Historic Ferraris that were 'lost and found' go to auction in Monterey

We can thank Charley — Hurricane Charley, that is — for exposing a collection of what the RM Sotheby’s calls “the ultimate" barn find, and there’s not a BMW in sight.

Feast your eyes instead on a fleet of 20 vintage “lost” Ferraris, some nearly destroyed, others gorgeously refinished, all set to go to auction without reserve in August during Monterey Car Week.

This so-called “Lost and Found Collection” is comprised of classic race cars, not to mention one once owned by King Mohamed V of Morocco. “Most of these lost Ferraris remain untouched, preserving their purity and original condition since the day they were acquired — a true embodiment of the ‘barn find’ concept,” says Rob Myers of Sotheby’s.

As relates to the hurricane reference, it was Charley in 2004 that struck Florida and led to the partial collapse of the barn where the cars had been stored. They all were subsequently relocated up to now in a weatherproof warehouse in Indianapolis.

It's a chore to pick one to covet and drool over. Here’s a closer look at three:

1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione. This Ferrari 512 BB is one of three factory-specified examples prepared for the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans. Entered by Luigi Chinetti Sr./ NART as race #87 and driven by Jacques Guérin, Jean-Pierre Delaunay, and Gregg Young, the car managed to compete through 19 hours and 232 laps before retirement. Appearing largely as it did when it left the Circuit de la Sarthe, this Ferrari history shows just two private caretakers Estimated selling price: $1.8 million to  $2.8 million.

1956 250 GT Coupe Speciale by Pinin Farina. One of four examples built by Pinan Farina from 1956 with Superamerica-style coachwork. It was initially owned by King Mohamed V of Morocco. It’s been in storage for 49 years, The paint may be original, and complemented by the presence of many proper components, including wire wheels, Pinin Farina badges, Marchal lamps, and Veglia gauges and even a wood tool box. Expected to sell for between $1.7 million and $2.3 million,

In the beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder category, consider the wrecked carcass of a 1954 500 Mondial Spider Series I by Pinin Farina. What an impressive racing career lies behind this chunk of rusted metal: it appeared at the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Imola Grand Prix. The car was dubbed the 500 Mondial in recognition of Alberto Ascari’s back-to-back World Championships. Estimated bid from $1.2 million to $1.6 million because of its extensive racing history.

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