Jalopnik: barn find

Epic 275-Classic Car Junkyard Collection Headed To Auction

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:30:00 EDT

If you're anywhere near Palmya, Nebraska this weekend, you should plan to hit the estate auction of John Armbrust. Over the past 50 years he collected more than 275 vehicles, and they're all for sale. Absolutely epic gallery below.

Apparently, when Mr. Armbrust left this world, he had a lot of unfinished projects, having collected over 275 examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly in transportation history over the last 80 or so years. From a Bultaco motorcycle to a diesel Buick, there's something here for every taste and automotive perversion. Want a '57 Chevy two door? There's eight of 'em. 1958 Pontiac Chieftain 4-door? You bet. A Vega? Sure enough. What looks like a Packard Custom 8 is something really capturing our fancy. Below is a partial list of the vehicles that'll be on the sale this Saturday, going under the gavel of Speckman Realty and Auction Services, and even it is a whopper. This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime auctions that makes you wish for a really big trailer and a lot of garage space. We normally hesitate to use the word "epic," but to describe this cache of classics, we think it's appropriate.

Chevrolet
Chevy 4-door Woody
1960 Impala 2-door hard tops - 2
1961 Impala 2-door hard top
1964 Impala 2-door hard tops - 2
1970's Impala
1964 Malibu SS
1964 Malibu Chevelle
Chevy Monte Carlo
1970's Camaro
1975 Camaro
1955 Bel Air 4-door sedans - 5
1959 BelAir 2-door sedan
1960 BelAir 2-door hard top
1961 BelAir 4-door sedan
1948 Fleetline 2-door sedans - 2
1948 Fleetline 4-door sedan
1948 Fleetmaster 4-door sedan
1953 Power Glide 4-door sedan
1951 Deluxe 2-door sedans - 2
1958 Brookwood wagons - 2
1958 Delray 2-door sedan
1953 3100 van
1930's 2-door sedan
1939 4-door sedan
1940's 2-door sedans - 2
1948 4-door sedan
1949 4-door sedans - 2
1950's 2-door sedan
1951 4-door sedans - 4
1951 2-door sedans - 2
1951 4-door sedan
1952 4-door sedan
1953 2-door hard top
1953 2-door sedans - 2
1953 station wagon
1954 2-door sedan
1954 4-door sedan
1955 2-door sedan
1955 2-door hard top
1955 2-door sedans - 3
1955 4-door sedan
1955 2-door hard top
1955 4-door sedans - 2
1956 2-door sedans - 3
1956 4-door wagons - 2
1956 2-door hard top
1956 2-door wagon
1956 4-door sedans - 5
1957 4-door sedans - 8
1957 2-door sedan
1957 4-door hard top
1957 2-door hard top
1957 4-door wagon
1958 4-door sedan
1980 4-door sedan

Ford
1964 Mustang 2-door hard top
1964 Mustangs - 2
1965 Mustang
1960 T-Bird
1963 Galaxie 500 Sunliner convertible
1960's era Galaxie 2-door hard top
1955 Sunliner convertible
1960's Sunliner convertible
1960 convertible
1952 DeLuxe 2-door
1952 Crestline 2-door hard top
1955 Victoria 2-door hard tops - 2
1955 Fairlane Club Sedan 2-door sedan
1957 Fairlane 2-door hard top
Fairlane wagon
1952 Custom 2-door
1954 2-door hard top w/continental trunk
1955 Ranch Wagon 2-door
1958 Country Sedan 4-door station wagon
1956 station wagon
1956 4-door wagon
1956 2-door wagon
1936 4-door sedan w/suicide doors
1930's era 2-door sedan - 2
1940's era 4-door sedan
1946 2-door sedan - 2
1951 2-door sedan
1952 2-door & 4-door sedans
1954 4-door sedan
1955 4-door sedan
1956 4-door sedan - 2
1956 2-door sedan
1957 2-door hard top
1958 4-door sedan

Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge
1950's Willy's Jeep station wagon
Willy's Jeep station wagon
1950's Chrysler Windsor 4-door sedan
Plymouth Valiant 200
1940's Plymouth
1940's Plymouth Concorde 2-door
1940's Dodge 2-door sedan
1950's Dodge 2-door sedan
1952 Dodge 2-door sedan

Pontiac
1952 Pontiac 4-door sedan - 2
1953 Pontiac 4-door sedan
1955 Pontiac 4-door station wagon
1958 Pontiac Chieftain 4-door hard top
1958 Pontiac Chieftain 4-door sedan
1964 Pontiac Starchief 2-door hard top
1964 Pontiac Catalina convertible 2-door

Buick
1946 Buick Century
1951 Buick Eight Special 2-door hard top
1952 Buick 4-door
1953 Buick Eight Special 2-door hard top
1953 Buick 2-door hard top - 2
1954 Buick 2-door sedan
1956 Buick Special 2-door hard top
1959 Buick 4-door
1980 Buick diesel

Pickups
1940's Studebaker pickup
Chevy Luv
1940's Chevy
1946 Chevy - 2
1948 Chevy - 4
1950's 5-window Chevy
1950's Chevy 3/4 Ton
1950's Chevy
1953 Chevy 1/2 Ton
1955 Chevy 5700
1962 Chevy 1/2 Ton
1964 Chevy
1964 Chevy 20
1970's Chevy 3/4 Ton - 4
1973 Chevy Custom Deluxe 50
1980s Chevy
Old Ford, 1920's?
1946 Ford
1949 Ford
1951 Fords - 2
1952 Ford
1954 Ford
1957 Ford F250
1970's Ford 4x4
1956 GMC
1967 GMC 3/4 Ton
1950's IH 110
1960's IH 4x4

Other Makes
Torpedo nose Studebaker Champion
1950ís torpedo nose Studebaker
1954 Studebaker 4-door
1956 Studebaker Commander
1940's Packard Clipper 4-door
1950's Packard 2-door sedan
1958 Edsel Ranger 4-door sedan
1950 Desoto 4-door sedan
1951 Desoto Firedome 8 4-door
1956 Desoto 2-door sedan
1946 Nash 4-door sedan
1953 Nash Airflight
Vega
1946 Mercury 2-door sedan
1950's Mercury 2-door hard top
Mercury Lynx LS
Mercury Capri
Mercury 4-door, suicide doors
Olds 88 Fiesta 4-door hard top wagon
Olds Omega
1950 Olds 4-door sedan
1952 Olds Futuramic 4-door sedan
1953 Olds 88 4-door sedan
1955 Olds 4-door sedan
1955 Olds Holiday 4-door hard top
1956 Olds 2-door hard top
1957 Olds 88 4-door hard top
1961 Olds 4-door hard top
Plymouth Valiant convertible
1940ís Plymouth
1950ís Plymouth 2-door sedan
1959 Cadillac
1980's Cadillac
'56 or '57 Lincoln Premier 2-door convertible
1950's Lincoln 2-door sedan
1960 Corvair
1980 Subaru GL 4-wheel drive
Humber 4-door sedan
Bultaco motorcycle
1952 Chevy school bus

After this sale, we feel balance will be restored to an automotive universe darkened by Cash For Clunkers. For more details on location and time, visit Speckmann Realty And Auction Services. If anybody makes it out there this weekend, please send us pictures.

All 700+ Historischer Autofriedhof Gürbetal Cars To Be Sold!

Murilee Martin — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT

Remember the Swiss neutron star of potential Hell Projects, Historischer Autofriedhof Gürbetal? All 700+ vehicles will be auctioned off next month!

