Discover the Abarth Works Museum pop-up!

Since 2007, the Abarth Works Museum has been located on the outskirts of Lier, Antwerp. Many classic car lovers have found their way to Industriestraat 1 in Lier, the city’s former industrial site. Recently, however, some changes have taken place, and a pop-up version of the Abarth Works Museum has been launched! So for the next two years, you can admire the exceptional collection of classic cars at Industriestraat 5A in Lier—just a few streets away from the original location!

United efforts call for united buildings

When Guy Moerenhout joined forces with his stepson Jeroen Nys, they quickly realised the old building had reached its limits. With Moerenhout’s exceptional collection now totalling over 300 cars, the lack of space and facilities soon became unmistakable. Plans were made to give the concept a complete overhaul.

Of course, a temporary relocation was necessary to build a brand-new home for classic car enthusiasts. Finding a suitable rental space seemed a challenge, given the sheer number of cars that needed a roof over their heads. Luckily, Jeroen and Guy found a location just 500 metres from the old site. As they worked together to create a new experience for the Abarth Works Museum, two buildings joined forces to house the collection: Luypaert and Antilope.

In Antilope, the entire museum collection is on display, including cars, parts, a library, vintage accessories, and the history of GMR (Guy Moerenhout Racing). This is also where Guy Moerenhout sits at his desk and welcomes guests into his sacred temple. Soon, once permitted, Carlo’s pop-up bar will open here—perfect for enjoying a drink after an impressive museum visit.

In Luypaert, a storage building across the street, the remainder of Moerenhout’s collection is stored, along with several workshops. The Abarth Works Museum has a team of professional classic car mechanics who need space and proper facilities to deliver custom work. That’s why a section in this second building is fully dedicated to them—allowing them to work peacefully on ongoing projects.

Moving day

From October last year, the move was overseen by stepson Eric Vlaisloir, who needed quite a brain to organise an unprecedented logistics task. Thousands of car parts, tools, equipment, furniture, and more had to be transferred from one location to another. After a few months, once the essentials were in place at the new premises, it was time to move the cars.

Two men moving 300 cars? That’s a tall order—even for Guy Moerenhout! So after a call to the GMR team, 20 passionate volunteers gathered at the old location for instructions from organiser Eric Vlaisloir. In a record-breaking effort, the GMR team moved the entire collection from the old site to the new buildings. Thanks to a detailed plan marking every car with its destination section, the job was completed in just 4 hours. Miracles do still happen, right?

Who let the kids out?

Moving Moerenhout’s collection of classic cars turned out to be a breeze (well, sort of). But to make the museum visitor-ready, cleaning was a must. Thankfully, Mr. Guy could count on his beloved grandchildren and wife. Within half a day, 3 girls, 2 boys, and 1 grandmother had cleaned every car in the museum section!