By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-09-25 22:41:38 | Updated at 2024-09-30 23:33:14
5 days ago
An assortment of long-lost luxury cars were dug up after more than four decades of sitting in an unsuspecting California junkyard.
Now, these vintage treasures are worth millions and are going up for auction in late October. This auction is expected to bring in millions, according to the RM Sotheby's website.
Some of the vehicles for sale will include three restorable Lamborghini Miuras, which is considered the first ever supercar, which are collectively worth roughly $2million.
This extensive collection - over 566 cars and parts - belonged to a German man named Rudi Klein, who immigrated to Los Angeles in the 1950s.
He worked as a butcher for some time, but his true calling was collecting classic European cars, according to Wheelz.
A 1968 Lamborghini Miura is one of three of these iconic models that will be auctioned off
A 1967 red Lamborghini Miura is listed at $450,000
There are over 566 cars and parts are will be auctioned live and online from October 26 to October 28
Klein opened his iconic junkyard, Porsche Foreign Auto, in 1967. He then started to grow his exotic array of vehicles.
Magneto described the junkyard as 'a place of mystery, an enigma' because it was an unsuspecting place to keep the hidden treasures.
From the outside looking in, the junkyard was rundown with steel fencing and razor wire on the outskirts of Los Angeles.
But the inside of the yard was a different story, with luxury cars from manufactures Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini.
This auction is expected to bring in millions of dollars, based on the RM Sotheby's website
The collection was never made public, even after Klein died in 2001
While running the scrapyard, Klein never made his exclusive collection public - only a few people were ever let inside.
The car collector died in 2001, but his family made sure to keep his collection completely untampered with.
The auction will be the first time the public will be able to see or purchase any of the cars.
Car auction company RM Sotheby's will be hosting a live auction titled 'The Junkyard: The Rudi Klein Collection' on October 26, where 208 lots will be up for bidding.
A 1939 Maybach SW38 'Ponton-Sport' Cabriolet is listed at $150,000
While Klein was alive, he operated his scrapyard as usual, but hardly ever let anyone see the collection of cars he had
An additional 358 lots will be sold online from October 26 to October 28.
One gem of the assortment is lot three, a 1968 Miura P400 believed to have belonged to engineer and test driver Claudio Zampolli. He went on to make the Cizeta supercar.
A 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Alloy' Gullwing is expected to be sold for $6million. A 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 will sell at an anticipated $700,000.
From the outside, Rudi Klein's junkyard looked like an unsuspecting place to hold such luxury cars
Vintage pieces of cars are also for sale. For instance, a 1970 Lamborghini Miura S Engine with Parts is listed at $125,000.
Cary Ahl, a car specialist at RM Sotheby's, told Robb Report: 'Each car will necessitate a courageous collector prepared for a comprehensive restoration.
'But the rewards for bringing these incredible supercars back to their former glory is immense.'