Yes, the Historischer Autofriedhof Gürbetal collection, which comprises the largest concentration of pancreas-meltingly cool project cars ever assembled in one place, will go under the auctioneer's gavel on September 19th. Naturally, I'll be doing some furious lobbying to get the Gawker Overlords to ship me over there to buy every Jalopnik employee his own Official Jalopnik Staff Car (I'm sort of torn between one of the Lancia Flaminias and the Sunbeam Rapier for myself). There's plenty of Detroit iron, too, including 13 Plymouth Valiants and 10 Chevy Impalas. You can get the complete PDF list of the vehicles here; we'll share some of the highlights:
• 9 1947-52 Citroën 11s
• 13 Alfa Romeo Giuliettas
• 6 Borgward Isabellas
• 5 Chevy IIs
• 14 Morris Minors
• 23 Opel Olympias
• 6 Studebaker Champions
You get the idea. Go here for the overview, here for some more. Thanks to OneWheelDrive for the tip!

Fill Your Neighborhood With Affordable Rootes Group Machinery!

Murilee Martin — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:00:00 EDT

What do you call a collection of rusty Singers, Hillmans, Simcas, and Sunbeams, assembled as part of an "outdoor museum" in Waukesha, and all for sale cheap? Wisconsin Death Trip?

This bunch of Rootes Group classics has roused the ire of the Communists in charge of zoning enforcement in Waukesha, and everything must go. Even Ed Gein himself would have a tough time resisting a '59 Singer Gazelle for just 300 bucks, and that's only the beginning! If Rootes machines aren't your obsession, you might consider the solid '72 Celica or the batch of cab-over-engine Detroit trucks from the 1930s and 1940s.
[Bring A Trailer]

Arlen Ness Bike #6 Found In Oakland Garage, Gold Leaf Still Looks Great

Murilee Martin — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:45:00 EDT

I'm not really a motorcycle freak, but like all right-thinking Americans I'm bummed that custom bikes have followed rods over the precipice into the Overwrought Rococo Era. That makes this 1970 time capsule especially refreshing.

East Bay native Arlen Ness is well-known these days, but in 1970 he was still building his creations at his house. This bike, which I spotted at a local car show a couple weeks back, was one of his very first machines. It sat behind a bunch of boxes in an Oakland garage for more than three decades, before being unearthed and cleaned up. Check out the sign-painter-grade gold leaf stars on the tank- maybe Detroit could start putting these on their cars as part of their survival strategy!

I saw some other cool stuff at this show, including the legendary Boss Pinto; here's a bonus gallery for y'all:

Priceless Cache Of Thirty Vintage Cars Found In Rural UK Town

Peter Orosz — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:30:00 EDT

Village mechanic Jimmy Blanche collected antique cars for decades on his land. The decaying but complete and restorable Daimlers, Singers and Austins will be auctioned off in April.

The British newspapers are abuzz this morning with the story of a massive cache of old cars found in a cottage in rural Norfolk. Owner Jimmy Blanche, who died earlier this year, has amassed a collection that includes Austins, Swifts, Singers, Rileys, a Daimler, a Lea Francis, a Lanchester, a Sunbeam and a rare 1930s Morris Minor convertible. Bonus points to everyone who knows what all these things look like without the help of Google Images.

Blanche lived the life of a recluse and kept his cars on private property which turned into an overgrown wilderness over the decades. “He was a familiar sight in the village on his bike. He always wore a long tatty leather coat with a bit of baler twine as a belt and wellington boots,” reports a friend as quoted by the Daily Express.

The cars, which have been off the road for 50 years, will be auctioned off on April 4. Auctioneer Guy Snelling describes the cars as being in a poor state, but adds that they are mostly complete and can be restored. “One man's wreck is another man's restoration project,” he added.

With eight men needing two weeks to hack through the undergrowth in the manner of princes on their way to Cinderella's castle, this appears to be a Project Car Hell of Danteian proportions. Especially when you consider that any restorer will have to put up with the pun Sterling Moss at least 666 times.

