Is this the best barn-find of 2019?

Haul of 81 rusty classics unearthed on French estate

Just when you think barn-finds can’t get any bigger, ooh la la! Up comes another whopper – in this case, a fleet of some 81 rusty, dusty classics unearthed on a French estate.

From Citroëns to Corvettes to a couple of unexpected legends that could be worth a mint – yes, that is a Lamborghini Miura you see above – it’s a truly bumper find that’s worthy of the history books.

The best bit? All of the cars are up for grabs with French auction house Adam Encheres, but – rapide! – you only have until 20 January to get your bids in. Don’t know where to start? We’ve picked out a few of the most intriguing machines to help you out.

A haul without a history

How did this collection of decrepit classics come to be? As is so often the case with abandoned cars and unexpected barn-finds, little is known of the late French owner, one Henri Ruggieri – other than the fact that he was a bit of a compulsive buyer with a very varied taste. Apparently, Ruggieri ensured the massed cars weren’t stolen by removing a specific component from each one.

A lot like no other

It was only when the owner passed away that the collection was discovered, with auctioneer Henri Adam of the firm Adam Encheres – based in Pau, France – called in late 2018 to assess the machines and arrange the sale.

A menagerie of motors

What did he find? Some 81 classic cars in varying states of disrepair, spread across five locations, including barns and fields, with many wrapped in heavy undergrowth or buried beneath detritus – alongside a host of vintage parts and components, ranging from body shells to doors to engines.

A truly grande vente

With the help of expert Stephane Bonoron – who described the collection as “eclectic at best” – the auctioneer set about cataloguing each and every one of the cars and components, taking photos, making estimates and, ultimately, listing it all for sale online on the Interencheres website. 

So, fancy a French barn-find classic to start 2019? Here are 35 of the most interesting lots you can bid on when the sale opens on 20 January. Warning: there will be dust.

1955 SIMCA Coupe de Ville

Estimate: €3-5k

First up is a fitting pick for a French barn-find sale: a bonny yellow example of SIMCA’s ’50s sports coupé. Well, bonny but for the rust, dust and general state of disrepair. Still, it’s an attractive two-seater and a rare one at that.

1924 Rolland-Pilain B22

Estimate: €12-15k

Next up is another French number and this four-seat tourer of the ’20s still cuts a dash in faded red, even if the headlights are reported as “trop gros, non conformes” – or “too big, non-conforming”. Similarly, the after-market Sport tail has a few “errors in interpretation” but, all things considered, the B22’s not doing bad for a 95-year-old.

Packard Clipper

Estimate: €1.5-2k

Hopping across the Atlantic, this next motor is a pretty Packard Clipper, first registered in 1947. And, while its tyres are flat and windows covered in dust, there’s no denying the style of its long-nosed lines and chrome flourishes. According to the listing – and a ropey translation – it’s an “old restoration to resume”, which presumably means someone started (but never finished) a refurbishment.

Citroën Rosalie

Estimate: €3-5k

Listed as a Rosalie but more closely resembling a Type 850 truck – albeit sans nose – this next lot proves just how eclectic the late collector’s tastes really were. First registered in 1937, the van’s certainly seen better days, but remains an evocative example of French utilitarian transport – and, according to the listing, was once used on a vineyard near Marseilles. Chin chin!

1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A

Estimate: €10-15k

Next is a lot that in pristine condition could be worth as much as £500,000: a Porsche 356 – a plucky sports coupé of the ’50s and the German marque’s first production car. Alas, this well-rusted example of the earliest, Pre-A series will fetch just a fraction of that, but remains an intriguing prospect all the same – not least because it carries the engine from a 1959 356B.

Jaguar XJ

Estimate: €800-1.2k

Not the only Jag in the barn-find sale, this XJ – first registered in 1974 and reportedly used until 1995 – is an absolute steal. Provided you can look past the comprehensive corrosion. Still, the red leather interior is pretty nice.

