“Cossacks”, “Merces”, “Volkswagen Beetle” and other treasures of the Oldtimer Gallery 2024

Let the domestic auto industry not top the ratings of the best. But we do not undertake to judge the reasons. Another good thing is that Russians take good care of antiquity and the history of the engineering industry.


Whether it’s yours or someone else’s doesn’t matter. Golden hands take care of and restore every piece of metal on wheels. Here our masters, often self-taught, are difficult to surpass.

About the organizer and event

Few motorists have a passion for collecting. Customization, tuning, restoration are also not everyone’s cup of tea. Sorokin Ilya is not one of those. However, he loves old cars, and his business is registered as a conference and exhibition organization activity.


“No pragmatism – just lyrics”: says the author of a grandiose exhibition of retro cars. The tourists enjoyed a rich collection of rare examples of the Soviet and foreign automobile industry for the 34th time.

The annual event has been held at Moscow venues since 2002. In 2022, the old-time gallery was moved to the Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center, St. Petersburg.

Three days, three centuries

Residents and guests of the northern capital of Russia could admire the rarities, while simultaneously expanding their knowledge of the history of automobile production, for a short period – April 12-14. On 13 hectares of exhibition pavilions there were exhibits dating back to the 19th century.


For example, the painted sleighs of Empress Maria Feodorovna and the royal children of the century before last can even without stretch be classified as means of transportation. Moreover, this category includes the phaeton of Alexander I.


Magnificent horse-drawn carriages gave way to the first automobiles. Next, the observer saw the evolution of the industry. The bodies of the unique ones amazed with the imagination and skill of the performers. The department of tractors, agricultural machinery and motorized carriages surprisingly attracted the townspeople.


At the exhibition “The Future Belongs to Dreamers!” visitors lingered in front of the real Mars rover and the Venera 4 research vehicle. Escort cool bikes “IZH Kalashnikov” and an electric AURUS Merlon were brought by the “Special Purpose Garage”, which serves high-ranking officials of the state.


Lenfilm Studio carefully preserves and displays movie hero cars from cult Soviet films for public display. Technical museums, private garages, individual collectors and connoisseurs of antiquities brought hundreds of amazing things to the “city of the past.”


The gallery constantly changes its exhibition. The motto “From carriage to rocket” perfectly characterized the exhibition. Well-designed stands would simply be a podium for beautiful, highly polished items. But at each site there was a consultant or the owner of the antique exhibit on duty, who talked about the origin, fate, and features of the relic.

Exhibition events

Connoisseur of antiquities I. Sorokin approached the organization of the April event creatively. The public was not bored: there were competitions, drawings, premieres, surprises.


And - where would we be without him! - "swap meet". In the best flea market traditions, a wide variety of goods are laid out on the floor. This is a scattering of spare parts, tiny parts, springs, rims, bumpers from cars that have not been produced for a long time. For a connoisseur, these are priceless treasures.


The spots near the souvenir shops with Soviet paraphernalia and badges were not empty either. The interactive part allowed visitors to compete in radio-controlled cars and shoot at a tank track. Those interested could virtually ride in the royal carriage or ride on a mini-tram.

Fun, educational. A rare opportunity to spend a productive weekend with your family. An amazing experience and the opportunity to touch the history of the automotive industry for only 700 rubles. Looking forward to the next exhibition...