At the end of summer, there’s always a spot in the agenda for the biannual Land Rover and Minerva Sortout in Ranst, Belgium. Once again, the event took place at Domein De Moervelden, a former military base near Antwerp with plenty of space and large hangars.

The very first edition we organized in 2021 was a small-scale affair held in a field, mainly to clear out surplus spare parts, with just a modest line-up of Land Rovers. Years ago, we had often visited the Dunsfold Open Weekends at the Springbok Estate in Surrey, which left a lasting impression and inspired us to create something with a similar appeal. Although the Land Rover community in Belgium and the Netherlands is much smaller than in the UK, we wanted to replicate that spirit by gathering together a wide variety of interesting local Land Rovers—each with its own story.

Since no dedicated second-hand market for Land Rover Series parts existed here, it seemed only natural to combine one with a display of vehicles.

One of the nicest moments in preparing the event is choosing the theme for the line-up and selecting the vehicles to display. Alongside our own cars and those of friends, we were once again lucky to count on the support of the Houben family in the Netherlands. Picking vehicles from their extensive collection is always a pleasure. This time we settled on three themes: Belgian historical Land Rovers and Minerva’s, original soft-top vehicles, and a station wagon line-up ranging from the 107 SW to the latest full-option New Defender.

After the scorching hot outdoor edition of 2023, we were delighted to move indoors this year and make use of the wonderful old hangars—avoiding the colder weather and occasional September showers.

Saturday was devoted to preparation and bringing vehicles out of storage. It was also the day we welcomed our foreign guests from the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, many of whom stayed overnight either at the site or nearby. Some turned their visit into a week-long exploration of Belgium and its cities. The newly opened Fiat-Abarth Museum Squadra in Lier was a particular highlight and is well worth a visit if you’re in the area.

On Saturday evening, the former army barracks were transformed into an atmospheric setting filled with beautiful vehicles, where we enjoyed a delicious BBQ with our overseas friends—surrounded by years of Land Rover history.

Early Sunday morning, parts sellers arrived from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, where a surprising number of old Minerva stock parts are still available. Soon, the first visitors came in, and by midday the hangars were buzzing with sellers, traders, and endless discussions about our shared passion for old Land Rovers. Missing parts were found, deals were struck, advice and experiences exchanged. Visitors carefully examined the vehicles on display—it’s not every day you get to study these classics up close—and they often served as valuable reference material for ongoing projects at home. Once a bonnet is opened, a crowd seems to form !

Among the Belgian highlights were the very first Land Rover delivered to Belgium (1948, production number 59), the oldest surviving Minerva army vehicle built in Mortsel, and the last 4×4 designed and built by Minerva in 1957, the C22. To complete the Belgian theme, two ex-police 80” blue Series I vehicles were shown: one a nearly finished nut-and-bolt restoration, the other a well-used but wonderfully charming survivor.

The soft-top line-up featured some beautifully patinated originals from the Houben collection, including a 1953 80”, a 1955 86”, a 1960 Series II from the Rutgeerts family, and a lovely 1977 88” Series III with just 45,000 km.

The station wagon line-up included a 1957 107”, a fully restored Series II SW, an unrestored 1981 2.25 Diesel SW, a fine 1984 One Ten County Station Wagon, and the latest New Defender. Visitors also contributed some gems: a pair of 107” station wagons, a Dutch 80” fitted with a belt-driven sawing table, a One Ten pickup, and a rare army Minerva 4×4 equipped with Milan rocket launchers.

All in all, it was a wonderful day full of smiling faces, encounters with old and new friends, and plenty of shared knowledge and history. See you all again in two years!