Today’s classic car market is packed with restored rigs from all decades. And tens of thousands of them are crossing the auction block each year. However, millions of vehicles are still rotting away following decades of neglect.
Most of them are parked in junkyards, waiting to donate parts before entering the crusher. Others are still locked away in barns, hoping to be released for restoration rather than scrapped. But not all derelict classics are junkyard or barn finds. Some are spending their retirement years grouped on properties that have been abandoned for decades.
Colin from YouTube’s “The Bearded Explorer” recently discovered a place like that. Located somewhere in the United Kingdom, the building appears to have been a repair shop, and it’s loaded with classic cars. Some of them are complete, while others look like they were ongoing projects. I don’t have the full story on this place, but it sure looks like it was abandoned in a hurry.
And whoever owned the shop left behind a few interesting and even rare vehicles. The footage kicks off with a Renault 10. Granted, this French family car is not exactly rare, but you won’t see many of them on public roads either. Built from 1965 through 1971, the Renault 10 preceded the more iconic 12, which remained in production until 2006 in Romania.
Right next to the Renault 10, there’s a shell of an even older automobile our host has trouble identifying. Well, I’m pretty sure it’s a Citroen Traction Avant. Introduced in 1934, this French rig has quite a few achievements to brag about.
Most notably, it was the world’s first mass-produced car with a monocoque body and front-wheel drive. It was also among the first to use rack and pinion steering. The Traction Avant remained in production all the way until 1957 and sold 760,000 units.
One of the main highlights of this video shows up near the nine-minute mark in the form of a first-generation Ford Mustang. It is also an early version, most likely from the 1965 or 1966 model years. Granted, these ponies aren’t very scarce, but they’re a rare sight in Europe.
Moreover, this Mustang is a drop-top, a much rarer body style than the hardtop. Ford sold about 75,000 units in 1965 and around 72,000 examples in 1966. The fact that it has an inline-six also makes it relatively scarce since entry-level ‘Stangs have a low survival rate.
The pony shares the building with yet another desirable sports car from back in the day. I’m talking about a first-gen Porsche 911. Sadly, the German coupe is in poor shape, missing some body panels and the flat-six engine. It also looks like someone attempted to widen the rear fenders and turn it into some sort of Turbo or RSR clone. It’s still valuable as is and shouldn’t rot away in a place like this.
But these aren’t the only gems hidden in the abandoned building. Our host also stumbles across a pair of first-generation Volkswagen Golfs, including a true-blue GTi. I also spotted a BMW 2002, an old Mini Cooper, and an MG MGB. Most of these cars seem solid and rust-free. While not as sought-after as the 911, these cars have become increasingly more valuable in recent years.
Sadly, it doesn’t look like the building will be cleared anytime soon, and I have a feeling all these classics are doomed to spend even more years here. Sure, the fact they’re parked on a concrete floor keeps them dry, but it’s not a long-term solution. Hopefully, they will see daylight sooner than later.