Photo Credit: The Sun, Daily Mail

Vintage Porsche 356 Racer Found In Mississippi Barn

Andrew Didorosi — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:00:00 EST

Hiding in a partially collapsed lean-to in Mississippi, this vintage Porsche 356 racer tells no secrets besides what its roll cage evidently gives away.

It is a safe bet to say there is a lifetime of stories wrapped up in this Porsche found resting in a barn somewhere in Mississippi. With no proper documentation or previous owner spouting off his personal sagas, one can only guess what type of action this car has seen.

Estimates put the Porsche at a '53, but nothing is certain. Based on how high the bids have been chased up at this point, we can be relatively assured the next owner will put the proper amount of care into such a machine and return it to glory.

[eBay]

£3 Million 1937 Bugatti Found In British Garage After Almost 50 Years

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:52:00 EST

An unmolested 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, one of only 17 built, was discovered in a garage in the UK after gathering dust for almost 50 years. The estimated value? At least $4.35 million!

An unmolested 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante was discovered after spending 48 years in a quiet, Tyneside, Britain garage. It's being termed "one of the last great barn-finds" with an estimated value of at least £3 Million ($4.35 million).

The car was originally owned by the first president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, Earl Howe, and through a series of sales ended up in the hands of a reclusive doctor named Harold Carr. After driving the car for a couple years, it was parked in a private garage in 1960 and hasn't seen the road since. With only seventeen examples of Type 57S Atalantes ever produced, the car was notably absent in the history of significant Bugattis.

In 2007, Dr. Carr passed away and left the contents of the garage to his family. That was when the car was discovered. It's currently set to cross the auction blocks at Bonhams of Paris next month, and with the combination of an incredibly rare chassis, only 26,284 original miles, a rare supercharged inline eight engine and its unmolested condition, we suspect some very wealthy bidders will push the price well past that initial valuation of $4.35 million.

Reminds us of that barn-found 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante a couple years ago. Wonder how many more are out there, lurking in dusty barns.(Hat tip to everyone who sent this in!)

[via BBC]

Photo Credit: Bonhams

Massive Secret Mustang Junkyard Found In Rhode Island Forest

Andrew Didorosi — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:45:00 EST

Imagine a secret junkyard frozen in time somewhere around the 70's with every bit of vintage hardware stretching for hundreds of acres. Classic Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, Hemis; you name it, it's here. But not for long: The law man's saying to crush 'em. Massive mega-gallery below along with the location and what you can do to save them.

Rhode Island authorities have ordered this illicit junkyard crushed immediately, but such an undertaking takes time. Word says that these cars are slowly marching towards the fateful crusher, but there is hope. The owner goes by the name of JR and he's willing to make a deal. For the address, you've gotta swear to not go trampling around this guy's backyard without his permission. That's uncool to start, but what's more, you might be on the receiving end of a rock salt salvo. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Now that we've got that out of the way, this dream junkyard can be found here, which is in the forests of Rhode Island. If any readers decide to purchase some vintage iron from said junkyard, drop us a few pictures at tips@jalopnik.com. Happy hunting. Hat tip to Zack!

[MustangForum]

Warehouse Full Of Vintage Race Cars... And All But The XK140 Are For Sale!

Murilee Martin — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:40:00 EDT

Technically, this isn't a barn find; it's the collection of a lifelong racer in Southern California who is now retiring from the sport and plans to get down to just one car from his fairly extensive collection of race machines, classics, show cars, and projects. There's some painfully cool stuff in this dusty warehouse, including a couple of Alfas, a very clean '51 Ford, an Austin Healey 100-4, and more. Bring A Trailer has obtained some photos showing the details of a few of the cars, so check 'em out! [Bring A Trailer]

