These bizarre true stories of collectors and their cars is "a whole lot of fun" (The Virginian Pilot). Have you heard of the fellow who squirrelled away dozens of Chevelles, Camaros, and other classic muscle cars in semi-trailers? How about the president of Shakespeare fishing rods, who sold thirty Bugattis for a mere $85,000? What about the English nobleman who cut up and buried his Ferrari hoard in an elaborate insurance scam? Or how about the Duesenberg abandoned in a Manhattan parking garage for decades only to be uncovered by Jay Leno? Most car collectors exhibit a healthy enthusiasm for their hobby by digging into their favorite marques, chasing parts, swapping stories, and generally living the car-guy lifestyle. Some, however, step over that fine line between enthusiasm and obsession—and that's where these legendary car-collector stories come from. In Strange but True Tales of Car Collecting, Keith Martin and the staff of Sports Car Market Magazine recount the wildest, most eccentric, over-the-top stories of collectors and their collections. "This likable book serves as a ‚ÄòRipley's Believe It or Not!' for car obsessives." —The New York Times

BARN FIND! There are no two more exciting words for car collectors the world over! And there's an incredible hunt going on for valuable cars that were at one time forgotten, abandoned, or cast aside, but which are now regarded as valuable and historical treasures. Author Wallace Wyss, a Motor Trend veteran, recounts stories that are almost beyond belief. Here are a few examples: a pre-war Mercedes 540K that was simply abandoned by a German baroness at a Connecticut resort and later sold for over $11 million, the rubber-bodied Cobra that Ford built to assuage the ego of their top design exec, the jet-powered Fiat prototype that an American fell in love with and spent almost $1 million to make into a running driving car, and the Corvette that Carroll Shelby and pals had bodied in Italy as part of a plan to create Italian-bodied Corvettes-- a plan that failed after three cars were made. One thing's certain--once you've poured through these inspiring stories, and absorbed the tips in the final chapter, you will know more about how barn finds are unearthed and how you yourself can become a successful barn finder!

It’s every car-guy’s fantasy—to casually peer into a long-forgotten garage or barn or warehouse and find the car he has searched for his whole life. Corvette in the Barn is a collection of true, often amazing, stories and essays about car collectors and enthusiasts who have discovered unusual and desirable cars, forgotten in all manner of locations from barns, to old-school junkyards, to farmer’s fields. These are the stories that fuel the dreams of car collectors everywhere. See Tom Cotter, author of Motorbooks “In the Barn” series, interviewed by Jay Leno on JayLenosGarage.com: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/jays-book-club-the-hemi-in-the-barn/1237422/

The NextGen Guide to Car Collecting is a one-stop, detailed guide to emerging collector cars from the 1970s to today for both new and experienced collectors.

Personal stories of collecting and restoring classic cars - Packard, Lamberghini, GTO, Studebaker, Cadillac, Thunderbird, Mercedes-Benz, and more. Includes 32 full color photos of restored classic cars. "... a 'must read' for those of us who truly love the automobile." -- Jay Leno. From the Introduction: This book is not about Zen. Nevertheless, Zen pervades its pages. Anecdotally, it's about the hunt for and occasional capture of unique motorcars by one man over a period of six decades. This book details a lifetime of searching, finding, buying, transporting, restoring, enjoying, and eventually selling the products of a hobby gone wild. Reading these true stories of one man's lifelong car-collecting avocation, you'll find the journey seldom follows the anticipated path. As with life itself, there are sudden turns, frequent stops, and frustrating conditions, events, and outcomes. It's probably better to recognize these through others' experiences, rather than stumbling into the pitfalls and darker elements of car collecting on your own and without preparation. As I did. After you've read the car stories, and had an opportunity to observe mistakes made, and the adverse results that often follow, the book's concluding chapter will offer lessons learned across a -car-collecting lifetime. Take heed. These lessons could help prevent similar mistakes in your own collecting pursuits. Who knows, they might even save you from yourself.Looking back, I wish I'd found something similar sixty years ago to better prepare for the hobby's rigors. Many wasted hours and dollars might have been saved. Above all, these stories should illustrate the difference between learning as you go - flying by the seat of your pants - or gaining information and knowledge before stepping into the rewarding, but also daunting, hobby of collecting old cars. Take the lesson. -- Bruce Valley

Absolutely true stories that happened to a friend...of a friend...of a friend.

Tom Cotter is the best-known barn-find collector-car expert working today. Tom Cotter's Best Barn-Find Collector Car Tales​ pulls together his best barn find stories from America and around the globe. Tom Cotter bought his first barn find some 50 years ago and has never looked back. Over the proceeding decades, he has continued to unearth automotive gems, some of which reside in his garage and others found just for the pleasure of the hunt. Tom's passion for automotive archaeology has made him a nexus for other barn finders, whose stories he has collected for more than 20 years. He’s further expanded the scope of his passion as host for The Barn Find Hunter, a Hagertys-sponsored webcast with over 20 episodes now available. Tom Cotter's Best Barn-Find Collector Car Talespulls together the very best stories from Cotter’s previous books and adds several new tales, all of which are presented in this handsome hardcover edition. From Shelby Cobras, to classic Duesenbergs, to Harley hoards and lost supercars, Cotter brings to light the most amazing, outrageous, and unexpected finds he and his barn-finding brethren have discovered.