A candidate for "Germany's next Top Goodwood" is definitely the Classic Days at Schloss Dyck. Every year, a huge number of historic vehicles of all kinds are brought to the Mönchengladbach area, from top-class racing cars such as the Porsche 917 to BMW Isetta-style cabin scooters.
From simple Sachs mopeds to Benz tricycles, the 2019 edition also featured just about everything that technology has brought to the roads over the last 125 years.
A tight and varied program
Time quickly runs out if you want to see everything. On the track, the program runs non-stop from morning to evening, while the Concours d`Elégance or vehicle presentations such as "Charme & Style" or "Lovely Heroes" are presented in the park at the same time.
Clearly, one day is not enough to really get to grips with the full program. But the trip to the Ruhr region and between lignite mining areas and nuclear power plants is definitely worth it.
What Marcus Herfort, his wife Simone and around 100 always cheerful and very friendly volunteers put on here every year is absolutely first class. Even if your personal favorite cars are not always on site or driving, there are so many less familiar things to see and hear that it is simply a great pleasure to be there.
Of course, the big manufacturers, as well as the "heavy" sponsors, without whom it would not be possible to pull off an event like this, got a bit out of hand and occasionally caused some head-shaking. For example, a considerable number of historic cars were rented from a watch brand and handed out to people who had never been in one before. One driver actually needed help from outsiders as she was unable to reverse even one meter in "her" car and in her complete desperation had already created a massive traffic jam in the Schlosspark.
And perhaps not all vehicles were meticulously checked for authenticity, as was the case years ago.
But even a "Pur-gatti" or a "mere" 400,000 euro 250 GTO arouses a gleam and admiration in many less trained eyes.
Great enthusiasm
Even on the way to the major event, which took place for the 14th time on August 2 to 4, 2019, it was clear that the Classic Days wanted to appeal to as many car enthusiasts as possible.
Around 30,000 visitors, most of them fashionably dressed, stormed the castle park with and without historic vehicles and showed their great enthusiasm.
Car rarities at the Concours
In the "Masterpieces" Concours d'Elégance, which has now been integrated into the Classic Days once again, there were certainly some exceptional vehicles to admire:
The Mercedes Benz Wendler 320 W142, with six cylinders and and 3200 cc from 1936 was fitted with a Wendler body by the Wendler company from Reutlingen as a one-off in 1950 and exhibited on the occasion of the Reutlingen Motor Show.
The unusual pontoon body has two separate doors for one spare wheel each. It also features a Maybach gearbox with a fourth high-speed gear and a third highway headlight, which was much sought-after in its day.
The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Springfield from 1922 with 7428 cc and 6 cylinders with American Brewster bodywork was delivered to a banker in London in 1925. It has been in Germany since 1974 and with the same owner since 1997.
The Emperor of Japan received an identical Silver Ghost in 1922. The Tsar of Russia also owned one and Lenin even had two, one of which was equipped with snow runners.
The Graham-Paige 827 Opera Coupé from the US car manufacturer in 1929 produced an impressive 120 hp from the 5.3-liter eight-cylinder engine. In 1927, the brothers Joseph B., Robert C. and Ray A. Graham bought the Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company. From 1930, the vehicles were sold under the Graham brand name. Graham-Paige built 5 models based on the 827 chassis, but no Opera coupe.
The vehicle on display at Schloss Dyck is the only Opera Coupé Le Baron built by coachbuilder Briggs. The paintwork and interior are original. With its powerful engine and 4-speed gearbox, the car was able to compete with brands such as Cadillac, Packard and Pierce Arrow.
In 1935, Alfa chief engineer Vittorio Jano commissioned the brothers Gino and Oscar Jankovits to build a mid-engined sports car based on the 6C 2300. The unique car, the Aerospider, was intended to challenge the German supremacy in GP racing. Initially equipped with a 6-cylinder engine, the world's first car with a mid-engine was later to be fitted with a V12. In 1937, Nano was dismissed from Alfa Romeo and the global political situation meant that the car remained hidden away in the Jankovits' garage.
Facing the death penalty for supporting the Nazis, Gino fled from Yugoslavia to Italy in the Spider and crashed at high speed under a barrier. The tires and bodywork were also damaged by bullets. After the Second World War, it was considered lost for a long time until it was found again in a Croatian barn.
However, other models were victorious in the Concours. The "Best of Show" was a Bentley 4 1/2 Litre from 1928.
The Mercedes-Benz 170 V Sindelfingen Cabriolet A from 1938 received the public's favor. The Ferrari 330 America from 1963 was honored as "Worlds Most Pristine Masterpiece", the Fiat 2300 S as Coupé Michelotti from 1966 as "Most Significant Car Postwar".
The following cars were judged to be the best in their class:
- Bentley 4 1/2 Litre from 1928 (The Masterclass in Racing & Style)
- Alfa Romeo Aerospider from 1937 (Extraordinary Cars of the Golden Years)
- Rolls-Royce Phantom I Sedanca de Ville Thrupp & Maberly from 1927 (Around the World - The Grand Tour)
- Porsche 356 from 1951 with split windshield (The New Era - Elegance & Innovation)
- Maserati 3500 GT from 1958 (Early Postwar Internationality)
- Facel Vega 6 HC Cabriolet from 1957 (Grace & Pace - Power & Beauty)
- Lancia Flaminia Zagato from 1966/1967 (Coupes of Class & Rarity)
- Dino 246 GT from 1972 (Italian Coachbuilding - Gran Turismo Class)
- Ferrari 365 GTB/4 from 1968 (The next Generation - Pure Shape)
Almost at racing speed
While visitors marveled at the elegant and beautiful vehicles in the Concours in the Orangerie of the Schlosspark, legendary orange-painted Jägermeister vehicles from the F2 to the M1, today cherished by collector Eckhard Schimpf, raced around the specially set up circuit.
In addition to an Alfa 6 safety car, Alfa-Romeo also brought the successful 33 TT12 with Arturo Merzario at the wheel to the Ruhr region.
A picture for the gods and all his fans were of course the two Porsche 917 hatchbacks, which roared through the Schlossallee together with the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33TT12 and an Abarth 2000. Beautiful cars in a great landscape.
50 years of Ford Capri
As always, there were various brand clubs next to the circuit, with Ford leading the way this time with the 50th anniversary of the Capri.
At Ford's invitation, numerous private owners also brought along their coupés, from the first generation in 1969 to the facelift of the second generation, which was only discontinued in 1986.
And of course the camping enthusiasts
Finally, to the delight of the campers, let's not forget the superbly restored and neatly maintained historic caravans and motorhomes.
It also seems that this group is getting bigger and bigger every year. With great attention to detail, all the countless decorations of that time are adapted to the vehicles in question.
Further impressions of the Classic Days at Schloss Dyck can also be found in the entertaining picture story about the event.

































































































































































































































































































































































































































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