Collection of 600 dusty classic cars found ABANDONED in warehouse the size of 3 tennis courts…including rare Mercedes

A COLLECTION of 600 dusty classic cars has been found abandoned in a warehouse the size of three tennis courts.

Louis Coetzer, from South Africa’s Eastern Cape, was well known for his obsessive car collections but stunned his family into silence when they stumbled across his secret assembly of vehicles.

Included in the impressive collection of classic cars were vintage Porsches, Chevrolets and BMW's.

Other models found inside the warehouse were Cadillacs, Ford, and Mercedes dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.

Hordes of spare parts were also discovered inside the storage facility.

But it would come as no surprise to his family, with Mr Coetzer well-known in the classic car industry for having one of the biggest Mercedes-Benz collections.

But following his passing in 2020 from a car accident, his family has auctioned off many of his assets.

That includes 240 vehicles from his original collection, which they assumed was everything he had.

But when deciding to sell off some of his land, they uncovered the secret warehouse.

Having not been checked for years, 600 vehicles covered in dust were found locked inside.

The standouts from the collection included a 1951 Mercedes pick-up known as a “bakkie” and a 300 SE model, which sells for up to £20,000 online in secondhand condition.

Mr Coetzer is believed to have started his fascination for cars when he was in primary school, where he would collect toy vehicles and make paper versions, too.

But as he reached adulthood his interest blossomed into real cars - and it didn't take long before he became a household name in the country.

A popular guest at motoring events, he earned the nickname “Uncle Louis”.

Now, the last remaining vehicles from his impressive collection are going up for auction.

The Lost Barn Find Collection auction will take place between March 25 and April 3, 2024.

Elsewhere, a classic car collector found two rare cars worth $168,000 (£131,000) after visiting one of the largest classic car graveyards in the country.

Ben from IT Garage, a YouTube channel (@) dedicated to the adventures that come with restoring classic cars, ventured to a salvage yard known for being expansive.

And an auto enthusiast has revealed the wonders of a huge junkyard full of vintage cars.

While walking around the yard, Matt showed off cars like an old Chevrolet Impala, a Dynamic 88 Oldsmobile, a Ford wagon, a Ford Galaxy, a Plymouth, a Dodge Coronet and even a Mercury Monterey.