In a scene akin to uncovering buried treasure, a jaw-dropping collection of 23 classic cars has recently been discovered near Birmingham, Alabama, concealed within the walls of a modest barn. This assortment of automotive gems predominantly features sought-after American classics, ranging from impeccable Corvette sports cars to immaculately preserved trucks and coveted muscle cars.
This remarkable collection was the pride of the late Earl Trammel, a dedicated car aficionado who passed away in 2022. Trammel, a distinctive personality in the auto business, regarded his exceptional collection of vehicles not just as cherished possessions but as reliable investments. With a mistrust of Wall Street and conventional banking systems, Trammel chose to invest in tangible assets—his beloved and desirable cars.
After Trammel's passing, his former wife, Patricia, inherited this stunning collection of classics. Influenced by her brother's advice, she recently decided to part with these automotive masterpieces. John Hollander, Trammel's brother-in-law, shared, "Earl Trammel, a car and body man for over six decades, had amassed these cars due to his profound love for them." He added that Trammel had started his collection early in his life, maintaining two separate shops in Birmingham.
The highlight of the collection includes a variety of rare and classic Corvettes, with a 1971 Stingray Coupe being the oldest, boasting a mere 1,600 miles. A 1998 Corvette Indy Pace Car takes the crown for the lowest mileage, displaying just 23 miles. Additionally, several vehicles in the collection appear to have only delivery mileage, with seven displaying less than 100 miles on their odometers.
However, not all cars in the collection were strictly preserved, with a 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible and a 1956 Chevrolet 210 Sedan showing 90,000 and 64,000 miles, respectively. The collection also features a sole European model, a 1996 Porsche 911 C4S manual.
GiveMeTheVin.com (GMTV) acquired the collection and plans to auction all the unearthed vehicles in the spring of 2024. John Clay Wolfe, CEO of GMTV, expressed his excitement over this extraordinary find, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime barn find," and emphasized the unique diversity within the collection.
While this find is significant, it is not unprecedented. In 2021, a larger collection of 144 cars was unearthed in London, but the condition of those vehicles paled in comparison to the pristine state of Trammel’s treasures. The upcoming display and subsequent auction of these unearthed classics are anticipated to be a monumental event for car enthusiasts worldwide, offering a glimpse into the diversified and immaculate collection that Trammel had passionately amassed.
