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that barnfind, that we could translate as "Finds in the haystack", they are fully topical. They publish specialized books on the subject, fixed sections are dedicated to them in classic magazines, they exhibit units at fairs perfectly set next to bales of straw or chickens, full of dust and with airless wheels ...
There is no prestigious auction in which a rusty vehicle does not appear, spiced up with a unique story that encourages its sale. Take as an example the one recently held by the Artcurial house at Retromobile Paris, in which the Baillon collection It was sold in full, exceeding all expectations and without the people of this world being able to explain it to them.
After the discovery, the debate is served: Leave it as it has been found or restore it ... We will find very valid opinions on both sides but, in the end, the economic issue and the space where to keep it usually determine the fate of the rust.
[your_quote]In 1970 the first Belgian motor museum was created, in the town of Houthalen, in Limburg, in the southeast of the country; however, a big problem remained: What to do with all that did not fit? Mr. Mahy's mobile parquet kept growing ...[/ su_quote]
Ghislain Mahy "The Rescuer"
There is a place that for many years has been in charge of rescuing these forgotten pieces. Is he Mahymobiles museum from Belgium, where one of the largest collections in Europe is kept. The amount of funds it accumulates is simply exaggerated: it includes more than nine hundred and fifty cars, sixty motorcycles, a collection of bicycles, children's cars and some of the carts that were drawn by horses.
The initiator of such an extensive garage was Ghislain Mahy, born in 1907 in the Belgian city of Ghent. From a very young age he developed an innate mechanical ability, perhaps as the son of a family specialized in the manufacture of steam boilers. At the age of seventeen he built his first car using a Dixi engine and second-hand parts; "Worst car ever built", always said.
Four years later he would manage to sell it for a good price, thanks to which he made his first income to enter the automotive sector. In 1938 he opened the first car rental agency in Belgium and subsequently became an agent for three renowned manufacturers: Nash, Simca and Fiat.
Primitive Accumulation
After the hardships of World War II, the accumulation phase began: Thus, starting with his first car, a Ford T that fascinated him, he acquired a 1915 Benz and a 1921 Fiat Limousine from a taxi driver. Later, a Wanderer would arrive. from 1915, a CF Type Fondue from 1906 and a Rolls from 1920 ...
The relics were stored in the old Winter Circus, located in the center of Ghent. That gigantic circular building was a surreal place, an architectural masterpiece measuring 6.000 square meters on the ground floor of which a car dealership was installed and on whose upper and lower floors - five and two, respectively - a huge warehouse of classics was taking shape. At each level, dozens of cars were piling up; while others slept peacefully in the underground plants, without seeing the light of day.
In the Korean War years the price of scrap has quintupled, and many "old" cars fell victim to the professionals who were dedicated to it. The fondness for vintage vehicles was not as developed as it is now, so Ghislain Mahy was able to buy them for their scrapped value: In a few years he increased his collection considerably, and then he began to entertain the idea of creating a museum to share his passion with the the rest.
After thirty years of incessant work some 1970 cars were meticulously restored by Mahy and his friends. In XNUMX the first Belgian motor museum was created, in the town of Houthalen, in Limburg, in the southeast of the country; however, a big problem remained: What to do with all that did not fit? Mr. Mahy's mobile parquet kept growing ...
Although the museum Autoworld Brussels became the home, since 1986, of a quarter of the collection, it became necessary to find a space in which to house another 750 vintage vehicles. For more than 20 years the eldest son of the family, Ivan Mahy, searched for a building large enough to accommodate such a large number of "Old irons".
«Mahymobiles» Foundation
Finally, in 1997, he found what he had been looking for so much: an abandoned textile factory in the city of Leuze-en-Hainaut, near the motorway between Calais and Brussels. The municipal council supported the initiative and then he bought the building. He also created a charitable foundation, named "Mahymobiles", to run the museum and thus avoid the dispersion or forced sale of the collection after the death of an important relative.
The refurbishment works of the new institution they were laborious work: It took just two and a half years to move the cars, some of which hadn't seen the light of day in more than 40 years. Tons of spare parts, tools, instructional materials… Hundreds and hundreds of boxes and containers accumulated during all that time. One of the most important libraries on the continent was also moved, estimated at four tons of books that, without a doubt, would delight lovers of old literature like me.
Before visiting, keep in mind that the museum is only open on Sundays and holidays between March 15 and October 31. However, they make an exception for groups over 25 people. And with that being said ...
Once at the reception you have to choose the order of the visit, since the museum is divided into two large areas, the one on the right and the one on the left. In this article we will start with the first one, which takes us directly to a corridor with an interesting collection of cycles, from the Draisians to the famous Rickshaw. Behind them, there is a balcony from which to admire a general view of the cars on display; they have so many in so little space that it is difficult to enjoy them as they deserve.
We went down the cafeteria and started, finally, with the car show. The first thing that stands out is that these are not classified by time of manufacture, but by the country from which they come. Thus, if we visit in an anti-clockwise direction, we will first meet the Americans, then the French, the Germans, the English, the Japanese and… before returning to the starting point, the Belgians; Brands such as Minerva, Socobel, FN or Imperia will undoubtedly arouse our curiosity.
There is also a room dedicated to teaching, which is decorated with sectioned car parts with the aim of teaching schoolchildren who come to visit.
[your_quote]The end of the catwalk marks the passage to the last section of Mahymobiles, which could be described as the dream of the "hunters" of classics ...[/ su_quote]
Rust and dust, at last
However, only once back at the entrance will we have the opportunity to admire what makes this museum truly unique. Before enjoying the second area, the one on the left, a sign will announce: "If it weren't for Ghislain Mahy, more than 80% of these cars would be scrapped." We thus access a kind of ascending walkway, and on our right there are about five dusty cars on a battery; in front of them, motors on pallets ...
We turn a corner and, as we continue to advance, a score of more cars come out to meet us. Asleep, the great American cars of the 50's predominate, such as the Cadillac or the Chrysler, among others; although there are also those of European origin and the odd one before World War II.
Once we have reached the top of the gallery we will be about 5 meters from the ground, and next to another fifteen more machines parked in order to occupy as little space as possible. Attached to the wall, constituting an example of industrial decoration, more than a hundred hubcaps hung as if they were pictures. They are the starters on the menu ...
Because the end of the catwalk marks the way to the last section of Mahymobiles, which could be described as the dream of the "hunters" of classics. It is a warehouse full of cars in a state of barnfind or find; at our feet, dozens of classics extend beyond what we can see, in every corner. Thanks to the care of the museum, the vast majority are kept in an acceptable state, nothing to do with the oxides of the recently auctioned Baillon collection.
Looking closely between the rows you can see things as interesting as a Maserati, Aston Martin or a veteran Mercedes that shares space with other popular old friends, such as several Ford T, Renault or Citroen CX. On a platform at our level, a sample of the evolution of the bodies draws attention: From a horse-drawn sleigh to the most modern NSU Ro 80.
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An atypical museum
Finally, in a corner of the atypical pavilion, there is a beautiful diorama that represents one of the famous Citroën crossings in the 20s; next to him, the protagonists of these trips, a pair of robust Citröen Kegresse P17. Before leaving the room we stopped in front of the dessert, some large windows that allow us to see an interesting display of motorcycles ...
Ultimately, Mahymobiles It is a remarkable museum for its variety, but above all for the quantity and condition of the more than 300 cars that are exhibited there. Enthusiasts will surely miss a bit more space to enjoy them, but nothing - and no one - is perfect, Don't you think?
