Francisco Carrion
I don't know if it will be the general thought of the fans, but to me those kinds of places have always seemed something impossible to find in our country… Until one day the one that we bring to these lines today appeared: a cemetery of classic cars in Spain.
It is true that the desert landscape is not fulfilled, nor is it the enormous amounts of "scrap metal" -there were "only" about 25 cars-. Of course, it is a cemetery of machines with half a century or more of antiquity and all of them with their original Spanish number plates. For me, that gives it an extra charm.
PASSION FOR RUST
However, to find this place anchored in the past, there was no choice but to resort to computing. And I have to admit that I'm not very fond of new technologies, but in this case they have been fundamental.
If it weren't for the fact that from time to time one does the "geek" on social networks, this report would not have been possible. The thing started when a friend from Catalonia put a very interesting photo on his profile. This one, of low quality and made with a mobile phone, showed a few pre-1940 cars piled up in a field and looking rather bad.
Out of simple curiosity and because of that interest that almost all of us fans have towards rust, I asked for more details about that mysterious site. The first information received was that "they were in my area." Immediately afterwards, I was provided with the phone number of the person who had sent the photo to him. Things were getting interesting.
With a bit of a nose, I called that phone number and got ready to ask for more information. I was instantly attended by a man named Antonio, who not only was not bothered by my call, but also kindly invited me to visit the place. It was to be dismantled just a few days later, so he didn't have much time margin.
"How is that?", I asked alarmed. "Don't worry, the cars are going to a better place" my interlocutor answered me. The explanation was simple: he was talking to Antonio Crespo, a well-known fan from the Jaén area who runs a classic restoration workshop in the small town of caleruela.
As he told me, the site was located on the outskirts of Albacete capital. He himself had purchased the lot and was preparing to pick it up at the end of that week. “Do you want to come and take some photos of the site before it disappears? I think it's worth it".
Obviously, I thought that the opportunity could not be missed. A place like this is no longer easy to find -rather impossible- and this one in particular had hours left after long years of neglect.
FAN IN EXCESS
As with everything, the existence of this site today also has its explanation. It is not a junkyard that has been abandoned since the 60s, although it may seem so. what we see they are the "remains" of a great collection of classic cars from an Albacete fan.
Like many collectors, began to gather a large number of cars until they exceeded their storage possibilities. In this way, a small part of the collection ended up in this wasteland, when in some cases restoration work had already begun.
This explains the rich chromatic variety which can be seen in the photos. In some cases, it is due to the fact that several of the layers of paint on the cars had already been subjected to a sanding process as the first step in the repair.
The group of cars that was "condemned" out in the open for so many years -about 30- were considered less valuable or common in the collection. Although if we look closely, there are some interesting pieces.
A FIRST SERIES CITROËN
The oldest thing we found is a chassis half buried in the undergrowth corresponding to a Citroën B-10 from the early 20s. It is practically useless now other than as a decorative ornament.
Continuing with the French brand, what was most striking at first glance were the two “H” model vans from the 50s, both in very poor condition. the closed van He had a license plate "PMM" indicating ministerial origin. The other unit was bodied as a crane and in its day it must have been beautiful. You could still read the faded yellow letters indicating “Citroen service” on its sides.
In our private classic car cemetery, there were also three Citroen Traction. An ex-taxi from Madrid of which only the chassis remained and one with a naked and twisted body. The third, quite complete, probably deserves a restoration. And we say this despite its poor condition because this copy, registered in Malaga in October 1934, it is not a “normal” Traction.
At first glance we see that it is a unit of the first series for details such as the hood or the wheels... If we take into account that this mythical model was presented to the public on April 18, 1934, this may be the oldest copy that remains registered in Spain.
THE OLD FORDS
Continuing with the rest of the cars present in our classic car cemetery, it should be noted the Ford number, with 5 units. The first one seen upon entering was a model A, in this case a 6 “1928-window” sedan. There was practically nothing usable left in it, except for the chassis and its beautiful rear license plate from Barcelona.
In chronological order, the next one was a 1934 Ford Y of those manufactured in large quantities in Barcelona by Ford Motor Ibérica, very incomplete. The rest were all corresponding to the C model presented in 1935. It was known at the time as "Ford Cuba" for its modern rounded shapes.
Curiously in the open You could see two of the three bodies that it offered in its day the original catalogue, as there was a two-door sedan and a four-door sedan. We also found a nice convertible Pick-Up that was not manufactured in the Barcelona factory. It must have been created by some tasteful craftsman bodybuilder.
Among all these Citroën and Ford were a Fiat 508 “Balilla” from 1931 heavily modified. Also a huge and very incomplete 1934 Plymouth and a practically useless Peugeot 203 from the 50s. Lastly, a Goggomobil T400 Quite complete but with the sheet metal in very poor condition.
THE EXHUMATION AT THE CLASSIC CAR CEMETERY
After hastily a few photos of the place still intact, began its dismantling. In principle, Antonio had the collaboration of Luis Tomás and a friend of his, two nice fans from Albacete who, with the help of an old Chrysler Voyager, brought out the first cars from there.
Several of those that still rolled with some ease were moved without too much trouble by the American van, even despite its poor skills as an all-terrain crane. Until pulling the remains of the Ford A of 28 the clutch said enough.
There was no major problem, so just then they arrived as reinforcements José and Pedro, brother-in-law and father of Antonio. They also came equipped with an Opel Frontera that greatly facilitated the task of getting out of there some cars that lacked tires or operational steering.
The scene was most entertaining and, Soon after, he brought together no less than a dozen people, including helpers and onlookers.. Wheels that refused to turn, pieces that stayed on the road, dust and dirt raised by the dragging of the veteran cars... quite a spectacle. "But what march are you taking me?" snapped some countrymen when they noticed such an unusual event.
At the end of the morning, no less than 11 rusty cars had left the waste ground. They were being parked in the deserted parking lot of an old abandoned roadside hotel, waiting to be loaded onto the trailers that would take them on the way to Jaén.
At that time I kept cursing myself for not knowing how to better use my camera, because in person I can assure you that that kind of "phantom concentration at coffee time" it was worthy of the best immortalization.
GALLERY: CEMETERY OF CLASSIC CLASSIC CARS IN SPAIN
