A truly remarkable collection of cars is going up for auction in California in October, as auction house RM Sotherby's prepares to offer "The Junkyard:The Rudi Klein Collection". But, as the title suggests, it is not your usual collection of fully-restored, pristine classics.
According to Sotherby's: "For decades, a mythical collection of incredible cars has sat in the hot California sun, some covered, some exposed to the elements. A collection whose existence was only a rumour, or mere whisper shared amongst enthusiasts.

"Inside of its barbed wire fence lived legends like the rarest Mercedes-Benz ever built, an Alloy Gullwing, long thought lost, and other fabled and rare cars. It was a collection never to be seen by the inquiring minds who had all tried, and failed, to gain entry. That is, until now."
Rudi Klein was a German immigrant who arrived in North America in the late 1950s. Originally starting his new life in America as a butcher, Klein soon discovered a more lucrative living could be had in scrapping and dealing in European classic cars, resulting in the founding of ‘Porche (sic) Foreign Auto’ in 1967.

For decades Klein quietly amassed a collection of some of the most significant collector cars of all time while operating his scrapyard on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Not open to the public, the Klein Collection became a place of legend among car enthusiasts, and with very few people ever permitted entry there was much speculation surrounding its contents.
Following Klein’s passing in 2001, his family preserved the collection as he left it, with cars remaining untouched and maintaining their original or ‘as is’ condition.
Photos promoting the auction reveal some truly remarkable sights: dozens of Porsche 911s in varying states of disrepair, stacked on top of each other in racks, with a pair of '50's Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs sitting nearby and a one-off 1967 Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype tucked in behind feature in one photo, while a trio of Lamborghini Miuras sit covered in dust and bird droppings in another.

The Sotherby's auction is the first time many of these cars have been publicly displayed or even seen by the public, offering a long-awaited look at the collection that so many have attempted to see, buy, and source from for more than a half-century.
"Over the past 40 years, our team has brought to market countless significant historical cars, each special in its own way. However, bringing something out of hiding that’s only been rumored to exist, like the legendary Klein Collection, is truly special," said Cary Ahl, Car Specialist at RM Sotheby’s.
"Discovering a hidden Mercedes 500K or an Alloy Gullwing is the kind of story that resonates with everyone, not just automotive enthusiasts.

"What Klein amassed here is one-of-a-kind, and we know that many of these cars will live on for generations, powering new projects, or preserved in their original state. It’s a really exciting opportunity for collectors, and the sky's the limit with this collection.”
The cars will be offered in a series of auctions, both live and online, in October 2024, with a complete online catalogue announced in September.
Prior to that, however, Sotheby's has revealed a teaser of some of the rarest cars in the collection, including the following:

1935 Mercedes-Benz 500 K ‘Caracciola’ Special Coupe by Sindelfingen: One of the most famous pre-war Mercedes-Benz cars ever, this unique coupe is the only one of its kind, originally delivered to the legendary Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix driver, Rudolf Caracciola.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Alloy’ Gullwing: One of just 29 'Alloy' Gullwings produced, this was the only example delivered in Black and was once owned by racing and Ferrari figure Luigi Chinetti. According to Sotheby's it is "a unique example of the most sought-after of all 300 SLs, virtually unseen for decades."
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster: Sotheby's says this 300 SL left the factory finished in Fire Engine Red with a cream interior and was equipped with factory Rudge-wheels, the most desirable configuration for an early 300 SL Roadster.
1939 Horch 855 Special Roadster: Famed for its rakish design and historical significance, this is the only surviving 855, which is widely considered the ultimate Horch automobile. Boasting rich provenance, its fascinating past includes display in early California roadside museums, as well as being used for Hollywood publicity photographs in the 1950s.
1967 Iso Grifo A3/L Spider Prototype by Bertone: The only factory-built Grifo convertible, used for factory publicity photographs, the unique A3/L Spider was acquired by Rudi Klein many years ago from renowned enthusiast and Hollywood producer, Greg Garrison.
1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 ‘Twin-Grille’ Roadster by d’Ieteren: A classic model known for its distinctive design and performance, in the sought-after 'Twin-Grille' configuration—in remarkable original condition, and believed to have fewer than 600 miles (956 kilometres) on the clock.