Cars & Vehicles
Vintage Cars & Restoration Quiz
Classic beauties, barn finds, and restoration projects — test your vintage car knowledge!
Classic beauties, barn finds, and restoration projects — test your vintage car knowledge!
In 2022, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold for an astonishing $143 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold. The world of vintage automobiles is filled with stories like this — rare machines that have become some of the most valuable collectibles on earth. This quiz covers 50 questions spanning iconic models from the Ford Model T to the Ferrari 250 GTO, restoration techniques from body-off rotisserie work to patina preservation, legendary barn finds, and the thriving concours and auction scene that celebrates these rolling works of art.
Each question presents four possible answers covering classic models, restoration methods, auction records, and automotive history. You'll be tested on everything from the production numbers of legendary cars to the finer points of what "matching numbers" means in the collector world. After each answer, you'll get a detailed explanation packed with fascinating backstory about the car or topic in question.
You'll discover why certain cars command millions at auction, how the assembly line transformed automobile manufacturing, what separates a true barn find from a neglected wreck, and which concours events are considered the pinnacle of the collector car world. From the 15 million Ford Model Ts that put the world on wheels to the 36 Ferrari 250 GTOs that became the holy grail of collectors, this quiz celebrates the machines that shaped automotive history.
The most expensive car ever sold is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which sold privately through RM Sotheby's in May 2022 for approximately $143 million. Only two were ever built, and the car is named after its creator, Mercedes test engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut. At public auction, the record is held by a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO that sold for $48.4 million at RM Sotheby's in 2018.
A "matching numbers" car retains its original engine, transmission, and other major drivetrain components — the serial numbers on these parts match the factory records for that specific vehicle. This is extremely important in the collector car world because a matching-numbers car is considered more authentic and complete, and can be worth significantly more than one with replacement components, sometimes two to three times as much for highly collectible models.
A barn find is a collectible or valuable car that has been discovered in long-term storage — often literally in a barn, garage, or warehouse — after being forgotten or hidden away for years or decades. Some of the most famous barn finds include a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider that sold for $18.5 million in 2015 after being found in a French barn, and the Baillon Collection of 60 rare cars discovered on a French estate in 2014.
Last updated: March 2026