6 ms·

Reminds me of this one from a few years ago: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/classic-cars-abandoned-for-decades-in-french-barn-valued-at-20-million/index.

by roel_v 6y ago

Reminds me of this one from a few years ago: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/classic-cars-abandoned-for-decades-in-french-barn-valued-at-20-million/index.html https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/classic-cars-abandoned... Seems like straight out of a boys book - abandoned shed, dozens of cars stored in there, nobody knows that they're so valuable. I don't know anything about cars but from looking at the pictures in the OP, I can't help but think that some of them would be worth quite a bit? Certainly more than the scrap metal value?

Ididntdothis 6y ago
Most likely they are worth nothing. This is like finding an expensive painting at a yard sale. It happens, but very, very, very rarely.
WalterBright 6y ago
I know that people build replicas of expensive Ferraris. But they always seem to take a shortcut and put a modern engine/driveline in it. Most of the magic of a Ferrari is in the engine, driveline and running gear. When some Ferraris fetch north of $20m, if I was super rich and wanted one, I'd just have a machine shop build a duplicate - including the engine, etc. It can't be that expensive to do it, after all, the originals were built in a machine shop.
- djaychela 6y ago
  I think the value of these cars is in their rarity and originality - the replica would be worth a tiny fraction of that, because its not original, and many buy them because of their investment potential not because they are a great car to drive (a lot don't get driven as it reduces the value and is risky). Also, don't underestimate the cost involved in making something like this. While obviously not $20m, having every part created from scratch involves creating accurate drawings and understanding the specifications of the materials and processes involved, which isn't simple. Even creating a replacement set of gears for an existing gearbox takes an immense amount of investment in time, and creating something complex such as an engine block or gearbox casing would be considerably more. Yes, the originals were built in a machine shop, but also a foundry, and a design department, with a larger supply chain for many of the smaller components, and you'd need to replicators, or all of their work - a substantial effort.
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    Oh, I know it would be expensive. But Ferrari doesn't make those parts anymore, and people go to great lengths to restore them. So somebody is making these parts. There are lots of shops that make drag racing engines, including forgings. I know, I put forged rotating parts in my Dodge. They aren't particularly expensive. Ditto for things like special gears for your differential. So these foundries exist, and I'm sure you can write them a check and they can build whatever you want. You would need an original engine to get the specifications off of. You might be able to get a blown one for a reasonable price. You may also be able to examine the parts from someone who is doing a restoration of the same engine. You might be able to share expenses with someone who in a pickle because he has the car with a blown engine. As for driving it, one of the points is to be able to enjoy driving it, rather than have a $37m museum piece too valuable to drive. I'm not terribly interested in a museum piece. I wanna drive it. It would likely cost a couple million to do this. But it would be a way cool project! Besides, an "original" car is hardly original. It's got new paint, new coachwork, new rubber, lots of rusty parts replaced, new oil, new bearings, etc.
    - WalterBright 6y ago
      Also, for low production runs, a forging can be replaced by a "billet" chunk of metal machined to size. I seriously doubt Ferrari was relying on some secret exotic metal for their engines in the 50's and 60's. A top fuel drag engine builder should know everything needed to make a very suitable clone of the originals.
- PappaPatat 6y ago
  > But they always seem to take a shortcut and put a modern engine/driveline in it. YMMV. For me that is not a shortcut (although it is a lot less valuable) but a prerequisite. I will like modern technology and I like old style.
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    The sound of a Ferrari V12 is a big part of its charm. I drive an old 72 Dodge. Many people re-engine them with a modern engine, but I like the sound, feel, and balkiness of the old engines. Other people do, too, as when I took it to a car show it would draw a crowd when I'd start the engine :-)
- throwaway0a5e 6y ago
  Here's an example of the kind of work you're talking about. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/frankenferrari-v12-ferrari-308/148959/page1/ https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-p... That's a massive amount of work (and money) and he's re-using and modifying existing castings and using off the shelf rotating assembly components. If you're not doing it yourself it's going to be cheaper to just buy the Ferrari you want. I don't think you understand just how much having everything be one off pushes up the cost.

by roel_v 6y ago

Ididntdothis 6y ago

Most likely they are worth nothing. This is like finding an expensive painting at a yard sale. It happens, but very, very, very rarely.

WalterBright 6y ago

I know that people build replicas of expensive Ferraris. But they always seem to take a shortcut and put a modern engine/driveline in it. Most of the magic of a Ferrari is in the engine, driveline and running gear. When some Ferraris fetch north of $20m, if I was super rich and wanted one, I'd just have a machine shop build a duplicate - including the engine, etc. It can't be that expensive to do it, after all, the originals were built in a machine shop.

djaychela 6y ago
I think the value of these cars is in their rarity and originality - the replica would be worth a tiny fraction of that, because its not original, and many buy them because of their investment potential not because they are a great car to drive (a lot don't get driven as it reduces the value and is risky). Also, don't underestimate the cost involved in making something like this. While obviously not $20m, having every part created from scratch involves creating accurate drawings and understanding the specifications of the materials and processes involved, which isn't simple. Even creating a replacement set of gears for an existing gearbox takes an immense amount of investment in time, and creating something complex such as an engine block or gearbox casing would be considerably more. Yes, the originals were built in a machine shop, but also a foundry, and a design department, with a larger supply chain for many of the smaller components, and you'd need to replicators, or all of their work - a substantial effort.
- WalterBright 6y ago
  Oh, I know it would be expensive. But Ferrari doesn't make those parts anymore, and people go to great lengths to restore them. So somebody is making these parts. There are lots of shops that make drag racing engines, including forgings. I know, I put forged rotating parts in my Dodge. They aren't particularly expensive. Ditto for things like special gears for your differential. So these foundries exist, and I'm sure you can write them a check and they can build whatever you want. You would need an original engine to get the specifications off of. You might be able to get a blown one for a reasonable price. You may also be able to examine the parts from someone who is doing a restoration of the same engine. You might be able to share expenses with someone who in a pickle because he has the car with a blown engine. As for driving it, one of the points is to be able to enjoy driving it, rather than have a $37m museum piece too valuable to drive. I'm not terribly interested in a museum piece. I wanna drive it. It would likely cost a couple million to do this. But it would be a way cool project! Besides, an "original" car is hardly original. It's got new paint, new coachwork, new rubber, lots of rusty parts replaced, new oil, new bearings, etc.
  - WalterBright 6y ago
    Also, for low production runs, a forging can be replaced by a "billet" chunk of metal machined to size. I seriously doubt Ferrari was relying on some secret exotic metal for their engines in the 50's and 60's. A top fuel drag engine builder should know everything needed to make a very suitable clone of the originals.
PappaPatat 6y ago
> But they always seem to take a shortcut and put a modern engine/driveline in it. YMMV. For me that is not a shortcut (although it is a lot less valuable) but a prerequisite. I will like modern technology and I like old style.
- WalterBright 6y ago
  The sound of a Ferrari V12 is a big part of its charm. I drive an old 72 Dodge. Many people re-engine them with a modern engine, but I like the sound, feel, and balkiness of the old engines. Other people do, too, as when I took it to a car show it would draw a crowd when I'd start the engine :-)
throwaway0a5e 6y ago
Here's an example of the kind of work you're talking about. https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/frankenferrari-v12-ferrari-308/148959/page1/ https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-p... That's a massive amount of work (and money) and he's re-using and modifying existing castings and using off the shelf rotating assembly components. If you're not doing it yourself it's going to be cheaper to just buy the Ferrari you want. I don't think you understand just how much having everything be one off pushes up the cost.