Amazing Barn Find: Aussie Man Hoards 297 Classic Cars

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:30:00 EDT

We've stumbled across an amazing story of an Aussie classic car collector with almost three hundred cars stored outside his farm in the Adelaide countryside. The range of body styles includes sedans, coupes, roadsters and convertibles, trucks and vans from the 1930s to the 1980s. They've got badges from almost every continent — European, American and even Australian oddities. The nameplates run through storied names from Austin, BMW, Chrysler, Hudson, Jaguar, Jensen, Lancia, Morris, Nash, Oldsmobile, Renault, Singer, Sunbeam, Vauxhall and Wolseley just to name a few. One hundred of the cars have been stored in paddocks, surrounded by spare parts and two hundred of the cars are in sheds in classic "down under country style" — corrugated iron roofs, no doors and dirt floors. Want to see them all? We've got the full list of the cars after the jump and the gallery below of the most amazing barn find collection we've ever seen.

The Full Collection

Alfa Romeo
1975 Alfetta sedan: 1
1976 Alfetta GTV coupe: 2
1980 Giulietta sedan: 1
1983 33 sedan: 1
Total: 5

Alvis
1947 TA 14 sedan: 1

Armstrong-Siddeley
1953 Sapphire sedan: 1

Audi
1967 90 sedan: 1

Austin
1930s unknown tourer: 2
1930s unknown sedan: 1
1947 A40 sedan: 2
1949 A90 sedan: 2
1949 A70 sedan: 1
1949 A70 sedan: 2
1951 A30 sedan: 2
1951 A40 sedan: 1
1950s A90 sedan: 4
1957 Lancer sedan: 1
1957 A95 sedan: 2
1959 A99 sedan: 1
1958 A40 sedan: 1
1961 A60 sedan: 1
1961 A60 sedan: 1
1961 Freeway sedan: 2
1961 A60 sedan: 2
1961 A60 station wagon: 1
1961 1100 sedan: 1
1966 1800 sedan: 2
1970 Kimberley sedan: 1
Total: 31

BMW
1962 3200 CS coupe: 1
1971 2000 sedan: 1
1974 728 sedan: 1
1983 635 CSi coupe: 1
1979 733i sedan: 1
Total: 5

Citroen
1973 DS 23 sedan: 1
1974 CX 2200 sedan: 1
1978 CX 2400 sedan: 1
Total: 3

Dodson
1910s unknown: 1

Daimler
1950s unknown sedan: 2

Essex
1920s unknown sedan: 1

Fiat
1946 500 sedan: 2
1955 1100 sedan: 1
1966 124 coupe: 2
1965 850 coupe: 1
1971 130 sedan: 1
1971 130 coupe: 1
Total: 8

Ford
1908 Model T home built racer: 1
1950 Consul sedan: 2
1939 Prefect sedan: 2
1956 Zodiac sedan: 1
1950 Zephyr sedan: 2
1960 Anglia station wagon: 1
1956 Zephyr sedan: 2
1962 Cortina sedan: 4
1966 Zodiac sedan: 1
1974 Cortina sedan: 1
1977 Falcon sedan: 1
1977 LTD sedan: 1
1977 Capri hatch: 1
Total: 20

Goliath
1960s unknown sedan: 1

Hillman
1952 Minx Californian coupe: 1
1956 Minx sedan: 5
1958 Minx station wagon: 2
1970 Hunter sedan: 1
Total: 9

Holden
1956 FE sedan: 1
1963 EJ sedan: 1
1966 HR sedan: 1
1979 Commodore sedan: 1
Total: 4

Honda
1971 Coupe 9 coupe: 1

Hudson
1948 Commodore 8 sedan: 1

Humber
1945 Snipe sedan: 2
1958 Hawk sedan: 2
1961 Vogue sedan: 1
1964 Sceptre sedan: 1
Total: 6

Hupmobile
1920s unknown sedan: 2

Jaguar
1945 unknown sedan: 1
1950 Mk VII sedan: 1
1955 Mk I sedan: 2
1959 Mk II sedan: 1
1960s home built special sports: 1
1968 XJ 6 sedan: 1
1975 XJ-S coupe: 1
Total: 8

