Hidden Treasures Unveiled- Seemingly Abandoned Property Reveals a Trove of Rare Classic Cars

Today’s classic car market is packed with restored rigs from all decades. And tens of thousands of them are crossing the auction block each year. However, millions of vehicles are still rotting away following decades of neglect.

Most of them are parked in junkyards, waiting to donate parts before entering the crusher. Others are still locked away in barns, hoping to be released for restoration rather than scrapped. But not all derelict classics are junkyard or barn finds. Some are spending their retirement years grouped on properties that have been abandoned for decades.

Colin from YouTube’s “The Bearded Explorer” recently discovered a place like that. Located somewhere in the United Kingdom, the building appears to have been a repair shop, and it’s loaded with classic cars. Some of them are complete, while others look like they were ongoing projects. I don’t have the full story on this place, but it sure looks like it was abandoned in a hurry.

And whoever owned the shop left behind a few interesting and even rare vehicles. The footage kicks off with a Renault 10. Granted, this French family car is not exactly rare, but you won’t see many of them on public roads either. Built from 1965 through 1971, the Renault 10 preceded the more iconic 12, which remained in production until 2006 in Romania.

Right next to the Renault 10, there’s a shell of an even older automobile our host has trouble identifying. Well, I’m pretty sure it’s a Citroen Traction Avant. Introduced in 1934, this French rig has quite a few achievements to brag about.

Most notably, it was the world’s first mass-produced car with a monocoque body and front-wheel drive. It was also among the first to use rack and pinion steering. The Traction Avant remained in production all the way until 1957 and sold 760,000 units.

One of the main highlights of this video shows up near the nine-minute mark in the form of a first-generation Ford Mustang. It is also an early version, most likely from the 1965 or 1966 model years. Granted, these ponies aren’t very scarce, but they’re a rare sight in Europe.

Moreover, this Mustang is a drop-top, a much rarer body style than the hardtop. Ford sold about 75,000 units in 1965 and around 72,000 examples in 1966. The fact that it has an inline-six also makes it relatively scarce since entry-level ‘Stangs have a low survival rate.

The pony shares the building with yet another desirable sports car from back in the day. I’m talking about a first-gen Porsche 911. Sadly, the German coupe is in poor shape, missing some body panels and the flat-six engine. It also looks like someone attempted to widen the rear fenders and turn it into some sort of Turbo or RSR clone. It’s still valuable as is and shouldn’t rot away in a place like this.

But these aren’t the only gems hidden in the abandoned building. Our host also stumbles across a pair of first-generation Volkswagen Golfs, including a true-blue GTi. I also spotted a BMW 2002, an old Mini Cooper, and an MG MGB. Most of these cars seem solid and rust-free. While not as sought-after as the 911, these cars have become increasingly more valuable in recent years.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like the building will be cleared anytime soon, and I have a feeling all these classics are doomed to spend even more years here. Sure, the fact they’re parked on a concrete floor keeps them dry, but it’s not a long-term solution. Hopefully, they will see daylight sooner than later. 

Hidden Treasures Unveiled- Seemingly Abandoned Property Reveals a Trove of Rare Classic Cars

Related Posts

The Rare 1955 Chevrolet Corvette That Has Been Hiding For Decades Is Suddenly A Lucky Survivor

With about 69,000 units delivered, the first-generation Chevrolet Corvette was quite popular, but the sports car was off to a slow start. Chevy sold only 300 examples in 1953…

Remembering the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, the Forgotten Chevrolet Corvette Competitor

Introduced in 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette became widely known as “America’s sports car” and developed into an icon by the late 1950s. But it wasn’t the only sports car…

Hoard Of Abandoned Classics Found In The Woods, Includes Chevy Trucks And Pontiacs

If you’re into derelict classic cars, the junkyard is the best place to find them. But if you’re lucky enough, you might stumble upon a big hoard of abandoned…

Find A Rare Barn For A 1964 Ford Thunderbird Dressed To Impress, This Samoan Coral Wonder Is Truly Worth Exploring

It may sound impossible, but it really isn’t. Finding a super-rare car isn’t necessarily as hard as it sounds, though more often than not, getting your hands…

Roaring to Life with a Hidden Stroker V8 in the 1971 Dodge Demon 340

When talking about the Dodge Demon, we usually think about the modern Challenger SRT Demon, a street-legal dragster based on the Hellcat. But the name goes back…

Rescuing a 1969 Pontiac GTO Named ‘Babied’ After Years of Neglect, Strange Actions of Two Young Men Lead to a Stalled Restoration

For many GTO fans, 1969 is known as the year when The Judge got to see the daylight, but at the same time, Pontiac has also introduced…