It is becoming increasingly common to see classic cars as an attraction in the city centers of southern Germany on Sundays when shops are open. If the local trade and commerce association is looking for an occasion for a Sunday open for business, an event with a cultural background - preferably of supra-regional interest - gives it a chance of being approved. Classic car events are an obvious choice.
Established
This is how it started five years ago in Oberndorf am Neckar. This event has since established itself. Countless classic car fans from the region from Stuttgart to Lake Constance met here again on October 8, 2023. Due to the large crowds at previous events, this time the year of manufacture 1989 was the limit for admission to the exhibition of the gems.
The appeal of the regional events lies in the direct contact between exhibitors and visitors and the selection of vehicles. Every visitor was able to see oldies that they knew or had driven themselves and which, in contrast to the big events, are mostly in a price range that can be realized by mere mortals if they are interested.
Authentic
The fact that most of the cars, tractors and motorcycles on display were not over-restored but presented in an authentic condition, in which a well-maintained but also used vehicle can be found after more than 30 years, made the event tangible and appealing to visitors.
An Adler Trumpf Junior greeted the guests at the entrance to the upper town. Built in 1936 on a wooden frame, the front-wheel drive vehicle has a steering wheel gearshift, which was common at the time and had to be explained to younger visitors, as did the thermosyphon cooling of the engine. Probably nothing new for Zwischengas readers, but it was nice to see that younger visitors were also interested in the old technology.
Bread and butter ...
Many conversations arose around "commonplace vehicles" such as the VW Beetle, Opel Kadett or Ford Capri, to name just a few.
Visitors who had never owned one of these vehicles themselves were happy to talk about trips with friends in a beautiful BMW, a small Renault or a dignified Mercedes.
... and exotics
A Peugeot 205 widebody aroused greater interest. The two-liter engine achieved 170 hp and 300 Nm thanks to a "Gutmann cure". However, the installed "short" gearbox enabled a maximum speed of 190 km/h.
The owner describes the resulting propulsion as "It goes off like a pig", although this comes at the price of corresponding fuel consumption.
A few conversations later, I am puzzled to find myself standing in front of a Dutton S2 Phaeton, an unknown southern English kit car from 1981 with a Ford V6 engine. Bought without an engine and gearbox, the car is back on the road after 13 years of self-work with TÜV approval. But now with a longer ratio Ford Capri axle. The speed level with the originally installed, shorter-ratio Escort rear axle annoyed the current owner on longer trips.
Catered for
Those who felt like eating or drinking in the best weather during all the conversations could choose between countless offers. Several food trucks, local pubs and restaurants offered everything your heart could desire.
The whole event had a pleasant folk festival feel to it, which is certainly good for the classic car scene.
Freshly fortified, I stumble across a classic car, I mean a vehicle with H license plate potential, which I hadn't expected. That's right, the first five-series BMW E34s have received their H license plates.
The cashmere beige car is - on the surface - in virtually rust-free condition. Unusual for this model series, but with an original mileage of 55,000 km, this is certainly possible. A 520i with air conditioning, cruise control and automatic transmission is still fully suitable for everyday use today. However, the demand for this sedan, offered in the lower five-digit euro range, seems to be manageable.
Fickle
It is also interesting to see two Mazda RX-7s side by side. One in the standard version and one next to it, in which an attempt was made to elicit more power from the twin-disc Wankel engine.
The post-combustion of the one, which enabled acceptable exhaust values to be achieved, had to make way for a fan manifold with a retrofitted racing exhaust in the other.
The two photomontages in this article show further differences. As the owners of both vehicles are well connected in the scene, the word spare parts problem is foreign to them. Here too, it was nice to see how questions from previously unknown visitors were answered and how the topic of classic cars spontaneously led to the exchange of business cards at one point or another.
Original or modified
While one of the Opel Kadett cars on display (far from standard condition) probably had a home-made collision reinforcement in the trunk for fear of road users with a weak braking system, the silver-colored Beetle with a sticker from the Tübingen Pit Stop Museum was obviously still in its original condition.
All in all, it was a nice colorful mix of very different vehicles and an all-round successful event, at which positive and constructive discussions were held despite the different preferences of all participants. A nice outlook for the next season, combined with the hope that such events will set a precedent.
