Chronicle of the 37th Llotja de Sils

La Llotja de Sils, the oldest collector vehicle fair in our country, has had the greatest momentum since 2012. That year it moved from the dusty train station to the Mallorquines urbanization, in whose 50.500 square meters there is space for everyone.

There have already been 37 editions since that already distant 1978. In that year, the grandfather Salvador Claret i Naspleda prepared, together with a group of collectors and friends, un auto jumble outdoor, in the style of the fairs they already knew in the south of France.

Free to enter, fans don't even have to pay to park. And no one can complain about a lack of space, as there is a 17.000-square-meter car park next door.

In short, a friendly and low-cost fair for visitors and exhibitors. And that can also be accompanied by a visit to the always attractive Salvador Claret Automobile Collection.

By the afternoon of Friday, June 6, most of the more than three hundred exhibitors. And during the afternoon, they dedicated themselves to downloading and placing the genre, a much more laborious task than enthusiasts think.

With no less than 2,8 net kilometers of stands, surely many did not have time to visit the entire fairgrounds. At most, they could discard those positions that did not have what they wanted.

And the fact is that, in the Llotja, in addition to spare parts for classic cars and classic motors, there were also vehicles of the most varied types for sale.

From a 850 Special Four Door Seat 1971, for which they asked € 2.500, to hundreds of classic motorcycles, vintage bicycles and even stationary engines and farm implements.

En este sentido, proximity to the French border is vital. Thanks to this, year after year the attendance of numerous merchants from the neighboring country is favored, who come with unusual gender in these parts.

In fact, on Friday afternoon there were people who came to the area and we could see how a small fairground bus was sold for € 300, in the absence of a windshield and in need of an overhaul. Who was a child again!

Variety outdoors

At 9 in the morning on Saturday, the Llotja was opened to the public, which an hour later already had the typical atmosphere of the sale.

There were also stands selling tools, as well as old motor magazines or veteran instruction manuals. In short, as you walked around it was possible to find the most unexpected items.

Likewise, whoever was looking for a shirt from his favorite brand was going to come across it. And the same happened to those who wanted to take home the miniature of their favorite classics.

Many mopeds, scooters and bicycles had arrived from France, which remained accumulated in batteries until someone took an interest in them.

On the trailer and next to an old tandem, a 403 Peugeot 1958 Familiale was waiting for a new owner. Its French owner asked for € 2.000 for it.

Without a doubt, a low price for what we are used to, although its paint was matte, it had some dents and it is necessary to carry out the processing to register it as a historical vehicle.

Later, we come across a line of youngtimers and classics for sale, such as a Ford Capri 2.0 S (€ 4.000), a Renault Fuego with 74.000 km (€ 3.000) or an Opel 1900 GT (€ 10.000).

Instead, it attracted us more for its good restoration a Seat 600 Convertible from 1960, painted in a slightly seen salmon color that was original in those years. For him they asked € 11.000.

With the Ciudad Real license plate and an interior upholstered in absolute fidelity to its standard, it was a pleasure to contemplate a Seat 600 Normal without any extravagant additions.

Pioneers, veterans and tractors!

Another much older model for sale was a 5 Citroën 1924 CV Cabriolet, registered in Tarragona and whose owner wishes to receive € 18.000 in exchange.

Also interesting was a Peugeot 186 from 1929, with a Commercial Torpedo-type bodywork and retaining its brown paint. It needed to redo the hood and its body needed a slight restoration. And its price of € 3.300 was reasonable.

In the same way, the oldest car for sale was striking, for which he wanted € 22.000. It was a 1907 French La Ponette, powered by a one-cylinder Ballot engine and mated to a two-speed gearbox.

Argemi Delpuy, vintage tractor collector, created atmosphere with his vintage Lanz from 1952, made in Mannheim (Germany). Equipped with a single cylinder two-stroke diesel engine, the crowd gathered when I started it.

Another magnet for curious and mobile cameras was a 1400 Seat 1958 Van, for sale with no price in sight. With visible signs of rust, it lacked an engine, gearbox and front axle, which its owner had already restored and saved.

And late in the morning, he wanted to regain strength in either of the two bars. For this, the organization contacted the local club of Barça, which had cheap prices. For example, a coffee € 1, a pint of beer € 1,5 and a sandwich € 3,5.

Resuming the ride, new stands of spare parts, which were the most visited by fans. We even find three popular ones for sale: a Fiat 500, a Renault 4/4 and a Renault Dauphine, all three with French plates.

Of these, the 1961 Dauphine stood out for its state of preservation, without ever having been restored. With only 31.000 km traveled, It soon sold for € 4.500.

Finally, it should be noted that the organization sponsored a voluntary collection in favor of Cáritas, which achieved a sum of € 1.515 among the attendees to help the most needy people.