Once a race car driver, then a fashion designer, now a classic car dealer in Dusseldorf, and full time eccentric, Michael Fröhlich bought 50 classic cars from the 1950’s and created a sculpture park on his land not far from his dealership. Some are very rare cars that should be in museums or on the street. Yet they languish in the wilderness to decay and rust. He wants to show that nature can defeat technology, as the cars rot away. Among the cars is a Jaguar XK120 that Fröhlich used to race. He is said to have smeared yogurt on the Jaguar to make it decay quicker. Some of the cars were running when they were parked and at least one, a Buick Special, had just been restored. The most unusual part is that he doesn’t allow public to come see his collection of sadness.
To say Michael is a bit mental would probably be an understatement, but he seems to enjoy seeing these cars scattered across his property and as they say, they are his to do with as he pleases. Of all the cars here, the hardest one for me to understand why he would want to see it destroyed is the Jaguar XK120 that he raced and won with at the Nürburgring in ’84. Personally, I couldn’t watch a car that I raced in rot away, but to each their own. You can read more about Michael and his yard art here on TopGear and Roadtrippers. If any of you have had a chance to visit Mr. Fröhlich’s property, we would love to hear more about the whole experience!
This quote from the Roadtrippers website that David mentioned in his writeup of this guy just about sums up my reaction:
“Fröhlich wants to show everyone that, “nature is stronger than technology,” but if you’ve ever watched a single minute of natural disaster footage you already know this common-sense fact. It’s Mother Nature, dummy.”
I’m guessing that he really thinks of himself as an “artiste”.
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let’s hope his executors still have something to sell when the time comes – what a waste for nothing
They’ll be nothing but dust by then….Yes, all for nothing !!!!
“Money for nothing and the chicks are free”. (appol. to Dire Straits)
or maybe – “A foole and his monie be soone at debate,
which after with sorrow repents him too late” (c. Tusser)
Must admit It’s kind of cool in a weird way , cars are all toast anyway
He is allowed to do whatever he wants with his money, it’s not like anyone declared these cars notional treasures or something to preserve them. That being said, I’m allowed to hate him. For artistic reasons, of course.
could have been drivers or parts cars. instead they are someones idea of what yard art is. he and the add writer/seller of the capri need to have a heart to heart talk, i think.
He’s doing this to show “He can”. I think he’s an idiot for the same reason.
more money than brains? ha, not likely. this is an investment without risk in an era when rotten or smashed cars bring more money than fresh restorations. Remember the wrecked Ferrari Dino GT4 that sold as art for $250k, or all the poorly stored junk that sold at the Lambrecht auction? Seems like every recent Bonhams sale has a handful of #5 exotics that approach #2 sale prices. Then there is the revenue potential in allowing people to visit the yard art. barn find disneyland.
last shot is an Aussie Holden commonly called FX Holden unless I am confused with the incredible graphics on it.
now that is strange to see there…would be very few in the states.
He should go out in a thunderstorm with a golf club and shake it at Mother Nature.
If you’re going to do this, at least choose cars that aren’t highly sought after and loved within the car industry!
There are several images of the Jaguar on Flickr, the photo sharing site. As a matter of fact, if you like abandoned cars in junkyards, just search “junkyard” on Flickr. Plenty of photographs, most very good and some amazing sights.
His cars, check. His money, check. Does that make it OK in my book?, no. I really don’t get it. I understand free will, to each his own, can’t take it with you, etc. Like Mandy says, at least start out with unwanted cars, or maybe even hulks that still look sorta like cars. On the other hand the guy is looking for publicity and we all just got tricked into giving him just that.
I still don’t have to like him or his project so I don’t.
I by no means condone this idiotic display , but , wow , they do make wonderful subject matter or fotos. Pics certainly were not taken with a smart fone. My favourite pic is the one of the Rolls.
I can’t stand oversaturated photos so I guess I can’t care about this. That first photo nearly blinded me!
You gotta admit, it’s a cool looking display.
We’ve seen some really off the wall posts on Barn Finds with odd characters, but this guy is way up there in la-la land all by himself. Too bad he didn’t have a collection of Beanie Babies instead.
Thats horrible! He’s not just letting beautiful cars rot away, he’s letting pieces of history rot away! (And a considerably large profit)
I feel less bad about this than I do about the guys who let a classic rot away with the intention of “fixing it up someday”.
At least he isn’t kidding anybody, especially himself.
Feckin’ ejit.
IMHO, this is pure vandalism. No one says that a vandal can’t do that to his own property. Many people do many things in private but they don’t announce it to the world. It appears that he is proud of his indulgence hope he had no other projects in mind,
The horror…