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On November 11, 2018, we attended the traditional Bourse aux Véhicules Anciens in Spa, an autumn rendezvous for regional classic automotive enthusiasts. Organized by the Rétromobile Club de Spa, the event bypassed the high-commercial gloss of mainstream international motor shows. Instead, it offered us the raw, preservationist side of car culture.

As visitors / collectors, we found an event operating primarily as a highly specialized swap meet rather than a vehicle gallery. The indoor venue was dominated by rows of tables laden with vintage components, obsolete instrumentation, and rare mechanical spares. For collectors from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands engaged in winter restoration projects, the bourse functioned as a practical sourcing hub for parts that are increasingly difficult to locate through digital channels.

Given the town’s proximity to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and its deep ties to historic stage rallying, the event maintained a heavy emphasis on motorsport literature and memorabilia. Vendors offered extensive collections of vintage factory workshop manuals, technical blueprints, and period-correct scale models.

For us, the highlight of the hunt was uncovering a rich, remarkably well-preserved set of vintage Porsche factory press kits. Tracking down these specific media packages—complete with original technical datasheets and gloss photographs—is a rare find outside of specialized auctions, making the hours spent sorting through the paper archives highly rewarding. You can find most of them digitalised and available at the "Porsche Press Kits" section of our website

The bourse also served as an informal end-of-season gathering for the cross-border classic car community. The absence of high-profile vehicle auctions or aggressive corporate marketing allowed for direct, unhurried networking among amateur restorers, local historians, and veteran regional racing figures like Jean-Pierre Gaban.

Ultimately, the 2018 edition reinforced the event’s established role in the region: a functional, community-driven marketplace dedicated to keeping historic vehicles on the road and their histories documented rather than just on display.

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Some pics in the gallery here below. For more, you can check our twitter account #SpaOldtimerBourse.