I don’t know about you, but I’ve watched enough episodes of American Pickers and Antiques Roadshow that I’m just waiting for the day I finally discover a piece of “junk” that’s actually worth big bucks.
After all, every now and then, some lucky treasure-hunters find something truly exceptional at a bargain basement price, or luck into something completely free, as we saw with these siblings who inherited a million dollar car from their uncle.
While I may not have experienced it myself just yet, I imagine that there are few feelings more fantastic than rummaging through a cobwebbed attic and accidentally stumbling on something worth some serious cash!
Fortunately, if anyone has questions about what that experience feels like, we know exactly who to ask: the intrepid employees of a Michigan company called Repocast.
That’s because the company, which specializes in auctions, recently stumbled on the find of a lifetime when a family called them up to see if they might be willing to take a look at the contents of a barn on their property.
Scroll through the gallery below to see exactly what was hidden away in that barn all this time!
[H/T: Freep.com]
The staff of Repocast, a family-owned company in Wayland, MI, have surely come across some strange things in their time.
After all, the auction house and repossession firm is often in charge of tracking down properties that have been abandoned or foreclosed on, and it’s anyone’s guess what will be waiting inside when they take over possession.
However, earlier this summer, the auction house got a rather unusual call from a local family.
The family has chosen to remain anonymous, but according to Freep.com, they contacted Repocast to see about selling off a massive collection of classic cars.
The family met the appraisers off-site, then brought them to a remote barn on their property in Kent County.
Inside the barn? More than 50 exceptional classic cars.
Most of the cars were Ford Thunderbirds, a much-coveted vehicle that hasn’t been produced since the late 1990s.
Specifically, most of the Thunderbirds in the barn were manufactured between the 1950s and the 1970s, the most collectible era for this classic car.
Few cars are more iconic for their mid-century era than the old-school T-bird, and when these cars can be tracked down, they’re valued accordingly.
In addition to the vast stock of rare and pristine classic Thunderbirds, the barn also contained even more vintage Ford vehicles.
The Repocast folks spotted a 1932 Model B, which was only available for a brief two-year span in the early 1930s.
Diverging from the Ford theme, they also found a 1947 Pontiac convertible, most likely a Torpedo, which ceased production in 1948.
Classic cars offer a huge range of value, from a few thousand dollars to many millions.
Most likely, these unique vintage cars will go to collectors, and the sell price may vary widely depending on the buyer and the condition of the car.
Still, according to Repocast, most of these cars haven’t been driven in 30 years or more.
The cars, though neglected, are still in excellent condition, partially because the neglect reduced wear and tear, and partially thanks to their protection from the elements in the barn.
Without knowing more about the family selling the vehicles, it’s hard to know exactly why the cars sat untouched for so long, or why the family is just now choosing to sell them.
Since the cars were found in Michigan, one of the car manufacturing centers of the world, we can take an educated guess that the original collector was involved with the auto industry, most likely Ford.
But while the past of this impressive stable of classic cars remains murky, the future is clear.
The cars went on display in the Repocast showroom and went up for auction on August 10.
Every single car sold, ranging in price from a few hundred dollars for a handful of badly damaged pieces to over $27,000 for mint condition T-birds.
If you’re stunned by this exceptional find, make sure to SHARE for everyone who loves finding vintage treasures!
