Prototype Mercedes Gullwing found in storage unit! | Barn Find Hunter - Ep. 32

So great to see an original unrestored Gullwing. Thanks to the owner for saving it all these years. It’s like opening a time capsule.

As an old man who has old vehicles of his own, I'm just gonna step in here. There's always some kind of mania involved when you find ANYTHING really valuable where the owner lets it deteriorate into near-junk but makes no effort to properly use, preserve, restore and/or pass it on. Always. I've been involved when there's a vehicle that's just on the brink of you-don't-want-it but the owner will not part with it, improve its storage, repair/restore it - or even use it when that's possible. It's enough some times to make you cry with frustration. This vehicle, a few years ago (if all the parts are really there AND usable) could have been put back on the road for $100k. Sounds like a lot, but cheaper than the see-them-everywhere current MB "sports cars", which are all German Thunderbirds, and I don't mean that in a good way. Now you're looking at a half-million dollars and probably twice as much time. You could have been DRIVING the damn thing! Now it just sits and rots. I'm sure, as I've seen before, some day someone will restore it into unrecognizable newness. But it could have been a very valuable, very original driver. What a shame.

My father had a gullwing it was a cool car for a kid to be in this was 56 years ago I love to see them. Thanks for showing that.

"Imma restore it one day"
No, you won't, sell it

If you look at the facts presented, driven for 2 years, disassembled and primered, tire choice, interior no radio option, body damage (small dents here and there), it would strongly suggest the car was bought and used for racing. I would bet somewhere there is photos of it on a track with a number painted on the hood and doors

that's one hell of a barn find!!! How i wish I could afford it as is, and it would be a life time restoration for me!!!!!

You guys need to promote this channel more. I watch a lot of various car related YouTube channels and this has to be in the top 5. I don’t know how you don’t have over a million subscribers.

For anyone still reading these comments:
Mercedes-Benz Classic Center Irvine managed to buy this car in the spring of 2019, for an undisclosed sum of money from the original owner.

I cannot stand how people will let things like this just rot away just simply to be selfish and greedy

Priceless car

Keeps it in a rental storage with various junk

What’s wrong with people sell it so it can be restored and enjoyed by someone

"A 100% untouched car!" (he immediately touches the car)

A friend of mine in high school worked at a foreign car repair shop in Tampa in the late 60s. The owner, an ex-pat German, had one of these (ice blue, white leather) and asked us to go pick up some parts for him one time. We drove it like two old men afraid of their shadows, most of the way.

Agree with others, what a waste having it locked up and unrestored and not driven!!

It's clear to me the old guy showing the car is the owner. He knows why to much about the car to have only seen it once or even several times in his life. He knew the bumper was bent slightly on the top as well as other very specific facts about it.

For those who may be wondering about the German serial numbers>
Numbers passed 13 are spoken with the last number first 4 and 10 - 5 and 10 - 6 and 10 on and on. Forty five (45) is 5 and 40 fünfundvierzig . Maybe the translation got reversed somewhere when they printed of serial numbers?

Total waste. Nearly a million $ just getting destroyed by elements. Might as well be a toy model of one. Cannot imagine $ spent on storage fees for 60+ years. Makes no sense why it was torn apart when 2 yrs old. Story does not add up.

what a colossal waste. so sad that someone is just holding onto it to "have it" while it further deteriorates. these are the worst kind of "collectors".

1:03 I know exactly where that storage is lol. Hey oldtimer, don't worry your secret is safe

Did I get this right? Car has a value of $900K as it sits, restoration is estimated at $500K and Hagerty's concourse condition value is $1.3M.