Found in a barn, in need of restoration, all common phrases in the classified these days, with more and more rare Italian sports cars are turning up in the unlikeliest of places.
More so than regular cars, Italian sports cars are known for their outrageous servicing needs and high parts bills, most "cheap Italian" sports cars end up tucked away as future restoration projects that invariably never progress. Bad news for their owners, great news for a growing number of barn find hunters searching through barns, garages and sheds for that elusive Italian classic. With new finds turning up every few months, here are 10 of the sickest Italian barn finds so far.
10 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona
It might not be rosso red, but beneath the decades of accumulated dust this 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona is as good as you'd hope to find, needing little more than fresh fluids, and some new rubber bits to hit the road again. One of three Italian classics unearthed in recent years, the Daytona, with 9732 miles on the clock, attracted bids of $325,000.
The Daytona holds sway over serious collectors for its Pininfarina-designed 2+2 seater layout and, at the time, world beating performance. One of the most iconic Ferraris built with a front mounted V12- engine, the 365 GTB/4 boasting 352 hp from a 4.4-liter displacement.
9 Ferrari Dino 246GT
Following on from the Daytona, and found parked just behind it, a rare 1974 Ferrari Dino 246GT in an equally well-preserved state. Like the Daytona, a good scrub and thorough service is all that it took to bring the mid-engined Ferrari back to life.
Cherished ride, or forgotten Italian exotic? Either way, discovering a mint low-mileage Dino 246GT has to be one of the greatest finds this century, even if the long-running debate over "is it a proper Ferrari" divides gearheads. Forget the badge issues, just enjoy the melodic 2.4-liter V6 just inches behind the cockpit as 3x2 Weber carburetors gulping down fuel and air.
8 Lancia Fulvia
Not every barn find is going to be a mint runner, this 1973 Lancia Fulvia parked up for decades desperately needs rescuing, found in a damp UK barn back in 2015. Italian cars of this era are known for their rust issues, thankfully this example appears to have been spared the worst, needing external panel work only.
Buyers beware, despite being a highly collectable classic sports car prices are surprisingly low with auctions prices in the $20-30,000 range, at some point a full restoration could be cost more than you’re likely to get in return. Gorgeous to look at, and for its time a well-engineered, disc-brakes all round with a punchy 1.3-liter V4 motor upfront producing 90 hp.
7 Fiat Dino 2400
Criminally neglected for decades, Fiat's off-shoot Ferrari for regular gearheads is the closest most of us are going to get to Ferrari ownership ended up on eBay as a barn find fixer-upper minus its engine. The Fiat Dino 2400 is as much a Ferrari as anything adorned with the prancing horse badge, built alongside the 246GT, using the same running gear.
Needless to say, the listing closed without reaching the seller's reserve, a high bid of $5,000 too much to swallow for any restorer needing to find a complete engine. Aside from a V6 Dino-sized hole under the hood, externally it's in pretty good shape, bodywork and chrome work are largely complete.
6 De Tomaso Pantera
Italian muscle car slash supercar, the DeTomaso Pantera combined the best of Italian styling with American engines, a recipe that continued well in to the 90s before production wound down. Sadly, not all exotics get the love and attention they deserve, this 1971 example having laid in storage by its previous owner advertised as having "great potential".
We've got to admit this one looks particularly bad, its period correct yellow paintwork looks pretty nasty, however beneath the skin the Pantera is in better shape. Ford powered throughout its production run, in 1971 fitted with higher-torque5.8-liter Cleveland V8s delivering up to 330 hp.
5 Intermeccanica Italia
Italian founded, Ford powered, and shuffled first from its home in Torino to the US, and subsequently Canada, where to this day, Intermeccanica remains in the same family. Little heard of outside classic race car circles, the Italia debuted in 1966, with numbers believed to be around 500 examples, one of which reappeared in 2018.
A full restoration plus Lamborghini yellow paint job later, the Italia looks a striking as the day it left the factory. Thankfully, '60s era wonky Italian engineering that blights sports cars from this era isn't a concern. Intermeccanica, like De Tomaso, used Ford power, 4.7 and 5-liter V8s producing up to 310 hp.
4 Lamborghini Urraco P250
Even Lamborghinis get put to one side, owners with grand dreams of restoring and returning them to road-worthy condition are becoming a common source of "forgotten" barn/shed/garage finds. The Urraco P250 might not have been the fastest or most powerful Lambo with just 220 hp on tap, but it's still a Lamborghini and deserves better.
At this point, looking resplendent in red paintwork you're probably thinking what's wrong with it, but look closer as the ride height, something is amiss. By far the trickiest part with any restoration project is the engine, the curious ride height here a sign the Urraco is missing its 2.5-liter V8 engine.
3 Maserati 3500GTI
Born in 1962, retained by the same family since 1967, this rare Maserati 3500GTI long since parked and forgotten classic hasn't seen the light of day for decades and remains near complete aside from its fading paintwork. Finding older Maserati's is one thing, single owner low mileage is another, pity then it ended up on eBay, unrestored for $139,000.
Restored with its original matching numbers 3.5-liter straight-six engine, a Maserati 3500GTI could easily have fetched double the listing price. One of the first mass-produced Maserati rod cars, the 3500GT totaling 2266 examples, of which 593 bore the GTI designation.
2 Maserati Merak SS
Ran when parked, and still a runner now, this rare Maserati Merak SS stood literally in a barn for 25 years before coming up for sale at an estate auction. Currently, listed as "in need of restoration", decades of neglect taking a toll on its paintwork.
Launched in 1975, the lighter and more powerful Merak SS faced off against Ferrari's 308, and is one of the last Maseratis developed under Fiat control prior to DeTomaso's take over. Equipped with a mid-mounted 3-liter V6, in the SS producing 217 hp, visually identifiable by its black hood-mounted grille.
1 Ferrari 340 America
One of just 24 examples built, a rare 1952 Ferrari 340 racer rolled across the auction block in August 2021, failing to sell despite attracting bids as high as $3.1 million. It's a long way short of the highest price paid for a classic Ferrari, but it's the amazing backstory behind this concurs level restoration.
Chassis 0202A raced extensively during the 50s even taking a credible 5th place at Le Mans all but vanished in 1963, re-engined, re-bodied and forgotten. Fortune favors the brave, or in this case the lucky, swapping hands until its current owner rediscovered the Ferrari's true identity. Following a lengthy restoration, including a period correct 4.1-liter Ferrari V12, we can honestly say this is our kind of barn find.