ROMA – Two hundred and thirty vintage cars that would make any motor enthusiast’s head spin, closed in a deconsecrated church and two warehouses to defy the passage of time. Dusted and left there, like a pharaoh’s tomb, until someone found them. It is a story of passion and a pinch of mystery that surrounds Dordrecht, town of 120,000 inhabitants located in the province of South Holland. But let’s go in order.
After several stalking followed by some tips from the locals, two men from Gallery Aaldering, a Brummen-based historic car dealership, managed to track down the three places where priceless museum pieces were kept. Whose are all these crazy cars?
It seems incredible but they belong to just one person, a Dutchman whose surname is Palmen and who started collecting cars 40 years ago with a yellow Lancia B20. Then you know, appetite comes with eating, and after the Lancia another car was added and then another and another, until the collection began to count real jewels on wheels.
Ferrari first of all, but also Maserati and Alfa Romeo, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Ford, Chevolet, Aston Martin and Rolls-Royce. A total of 230 cars hidden inside a deconsecrated church and in two warehouses. Palmen in all these years has taken care to start them from time to time so as not to let the engine die under the bonnet, and all maintenance in general seems to have been done by him personally. Also because hardly anyone was aware of his secret. “We have often asked the owner to let us take a look, but we have never obtained his authorization”, said some people who live near the site of the discovery.
Most of the collection is in original condition and has not been restored, which is why Gallery Aaldering has seen fit to take it over as a whole and auction it as-is on the Classic Car Auction website, as a single lot of 230 historic cars . The date? It has already been set for Monday 5 June.
