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Teens Discover a Forgotten Museum of Vintage Cars in Brazil

Abandoned museum in Brazil | Photo: motor1.com
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Daniel Rufiange
The owners of the vehicles, the heirs of the original owner, have started to sell off a few of the cars

Whenever a collection of vintage cars is discovered somewhere in the world, it always feels like it might be the last, or at least it is increasingly rare and unlikely.

Then comes another discovery.

This time, the scene took place in Brazil, when a group of teenagers entered a building without permission, only to find the remains of an old private museum of vintage cars. The abandoned cars within were covered in dust.

Being teens, they then decided to film the whole thing, andf that's why we're able to share it with you today. The notoriety of their little break-in set other things in motion as well, since the local police took an interest (the young people broke in illegally after all).

The vehicles, in turns out, belonged to a private collector. The building also houses a section containing technical documents, automotive parts, gas pumps and even a replica of a restaurant-café.

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An old Citroen
An old Citroen | Photo: motor1.com

Among the vehicles discovered there, we find models dating from the 1920s to the 1970s, including a Ford Model T, Citroën DS, Chevrolet Corvair, Fiat 124, Renault Dauphine and even a Hudson Hornet. That was on the main floor. On the second floor, other gems like a Chrysler Airflow, Renault Gordini and Ford coupes from the late 1930s were also revealed.

This was never an actual museum that opened to the public, which explains why the existence of these cars was unknown. Until the turn of the 2000s, it was frequented only by friends of the collector. After the owner’s death, ownership of the collection passed to his heirs. They did not agree on what to do, as in whether to keep or sell the collection, so everything just stayed as it was.

Now, because of the group of teens and the publicity they created, things have started to move. The current owners have already put the Fiat 124 up for sale, and more are sure to follow. Maybe that’s the good news in that, which is that a lot of these cars are going to be back in service somewhere instead of collecting dust.

Still, it’s an incredible story.

An old Fiat
An old Fiat | Photo: motor1.com
An even older Fiat
An even older Fiat | Photo: motor1.com
A 1952 Chevrolet
A 1952 Chevrolet | Photo: motor1.com
Daniel Rufiange
Daniel Rufiange
Automotive expert
  • Over 17 years' experience as an automotive journalist
  • More than 75 test drives in the past year
  • Participation in over 250 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists