We have all heard about the famous Portugal find. Many versions of the story have been circulated over the years. The tales were all scrutinized by the “experts” and more believable versions were released by them. Well, the truth is now going theard revealed because the cars are going to auction! As the original story goes, a New York business man purchased some land in Portugal and found this barn on the property. The door was padlocked tight, but after he cut off the lock, he was greeted by hundreds of rare classics. Well, it took a while to get all the paperwork in order, but he now has permission to sell them all. Someone is really going to cash out big time on this one! Keep reading for more photos and details.
There are Minis, Mercedes, Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Porsches, Ferraris, and more in there! Someone spent years collecting all these cars and some have been lost for decades. Take a look at the photos below and see how many you can identify. Some have claimed that this is all a myth, but photos like this would be very hard to stage.
Obviously, organizing an auction of this magnitude is going to take some time. Luckily, the owner was smart enough to call Yvette at VanDerBrink Auctions to handle the task! We will release more details throughout the day as they emerge…
it is april 1st today!
yes the hoax continues, had me going for a minute! April Fools!!
OK so this is a hoax, but these look like real pictures of real cars, I would love to know what the true story is
WOW….a lot of good cars there.and a MK11 Cortina in the first picture.
PreWarCar dot Com created a far more intriguing Aprils Fools day spoof. Suckered quite a few. Read the earliest comments on both the PreWarCar and PostWarClassic side for humor and oops, I got it spiels…..
http://www.prewarcar.com/magazine/previous-features/chief-editor-fired-025858.html
Jim s sir, I think you have nailed it on the head. This would be too good to be true. It has GOT to be an april fools gag. (and a cruel one at that; everyone’s been looking for this one to be revealed for what it really is.)
And in other automotive news, Jeremy Clarkson has been hired to host a new spinoff of Antiques Roadshow, tentatively titled “Antiques Wreckshow.” According to Sir Clive Hassenpfeffer-Braithwaite, head of programming for BBC 7, “Mr. Clarkson will bring a new level of edgy wit to a previously somnolent segment of the television spectrum. Look for incidents with grand pianos and Morris Dancers, hot laps around the top-secret racing track in Fabergeeggs and vintage Peugeot peppermills, and ‘Stars in Reasonably Priced Midcentury-Modern Armchairs.'”
Mr. Clarkson was unavailable for comment. His publicist stated that he was in the middle of a large rib-eye and was not to be disturbed.
Very clever – and funny, love it. I do wonder how many Americans will get it though, cheers
VanDer Brink Auction in Portugal? April 1st indeed!!
Nice try Jesse, car guys are smarter than you think!!
I wonder how many Americans inderstood a word that ‘That Guy’ said?! Obviously hes an Englishman!
Actually I’m California born, raised, lifelong resident. But I guess I spend too much time watching BBC America and PBS. :-D
A giant warehouse full of Euro vintage & classic cars in Portugal to be handled by Yvette at VanDerBrink Auctions in Minnesota.
Right, not too many logistical problems there. It should work out real well.
jim s nailed it…..April fools.
My vote to That Guy for the funniest comment.
Wellllllllllllllllll I understood every word “that guy “said. But then I’m English?????????
And jolly amusing it was at that. Right then. Jolly good. What! Pip pip cheerio. Bob’s yer uncle and Fanny’s yer aunt. Quiet so….
Supposedly there’s a DB4in that Barn???
neek, mate, it’s actually a bloody DB4GT in there, jeez, look more closely.
I talked to Yvette at van der brink auctions and she said she has not been contacted by anyone re a auction of collector cars in Portugal. She was clueless as of 4/1/2015 about the auction in Portugal..
LOL!
A lot of people are clueless for a while, every year on 4/1
Hahahahaha…
Good one BF guys!
Well, you guys got us. Happy April Fools’ everyone! Even though some of you said that you knew it was a joke, you did it with a nervous laugh. “Haha. You guys got us… It was a joke, right?” I bet that every last one of you was secretly hoping that it was all true. Ivette is very confused right now and we probably started another wave of Portugal spam, but it was fun to dream!
i looked thru those cars for 10 minute, then wondered if they were going over there for the auction or if the cars were going to be brought over here to be sold, then looked at the auction website before i noticed the date. well at least it was not a cow this year! great fun
my first problem with the story is y would someone sell a property with all these rare cars on it. why didn’t the person take the cars with him/her there has to be close to billion dollars worth of cars
Okay, I’ll bite that it’s an April Fools story. But where in the heck were all those photos taken? That’s an amazing and very dusty collection of vintage iron somewhere. –PB, NoVa
http://www.sportscarmarket.com/news/news/2709-portuguese-barn-find-fact-or-fiction
I believe this is the most accurate version of the story.
NOT funny.Someone should tie your shoe laces together! If you do it again next year..I will…
Well these (33) 1956 thru 1962 MGA Coupes and Roadsters are NOT a mirage and are the real deal. They are still available for sale and include a 1959 MGA Twin Cam Rolling Chassis, a complete 1959 MGA Twin Cam Roadster (one of 2,190 produced), a complete 1962 MGA MK II Coupe, a complete 1962 MGA MK II Roadster and a complete 1962 MGA MK II Deluxe Roadster (one of 290 produced). Also there is a very rare 1939 MGVA Tickford Cabriolet. To view the real deal either email me at collectorcarsandparts@yahoo.com or call 573-541-1970 (please note: this is just a small part of the MG collection)
Look above: this is the MG collection
When this story first broke, I contacted a long time friend, a car collector in southern Spain. He looked into the story for me. To the best of my memory here is what he found:
The collection was very real, sealed up in a huge building made of large concrete blocks, the type used as anchors and sea walls, each block over 1 meter thick! He said that the photos are of only 1 of 4 large rooms, so we can see only 25% of what is there.
He said the property owner died and the family sold the place, with multiple buildings in disrepair. Upon opening the big building and realizing the immense potential value of the vehicles, the family demanded the cars not be included in the sale. Then the Portuguese government stepped in, placing a hold on the vehicles, as many years of vehicle ownership taxes were never paid, nor were the title papers ever changed, making it unclear who actually owns the cars. Knowing how slow these situations grind on and on, in the Iberian peninsula, I doubt the situation is anywhere near conclusion. [I’ve not heard of any vehicles matching the descriptions having been sold off.] It could easily be another 10 years before we ever see the cars come up for sale. My friend says It can take forever to get stuff done in that area, even a land line phone can take 3 years or longer to get installed.
Finally, some information on that stash which makes sense! Thanks for posting it.