An Eccentric Genius
Although eccentric people can be unbearable at times, it’s a well-known fact that eccentric people are often harboring a spark of genius.
And when one remarkable man passed away, he left something astonishing behind. Hidden away in his garage and gathering dust was a machine that absolutely blew his relatives’ minds.
Dr. Harold Carr
Dr. Harold Carr sadly passed away in 2007. Living in a tiny apartment in the U.K. and Without any children to continue his legacy, he passed away almost unnoticed.
But, although not much is known about this remarkable man, his relatives did remember some of his life story, as well as some of his odder quirks.
A Remarkable Life
Dr. Harold Carr was an army doctor during WWII, which does explain his strange behavior in his later years. He also worked as an orthopedic surgeon, and his successful career afforded him a lifestyle that many people would envy.
He especially loved to fly planes. But, more than his hobbies or achievements, he was most notorious for being extremely eccentric.
Strange Habits
“I suppose you could call him a mad doctor. People who saw him in the street thought he was a tramp. He would wear two pairs of trousers at the same time,” Dr. Carr’s nephew confessed.
But that wasn’t the only thing that Dr. Carr did that raised eyebrows -- the man had many strange and weird habits.
Odd
Now, most people know that strange quirks are often associated with extreme intelligence.
But, according to Dr. Carr’s nephew, his eccentric uncle would often wear a black piece of rubber tubing around his head like a bandana. Bit why on earth would he do that? And was there some method to the man’s madness?
An Ingenious Solution
“All the children would laugh at him in the street when he tinkered with his cars because he wore a piece of rubber tube around his head to stop the oil getting in his hair,” his nephew explained.
Well, that’s actually an ingenious and innovative way to solve an annoying problem. But, despite all his odd behavior, Dr. Carr was an extremely likable man…
A Likeable Man
According to people who had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Carr, 'He was always such a generous man.' His nephew confessed that he was a perfect gentleman.
But towards the later years of his life, things began to take a very strange turn. Diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, Dr. Carr became more withdrawn and reclusive -- which only added to his weird habits.
Downward Spiral
Dr. Carr became more and more withdrawn, eventually not even venturing out of his own house. He also began to obsessively hoard items.
When he passed away, he left stacks of files, useless receipts from the 1950s, and piles of other junk. But, when his nephew was tasked with going through his estate, that wasn’t all he found.
A Hoarder
Dr. Carr had accumulated tons of medical equipment, which was to be expected. But what certainly wasn’t expected was the WWII-era spy drone his nephew found in his garage.
But that wasn’t the most valuable item that Dr. Carr left behind. It took a year for his relatives to sort through his belongings. Then, they found something that made their jaws drop.
Among The Junk
Peeking out from behind the piles of junk was a classic car. It appeared to be very old, possibly made in the early 20th Century.
But Dr. Carr’s nephew had no idea what model or make it was. But, with his interest piqued, he was determined to find out exactly what car it was.
The Famed Bugatti
"We knew he had some cars, but we had no idea what they were," his nephew, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Daily Mail.
"It was a bit of local folklore that he had a Bugatti, but no one knew for sure," he added. Could that car gathering dust in the garage possibly be it?
The Ultimate Sportscar
When Dr. Carr’s nephew found the car’s paperwork in the garage, his suspicions were confirmed, it was a Bugatti! And not just any Bugatti…
It was determined to be a Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, manufactured in 1937. It could reach a speed of 130 mph and was considered to be the ultimate pre-war sportscar. But that’s not why it’s so valuable.
Only 17 Were Ever Made
It turned out that there were only 17 of these cars ever made, making it one of the rarest cars on the planet! Dr. Carr had acquired the car in the 1950s, driven it for a few years, and locked it in the garage in the early 60s.
In fact, this particular car hadn’t seen the light of day until it was discovered again. So, how much was it worth?
A Low Reading
Well, the odometer on the Bugatti was at only 26,284 miles -- an incredibly low reading for such an old car. And, not only did it have extraordinarily low milage, it still had all of its original parts!
Even more remarkable? Dr. Carr had purchased the Bugatti in 1955 for just £895 -- or roughly $20,000. So, how much did the car fetch at auction?
A Cool $4.5 Million
The car needs a little TLC, which is understandable. It would cost around $700,000 to restore the Bugatti to its former glory. Nevertheless, the car was sold at an auction in Paris.
And, due to its rarity, it fetched a whopping £3,043,293, or $4.53 million! "Of course we are delighted and we're going to make sure the money is shared out among the family. It's a wonderful thing to leave," his nephew said.