You open the doors of an old barn and… bingo! As if you were Howard Carter when he discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb, you discover before you an unrivaled treasure trove of vehicles. These barn find, as they are known in the Anglo-Saxon world occur from time to time. Perhaps the most surprising to date had been the collection of 60 cars from the French industrialist roger baillonwhich occurred in 2014. But this of 20 Ferraris that has appeared in Florida (USA) looks set to surpass it.
That’s three times fewer vehicles than the French find, but the value could be much higher. Those two dozen Ferraris were left stopped in time in 1990. Years later, in 2004, Hurricane Charley collapsed the Florida barn where they were kept. The cars were salvaged and taken to Indiana. Since then, they have collected dust for almost another two decades.
The Baillon Collection was auctioned in Paris, back in 2015, by Artcurial. The total sale reached a value of 25.15 million euros, making it one of the most valuable car collections ever sold at auction. Of course, most of the collection was the work and grace of the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spider, partly because it had been owned by the actor Alain Delon and in which he had walked Jane Fonda, Shirley MacLaine or Brigitte Bardot. They paid 16.23 million for it – at that time it was one of the five most expensive cars ever sold at auction.
But back to the current finding. A collection of “only” 20 cars, but all Ferrari. None as special as Alain Delon’s, but it is to be hoped that together they will exceed that record figure of 25.15 million that many of us think could never be matched. It will be auctioned during the Monterey Car Weekfrom August 17 to 19, without reserve prices, which certainly adds to the intrigue.
Will they reach it? Of course, the fame of the collection (it happened with the Baillon) adds to the value of the car, now and in the future. But let’s analyze the cars one by one, chronologically.
Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I Pinin Farina. 1954
It may not look spectacular in its current state, but Pinin Farina’s restored 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I can fetch €4-5 million without a problem. It competed in the 1954 Mille Miglia – for Franco Cortese, the first man to win in a Ferrari – and was the second Mondial built, one of 13 (maybe 14) units to be completed with Pinin Farina’s Spider bodywork. It is an ideal opportunity to get one at a good price and restore it. There are so few that it is unlikely that another will be up for auction any time soon.
Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale Pinin Farina. 1956
Still in its original paint, this 250 GT Pinin Farina Coupé Speciale was delivered new in August 1956 to Mohammed V, King of Morocco. It’s different from everyone, although in reality
Approximately 80 “low-roof” 250 GT coupes were built, this car being one of four coupes bodied by Pinin Farina and classified by Ferrari as the Type 513… the last of these, this unit. How much does it cost? One hasn’t been auctioned since 2012, for $1,430,000, so it wouldn’t be surprising if it exceeded that amount.
Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series I Pinin Farina. 1956
It is the tenth of twelve Series I 410 Superamerica coupes with Pinin Farina bodywork. In all, only 35 of Ferrari’s terrifyingly expensive 410 Superamericas were built in three series and the clientele was truly exclusive. Some of the Series II and III have exceeded $5 million, let’s see what happens with this one, because there are few precedents.
Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Series II Pinin Farina. 1960
Unit of the second series, the most sought after in the 250 GT Pininfarina coupé range, of which only 147 units were produced (and not all of them survivors, far from it). There is some precedent for units going over a million dollars, but if it hits half a million, that would be fine.
Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso Scaglietti. 1964
Ferrari made only 350 of these. And they are in high demand, because a standard GT/L Lusso sells for around 2 million dollars (six units have exceeded that figure). In addition, the unit has a custom lightweight body and a chassis specification close to that of a GTO (a much more expensive car). One with these qualities has not been sold since 2002.
Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy Scaglietti. 1965
One of 80 long-nosed 275 GTBs with aluminum bodywork. It is not in very good condition, from what we read on its auction page, but it would be worth restoring since several units have exceeded two million dollars and one reached a record of $4,620,000 in 2014 in Pebble Beach. This unit also has a curious origin, since it was the personal car of the editor of autosprintLuciano Conti.
Ferrari 275 GTS Pininfarina. 1965
Only 200 examples of the 275 GTS were made, with this car being the 19th made. It has always been highly valued, with several units exceeding two million dollars.
Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series I ‘Interim’ Pininfarina. 1965
Between the two series of the 330 GT 2+2 – the first (1963-1965) with four headlights and the second (1965-1967) with two – there were 124 units of “provisional Series I” models. A rarity, come on. There are very expensive units sold years ago, like John Lennon’s 330 GT, for more than half a million dollars… but more for its owner than for the car itself.
Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina. 1966
460 units of the Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II were built. It is true that sheet metal needs a major overhaul, but there are precedents for units sold for more than $700,000.
Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina. 1967
This model has reached $3,300,000 for the Ferrari 330 GTS that casino magnate Bill Harrah gave to his wife, singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry. And there have been ten sales of the 330 GTS for more than 2 million. Let’s see how much this unit reaches.
Ferrari Dino 206 GT by Scaglietti. 1968
Only 153 of the hand-built, aluminum-bodied Dino 206 GTs were produced between 1967 and 1969. From there it moved on to the heavier 246 GT. This unit is crying out to be restored, but surely there will be someone who will fight over it because it is one of the key models in the Maranello brand. In fact, not long ago a unit in perfect condition sold for €868,500 on Amelia Island.
Pininfarina Ferrari 365 GT 2+2. 1969
Between 1967 and 1971, approximately 800 units of the 365 GT 2+2 were built, a high figure for a Ferrari and hence its low auction prices. It had the same wheelbase as the 330 GT 2+2, but was wider and longer due to increased front and rear overhangs. Only six units have exceeded $300,000 at auction…and this one has clear damage from the barn collapse. Bargain in sight?
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Scaglietti. 1971
The 365 GTB/4 was given the unofficial name of Daytona… and it stuck. 1,406 Daytona were produced over the model’s lifetime, 156 right-hand drive coupes, 122 factory-built spyders, and 15 race cars. Doing the math, there are 1,269 cars like this, which is much more than previous Ferrari models. Because of this, it’s rare for prices to break the million dollar barrier. Of course, it has something special, it was the show car of the 1972 Montreal Auto Show.
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta Scaglietti. 1972
Its price is a mystery, since there has not been a unit for sale in almost three decades. They tell in the auction house that it retains its engine and gearbox, with a central lock from the Ferrari Daytona and mounts the exclusive Cromodora alloy wheels. Let’s see how much they pay for the final iteration of Ferrari’s classic front-engined V12 grand tourers.
Ferrari 365 GTC/4 by Pininfarina. 1972
This unit is one of only 500 365 GTC/4 produced. The most common in the market is that prices are around between 300,000 to 350,000 dollars.
Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’ by Scaglietti. 1978
It is one of only 712 308 GTBs with a fiberglass body. Some have sold for over $250,000, but this unit will sell for less.
Ferrari 400 Automatic. 1977
Ferrari produced only 355 units of the Ferrari 400 Automatic, but this vehicle will not arouse the desire of auctioneers… because it is not manual. We doubt that it will exceed €50,000.
Ferrari 512 BB Competition. 1978
It is one of the three cars built by Ferrari for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans. With a five-liter engine and light weight… although none of them ever saw the checkered flag. This particular unit completed 232 laps before retiring at 7:00 p.m. due to engine problems. As can be seen from the livery, Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (NART) entered it as #87. It has never been restored and is identical to how it came out in 1978 at Le Mans. It may be one of the “covered” that reaches a high number.
Ferrari 512BB. 1980
Another mass-produced car (for a Ferrari), as 2,323 units of the 512 Berlinetta Boxer were built and hence the auction price is never outrageous. The record for the model is 512,089 dollars (425,500 euros), in the sale of RM Sotheby’s Legend and Passion held in Maranello in 2017.
Ferrari Testarossa. 1991
The Testarossa is one of the most popular Ferrari models in history. That means there are a lot of them…and it’s unlikely to fetch huge numbers at auction. The most expensive ever sold was for $321,250 (about €298,000), but with few km on the odometer –this one has 30,377 km– and an almost perfect state of conservation, which is not the case. Of course, it has original manuals, sales invoice, official tools…
Source: RM Sotheby’s
Photo gallery (Darin Schnabel, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s):
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