Jensen
1967 Interceptor coupe: 1

Jewett
1920s unknown sedan: 1

Lanchester
1950s unknown sedan: 3

Lancia
1963 Fulvia sedan: 2

Leyland
1973 P 76 sedan: 1

Lloyd Alexander
1958 unknown sedan: 1

Mercedes-Benz
1951 220 sedan: 1
1968 250 sedan: 1
1978 450 sedan: 1
1988 300 sedan: 1
1989 500 coupe: 1
Total: 5

Mercury
1973 Cougar XR-7 hard top: 1

MG
1953 Magnette sedan: 1

Morris
1920s Cowley sedan: 1
1949 Oxford sedan: 1
1949 Oxford station wagon: 1
1949 Isis sedan: 1
1949 Minor sedan: 1
1949 6 sedan: 1
1950s A90 sedan: 4
1957 Marshall sedan: 1
1960s Oxford sedan: 2
1962 1100 sedan: 1
1965 Mini Deluxe sedan: 1
1960s Nomad 1500 hatch: 1
1960s Marina sedan: 1
1960s Elite sedan: 2
1973 Allegro sedan: 1
Total: 20

Nash
1949 Airflyte Ambassador sedan: 1

Peugeot
1947 203 sedan: 1
1953 403 sedan: 3
1960 404 sedan: 5
1968 504 sedan: 1
1979 505 sedan: 2
1978 604 sedan: 1
1984 205 hatch: 1
Total: 14

Pontiac
1973 Grand Am coupe: 1

Renault
1939 Juvaquatre sedan: 1
1949 750 sedan: 1
1951 Fregate sedan: 2
1950s unknown station wagon: 1
1957 Dauphine Gordini sedan: 1
1961 R4 van: 1 1971 R17 coupe: 1
Total: 8

Reo
1910s unknown

Riley
1953 Pathfinder sedan: 2
1947 2.5 litre sedan: 1
Total: 3

Rolls Royce
1920s unknown: 1

Rover
1946 P3 sedan: 4
1950 P4 sedan: 3
1953 105 S sedan: 2
1960 P5 sedan: 5
1967 P5 coupe: 1
1966 2000 sedan: 1
1978 SD 1 sedan: 5
1981 SD 1 Vanden Plas sedan: 1
Total: 22

Simca
1951 Aronde sedan: 1

Singer
1934 9 sedan: 1
1939 1500 special body tourer: 1
1949 SM 1500 sedan: 2
1950 SM 1500 tourer: 2
1959 1500 sedan: 1
Total: 7

Skoda
1945 1101 sedan: 1
1945 1101 station wagon: 1
Total: 2

Standard
1948 Vanguard sedan: 1
1953 Eight sedan: 1
1954 Spacemaster sedan: 1
Total: 3

Sunbeam
1949 Ninety sedan: 1
1955 Rapier sedan: 1
Total: 2

Triumph
1949 Mayflower: 2
1959 Herald sedan: 1
1959 Herald coupe: 1
1959 Herald station wagon: 1
1963 2000 Mk 1 sedan: 2
1970 2500 sedan: 1
1970 2500 TC sedan: 3
1968 2500 PI sedan: 1
1973 Dolomite sedan: 1
1973 Dolomite Sprint sedan: 1
Total: 14

Vanden Plas
1961 Princess 3 litre sedan: 1
1964 Princess 4 litre sedan: 1
Total: 2

Vauxhall
1946 Fourteen sedan: 2
1948 Wyvern sedan: 1
1957 Velox sedan: 1
1957 Velox sedan: 1
1957 Victor station wagon: 1
1961 VX 490 sedan: 1
1964 Cresta sedan: 1
Total: 8

Volvo
1967 144 sedan: 2
1970 144 station wagon: 1
1975 244 sedan: 1
1975 244 station wagon: 1
1975 242 sedan: 1
1975 264 station wagon: 1
1977 264 sedan: 1
1977 265 station wagon: 1
1986 740 sedan: 1
1986 760 sedan: 2
Total: 12

