True value never fades away. These beautifully restored classic vehicles are ten perfect arguments for the previous statement: years passed by and rust found its way into the old metal, but their intrinsic value didn’t diminish at all. And now that they have been brought to a new life, these vintage automobiles are more glamorous than ever and their price tags are just as impressive as their looks are.
1. 1950 Ferrari 166MM Brachetta
This is said to be the vehicle that made Ferrari the iconic luxury vehicle brand it is today. It spent a lot of alone time in a barn somewhere in Italy before being sold to someone for a trifling sum of $8,000. From here, the journey of this amazing 1950 Ferrari 166MM Brachetta became very interesting. After a complete and careful restoration, the vehicle was ready to sell again for more than $1,000,000. Today it is one of the most admired stars at important events like the Palo Alto Concours d’Elegance.
2. 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante
More than five decade ago, this 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante was bought by a private collector, Dr. Harold Carr, who kept it hidden from everybody else. A few years ago the man passed away, leaving his garage to his family. This was when his children discovered the vintage beauty waiting to be restored to its original glory. Its saviors were completely astonished to learn that what Dr. Carr had kept in his garage was actually worth $8.8 million!
3. 1968 Marcos Mantis XP
We’ve already written about this spectacular classic ride, the 1968 Marcos Mantis XP. Very angular and featuring transparent materials, this car was just as unusual during the 1960s as it is today.
4. 1964 Porsche 911
After two decades of sitting unused in a barn, this 1964 Porsche 911 finally found an owner that would take care of it and make it shine again. Surprisingly enough, the car sold for only $9,500. Probably the seller had no idea just how much he could have gotten for his 911 if he had just spent a little more time keeping it in good condition. In 1996 Jerry Seinfeld bought one of these for $400,000.
5. 1948 Buick Streamliner by Norman E. Timbs
This curvy, elegant Buick was a stunner back in 1948 when Norman E. Timbs first designed it and it still is a stunner today. With a timeless design, this Streamliner was born from its creator’s desire to have his very own car on a Buick frame. Timbs, an engineer of racing and performance vehicles, spent $10,000 to make his dream come true in the form of this amazing automobile.
6. 1934 BMW R7 Motorcycle
It’s not a car, but it is definitely worth mentioning among the other jaw-dropping vehicles on the list. This 1934 BMW R7 Motorcycle spent most of its life in a crate, where it had been deposited after its production. If you had seen it when the crate was opened, you probably would have cried at the sight: its rusted body looked almost unsalvageable and the engine was too corroded to be repaired. But thanks to the dedicated efforts of a team of specialists, the R7 can once again pride with its unique art-deco design.
7. 1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback
This classic is a beautiful example of just how much constant care and maintenance can do: it is the only one on the list that actually never needed restoration, because it was never forgotten in an old barn or a dusty garage. It was once repaired in 1966, but ever since then, this unique Bentley has been carefully taken care of. It still has all its original parts and pieces.
8. 1967 Jaguar XKE Roadster
Not a barn, not a garage, but a tomb. Yes, this precious Jaguar ended up being entombed away form light, wind and rain by its former owner who initially kept it in a carport, then built three walls to create a sort of garage for it and finally erected a fourth brick wall to enclose the Jaguar for many years. When the brick wall was knocked down, the car was in a deplorable state. However, after a good cleaning and some repairing, the roadster is now as good as new.
9. Lamborghini Miura Roadster
This Lamborghini is a one-off, created as a promotional model. It wasn’t designed for mass production and this makes it a very coveted vehicle among vintage Lambo collectors. A New York real estate developer bought it in 2007 and restored to its glory with a lot of patience and dedication.
10. 1937 BMW 328 Mille Miglia
This is an iconic BMW model, one that won the Mille Miglia in 1940 with an average speed of 100 mph and contributed heavily to BMW’s worldwide fame. Among restored luxury vehicles this one is definitely a favorite and we can assure you it’s worth pots of money.
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