An urban explorer made a jaw-dropping discovery after finding his way into an unlocked barn at an undisclosed location in the UK. Colin Hodson, who chronicles his adventures on the Bearded Explorer YouTube channel, came across nearly 40 rare and valuable cars – including a one-of-a-kind Italian sports car that is literally priceless.
Colin said he deliberately didn’t publish his video until he had confirmed that the cars had been safely locked away again, because of their immense value.
He added that he was completely stunned by what he had discovered: “From an old F1 car to a Frazer Nash – one of only two ever made! – then a one-of-a-kind Nardi Silver Ray."
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![Colin was speechless when he came across the Nardi](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article33149618.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_DSOL_VINTAGE_CAR_3.jpg)
The Silver Ray, the first Italian car to be powered by an American V8, is believed to be the only example of its kind in the world. Its history crosses continents, but it somehow found its way into the hands of a British collector who appears to have forgotten about it.
Elsewhere in the abandoned barn, which is almost completely hidden by overgrown nettles, are Aston Martins, Bentleys, and a highly-covetable Ferrari. Self-confessed petrolhead Colin calls the barn find “the greatest discovery of his career.”
At the end of an unremarkable-looking track, which clearly hasn’t been used in years sits the barn. Its front door is well-secured but a second entrance was luckily left open. Inside, Colin says, “We've got Aston Martins, we've got Bentleys, we've got BMWs, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, Lancia we've even got some cars I’ve never even heard of before.”
![The barn didn't look like much from the outside, but the interior was a petrol-head Aladdin's cave](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article33149622.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_DSOL_VINTAGE_CAR_5jpeg.jpg)
While the exterior of the building shows signs of advanced neglect, but inside – barring a few cobwebs – the cars are mostly in concourse condition. The collection is worth “in the millions,” Colin says.
In an eerie detail, a set of tools has been left in front of one museum-grade car, almost as if a mechanic had popped out for their lunch mid-way through a delicate repair, never to return.
A classic Alfa-Romeo, with less than 10,000 miles on the clock, lies under a thick coat of dust, its roof littered with chunks of insulation foam where the barn’s roof is beginning to give way. The car – like many of its neighbours in this abandoned workshop – hasn’t been driven on the road in at least 45 years.
![Most of the cars, while very duty, were otherwise in mint condition](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article33149619.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_DSOL_VINTAGE_CAR_4jpeg.jpg)
One car in the collection dates back to before the First World War, but it's still in amazing condition. Lying on one of its back seats is a faded black-and-white photo of the original owner.
The photo is a spectacular artefact, which only adds to the value of the century-old roadster. Elsewhere stands an ancient Studebaker that’s even older, possibly dating back to some of the very earliest days of “horseless carriages” at the beginning of the 20th century.
![The collection ranged from primitive horseless buggies to sleek racers](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/incoming/article33149620.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_DSOL_VINTAGE_CAR_2jpeg.jpg)
It’s “absolutely unreal,” Colin says. “They are beautiful cars they are every single one of them.” But the standout exhibit has to be the Silver Ray: “This is potentially one of the most valuable cars in here.”
With only just over a thousand miles on the clock, the Nardi is much a piece of sculpture as a way of getting from A to B.
The number-plates suggest that the one-off motor was last driven in California, some time in the mid-1980s. A hybrid of American engineering and Italian style, the Silver Ray is one of the most special cars in a very special collection.