RM Sotheby’s Unveils the Ultimate ‘Barn Find’ featuring 20 Ferraris Lost to Time

The Lost & Found Collection

TO BE AUCTIONED LIVE IN MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, ENTIRELY WITHOUT RESERVE DURING
MONTEREY CAR WEEK, ON 17 AUGUST 2023

BLENHEIM, CANADA – June 9, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Today, RM Sotheby’s unveils a once-in-a-generation collection of “barn find” Ferraris, aptly named The Lost & Found Collection, which will be presented in Monterey, California, during the highly anticipated Monterey Car Week in August.

Nestled in downtown Speedway, Indiana, across the street from the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway, lies a treasure trove of dormant stallions that have remained untouched for decades, hidden away from Ferrari collectors, restorers, and the public at large, left to gather dust.

At first glance, an unsuspecting observer would never fathom that some of these lost Ferraris have graced the world’s most famous races, such as Le Mans, the Targa Florio, and the Mille Miglia. Nor would they suspect that a Ferrari once owned by royalty rests silently in the heart of Indiana. One might naturally wonder how a collection of such magnitude could be consigned to the mercy of time in an Indiana warehouse—that answer lies in Hurricane Charley.

In 2004, Hurricane Charley wreaked havoc along the coast of Florida, causing widespread damage and exposing the forgotten Ferraris to the sunlight for the first time since 1990 when the barn they called home partially collapsed. Bearing the scars of debris from their dilapidated enclosure, the Ferraris were carefully relocated to a secure warehouse in Indianapolis, where they have since remained undisturbed.

This remarkable discovery of 20 vintage Ferraris is destined to captivate the imaginations of enthusiasts and dreamers from all walks of life: the epitome of every collector’s wildest dreams and an unearthing poised to ignite a frenzy within the automotive community and beyond.

“While a select group of Ferrari collectors knew about the existence of these extraordinary cars, the rest of the world remained unaware. 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,” says Rob Myers, the visionary force behind RM Sotheby’s.

The Lost & Found Cars:

1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina – One of four 250 GT Coupes built by Pinin Farina in 1956 with Superamerica-style coachwork, this car was sold brand new by the factory to its first owner, King Mohamed V of Morocco. Traces of its breathtaking original color combination of Celeste with a Nero roof over a Naturale Connoly leather interior, as well as the presence of its numbers-matching V-12, make this Speciale a tantalizing restoration candidate (Estimate: $1,700,000 – $2,300,000).

1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti – Making its debut on the Ferrari stand at the XLVII Torino Motor Show, this 275 GTB participated in the 1966 Targa Florio with Luciano Conti (publisher of Italy’s Autosprint magazine) and co-driver Vittorio Venturi. Notably, this was the first “long-nose” 275 GTB to be fitted with a low-weight alloy body and six carburetors (Estimate: $2,000,000 – $2,500,000).

1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina – If an automobile could talk, the weathered chassis of this Ferrari 500 Mondial would have an incredible story to tell—in no small part because it has the most extensive racing history of the 20 cars offered. Originally clothed in Pinin Farina Spider coachwork, it was sold new to Scuderia Guastalla principal Franco Cornacchia for the use of ex-Scuderia Ferrari driver Franco Cortese. Significantly, Cortese and co-driver Perruchini achieved 4th in class (14th overall) at the 1954 Mille Miglia. Subsequently rebodied by Scaglietti, further notable races include a Benzoni-Naust effort at the 1956 Targa Florio (Estimate: $1,200,000 – $1,600,000).

1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione – This Ferrari 512 BB Competizione is one of three factory-specified examples prepared for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans. Entered by Luigi Chinetti Sr./ NART as race #87 and driven by Jacques Guérin, Jean-Pierre Delaunay, and Gregg Young, the car managed an impressive showing, completing over 19 hours and 232 laps before retirement. Appearing largely as it did when it left the Circuit de la Sarthe, this Ferrari boasts a short ownership chain of just two private caretakers (Estimate: $1,800,000 – $2,800,000).

The entire Lost & Found Collection includes:

• 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione
• 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti
• 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina
• 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series I by Pinin Farina
• 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina
• 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina                
• 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina
• 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti
• 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti
• 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti
• 1968 Ferrari Dino 206 GT by Scaglietti
• 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Series II by Pinin Farina
• 1972 Ferrari 365 GTC/4 by Pininfarina
• 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series II by Pininfarina
• 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina’ by Scaglietti
• 1969 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 by Pininfarina
• 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Series I ‘Interim’ by Pininfarina                
• 1980 Ferrari 512 BB
• 1991 Ferrari Testarossa
• 1977 Ferrari 400 Automatic

To see images of every lots, click here.

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About RM Sotheby’s

RM Sotheby’s is the world’s largest collector car auction house by total sales. With over 40 years of proven results in the collector car industry, RM’s vertically integrated range of services, from auctions (live and online) and private sales to estate planning and financial services, coupled with an expert team of Car Specialists and an international footprint, provide an unsurpassed level of service to the global collector car market. RM Sotheby’s is currently responsible for seven of the top ten most valuable motor cars ever sold at auction.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

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