Downtown Monterey during Car Week is a truly strange place. You walk by thousands of barking sea lions as Paganis and PT Cruisers fight for space on the nearby highway. But even by the standard of Car Week, the giant junkyard of Ferraris in various states of trashed was quite the sight. There was even a raccoon!
If ever there was a way to indicate how far David has come from his sad, lonely days sorting Jeep parts in a sweaty Michigan pick-and-pull, it’s our suddenly fancier EiC perusing the corroded rockers of a 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti.
Why is this here? RM Sothebys Auctions operates out of the Portola Hotel every year and utilizes the open areas around the main ballroom outside to show off its wares to registered bidders. Normally, this means near-perfect versions of all the cars you’ve only ever dreamed about seeing (everything from Friskys to ungodly expensive Hispano-Suizas).
RM Sotheby’s found itself in the position of representing a large collection of highly sought after Ferrari models that were being stored, somewhat secretly, in a warehouse outside of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When Hurricane Charley tore through the American southeast, in 2004, the damage revealed a barn in Florida where all the cars were stored. These cars were “rescued” and relocated to Indiana.
Rather than try to mix the new cars with the non-running, junky Ferraris, RM decided to stage a junkyard in the middle of downtown Monterey, complete with trash, 2x4s, and a stuffed raccoon. David felt right at home.
If I had a favorite, it was the Ferrari 512 BB Competizione above that went for a little less than its estimate at $1.49 million.
Of course, the infamous Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, which is barely a hunk of metal, sold for an insane $1.8 million. One of the RM employees on hand pointed out that they did remove the number plate since that’s the most valuable part of the car and, technically, all you need to remake one.
The cars ranged in value from a Ferrari 400 Automatic that sold for about $37k to a Targa Florio-raced 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy that blew away its estimated price and sold for $3.3 million. Here are the top ten lots if you were curious:
- 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti $3,305,000
- 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Coupe Series I by Pinin Farina $2,810,000
- 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina $1,875,000
- 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina $1,655,000
- 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione $1,490,000
- 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS by Pininfarina $1,116,000
- 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina $1,017,000
- 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso $907,000
- 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta by Scaglietti $500,000
- 1968 Ferrari Dino 206 GT by Scaglietti $456,000
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwN0_gsJike/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
The raccoon was a very David touch.
I love the idea of the wooden post staged so nicely on the roof of this 365 GT 2+2.
As someone on Instagram pointed out, this is what David’s life would look like if he won the lottery.
Obviously, after doing this, all of these owners will have to go through a comprehensive restoration. We spoke with a couple of people from Ferrari and they pointed out that they’re around to help start the rebuilding process, which will take years for some of these vehicles.
Y’know, I like that they’re leaning into what these cars are instead of smugly puffing up the “restoration candidate” blah blah yeah, we know, blah blah blah. Like, I know someone like Ferrari or Porsche would rebuild anything with a proper numberplate, but if these came with a VW badge, they’d be languishing ever-closer to the crusher. Some of these even look like they came out of some of the junkyards I’ve been in. Well done, auction snobs, well done.
I used-to be a huge Ferrari Lusso fan, but as I age, the Daytona GTB looks better and better. I think the scarcity of pop-up headlights makes it seem more exotic.
I would even take it in red! (I’ve been on an anti-red Ferrari kick for the past 15 years. A lot of fun Ferrari colors have been repainted in red because, “reasons”, and I think that’s sad.)
We were just having a similar discussion among friends; any color but red and black. Red because yawn. Black because some of the other colors show off the lines better. Case in point the 512BB
https://cdn.classic-trader.com/I/images/1920_1920_inset/vehicle_ad_standard_image_536615852c749b2952904cea32625cb7.jpg
And I have always liked the blues
https://www.sportscarmarket.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/575d0d80883b1d4e8290f4091c69575c.jpg
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huntingridgemotors.com%2Fvehicle%2F2010-ferrari-458-italia-in-blue-metallic%2F&psig=AOvVaw1CYdqn9T0KW_wceB9JTrVX&ust=1692903385146000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCNj0l9m684ADFQAAAAAdAAAAABAF
I’ve always been partial to green ones:
https://cdn.carbuzz.com/gallery-images/1600/771000/300/771311.jpg
https://www.classicdriver.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,fit=cover,width=1920,height=1029/sites/default/files/article_images/green_ferraris_05.jpg
https://cdn.ferrari.com/cms/network/media/img/resize/6093ffaf8c09a35ca689fb6b-ferrari-magazine-vwQLZwiHyS.jpg?width=830&height=0
That 275 GTB/6C…
I lust after it!
David touching the raccoon, “It’s real”
The reaction is priceless
What did the racoon go for?
I assume DT bought it to keep the opossum company.
It went for leftover fast food from the dumpster in the back.
I’m disappointed that this is not a real junkyard, but happy to see that those ultra exclusive auction houses have a sense of humour, and shared this with us mortals.
Same. Saw this on Instagram and immediately began mentally compiling a list of parts in case our heroes came across a Mondial QV in there. Like everything else these days, nothing is as it seems.
