Rare cars, like hidden treasures, sometimes appear in the most peculiar places. Whether it’s a dusty barn in a remote village or deep inside an overgrown backyard jungle, these discoveries make for stories that leave car enthusiasts wide-eyed and heart-racing. Here are the 10 strangest places people have discovered rare cars.
The Barn Find
One of the most famous barn finds happened in 2014 when a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder, one of only 56 ever made, was discovered in a dusty old barn in the French countryside. For over 40 years, this beauty had been sitting underneath layers of dust and straw, forgotten by the world. The car, once owned by French actor Alain Delon, was found alongside several other vintage cars, including a Bugatti 57 Ventoux and a Maserati A6G 2000. All were part of the Baillon Collection, amassed by entrepreneur Roger Baillon, who intended to restore them but never got around to it. The Ferrari alone sold at auction for a whopping $18.5 million. Well, that’s surely the kind of hay fever I wouldn’t mind catching!
The Junkyard Jackpot
In 2001, an employee at a scrap yard in Orange County, California, stumbled upon a genuine Shelby Daytona Coupe—one of just six ever made—in the wreckage of discarded metal and old car parts. This wasn’t just any car. The Shelby Daytona is legendary, having been designed by Carroll Shelby and raced in the 1960s. It was initially thought to have been lost to time. The finder’s prize? The car was later valued at over $4 million. Pro tip: Next time you pass a junkyard, take a peek. You never know what treasure might be hiding under that broken refrigerator.
The Apartment Parking Spot
In 2015, a man in Queens, New York, made an astonishing discovery while sorting through his late father’s belongings. Tucked away in a nondescript underground parking garage was a dusty but intact 1966 Lamborghini Miura P400—one of the world’s first supercars. The car, valued at around $1.5 million, had been parked there since 1982, sitting untouched for over three decades. It had been a passion project for the man’s father, who had never gotten around to restoring it. So, it sat, quietly gathering dust. This story feels a bit like the classic “Dad says he’ll fix it someday” tale, except this time, someday turned out to be never—and the car ended up being worth more than most apartments in Queens.
The Forest Overgrowth
In the mid-1990s, a German car enthusiast discovered a 1957 Porsche 356 Speedster sitting abandoned in a forest. How it got there is still a mystery, but one theory suggests it was stashed by someone who didn’t want to be caught driving it, possibly due to financial troubles or legal issues. The car was heavily overgrown, with trees and vines wrapping around the body like nature’s security system. But once cleared of all that greenery, the Speedster was lovingly restored. It was later sold at auction for over $300,000. It turns out that even Mother Nature knows a good car when she sees one.
The Church Find
Imagine walking into a church garage expecting to see a van or maybe some old chairs, and instead, you find a 1965 Aston Martin DB5—yes, the same model made famous by James Bond in Goldfinger. This story came to light in 2018 when a British car collector stumbled upon the classic Aston Martin stored in a small church’s garage in Wiltshire, England. The DB5 had been there for over 30 years, untouched since the church’s vicar, the original owner, parked it due to mechanical issues. A combination of divine intervention and good timing led to its discovery, and after a bit of tender loving care, it was sold for a handsome six-figure sum.
The Suburban Backyard
In 1978, two boys in Los Angeles discovered a 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS buried in their backyard while digging around to install a swimming pool. The Dino had been reported stolen years earlier, but the thieves must have been highly motivated and a little insane to go through the trouble of burying it. What’s more bizarre is that the car was remarkably well-preserved when unearthed. It was eventually restored and returned to the insurance company. For years, conspiracy theories swirled around the burial, but one thing’s for sure—those kids’ swimming pool became the second-most exciting thing in their backyard.
The Gold Mine Discovery
In 1982, while exploring an abandoned gold mine near Elko, Nevada, a group of treasure hunters stumbled across one of the rarest cars ever made. A dusty, battered, unmistakable Ford GT40 sat abandoned in the dark, miles from any road or civilization. It’s unclear how or why the car ended up there, but it was later confirmed to be an original GT40, the same model that dominated Le Mans in the 1960s. Naturally, after being pulled from the mine and restored, the car was auctioned for millions.
The Warehouse Wonder
In 2021, car enthusiasts and collectors were blown away when they discovered over 30 rare BMWs hidden inside an old warehouse in Bulgaria. The collection included models like the BMW E30 M3 and the BMW 2002 Turbo—now revered by collectors worldwide. These were not just forgotten junkers either—most of the cars were in surprisingly good condition, covered in dust but otherwise intact. The owner had stashed the cars there years earlier, intending to sell them, but somehow, they were left behind and nearly forgotten. When rediscovered, the entire collection was valued at over $1 million.
The School Basement
In 2010, students at a British school in Surrey unearthed a 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C under their gymnasium while working on a renovation project. The car, which had been covered and preserved by layers of concrete, was in excellent condition despite being in the captivity of the concrete for decades. No one knows why it was buried there, but some speculate that it was hidden during World War II to protect it from being commandeered by military forces (who wouldn’t want to save their Alfa Romero). After its recovery, though, the Romeo was restored and eventually sold for nearly $200,000. Talk about school spirit!
The Abandoned Gas Station
Sometimes, rare cars are hiding in plain sight. In 2016, a rare Lancia B24 Spider America, one of just 240 ever made, was found outside a dilapidated gas station in Northern Italy. The car had been there so long that locals had stopped noticing it. The car’s owner had parked it there in the 1970s and then disappeared. Over the years, the car was forgotten (so was the owner), becoming part of the scenery. After its discovery, however, it was meticulously restored and sold at auction for more than $1 million (to no one’s surprise). So, next time you drive by an old gas station, look closer—you never know what gem might be hidden among the rust.
12 Cars That Are Known for Their Unbreakable Reliability — They Just Don’t Quit
Reliability is a core feature that defines a vehicle. Over the last few decades, some vehicles have emerged as a reliable and durable option, standing out as workhorses that never quit. These vehicles not only prove themselves in terms of performance but transcend their role and become reliable partners, always fulfilling their role. Here are 12 Cars known for their unbreakable reliability.
12 Cars That Are Known for Their Unbreakable Reliability — They Just Don’t Quit
