A massive collection of old vehicles, that has been hidden in the English countryside for years, has been revealed ahead of them being sold at auction.
The anonymous owner has amassed more than 180 vehicles, some of which are classic cars, in two barns and on land outside them in South Gloucestershire.
Although some – such as a 1960s Aston Martin and a Jaguar with the registration ‘3 TV’ – could sell for tens of thousands of pounds, others may be worth very little.
The ramshackled site is in a chaotic state. Many of the cars and vans are covered in dirt, some are in a very poor condition and others are partly buried under vegetation.
They include classic British vehicles but also American ones, such as a Cadillac thought to have been previously owned by two unnamed celebrities.
There has been huge interest in the auction, which will take place at the site on June 28 this year, as car enthusiasts wonder whether they might be able to pick up a motoring gem for a bargain price.
As well as cars, there will be vans, tractors, signs and even a boat up for sale during an auction that could have 700 to 800 lots.
Finley Hutchings, of Tewkesbury Auction Centre, said: ‘It’s very difficult to say how much it will raise. It all depends on the day.
An anonymous owner has amassed more than 180 vehicles, some of which are classic cars, in two barns and on land outside them in South Gloucestershire
The vintage cars are crammed bumper to bumper in the barn and some may be worth tens of thousands of pounds
There has been huge interest in the auction, which will take place at the site on June 28 this year
‘There are some very nice pieces, cool stuff and some very rare things.’
He added that his firm’s post on social media was seen by 1.7 million people within 24 hours and that although he had come across similar car auctions before, he had never known anything on this scale.
‘I’m sure there are cars at this site that I’ve never seen, and would otherwise never see in my lifetime. It could very well be the sale of the century.’
Mr Hutchings said spare parts of vehicles and motoring signs would form part of the sale at a location that would be revealed closer to the time of the auction.
He said his firm needed more time to make sure that the site, which has been visited in the past by rural explorers, needed to be made fully safe and secure.
He added: ‘I believe it’s a vast collection compiled over a very long time. It’s sad to let it go but he (the owner) is selling the property.’
This rare number plate on a Jaguar could be worth tens of thousands of pounds, according to the auction centre handling the sale of the collection
Auctioneers believe this Aston Martin DBS could be a 1968 model and might be one of the most wanted cars at the sale
Cars are scattered across the land, including these vintage ones on a grass verge
A Bentley was stored on a platform at the site in South Gloucestershire among the 180-strong collection
‘I’m sure there are cars at this site that I’ve never seen, and would otherwise never see in my lifetime. It could very well be the sale of the century’
The disused cars have gathered years of dust and dirt but pictures of them have sparked huge interest online, with 1.7million people having seen the images in the first 24 hours
‘There are some very nice pieces, cool stuff and some very rare things,’ Mr Hutchings said
Auction bosses have warned that the ramshackle site needs to be made safe before they allow the public to view the sale items
Finley Hutchings, of Tewkesbury Auction Centre, said: ‘It’s very difficult to say how much it will raise. It all depends on the day’
Some forgotten vehicles are almost completely hidden by vegetation at the anonymous owner’s property
There are some more modern pieces also within the collection like this digger
While most of the collection consists of old cars, there is even a boat in the midst of the treasure trove
Car enthusiasts will wonder whether they might be able to pick up a motoring gem for a bargain price at the auction in June
Tractors are also on offer despite vegetation beginning to grow around the wheels where it has been parked
One of the American cars that will be form part of the auction
These Land Rovers will form part of the sale but will need a good clean before they can be used again
This van is one of the most modern vehicles people can buy
An old Esso garage sign, one of the many hundreds of motoring items that will go under the hammer
