The fifth edition of Prewar Days Kortrijk is completely different from previous editions. From the moment you enter, you are immersed in the pre-war world. We start right away with some gems from the Squadra museum in Lier.
The Rambla at the Kortrijk Expo is filled with a number of car exhibitors, but it was the many art and car memorabilia stands that really stood out. Above, you can see Koen from “Koensfineart” posing next to one of his exhibited works. Koen does a lot of custom work, so if you have something special in mind, be sure to contact him.
My first impression was, “Has it gotten smaller?” But nothing could be further from the truth. After walking down the Rambla, you enter Hall 5, where not a single square metre has been left unused. It quickly became clear that this edition is significantly larger than the previous four.
You sometimes read the comment “if you haven’t visited the pre-war days, you’re not a pre-war enthusiast”. We sincerely believe that they are right. This event has now grown far beyond the Belgian borders. This is also evident from the growing number of foreign exhibitors.
Let’s take a moment to admire this 1934 Alvis Silver Eagle Sport Special. We see this Alvis at the stand of the German company Kranz Oltimer Service. The car was converted into its current racing car form in the 1990s by Alvis specialist Chris Compton. After changing hands several times, it came into the possession of its current owner in 2009, who had it completely restored from the ground up in 2023.
When Michael (27) and Lawrence (30) started Prewar Days five years ago, they probably did not expect that there would now be more than 80 exhibitors from eight countries attending their event.
One of their goals is to remove that dull layer of dust from pre-war cars. They want to get younger, passionate car enthusiasts excited about our rolling heritage. And somehow, they seem to have found the right formula. When we walked around during the opening day in the afternoon, it was already quite busy.
Amongst the mass of parts, you can see various visitors searching for that one part they still need.
A striking number of Singer cars were present. Above, we see a Singer Nine Le Mans Special Speed. This car was built in early 1935 and was completely restored a few years ago, with extensive documentation to prove it. Available for purchase at PreWarCar.nl
These cars sometimes feature small details such as this plaque, which refers to the glorious past of the Singer Nine that participated in the 1934 Grand Prix d’Endurance, covering 2,203 kilometres.
At the stand of Albion Sport & Collector Cars from Temse, we came across this very unique 1929 Alphi T10 GP. And when we say unique, you can take that literally, because only one was ever built.
What stands out in many pre-war cars are the often very special dashboards. Whereas modern cars often have no buttons and only a large screen, these cars are the exact opposite. There is a gauge or button for every important function. Perhaps a little busy, but much clearer than the sometimes confusing displays.
The first Alphi was built in Paris in 1928 by three engineers with the aim of building the best custom-made car in the world. It was specially constructed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but disappeared without a trace after the race.
Perhaps this was the basis for the Alphi T10 GP presented here. They wanted to use it to compete with Bugatti during the French Grand Prix in 1929. This Alphi was the favourite car of Serge Pozzoli, arguably the most legendary French collector.
The car has been restored and overhauled over a period of two years to make it fully roadworthy again. The aim is to participate in a number of prestigious events such as Concorso Villa d’Este, Chantilly Arts & Elegance, Pebble Beach and others. However, we hope to see it one day on the racetrack, which is what the car was originally built for.
Every year, Antonio Martinez-Fresneda from AMF attends the Prewar Days. He can best be described as an artist.
He is one of the few who builds model cars from scratch, including the gem you can admire above. He has a limited collection that is available for purchase, but most models are built on request. This is the only way to get an exact copy of your own classic car, including any modifications that have been made over the years.
You can also find tools, both new and old, during the pre-war days. The firm Matthys always has a wide range of machines such as this plate roller.
In addition to the Squadra Abarth & Rally Collection museum, the Louwman museum, Autoworld Brussels, Mahymobiles and, of course, the Oldtimermuseum Bossaert were also present.
We found this fully restored Dixi at the Behva stand. The first BMW Dixi BMW 3/15 DA-2 models were sold from 1929 onwards. In 1931, BMW took over the design and production completely, and this Coupe was one of the first models to be created. Its specific features included a swinging front axle instead of a rigid front axle. Only 210 of these Coupes were built between 1931 and 1932. There are thought to be only three left in the world, and this one is the only one in Belgium.
Clubs
Perhaps being a member of a good club is even more important for a pre-war car than for other average classic cars. Parts are much scarcer and often have to be remade from scratch. In that case, a strong network within your club is an absolute added value. As always, many clubs were present.
It remains difficult to say which car was the most beautiful at the show. If we include the interior in our assessment, two cars really stood out from the rest for us.
The two photos above show a perfectly restored 1937 Delage D8 120 Three Position Drophead Coupe. The car was originally delivered in Belgium and has been in the same family for over 50 years. The bodywork is by Henri Chapron and the car has a 4.7 L Straight Eight engine. The car can be found at LMB Racing.
We found another gem at Arie-Jean. This Talbot 105 was a powerful sports car developed by Talbot designer Georges Roesch. As a four-seater, it was exceptionally fast and even raced on the Brooklands circuit. The engine is a six-cylinder with a capacity of only 1666cc.
The beautiful rear wing on this Talbot 105 adds an extra touch to this beautifully designed car.
The most prominent auction houses were also present. Above, we see the stand of Broad Arrow, but Bonhams and RM Sotheby’s were also in attendance.
Conclusie
When it comes to pre-war cars, Prewar Days in Kortrijk has been the place to be for several years now. For the fifth time in a row, they are setting the tone when it comes to pre-war vehicles.
Because it’s not just cars; motorcycles also play their part in this event.
Haven’t been here this year? Then you’ll almost certainly get a new jug in 2026. We’ll definitely be there again!
More information on the Prewar Days website.
