Barn finds are "en vogue", at least since the spectacular emergence of the Baillon collection in France, which was auctioned off for a lot of money in February 2015. But barn finds have been around for almost as long as cars have been on the road. Because what does the owner of a car that is no longer running as it should do when he gets attached to it? Exactly, he puts it in a barn or a garage that is not used for any other purpose and gets on with other things. Once a decade or two has passed, the owner has passed away or has decided with new priorities that the old piece has to go anyway, the car reappears as a barn or garage find. In the past, you would inevitably have to consider going to the scrap dealer or demolition, but today vehicles that have been parked for a long time are considered an interesting rarity, especially if they are still in their original condition.
The Pantheon Basel/Muttenz has brought together almost two dozen automobiles and around 18 motorcycles for the current special exhibition, all of which are in more or less well-preserved barn-find condition. It's worth taking a closer look.
Cars that tell stories
The almost 24 cars are exhibited in the top section of the pantheon and they seem to want to tell you stories. Because they are written on their sheet metal, the experiences and adventures of a long car life. The 1964 Austin-Healey Sprite, which once rested in the Kaufdorf car cemetery, an internationally renowned cult site, reminds us of the romance and special charm that the overgrown and mossy vehicles in Kaufdorf once conveyed.
The Citroën Traction Avant 11 Légère from 1953 is in no way inferior to the Healey and the probably unique Belle with a De Dion engine from 1901, which appears to be standing in the forest without tires, could probably teach us about a whole century of technological development.
Cars with stories to tell
And then there are cars that are the subject of the most extensive series of events. A young man, for example, always wanted to buy an Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS. One day, he found one standing outside, semi-protected. But it was not for sale. Tireless inquiries over the decades were of little avail, until finally the nostalgic owner died and his descendants were ready to part with the beautiful Alfa Coupé.
However, the ravages of time had taken their toll on the Italian and the gearbox, which had already been defective decades earlier, naturally did not work any better even after being stored with little care. In addition, the buyer had been able to purchase another 1900 CSS in the meantime, which he now restored. So the barn find now serves primarily as a role model and benchmark of originality, not a bad role for the blue Alfa.
Cars that hardly exist anymore
In addition to sought-after classics, the exhibition at the Pantheon also shows everyday cars from the past, such as a Renault 4 CV, a Morris Mini, an MG Magnette or a Panhard Tigre PL 17. Thousands of them were once on our roads, but today they are becoming increasingly rare. And yet it will probably never be economically viable to restore them.
Even back then, other vehicles that can be discovered in the pantheon with clear signs of ageing were rare, such as an Austin A125 Sheerline from 1940, a BMW 319 from 1936, an MG PA from 1932 or a Citroën C6 from 1931.
Cars that are falling apart
They are in varying states of progressive erosion. Environmental influences, moisture and nature have changed them, perhaps even rendering them unrestorable.
Even so, they are contemporary witnesses and one is almost tempted to say that they are perhaps even more interesting in their state of decomposition than in their pristine new car condition after restoration.
Because all the history that is now written in their paintwork would be destroyed if they were rebuilt.
Cars that will (perhaps) be saved
However, it is quite possible that one or two collector's items will be resurrected in mint condition in the future. With classic car prices steadily rising, it is also worthwhile to carry out extensive restoration work, especially on sought-after classic cars such as the Allemano coupé based on the Maserati 2000 A6G 2000 Sport from 1956, one of the few Porsche 356 A Carrera GS from 1958 or the Bugatti 57 C Ventoux from 1937.
So far, the owners have apparently been able to hold back, but will it stay that way? In any case, visitors to the Pantheon have the unique opportunity to view these cars in their original condition. This also applies to the Peugeot 203 Worblaufen Cabriolet from 1951, the restoration of which will begin this fall.
The special exhibition at the Pantheon Basel "Forum for Classic Cars" can be visited until October 11, 2015. You should simply bring enough peace and quiet with you, as some of the treasures on display only reveal their secrets after close observation.
We also recommend the beautifully produced exhibition catalog, which, in addition to illustrations of the exhibits, also tells some interesting stories from the barn-find corner. Or have you always wanted to know why a Bugatti Type 22 sank in Lake Maggiore or a Porsche 356 in Lake Lucerne?
Further information on the special exhibition at the Pantheon can be found on their website.
