty, with a bunch of usable original parts, this even comes close to an ideal rebuild scenario.