Barn finds have almost become a regular occurrence within the motoring world. It seems like every other week someone discovers a vintage Ferrari or Lamborghini in their backyard shed, which then goes on to sell for hundreds of thousands of Dollars at classic car auctions.
Barn finds are more common in Europe and are usually a result of either war or the original owners of the vehicle stashing it away to keep it safe, and some people have gone through massive troubles to keep the cars from being discovered. As such, some of the best barn finds have been discovered in the US, usually when some wealthy person moved to New York or achieved fame in sunny California. Many times, these rediscovered vehicles are restored by their original automakers – such as Dodge, Chevrolet, and Jaguar – if the manufacturers still exist.
So, while there have been many great barn finds in countries such as England, France, Belgium, and Germany, the US has also seen equally important cars being discovered. With that, here are ten of the sickest barn finds discovered in the United States of America.
10 Ferrari Dino, California
The Ferrari 246 Dino might not be the most popular of Ferraris, but there is one that has quite an interesting story. In 1974, the owner of the two-month-old Dino reported it stolen in the Los Angeles area and the police really couldn’t find it, so the owner’s insurance company paid out the claim.
Two years later, in 1977, children were playing in the backyard of a house nearby, when they dug a hole and hit something metallic. It turned out to be the Dino. The car was exhumed and sold to a collector who had it meticulously restored to factory condition and now carries the vanity plate, ‘DUG UP’ as a nod to the car’s past.
9 Bullitt Mustang ‘Hero Car’, New York
The Mustang Bullitt is one of the most famous Mustangs ever to grace the silver screen. It has an iconic chase scene on the streets of San Francisco, tailing an equally iconic Dodge Charger R/T. The ‘hero car’ – the version used for the close-up shots and used outside the chase scenes – was sold to a man in New York. ‘Movie cars’ weren’t all that desirable back then, so it wasn’t really all that exciting to sell a car that starred in a film.
The owner of the car kept it for decades and intended to restore it, but never got around to actually doing it. The owner’s son found out about the enormous value of the car and got help to keep it a secret until eventually revealing the car at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show alongside the 2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt. The whole story is an inspiration and is a true motoring enthusiast’s tale.
8 Shelby Cobra Daytona, California
The original Shelby Cobra Daytona – the one which was used for testing and eventually used to race at Daytona and Le Mans – was sold to a businessman in the late 1960s. It was then bought by another businessman in the 1970s, who had it modified for road-legal use and drove it around Los Angeles.
The car disappeared in the 1970s and no one could find any trace of it. Decades later, the vehicle was found in a storage lock-up, buried in old newspapers and other junk. It was bought by a museum and is now a permanent exhibit for the world to see.
7 Ferrari 250 GTO, Ohio
The Ferrari 250 GTO was the most expensive vehicle on the planet for a good number of years, before being overtaken by the recently sold Mercedes-Benz 300SLR race car. The 250 GTO was built in the 1960s, primarily for use in Ferrari’s 24 Hours of Le Mans races – which it dominated.
One model of the famous Ferrari ended up in the US, where it was driven around for a bit in the 1970s. It was then placed in a trailer and almost forgotten. The car was rediscovered, still parked on the trailer, standing in the middle of a random field, before being sold and restored. Today, it is driven again and is among the most expensive cars ever made.
6 Lamborghini Miura, New York
The Lamborghini Miura was the start of the supercar as we know it today. It was the first car to have a big V12 in the middle, and it didn’t have side mirrors because ‘owners of Miuras do not need to look behind them’ – a marketing ploy as the Miura was one of the fastest road cars of the time, far outpacing the equivalent Ferrari.
Many famous people have owned Miuras, with some getting lost over time. This specific Miura was parked in a family home garage with the intent to work on the brakes and clutch, but got stalled due to various reasons, eventually staying in the same garage for decades. The Miura was eventually restored by the family and now drives around the town and surrounding area as a show car.
5 Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’, California
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ is one of the most iconic cars in history, being Mercedes’ first official attempt at a proper sports car. This specific 300SL was bought as a college graduation gift and was driven until the 1970s when the transmission broke.
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The car was deposited into storage until it could be fixed – which never happened – and was rediscovered by some Canadians after rumors started spreading of its existence. When it was eventually found, it turned out the 300SL was a rare alloy-bodied version, one of only 28 ever made. The car was restored by the Canadian auto shop and is in the owner’s possession.
4 Ferrari 275GTB and Shelby Cobra 427, North Carolina
It is quite a nice day when one comes across a barn with not one, but two rare vehicles inside. This is exactly what happened when Barn Find Hunters heard of a Ferrari and Shelby sitting in a barn for the last 27 years. When they got there, the cars were a silver Ferrari 275 GTB and a Shelby Cobra 427 – both with less than 20,000 miles on their odometers.
At first, the current owner didn’t want to sell, but when Hagerty came along and valued the cars at nearly $4 million, they decided to sell them in their unrestored condition. It is quite amazing seeing cars like these being left to decay. Luckily, us motoring enthusiasts revel in stories and experiences such as these.
3 Mercedes-Benz 500K, California
The Mercedes-Benz 500K is a beautiful piece of pre-war German metal that can easily fetch a few million at auction. One of these models was found a few years ago in Southern California and has since begun restoration. The vehicle is far from being done, but it is already an amazing-looking beauty.
The 500K was fitted with a 5.0-liter inline-8 engine and was built between 1934 and 1936. It was one of the most luxurious and best-handling cars of its time, being driven by the rich and famous of the era – often being imported to North America by film stars and businessmen alike.
2 Dodge Charger Daytona, Alabama
The Dodge Charger Daytona was only built for the 1969 model year as it wasn’t a very popular vehicle during its time. It has now become quite valuable, with examples easily selling for hundreds of thousands of Dollars.
This specific one was bought by a judge in 1969 but was sold in 1974 before being left in a barn. The vehicle was rediscovered and was put on auction in its discovered state as restoring it would cost a lot of money since many of the parts need to be completely replaced. Still, it is quite the barn find.
1 Ferrari 166MM, Arizona
The Ferrari 166MM is the car that originally put the Prancing Horse on the automotive map – so to speak. It was fitted with a 2.0-liter version of the Colombo V12 and was primarily used for racing, with the MM version specifically modified for the famous Mille Miglia.
A man named Reginald Lee reportedly bought a 166MM and had it shipped out to California in the 1950s. He drove it around for a while, but with it being a race car, something broke and Mr. Lee left it outside in the elements of Arizona for decades. The car was eventually discovered and had a lot of people cueing up to buy it, with the winner being a Mr. Del Arroz – who paid well over $1 million for it in its pre-restored state. He got it back to driving condition but kept it slightly worn down as a testament to its history
