King Farouk Mercedes 540K Cabriolet
 

I just read about this car today, it's restored ,in South Africa. But I wanted to know how it was found, what year and what the barn finder had to pay for it. It sounds like it was pretty intact. Here's what I found on the auction website when it was auctioned:

"Although the King was forced to abdicate in 1952 and spent the rest of his life in exile in Monaco and Italy, the car remained untouched in Cairo until 1988. A French collector purchased 169387 at auction and stored it in a barn in France. At this time the car still had not been touched and was in remarkably original and authentic condition, still retaining its original engine. In 1996 the car's specialist restorers were asked to inspect the car in France and, after thoroughly inspecting the car and realising its importance and potential, brought it back to Germany where they embarked on a painstaking restoration.The aim of the restoration was to retain as much of this important Mercedes' original parts as would be humanly possible. Through laborious and expensive techniques this aim was more than fulfilled as the car now in all its restored splendour still has 90% of its original parts - a near miracle with a 70 year old car. It took the specialists 5 years to bring this 540 K to the excellent condition it is in now. The restoration and history of the car is documented on five hours of film."

I wonder if it was restored by the factory or by some private Mercedes firm. Anyhow like to hear how the luxky French buyer found it, etc. if anyone knows.