RM Sotheby unveils a 20 Ferrari barn find for upcoming auction

Hurricanes and destructions are two ends of the same stick. 2004’s Hurricane Charley wreaked havoc along the coast of Florida, including a barn that housed around twenty Ferraris that have graced famous races such as Le Mans and Mille Miglia or have been owned by royalty. Fortunately for car enthusiasts and collectors, the Ferraris were carefully relocated to a secure warehouse in Indianapolis, where they have since remained undisturbed until now

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Auction house RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week in August this year will see the banner unveil a once-in-a-generation collection of “barn find” Ferraris, aptly named The Lost & Found Collection. It comprises 20 lots of Ferraris, all vintage units, with the earliest one dating back to 1954.

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The oldest model of the lot, a 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina, may have experienced the highest brunt of Hurricane Charley, but nothing can take away its extensive racing history. It was sold new to Scuderia Guastalla, an F1 team in the 50s, principal Franco Cornacchia. The car has a history of racing at the 1954 Mille Miglia and the 1956 Targa Florio. RM Sotheby estimates it to fetch over $1.2 million.

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Another barn finds highlight comprises the 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 was sold new to King Mohamed V of Morocco and retained its numbers-matching V12 engine with a Celeste exterior paint job. It’s said to command over $ 1.7 million in bids.

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A 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione is also on offer, which also happens to be one of three factory-specified examples prepared for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans. It completed over 19 hours and 232 laps before retirement and enjoyed a short ownership chain of just two private caretakers, which raises its estimated auction price to around $1.8 million.

To take a look at the available lots of the Lost and Found Collection of the RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week, click here.

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