Autobianchi Bianchina 110FB

Estimate: €300-500

Adding some Italian flavour to the rusty proceedings, look beneath the dirt and you’ll likely find this compact Autobianchi Bianchina – first registered in 1969 – is a bonny thing in blue, complete with leather seats, roof rack and 500cc motor.

Lancia Flaminia

Estimate: €1.5-2k

Sticking with the Italians, this 2.5-litre Lancia Flaminia is a bargain if you’re after a slice of ’60s saloon style, penned by Pininfarina – albeit a slice topped with rust and missing a few pieces.

Jaguar E-type 3.8 Flat Floor Coupé

Estimate: €40-60k

Remember we mentioned there were a couple of surprises hiding in those barns? Here’s one of them: a Jaguar E-type in 3.8-litre Flat Floor guise, sold new in France in 1961 and acquired by Henri Ruggieri in 1970.

Jaguar E-type 3.8 Flat Floor Coupé (cont.)

Left to gather dust with 58,631km on the clock, the metallic gold machine is still instantly recognisable as the iconic British sports car and, with a good helping of love, could be worth more than £150k – which surely makes it a steal at £35k, even if the central console is missing and the dynamo is rusted up.

Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass

Estimate: €100-200

According to the listing, this next lot is a V8-equipped Oldsmobile Cutlass first registered in 1966 and with less than 33,000km on the clock – but we’re struggling to spot the thing for all the vegetation. 

Chevrolet Corvette C3

Estimate: €3-5k

Now for something completely different: a dirty, dusty Chevrolet Corvette C3 in T Top guise. Yes, it needs a very good clean; yes, the windscreen is broken; and, yes, the interior is very faded. But its still a ’Vette with a 5.7-litre V8 under the hood – and, even caked in grime, that angular nose with those pop-up lights will never be less than arresting.

Lincoln Continental MkIII

Estimate: €4-5k

Staying stateside, this Lincoln Continental in late-’50s MkIII guise was one of the last vehicles acquired by Henri Ruggieri, bought back in 2012. As a result, its condition is probably the best of the bunch, making it a piece of mid-century Americana that’s ripe for a restoration. Or at least a dusting.

Delage DM

Estimate: €5-10k

Back to France for a real rust-bucket: a Delage DM, registered in 1928 and later modified for use as a utility vehicle. Missing, well, a lot of things, the sedan is listed with various items of bodywork, with a view to restoring the corroded limousine.

Panhard et Levassor 6CS X69 SP Yerus

Estimate: €2-3k

Another limousine, this once-luxurious Panhard et Levassor cruiser from the early ’30s could be worth a fair whack when restored. It’s one of roughly 1300 X69 models built between 1930 and ’33 and fitted with larger 2.5-litre six-cylinder motors. Confusingly, the listing states that its engine is not original, but does “conform to the origin provided”.

Ford Anglia 101E

Estimate: €500-1k

Over to Blighty for this one, a machine once ubiquitous on British roads – the Ford Anglia. A left-hand drive example that’s up there with the dustiest lots in the sale, it was first registered in 1958 and is reported to be a strong base for a restoration. We’d start with a sponge.

Oldsmobile Toronado

Estimate: €800-1.5k

Proving that even brown paint can’t hide the marks of mistreatment, this all-American V8 coupe has doubtless seen better days – but, despite the deflated rubber and coating of dirt, is described in the listing as a “healthy car”.

Lincoln Continental Mark II

Estimate: €800-1.2k

First registered in 1956, this burgundy Lincoln might not look like the luxury cruiser it once was – but, with leather seats inside, a V8 under the hood and just 43,000 miles on the clock, it’s a car with plenty of potential. Especially if you’ve got a period front bumper going spare.

