Legend of a real Barn car

[kach22i]

http://www.velocetoday.com/cars/cars_49.php

Eventually Smith retired from Fortune to a restored 18th century farmhouse in Groton, Connecticut and the Abarth Biposto went into its garage where it sat, unused, but to judge from its condition not neglected, since at least 1977

After more than 50 years, the Abarth Biposto has been discovered in Connecticut.

[JeremyD]

Wow!

[RickM]

Ditto....WOW!

[Joeaksa]

And how many more are there like this out there, just waiting for someone to find them?

Hope a lot!

Joe A

[austin552]

I love stories like that!

[adamred]

Great one, any idea what something like this is worth?

[Eric 951]

whatever happened to that guy claiming to have found the Spyder in the barn??

[kach22i]

Originally posted by adamred
Great one, any idea what something like this is worth?

The article (see full link) was written shortly before it went up for auction in 2003, presumably to generate interest and bump the price up.

There must be a way to see what it went for, and to whom it was sold.

[kach22i]

Originally posted by Eric 951
whatever happened to that guy claiming to have found the Spyder in the barn??

I think he was just ringing our bell.

[RickM]

I'll call Dean Kruse and ask......

[RickM]

OK. This was a highlight auction at Rockefeller Plaza on June 3-5 of 2003. Several cars of note were auctioned off including Frank Sinatra's 1970 Lambo Miura.

The Abarth total cost, including premium, was $293,500.

Below is an excerpt from the the shows press release (note the difference in sale estimate and sale actual):

"A phenomenal discovery made recently after a 40 year disappearance, that will astonish car enthusiasts, is the
1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe, designed by Franco Scaglione with coachwork by Bertone (estimate:
$80,000-120,000). Considered a post-war design marvel, the 1952 Abarth 1500 was the precursor to the
legendary series of Scaglione designs for Bertone called the B.A.T.s (Berlina Aerodinamica Technica). It
was Franco Scaglione’s first design for Bertone and was the centerpiece of Bertone’s exhibit at the XXIV
Turin Motor Show in 1952. When the Packard Motor Company executives visited the Turin Show, they
immediately purchased the Abarth in an effort to convince company management that the car was the
embodiment of modern Italian automotive design and should be emulated by the manufacturing giant. Later,
Packard’s President, James Nance, gifted the car to Richard Austin Smith, where it has remarkably remained
with the family ever since, sympathetically used and preserved for over 50 years."

[masraum]

another quote

“Today’s sale was led by the stunning world auction record price for the 1952 Abarth 1500 Biposto Coupe, which soared to nearly $300,000, tripling pre-sale expectations,” said Miles Morris, International Head of Christie’s Motor Cars.

What I can't believe is this

The ex-Frank Sinatra
1970 Lamborghini Miura P400S #4407
Estimate on Request
Sale: Christie's Collectors' Car Auction & Exhibition at Rockefeller Center, New York on 5 June 2003
Sale #1242
Sold for $150,500 (incl. commission)


I would have thought that Miuras fetch more than that. I'd love to be able to afford a miura. That's a damn sexy car.

[Waz356]

That is a fantastic story. I love hearing about things like this. It keeps my spirits high that there are still undiscovered treasures out there. Thanks for sharing.