Seven ‘rustbucket’ classic cars found in a shed after 50 years to sell for over £200k

Arguably one of the biggest ‘barnfinds’ of 2023 could result in seven ‘rustbucket’ classic cars found stored at a semi-detached property in the South of England for 50 years selling for a staggering amount later this month.

The cars – which include bona fide collectible models including Jaguar E-Types, AC Bristol sports cars and an early Series I Land Rover  – will be offered at auction on 19 to 20 August and collectively could make a whopping £200,000.

They were uncovered in – and around – a dilapidated shed, having not been used and left languishing for around half a century.

And they’ve suffered the elements, with each of the seven motors needing plenty of work – and money – before they can safely be returned to the road.

Now that’s what you call a barnfind! Seven ‘rustbucket’ classic cars have been found in a shed in the South of England, having been languishing there for over 50 years. The collectible motors will all be heading to auction later this month

The cars – which include bona fide collectible models including Jaguar E-Types, AC sports cars and an early Land Rover I – will be offered at auction on 19 to 20 August and collectively could make a whopping £200,000

The dilapidated motors were found stacked up on top of each other in the outbuilding in the back garden of a ‘modest’ semi-detached house on a residential street.

The stash contains three Jaguar E Types – two 1968 series II roadsters and a single series II fixed-head coupe from 1970.

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The dilapidated motors were found stacked up on top of each other in the outbuilding in the back garden of a semi-detached house

The six classic sports cars were all squeezed into the crumbling barn together. As you can see, the way in which they’ve been stored hasn’t been conducive to retaining their value

The 1959 AC Ace is removed from the garage some 50 years after it entered. Anglia Car Auctions, which is selling the seven cars, said it was a painstaking process salvaging the seven motors

The removal of the vehicles took two days in total and the use of both a forklift truck and a digger to extract the cars

The final vehicle exits the worn-down shed, which is far from the ideal storage facility for cars of this generation and value

The 1951 Land Rover hadn’t been afford a roof over its head, with the classic 4X4 left outside to suffer the elements for decades. A Series I 80 Utility on today’s market is worth up to £75,700, according to experts at Hagerty 

All of the cars require major restoration but could still sell for a combined total of £200,000, though they are being offered without reserve, making it difficult to say how much they will collectively make

Alongside the Jags were a trio of 1950s AC Bristols, which had been piled three-high in the keeper’s barn.

The earliest is a 1955 AC Aceca, while the remaining two roadsters are a 1957 AC Ace Bristol and 1959 AC Ace.

The final model in the barnfind was a 1951 Land Rover Series I 80 Utility, which had been left outside and had to be retrieved having sunken into mud.

The rust-covered vehicles had been in the barn since the early 1970s having been collected by the homeowner.

Anglia Car Auctions, which will sell the collection – said it took two days to carefully extract the vehicles one by one from the barn using a forklift truck and digger.

All of the cars require major restoration but could still sell for a combined total of £200,000.

This 1969 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 SII Roadster is arguably the one in the best condition, but will still need plenty of work to return it to the road. Fully restored to perfect – original – condition, it could be worth as much as £105,000

The second 1969 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 Roadster SII is appears to be in far less favourable condition. Years of dirt and grime cover the bodywork. Again, Hagerty says a car like this in perfect order would sell on today’s market for in excess of £100k

The final E-Type in the Jag trio is this 1970 Jaguar E-Type 4.2 SII FHC, which has suffered lots of roof damage having had other vehicles stacked on top of it for years. Hagerty reckons its worth as much as £75,700 if in perfect condition

Had they been kept in pristine condition, they would potentially be worth up to £800,000, the auction house estimates.

The seven vehicles are being sold without reserve, meaning they will almost certainly find a new home if any collectors raise their paddle for the lots when they go to the block in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, in a fortnight.

Auctioneer Guy Snelling said: ‘It is amazing what you do find in this job but to get there and see these classic cars stacked three high was quite extraordinary.

‘The cars have been there since the 1970s and it took us two days to carefully extract them using a forklift truck and digger.

The earliest of the AC sports cars found in the barn is this 1955 AC Aceca. A pristine example of one of these cars today is worth close to £200k alone

This 1957 AC Ace Bristol has certainly seen better days and is showing the scars of decades of neglect. Hagerty values a ‘concours’ condition example at £367,000

The latest of the AC Bristols salvaged from the storage unit is this 1959 AC Ace. It is also worth as much as £367,000

‘It is very special to find three Jaguar E-Types and three ACs.

‘One of the AC Ace Bristols was owned by Betty Haig, a leading 1960s racing driver.

‘The cars don’t have reserves but I think the sale could make hundreds of thousands of pounds.

‘Had they been in nice condition, you would be looking at £700,000 to £800,000.’

But what if they were all restored to perfect – original – order, as they would have been when they came off the assembly line?

According to classic car valuations experts at Hagerty, the combined top-end value of the seven vehicles on today’s market is close to a whopping £1.3million.

While there is plenty of investment opportunity in all seven cars, the next owners will need to dedicate plenty of time and funds to see such a level of return. 

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