Iconic sports car worth over £200,000 left to rot in barn for nearly 30 years… before it’s meticulously restored
AN ICONIC classic Ferrari has been meticulously restored after it was left gathering dust in a barn for nearly 30 years.
A retro 512 BB model from 1980 that’s now worth $270,000 – which is roughly £212,000 – had not seen the light of day for 28 years after it was kept hidden away in a barn in Georgia, United States.
In a video posted to YouTube by WD Detailing, the forgotten Ferrari – which is one of just 2,323 models ever built – was pulled out into the light with just 19,309 miles on the clock, having not moved an inch since 1996.
According to the video, the current owner bought this Ferrari at an auction along with a Lamborghini Miura.
The stunning motor was used sparingly, before the petrolhead admits he got too busy to use it properly and it was parked up.
In the video, the owner said: “It got limited use, garaged, and then other things took over, including raising children.”
However, he agreed to have the car cleaned by the YouTube car detailers on the insistence of his granddaughter.
She said: “This is one of the more humbling experiences we’ve ever had.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I wasn’t going to let me or Grandpa pass that up.”
Having been completely untouched since the mid-1990s, the Ferrari gathered dust and even infested with mice – with a large nest found in the 5.0-litre, flat-12 engine.
Otherwise, it’s in reasonably good condition – although many parts under the bonnet will likely need to be replaced before it can hit the open road once again.
However, the crew at WD Detailing did their best to clean up the sports car – which includes using a pressure washer to leave its red paint undamaged.
The interior was also cleaned up and vacuumed, leaving the gorgeous tan seats as good as new.
After what likely took days to complete, the crew presented the owner his fully cleaned up Ferrari, much to his amazement.
He said: “That’s a deeper red than I remember, it’s very nice.”
The Ferrari 512 BB, which stands for Berlinetta Boxer, was built between 1973 and 1984, replacing the Daytona model.
It was later replaced by the Testarossa.
At the time, Ferrari claimed the 512 BB was the fastest car in the world – capable of reaching 188 mph.
Ferrari recently revealed a new model – the 12Cilindri – that can hit 211 mph and pays homage to one of the Italian brand’s most iconic models.
Elsewhere, a vintage Ferrari once owned by a TV and radio star is set to sell for £1.5million.