A collection of 20 Ferraris which has been locked away for more than 30 years will soon be up for auction.
The “Lost & Found Collection” briefly came to light in 2004 when Hurricane Charley hit the Florida barn in which the Prancing Horses were being kept. Fortunately, the cars were rescued, and moved to a facility in Speedway, Indiana for safe keeping. Their secretive owner secured the cars there for almost another two decades, but now the whole incredible stable is for sale at RM Sotheby’s in Monterey, California on 17-19 August.
“While a select group of Ferrari collectors knew about the existence of these extraordinary cars, the rest of the world remained unaware,” explains Rob Myers of RM Sotheby’s. “This represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for enthusiasts to acquire these iconic Ferraris, some of which have participated in renowned races. Most of these lost Ferraris remain untouched, preserving their purity and original condition since the day they were acquired—a true embodiment of the ‘barn find’ concept. It is the first time that RM Sotheby’s has presented a barn find collection of this magnitude to the market.”
Included in the sale are several cars of racing royalty which took part in the Targa Florio, Mille Miglia and Le Mans, while one example was even owned by an actual king.
This 1956 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina is one of just four cars built with Superamerica coachwork and was sold to King Mohamed V of Morocco. Originally specified in Celeste blue with a Nero roof and Naturale Connoly hide interior, the car is in need of a full restoration after a total of 49 years in storage, but its matching-numbers V-12 engine means it still comes with an estimate of $1.7-$2.5 million (£1.35-£1.99m).
Proudly displayed on Ferrari’s Torino Motor Show stand in 1965, and later taking part in the Targa Florio is this 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti. It was the first “long nose” 275 GTB to be fitted with lightweight alloy bodywork and featured a six-carburetor setup. Luciano Conti and co-driver Vittorio Venturi entered the notoriously tough Sicilian road race in 1966 but failed to finish. It’s been hidden away for 44 years and is now estimated to achieve $2-$2.5 million (£1.59-£1.99m) at auction.
The most storied Ferrari of the sale is this 1954 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina. At that year’s Mille Miglia the car was driven to fourth place in class and 14th overall by former Scuderia pilot Franco Cortese, and was later raced in the 1955 Imola Grand Prix and the 1956 Targa Florio. The car was built with Spider coachwork by Pinin Farina but later re-bodied by Scaglietti, although after a crash and fire in the USA in the 1960s it’s hard to picture what it originally looked like. Despite the damage it is being sold with an estimate of $1.2-$1.6 million (£953,000-£1.27m).
As Ferrari celebrates its first victory at Le Mans in 58 years the auction is offering one bidder the chance to own a previous entrant. This 1978 512 BB Competizione is one of three cars prepared by the factory for the 1978 24 hour marathon. Driven by Jacques Guérin, Jean-Pierre Delaunay, and Gregg Young, the car completed over 19 hours and 232 laps before it was forced to retire. Now being sold in as-raced condition the price is estimated at $1.8-$2.8m (£1.43m-£2.2m).
Among the other cars in the collection are a 1956 410 Superamerica, a 1964 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso, two 365 GTB/4 Daytonas, a 1980 512 BB, and a 1991 Testarossa. If you’re looking for a bargain then your best bet is probably a 1977 400i which is offered without reserve.
