5 abandoned vintage cars that rusted and are incredibly expensive

1. Shelby Cobra Daytona 1964: Price 21-33.5 million USD

This was the first of six cars Shelby built in collaboration with Peter Brock to compete with Ferrari's aerodynamic race cars. This car is the most special of the bunch because it is the only car Carroll Shelby built in the United States. The other five were completed in Italy.

The Cobra Daytona, with its 4.7-liter V8 engine producing 385 horsepower, set a speed record at Le Mans, France. It was sold several times before finally ending up in the hands of Donna O'Hare. However, since she owned it, it has rarely been driven on the road. Many people have approached her, including Mr. Shelby, to learn about the car.

After her death, the Cobra Daytona was accidentally found in an old barn. A legal battle over the car ensued and ownership eventually passed to Kurt Goss, Donna's close relative.

The Cobra Daytona sold for $4 million. Goss received a settlement of $800,000. Many believe that the iconic Ferrari rival, the 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona, could actually be worth a staggering $24.8 million if it were in good condition.

2. Ferrari F40 of the son of late President Sadam Hussein: Price 1.6-3.45 million USD

This is the most infamous Ferrari F40 ever. It was originally owned by Uday Hussein, the eldest son of Saddam Hussein. This F40 took the internet by storm when a dusty photo of the car was found abandoned in the Iraqi desert.

Since the fall of the Hussein empire, many collectors and Ferrari enthusiasts have tried to get their hands on this F40, but somehow it always slipped under the radar.

In early May 2020, the Ferrari F40 supercar once again attracted attention when YouTuber Ratarossa asked netizens to find the current location of this supercar. With the help of the online community, he also found the Ferrari F40 supercar of the son of the late President Saddam Hussein in the city of Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan, Iraq.

Despite being badly damaged, the Ferrari F40 supercar owned by one owner has been "asked for" up to 1.15 million USD. However, according to McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, the world's largest provider of collector car insurance, a Ferrari F40 in good condition is now worth an impressive 2.4 million USD.

This Ferrari F40 is equipped with a 2.9L twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The car has a maximum capacity of 471 horsepower and maximum torque of 577 Nm.

3. Lamborghini Miura by Stamatis Kokotas: Price 1.6-2.9 million USD

The Lamborghini Miura was the world’s first mid-engined production sports car. Its iconic V12 engine is also a legend, having been around for over half a century. The final version of the Lamborghini Miura was seen in the Lamborghini Murcielago. In a word, the Lamborghini Miura is one of the legends of the supercar world.

It's amazing to see a car of this size sitting around, covered in dust. There's an interesting story behind it. The Lamborghini was a gift from Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis to racing driver and singer Stamatis Kokotas.

This metallic brown Miura P400S comes with optional features like air conditioning and electric windows. Notably, it has a custom steering wheel logo and a set of rally lights located at the bottom of the front bumper.

The car appeared at a Coys Auction in 2012 but failed to fetch the desired price. Today, a 1969 Lamborghini Miura P400 S in good condition is worth more than $2 million, according to Hagerty Valuations.

4. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1954: Price 950,000-2.1 million USD

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing is one of the iconic Mercedes-Benz sports cars that popularized the gullwing door style. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing was originally designed as a racing car.

The low-slung design, long hood with 215-horsepower 3.0L inline-6 ​​engine and short rear end were all iconic features that set the 300 SL apart from its competitors.

In fact, the most expensive car ever sold that's related to the 300 SL Goldwing was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe that sold for a whopping $142 million in 2022.

A total of 1,400 Gullwings were produced between 1954 and 1957, including 29 highly sought-after all-aluminum bodied examples. The dusty 300 SL found in this shed is all the more special because it is completely original and has not been restored.

This is the 43rd car to roll off the assembly line. A good 1954 300SL Gullwing is currently valued at $1.35 million. All-aluminum SL300s are even rarer, fetching up to $8.2 million at auction, according to Hagerty Valuation.

5. Ferrari Dino 246 GTS 1974: Price 460,000 -740,000 USD

The Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was found by two children playing in the mud. The car was buried underground for many years before being restored in 1978. Each car is worth nearly half a million dollars.

It was a theft, and police were able to trace the car back to its original owner, Rosendo Cruz. He is believed to have bought the car as a gift for his wife and had only driven it 800km before it was stolen.

But the real reason behind the theft was Mr. Cruz’s own insurance fraud. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned because the accomplices forgot where the car was hidden. Now, the 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS has a new owner, as Brad Howard bought it from Farmers Insurance.

A total of 3,569 Dino 246 GTS models were produced between 1969 and 1974, making it a rare Ferrari. Today, a 1974 Dino 246 GTS in good condition is worth more than $500,000, according to Hagerty.