( CNN ) -- Early next year , bidders are expected to shell out millions for cars that stood around in Roger Baillon 's yard for decades . The French truck manufacturing mogul had big dreams for them . He wanted to found a museum and build a miniature railroad loop for visitors to ride around and view them , a Paris auction house said . But the plans evaporated when his business went bust in the 1970s . He sold off nearly half of his collection , but 60 of his classic European luxury and sports cars -- many built in the first half of the 20th century -- remained and collected rust , dust and weeds for about 50 years . Until car experts from auction house Artcurial recently came upon them in a small town in western France , not far from La Rochelle . $ 14.9 million . Now , buyers will probably write checks for hundreds of thousands for just one of the sagging exquisite carriages . Artcurial will put them under the hammer in February and expects the crown jewel in the collection , a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder , to fetch 9.5 million to 12 million euros ( $ 11 million to $ 14.9 million ) . The convertible was one of only 37 of its kind made , and it is in comparatively great condition , as it slumbered behind the doors of a snug garage , Artcurial said . It was piled high with copies of a vintage magazine , La Vie de l'Auto -- Car Life -- when Artcurial 's car expert Pierre Novikoff found it . The Ferrari 's roommate in the garage was a 1956 Maserati A6G Gran Sport Frua that auctioneers think will go for 800,000 to 1.2 million euros ( about $ 990,000 to nearly $ 1.5 million ) . Scrapyard . Most of the rest of the other sleeping beauties lay comatose under roofs of corrugated steel held up by posts ; with no walls to protect them , they were exposed to the elements . Novikoff heard about the car yard over the phone and went to check it out . At first glance , the cars looked like the rest of the junk in the yard -- old washing machines , metal scrap , barrels . But gems gradually sparkled through . `` Nature had taken a hold over the years . Ivy had invaded a car and entirely covered its ( steering ) wheel , while weeds had taken root in a passenger compartment as easily as in a greenhouse , '' Novikoff said . `` In places , the sheets of corrugated iron were resting directly on the cars . '' Baillon died about 10 years ago , said Artcurial spokeswoman Rebecca Ruff . Baillon 's son inherited the estate , but when he recently died , his heirs contacted the auction house to sell the unique collection , she added . Legends . Most of the cars will require a deep kiss of restoration to reawaken the former glory of their exclusive brands , some of which are no longer manufactured . Bugattis , Maseratis , Ferraris , Delahayes , Delages , Hispano-Suizas , Talbot-Lagos and Panhard-Levassors stood motionless in the estate that Baillon bought to store them . The largest contingency of the collected cars hit the streets between 1955 and 1965 , Artcurial said in a statement . Some have stories to go along with them . The 1961 Ferrari was once owned by French silver screen demigod Alain Delon , Artcurial said , and he was photographed sitting in it next to Jane Fonda in 1964 , and with Shirley MacLaine . Legend also slumbers in the peach-colored rust covering a pre-World War II Talbot-Lago , a French classic brand that died out some 50 years ago . Artcurial says this one was driven by former Egyptian King Farouk . .
60 luxury cars sat on the grounds of a French mogul 's estate for decades . Roger Baillon wanted to build a museum for the cars , but his business declined . A 1961 Ferrari is expected to fetch up to $ 14.9 million at auction in February . The auctioneer says it once belonged to actor Alain Delon and that Jane Fonda rode in it .