For the 15th time, Renate and Peter Hürlimann invited visitors to the classic car fair in St. Gallen on October 27, 2019. In contrast to last year, the weather was at its best and almost 5500 visitors flocked to the Olma area to admire the classic cars in the halls and on the outdoor parking lot.
The area of around 9000 square meters was spread over three halls, in which over 160 exhibitors presented themselves.
Changes for visitors and exhibitors
A new logistical challenge had to be overcome in 2019, as part of the trade fair moved to new halls, which meant a lot of work in advance. After setting up on Saturday, some exhibitors feared that the new layout could be detrimental to them because they would not be easy to find.
However, this was not the case on Sunday, as the steady stream of visitors in all corners of the trade fair proved. It turned out that the new layout of the exhibition areas certainly offered advantages.
Passion for Porsche
Peter Huber from Huber Classic Cars, who exhibited five Porsche 911s, commented on the new layout: "I really like Hall 3.1 here on the upper floor, the daylight is pleasant, and maybe next year I'll bring chairs and a table so that I can sit down comfortably with the guests. The trade fair in St. Gallen is the only trade fair we exhibit at; it's our in-house exhibition, so to speak. It's the ideal place for us to meet customers and enthusiasts who share my passion for the Porsche 911".
Restorers
Also on display in the new Hall 3.1 was the special exhibition 30 Years of the Mazda MX-5 and Honda brand vehicles from the past to the present. Liga Classic Cars was also represented here and presented, among other things, a Mercedes 170 S Cabriolet from 1950 that is currently being restored.
This classic with the 1767cc four-cylinder engine had been disassembled in a garage for 30 years and is a real "barn find".
A ship on wheels
The variety of vehicles was once again overwhelming. The Surber Automobile stand offered what was probably the longest passenger car at the fair (we didn't measure it), a 1959 Cadillac DeVille Six Window measuring almost 5.72 meters in length.
With the largest tail fins ever produced and the unique tail lights, which are modeled on rockets and are only available in the 1959 model, this Caddy is a true design icon of the 1950s.
A fast boat
The racing boat from Hürlimann's collection as an eye-catcher for the planned classic car museum was probably the most unusual exhibit at the fair. "Motorboat racing has produced some very good drivers in Switzerland, which is why it is also an exciting topic for us for the planned museum," says Renate Hürlimann.
Italianità
The specialist Stalder & Moser with its "cuore sportivo" is passionately dedicated to the Alfa Romeo brand. A rare Giulia GTC Sprint 1600 convertible, of which only around one thousand were produced between 1965 and 1966, was on offer at the stand.
The vehicle for sale was one of only 99 right-hand drive cars built. The exotic Italian was flanked by a Giulia in the coupé version.
Handcrafted
Messmer Carroserie & Oldtimer AG presented some masterpieces of craftsmanship, such as a beautifully restored radiator grille from a 1938 Buick Coupé Type 40 Special. Some of the parts looked like a sculpture you could put in your living room without the context of the car.
Arrived without a classic car
The only classic car that Jaguar specialist Georg Dönni brought to the show was an Ecurie Ecosse van from the 1960s, from the manufacturer Corgi and in toy format. There were also Jaguar E-Type money boxes, central locks and Jaguar garage signs for sale. When asked why he hadn't brought any of his real Jaguars with him, he said with a wink: "Because we don't just sell the best cars, but also the best accessories".
Pre-war vehicles, French cars and cars from the island
In Hall 1, Madmotors GmbH was exhibiting one of the few pre-war vehicles at the trade fair, a Citroën AC4 Torpedo from 1930. "We are seeing increasing demand for services and restorations in the pre-war vehicle segment and are constantly expanding our expertise in this area. The Citroën shown here is a customer vehicle that is serviced by us," says Martin Rudolf, owner of the specialist workshop for classic vehicles.
One of his mechanics drives a Ford Model T, among other things, which underlines how passionately they are dedicated to pre-war technology.
Project presented
The "Autohalle Andelfingen" was presented right next door. Initiator Thomas Meister and his wife Marie-Josée were present in person throughout the day and provided information about the new building, which is about to start construction. In conversation with the two of them, it once again became clear how much passion, enthusiasm, attention to detail and professionalism the project is being tackled with.
Why not rent a classic car?
The classic car rental company Rent a Classic arrived with four cars. These included a rare TVR S3 V8, which is new to the range and went live on the online booking platform at 09:00 on Sunday, right at the start of the trade fair.
Like a member of the family
A highlight on the Goodtimer stand was the white 1965 Renault Caravelle, with which owner Marcel Widler has a very personal story. "My father, a Renault dealer at the time, delivered the vehicle to a customer."
Some time ago, I was offered the Caravelle for sale, so of course I had to buy it. I meticulously restored it with a lot of passion, and now it's back in our family, which means a lot to me."
Rare Ami
The Touring Garage from Oberweningen has specialized in buying and selling classic cars for over 40 years and had a rare Buick Reatta Cabriolet on offer in St. Gallen, which hardly anyone knew about and which therefore attracted a lot of interest. Only around 2,500 of the convertible version were built, and the rare American, built in 1991, will be a classic car in two years' time.
Katrin Schena-Rau commented on the trade fair: "The catchment area of the trade fair in St. Gallen is ideal for us and we always meet many customers and acquaintances from eastern Switzerland, Graubünden and also from Liechtenstein, Germany and Austria."
There were also some bread-and-butter cars for sale, such as a Honda Accord 1.6l automatic from 1980, registered as a veteran, with a price tag of CHF 8800, or a beautiful Peugeot 404 station wagon from the 1960s, which was to change hands for CHF 10,000.
Also worth seeing outside
The vintage parking lot in the outdoor area was no less colorful. A Nova (or Sebring?) with a spectacular retractable roof attracted attention, an Alpine A110 next to a Triumph Stag and a Citroën Méhari provided a cheerful splash of color.
How did the MFK react?
Probably the most spectacular vehicle was the CanAm racing car of Viktor Hugo from Arbon. According to its owner, the engine produces over 600 hp and has an enormous torque.
It was sealed to a maximum speed of 175 km/h and was thus able to obtain road approval from the MFK.
Beautiful end to the season in eastern Switzerland
There was also a lot of coming and going in front of the halls throughout the day, so there was plenty of variety and lots to see from morning to evening. The organizers, Renate and Peter Hürlimann, are passionate about classic cars, and you can really feel that at the show. Many familiar faces met up again in St. Gallen, and every year it's great to see new classic car enthusiasts in the audience.
