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Leaving a mark: Marc Vidal vintage car museum

Nobody is aware that Catalonia, with regard to cars in general and classics in particular, has a certain advantage over the rest of the Autonomous Communities. We refer to the quantity and quality of the fairs, concentrations, rallies, clubs, associations that exist there ... and something so important to promote the culture of the automobile and preserve our automobile heritage such as museums.

It is not that there are so many as to feel satisfied, but there is a greater concentration; We only have to see the map published by the Spanish Federation of Antique Vehicles (FEVA) in the museum guide of its web page to realize the reality: in Catalonia there are more museums than in the rest of the country.

Among all of them, there is one that for many has a special charm; we talk about Marc Vidal vintage car museum. We knew of its existence but we had never had the opportunity to visit it, so, taking advantage of the trip we made last year to the Auto Retro fair in Barcelona, ​​we went to see it. It is located in the town of Riudoms, province of Tarragona, in the Baix Camp region very close to Reus, specifically at the exit of the town at Km 0,3 of the road from Riudoms to Montbrió.

Marc Vidal vintage car museum
Exterior of the Marc Vidal Museum (Photo: Anchoafoto)

Cars, motorcycles, rarities and cava

When we got to the car park we were surprised to see a building with a circular base and a rustic appearance, similar to a mill, where you could read in large letters: "Caves Marc Vidal Fontgivell". At first we thought we were confused, but then Mr. Vidal's wife came to meet us and confirmed that we were in the right place.

The couple is dedicated to the production of cava in their own wineries. In addition, they have a restaurant on the premises that opens to the public by appointment and in which they organize lunches and dinners for groups, especially for fans of classic cars, of course. Mrs. Vidal told us that during the weekends they receive numerous buses that come from France, where it seems her museum is better known than in Spain. Sad but true.

After giving us a few strokes of what we were going to find during the visit, she also told us that her husband was in the workshop area painting some motorcycles and that he would come to greet us later.


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So we started the tour of this curious place; From the beginning you realize that it is not a museum like the ones we are used to seeing. This produces, how to describe it ?, a smile, because immediately you begin to imagine what kind of person is capable of putting together all these diverse pieces, by no means only cars and motorcycles.

The first thing that catches our attention is a plane hanging from the roof of the main nave, where, in addition to some very interesting cars that we will comment on later, we find countless objects related to the world of motoring -or not- such as old, old oil cans Fuel dispensers, billboards for car brands and consumables, license plates, agricultural machinery, devices used in old mechanical workshops, antique furniture, aircraft engines, movie projectors from when films were made of celluloid ... various objects everywhere and even, hanging on a wall, musical instruments.

The latter were related to a Triumph 1800, which had belonged to a jazz band that used it to attend their concerts; there was a photograph next to the car that proved it. The lamps that adorn the walls of the enclosure, made by hand with bottles of cava, also attracted our interest.


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A cool guy

After a while, while we were scrutinizing the corners of this unique museum, Marc Vidal appeared in his work suit: a workman's overalls, not one like those in today's workshops whose neat mechanics look like surgeons, if not one of those from before, with its oil, dust and paint stains. After apologizing for his outfit, he began to give us information about everything that was on display, but when he saw that his friends were very passionate about this world and that we admired his hobby, he let his hair go. It was then that we got to meet the real Marc Vidal.

An amazing guy, very nice, very funny, one of those people whose eyes light up when they talk about what they like, who perfectly matched the image they gave, that of a "crazy inventor." He told us some anecdotes of his acquisitions, his restorations ...

He showed us a warehouse where he keeps some cars that for various reasons have not become part of the exhibition, such as several Corvettes, a Ferrari 308, a French Renault 4cv, a '59 Cadillac, and a very strange vehicle that he uses. as a claim at motor shows and events. It is a sturdy wheeled chassis, attached to an airplane-like nose and the engine of a non-operational F-4 Phamtom fighter bomber.

Marc Vidal vintage car museum
Bultaco, Montesa and Ossa field bikes (Photo: Anchoafoto)

He also showed us a very long room where he keeps his collection of dirt bikes from the Montesa, Bultaco and Ossa brands, from the golden age of Spanish motorcycling between the sixties and seventies. The dream for any lover of this type of motorcycle because it is not that he had many, it is that he had practically all of them; some looked the same but he immediately explained that the one year model had a sticker on the side and the following year another. Crazy, but that's how collectors are.

Amalgamated visit

Turning to what is the museum itself, not counting the previous rooms, about fifty cars and more than a hundred motorcycles are exhibited. The truth is that the theme and distribution is somewhat chaotic, you can still find prewar European cars, luxurious American cars, racing single-seaters, along with postwar Spanish motorcycles or Japanese superbikes.

In the main room are the best pieces: Four Rolls Royces, a 1929 Phantom I, a 1927 Twenty Roadster, a Silver Shadow and a Silver Cloud. Also on display are a 1925 Buick Master Six and a 1950 Roadmaster, three Ford T's from different eras, an Erskine Model 50 and a gorgeous 29 Chevrolet. Opposite is a gigantic '59 Cadillac Fleetwood alongside a Seat 600 that could fit perfectly in your trunk.

In the space next to it you can see a series of American cars, three Chevrolet Corvette, a C1, a C2 and a C3, as well as an early Ford Thunderbird and the "musical" Triumph that we discussed earlier. In a preferred place we can contemplate one of the symbols of the Spanish automotive industry, a Hispano Suiza type 30 from 1924 and, accompanying it, several Citroen and Peugeot from the 20s and 30s.

When climbing the stairs to access the top floor the first thing that appears is a corner full of motorcycles. In the center, the different generations of the queen of the highways, the Honda Gold Wing. On one side, some illustrious carriers of six-cylinder in-line engines and, up the walls, curious and ancient mopeds.

On the opposite side we discovered a magnificent collection in two heights of non-Spanish motocross bikes from the 70s and 80s, some of them with which Marc Vidal himself competed.

Marc Vidal vintage car museum
Marc Vidal with Carlos Sanz (Photo: Anchoafoto)

And finally, in the next room, there was a totum revolutum: Various motorcycles, racing trays, single-seaters, various Alpine A-108 and A-110, Mercedes 170 30s and a wonderful Renault 5 Turbo decorated as the winner of the 1981 Monte Carlo Rally with the legendary Jean Ragnotti at the wheel.

Everything related is a summary, since there is more, much more. As we said at the beginning, more than a museum it is a box of surprises. I can assure you that in no case will you be disappointed; Above all, if you have the opportunity, do not forget to chat with the owner: you will have a fun and pleasant time, he is one of those people who leave their mark.

* We are grateful to Marc Vidal and his wife for their collaboration for the completion of this report.

What do you think?

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Written by Carlos Sanz placeholder image

I was born in Madrid in 1964, the wrong time and place for a car enthusiast. It is well known that at that time, despite coinciding with the Spanish economic expansion and the car fleet increased considerably, the supply of models was ... Read more

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