Messerli Swiss Junkyard Auction


Kaufdorf, Switzerland 2009

The contents of a legendary classic car graveyard in the Swiss village of Kaufdorf were auctioned on 19 September 2009.

Nearly 800 classic cars from the 1930s to the 1980s were sold to the highest bidder.

Clearance sale!

Clearance Sale!


The car cemetery in the Swiss village of Kaufdorf is probably the last rusting place for old cars you will ever see. It contains the oxidised remains of 780 classic cars, some of which are really special.

The collection was started in the 1930s by Walter Franz Messerli and his son Franz, who took over in 1975. They intended to transform this immense junk yard into a museum, but the authorities thought differently – the site had to be cleared on environmental grounds before the end of September 2009.

So sad ..

After failing to sell the entire site the previous April – asking price was SFR 1.2 million – all the cars were auctioned on 19 September 2009 by Oldtimer Galerie. So, if you were hunting for that elusive part for your Porsche, Jaguar, Borgward, VW or Ford, or looking for a challenging project, this was for you.

It was the most spectacular car auction of the year, and probably the last of its kind unless the governments stop the current scrappage schemes.

FIAT Topolino

All photos: Oldtimer Galerie