• The Museums of Historical Vehicles in Guadalest “Vall de Guadalest is located in the region of La Marina Baixa in the province of Alicante. It is half way between Callosa d’en Sarrià and Guadalest. It belongs to the municipality of Guadalest and we recommend you to stop by along your way in order to get to know it.
• After more than 25 years work, this museum in Guadalest is composed of more htan 100 motorcycles and several microcars in perfect condition and totally original ones. The Museum of Historical Cars in Guadalest opened its doors in 2003. The dates of the vehicles fluctuate from the 20s to the 70s, and will make the visitor move back in time and get to know vehicles our elder ones used.
• The Historical Vehicles Museum in Guadalest is located in a 500m² showroom from an área built specifically to house this collection. A room that astonishes visitors due to its architectural beauty. Apart from motorcycles and cars, the museum is decorated with a series of old objects, such as sewing machines, typewriters, coffee makers, telephones, radios which makes them a very valuable set of pieces. They might not be so important moneywise as they are considered in historical terms. It even has a car, named “The Egg”, which appeared in the TV Hurkel series. Do you remember?
• There is a souvenir shop in the hall of this museum in Guadalest, where the visitor will be able to find a wide range of items related to the world of engine and others (caps, mugs, key chains, scale vehiclesr, pictures, metal vehicles, wooden motorcycles, lighters, postcards, plates, magnets, watches and a great variety of toys…) There is a wide range of vehicles for collectors as well as for the kings of the house, that is to say, children.
• The visitor has at their disposal a large flower-lined area and car park for both cars and buses next to the Riu Restaurant.
• First of all, we are going to talk about Ricardo. Born in Benifato, a small village in the province of Alicante, in the Valley of Guadalest. Since he was child, he used to spend hours and hours in the blacksmith’s shop opposite his house looking how bicycles, motorcycles, radios, watches were repaired, and how the broken pieces were welded or how the hunting shotguns were repaired, etc. His fondness for the garages world and machines started from here.
• Ricardo, at the age of 13, took his first steps driving a Vespa scooter from his father. The 60s were running at that time. He had always dreamt of having a motorcycle, however the family economic situation prevented this from becoming a reality. His first motorcycle arrived at the age of 19, which was shared with his brother.
• Some years passed, Ricardo married and set up Restaurant El Riu together with his brother. With the first benefits he obtained, Ricardo bought a Montesa Enduro 360 H6 to enjoy the numerous forest roads in this mountainous area.
• Little by Little, Ricarde bacame interested in the world of classic motorcycle and bought a Guzzi 65, proposing the challerge of restoring it. This motorcycle was well-known among Spanish fans and it is usually one of the first to be restored by fans and collectors.
• His hobby was increasing and started, as soon as he had some free time, looking for Spanish motorcycles in the area of Levante. He used to look for in scrapyards and small garages where motorcycles were forgotten on some corners. Thus, he began being well-known in the area, even many locals and people in general got there and offered him their own no longer used motorcycles and were abandoned in their own homes.
• He began to travel to travel, though, all over Spain and attend fairs specialized in the engine world. The first one he attended was in Sils (Girona) followed by Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Alcañiz, Murcia, etc.
• Due to his obligations in family businesses, he was obliged to travel at night traveling many kilometers in one single day. And so, his collection was increasing only thanks to his tenacy and effort because if it were not for real hobby, that would have not been possible.
• Every time Ricardo got a motorcycle, and as soon as he got home, the first thing to do was cleaning it with a brush and gasoline and see the pieces missing, as he always tried them to look totally original. Thus, he could take them to his friends and retired mechanics who aslo shared the same illusion so as to restore them.
• Ricardo's collection is currently made up of 110 motorcycles and several cars. But one thing is clear, his work would not have been possible without the support of his wife, his 2 children and his brother and family, whom he will be eternally grateful.
Callosa-Guadalest Road, km.7
Post code.: 03517 El Castell de Guadalest (Alicante)
Telephone.: 965 882 197
e-mail: museo@museovehiculosguadalest.com
Web: http://www.museovehiculosguadalest.com