Lancia Flaminia

Estimate: €3-5k

Another Flaminia, this one’s in a similar state to the first. Fired through Google Translate, the listing offers the following description: “Depressing the sheet metal work” – an assessment that Pininfarina might find galling but, judging by the deep-set rust, is an accurate assessment of the Italian coupé.

Hotchkiss Grégoire JAG Prototype

Estimate: €3-5k

Here’s one that could be a Gallic rarity: a Hotchkiss Grégoire first registered in 1947. Which is puzzling, given the French marque didn’t buy the rights to the saloon until 1948, to launch it two years later. A study of the registration certificate reports that it is, apparently, a “prototype” – but any further significance is as clear as its windscreen. Which is essentially opaque.

Trabant P601

Estimate: €100-200

A symbol of everything wrong with East Germany under the Soviets, the spartan Trabant P601 never enjoyed a great reputation for reliability or build quality – though to judge the marque by this example, long stored outside and thoroughly rusted, is probably a little harsh. First registered in ’67, it's a proper pocket-money purchase.

Lamborghini Miura P400

Estimate: €400-600k

One surprise not enough? Here’s another: a first-series example of Marcello Gandini’s supercar masterpiece, the stunning Lamborghini Miura. This 1968 number is the 118th of just 275 built by the Italian marque and is still a stirring sight, even covered in dirt. See, we told you there were treasures.

Lamborghini Miura P400 (cont.)

Sold new in Belgium, the Miura – worth more than £700k in pristine condition – was acquired by Henri Ruggieri in 1996 and consigned to dusty storage like the rest of his machines. Today, it’s suffering from some corrosion, non-standard wheel nuts and a broken crank handle – but it’s still a Miura. And it’s still magnificent.

Peugeot 204

Estimate: €100-200

We’d call this one a bargain but, beneath the rust, grime and decades’ worth of dirt, we’re not certain how much Peugeot you’re actually getting. Registered in 1969 as a 204 diesel, its original off-white finish has long disappeared.

Citroën GSA

Estimate: €100-200

Another French relic that’s set to sell for a song, this brown GSA is symbol of Citroën’s move to mass production after the sci-fi styling of the ’60s. First registered in 1981, it’s got fewer than 50,000 miles on the clock – but adding any more could be tricky, given the “perforating corrosion” it’s suffered.

Ford Transit II

Estimate: €50-100

Another not-so-fine illustration of the variety found in the barns and fields of Henri Ruggieri, this mid-’80s machine is one of millions of MkII Ford Transit vans built by the Blue Oval – but easily one of the worst maintained. Still, with almost 94,000 miles on the clock, at least it served someone well.

Renault 4CV R 1062

Estimate: €100-200

A gleam among the rust, this Renault 4CV was never a rarity, even in ‘sport’ trim – the French marque built more than 1.1m of the supermini machines in total – but its turquoise finish is a welcome respite from the dull browns and greys of much of the collection. That the rest of the car is heavily corroded is beside the point.

Daimler Double Six

Estimate: €300-500

In good condition, the well-equipped Daimler Double Six is a classic cruiser we’d be happy to drive. This one? Not so much: wearing half the hedge it was evidently parked in, the ’70s machine needs more than just a touch-up to make it a roadworthy saloon. That said, if the engine’s good, it might be worth the lower estimate just for the V12.

Renault R4 Van

Estimate: €50-100

You can still spot Renault R4 vans puttering about on French vineyards today – and a lot of them are in a similar condition to this off-white number, first registered in ’84. With 153,000km on the clock, its no low-mileage lovely, but there’s still plenty of space for grapes in the back.

Citroën 2CV

Estimate: €200-300

Last up and what else could it be but the quintessential French farmers’ car – the 2CV. Iconic today for its steel-plated shell, utilitarian bent and egg-cradling suspension, they don’t come more Gallic than the diminutive deux chevaux. Fitting, then, that a rusty, dusty and decrepit example should round out this most eclectic of barn-find hauls, sure to go down in history as one of the most varied and intriguing discoveries of the decade.

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