Wolseley
1946 12/48 sedan: 1
1948 6/80 sedan: 2
1956 4/44 sedan: 2
1958 1500 sedan: 1
1962 24/80 sedan: 3
1959 6/ 99 sedan: 2
1964 110 sedan: 1
Total: 12

Total Cars: 261

Racing Cars

Elfin
1984 Formula V: 1

Jebentte
1968 Formula 4: 1
1976 Formula 2: 1
1978 Formula 2: 1
Total: 3

Lasos
1974 Sports Racing: 1

Nimbus
1978 Formula V: 1
1978 Formula Ford: 1
1979 Le Mans Sports Racing: 1
1984 Stratos Sports Racing: 1
1984 Formula Ford: 1
1986 Hurricane Sports Racing: 1
1988 Cirrus Sports Racing: 1
1990 Clubman Sports Racing: 1
Total: 8

Ralt
1980s Formula 3000: 1

Royale
1980s Formula Ford: 1

Total Racing Car: 15

Commercial vehicles

Austin
1949 A70 utility: 1
1950s Gypsy 4 x 4 truck: 1
1957 A35 panel van: 1
1961 A60 utility: 1
1961 Freeway utility : 1
1966 1800 utility: 1
Total: 6

Chevrolet
1940s unknown truck: 1

Commer
1940s unknown truck: 1

Fargo
1920s unknown truck: 1

Ford
1950s Thames van: 1
1964 Falcon utility: 1
Total: 2

Goliath
1957 Express van: 1

Graham Brothers
1920s unknown truck: 1

International
1960s unknown truck: 1

Morris
1930s unknown truck: 1
1940s unknown van: 1
1950s unknown van: 1
Total: 3

Overland
1920s unknown truck: 1

Standard
1951 Vanguard utility: 1

Studebaker
1940s unknown truck: 1

Total Commercial Vehicles: 21

Cars: 261
Racing Cars: 15
Commercial Vehicles: 21

Overall Total: 297

Wow, that's a helluva lot of cars. But let's hear a bit more about how they're being kept. The boys at Sports Car Market tell us

"The cars are tightly packed in every available space, so you cannot walk between them. Any other space is packed with spare parts like wheels, engines and gearboxes. The paddocks are crammed with about one hundred cars, also surrounded by spare parts. Wheels are stacked against fences. Windshields and trunk lids rest on hoods, bumpers are under cars."

Now, keep in mind we've seen some pretty impressive classic car barn finds over the past few years. There was the oft-tipped 180 car barn find in Portugal and the 1938 Bugatti and those Corvettes, both found in Brooklyn. We've even seen a Saddam-era creche of classics in Baghdad. But this, this tops all that. It's truly the best barn find we've ever seen.

Don't expect you'll be able to buy anything from his collection. SCM continues:

"Before you start Google-earthing the barns, be aware that the collector does not sell cars or parts. The only way a car leaves his collection is when he trades it for another car. So you'll have to figure out how to ship a car to Australia and maybe use the same container to bring one back..."

We'll tell ya — with most of that looking eminently restorable, maybe he'd trade some wrenching skills for a car or two. We can dream, can't we? [via Sports Car Market]

Spend 100 Eternities In Project Car Hell!

Murilee Martin — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST

You want barn finds? We gotcher barn finds rat cheer! How would you like to win a single eBay auction and score one hundred project cars? The crown jewel is a '34 Chrysler Airflow, but you also get Studebakers, VWs, old trucks, Mustangs, the works. Imagine waking up, grabbing your toolbox, and saying to yourself, "I think I'll work on the hopeless '28 Dodge sedan today!" The mountain will be infinitely tall, and your rock infinitely heavy... yet you'll be happy. Thanks to VWMiniSpeedster for the tip! [eBay Motors]