Over 200 vehicles from the "Generous Collection" are heading to auction soon.

Every so often, a rare automotive discovery reminds us that time can be a better curator than any museum. Hidden away for decades, cars like these emerge from the dust as mechanical time capsules, each one telling a story of halted journeys and long-forgotten enthusiasm.

Few collections, however, rival this one recently uncovered by Hagerty, a sprawling, privately owned trove that may just be the most remarkable barn find in the United States.

Read: This Forgotten 1,000-Mile GM V8 Sedan Took On Lexus And Lost

Believed to include as many as 1,300 vehicles of every size, type, and brand, the vast collection sits quietly on one man's Alabama property. Soon, every last car will head to auction without reserve, ensuring that even the most forgotten survivors have a shot at a new home.

A Family Legacy

The man behind this massive collection is Greg Rusk, whose father, Bobby Rusk, founded cardboard manufacturing firm Rusken Packaging in 1974. When Greg took over the family business in 1992, he also began what would become a decades-long automotive obsession.

His approach was straightforward: buy a car, enjoy it for a weekend, and then park it indefinitely. Over the years, this simple habit turned into something extraordinary, a warehouse of American automotive history sealed behind closed doors.

Speaking with Hagerty, Rusk says he has gone through different phases over the years, sometimes collecting dozens of Cadillacs, before switching his focus to Chevrolets and then Trans Ams.

More than 200 cars from what Hagerty dubs the 'Generous Collection' will be auctioned off this month, with the remaining cars to be sold over the coming months. Of these, 180 are currently listed online. Some of them are absolute showstoppers, while others are in dire need of some TLC.

Highlights Among the Dust

One of the most eye-catching cars in the collection is a 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, which has been driven 52,000 miles (~83,600 km) and features a gorgeous gold paint scheme. There are plenty of other American classics available, including a V8-powered Chevrolet C10, a 1953 Pontiac Chieftain, and a 1956 Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

While most cars are American, there are plenty of other classics from elsewhere in the world. One of them is a 1953 Jaguar XK120 that's already attracting plenty of interest, an LS1-powered 1989 Mazda RX-7 Turbo, a 1995 Toyota Celica ST Coupe, and a 1967 Porsche 911 Coupe.

A Caution for Collectors

Rusk and his team are transparent about the cars' condition. Many have sat untouched for years, and while they remain visually captivating, each will need mechanical attention before taking to the road again.

Buyers are advised to approach with enthusiasm tempered by mechanical prudence, these cars have waited decades for revival, and a little patience will go a long way.

He Couldn't Stop Buying Cars And Ended Up With 1,300 Of Them | Carscoops