“I gotta take a stand. I’m bullshit. I put up with everything. My old man pushes me around. I never say anything! Well he’s not the problem, I’m the problem. I gotta take a stand.”
Looks like Cameron Frye and Ferris Bueller have been up to their old shenanigans again.
Short of literally burning to ashes or sinking to the bottom of the ocean, will any Ferrari ever be junked again?
Not as long as what can legally be qualified as the VIN exists
I watched a VinWiki recently about rebuilt Ferraris. Seeming completely obliterated Enzos and such mysteriously end up back as perfect examples. So the dirty secret is that they make more cars than they say and the make new old models. If all that’s saved is the VIN number, is it still a classic car?
Bob, Bob, Bob….
Haven’t you ever heard of The Ferrari of Theseus?
The Philippines still has their annual fancy car crushing spectacle, so I’ll go with yes.
The number plate seems like a lich’s phylactery. Until it’s destroyed we’ll never be rid of these speculation magnets.
Yes, sort of. they just take the number plate off, dump the actual car (or most of it), then stick the number plate on a reproduction from some mix of original and mostly salvaged parts and call it an original.
I guess it depends on what somone considers “junked”
There’s certain models that still fall into the too new to be vintage/too old to be new category that might be, if the damage is serious enough?
The world, from which I excused myself around the same time as Mr.Tracy was born, has gone mad. I have evidence, and refuse to believe accordingly.
Proving no matter how much money you have, the human urge to buy someone else’s project out of a sketchy yard never truly leaves.
me, after winning the lotto: Hell yeah, where’s the Tatra section?
This hurts.
David’s reaction to upon seeing the raccoon in the car 😀
Faking a junkyard is even worse then the types that don’t want to wash a ‘barn find’ since the dust is valuable.
Show pics of the cars before they were retrieved from the collapsed warehouse, but throwing random junk on them is just lame.
Yeah, this is an odd bit of theatrics that doesn’t really make sense to put time and energy into doing. Faking a junk yard doesn’t suddenly increase the value of the vehicles, so this is indeed strange.
I disagree. This is Car Week in Monterey and they’re catering to people who are used to buying art (or “art” if you prefer) in galleries where the installation is a big part of it all. So instead of just parading the junked cars around, they thought they’d have a little fun with it. Plus there’s the amusement value for the many, many people who passed by who don’t have the combination of wealth and insanity it would take to actually buy one of these heaps. I’d have seen that raccoon and smiled.
Maybe so. Still looks tacky.
Some people have a sense of humor, some don’t.
Well you have to remember people who buy cars for the VIN only are completely out of touch with reality. They are getting reproduction cars not originals, the VIN means absolutely fuck-all except in these weirdos heads
There is a part of me that feels like this borders on that weird, sometimes offensive genre of rich folks cosplaying poverty without ever having to come to terms with their own privilege, but if it leads to Alberton Farthuffersmith III carrying a vintage V12 longblock and a set of 512 BB wheels on a Ferrari 250 GT hood to take advantage of some wild all-you-can-carry junkyard sale, I’m for it.
Post that video.
A Ferrari junkyard, like carpeted bathrooms, should not be a thing.
How did Hurricane Charlie affect this warehouse in Indiana? I was in Port Charlotte when Charley hit and the path shows it along the east coast after exiting Florida. I am so confused.
BTW: After leaving the United States, it ended up hitting Ireland.
PS: It was Friday the 13th 2004 not 2014
Ah, you’re right. To clarify, the cars were in a barn in Florida. When Hurricane Charley hit the storm revealed the cars, which were then taken to the warehouse in Indiana.
It wasn’t a barn in Florida it was a disused cinema. The cars were being stored there as the IRS was after the owner for unpaid taxes.
Hm, this story says barn, but whatever, still a fascinating story. https://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/celebrity-cars/20-ferraris-damaged-in-a-hurricane/
Thank you for the clarification. I don’t blame you guys for the mistake on this, all the news blurbs made it seem like Charley hit Indiana. You guys are only ones classy enough to fix it.
Again, thank you.
The million purchase is just the taste. Millions more trying to repair and restore. Probably sfill dont run but a garage queen. Stupid investment
Is an investment that is likely to make money really a stupid investment?
How can you feel like you even own an original 1954 Ferrari when almost every single piece other than the VIN plate will be a reproduction? Sure, it’ll be made of factory reproduced parts, and I’m sure they may find a few pieces of new old stock.
It’ll end up looking original once the professionals get done, but to me, it’s like the repainting of that fresco in Spain that the amateur “touched up”. Everyone knows it’s not original, so why not spend years looking for an original instead of waiting?
I suppose that if you can afford the likely tens of millions necessary to have every part commissioned anew, you may as well blow another couple on an original VIN plate.
A – if you actually wanted to drive the car (like some kind of lunatic) what’s to feel bad about? Nothing is original.
B – In the eyes of any government or registry, is a year XXXX car, and can therefore be registered and operate under those regulations.