The youngtimer and classic car meeting in Pratteln took place for the third time on July 15, 2018. Organized by the TCS and open to all cars built up to 1998, the event, which takes place every two years, adds a splash of colour to the vintage and classic car scene with a special selection of cars.
Local and a little international
If you looked at the license plates, you recognized many "locals" and car owners from the surrounding cantons. But there were also some car owners who had made a much longer journey, so you could even spot a few cars from western and northern countries.
From "bread and butter" ...
The numerous visitors and spectators were able to see a wide range of automobiles. There were many bread-and-butter cars that only a few years ago were being battered in everyday life.
However, the examples on display looked as if they had been more cared for than used. For example, there was an Opel Ascona 1600 Deluxe that almost still had the first tires on the rims.
And a second-generation VW Passat definitely didn't look like a craftsman's station wagon that had narrowly escaped the rigors of everyday life, but more like a year-old car.
Former everyday cars are popular with the public, as was once again evident in the industrial area at Dürrenhübelstrasse 6 in Pratteln. A Citroën Ami 6 or a Ford Consul is often admired more than a Ferrari or a De Tomaso.
... to exotic cars
But of course there were also plenty of rarities and rare classics. There were cars from some brands that have long since disappeared. Whether Mathis or Dumont, hardly anyone remembers these manufacturers.
The exotic cars also included the four-door Bugatti and the very special Ford Capri, fitted with a V8 Windsor engine by Perana. The more powerful Capri is said to take just over six seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, so the rigid axle is likely to bounce around a bit.
A for Albar or Austin
There were also Swiss cars in Pratteln, such as the Albar Buggy from Buchs in the Nidwald or a pre-war classic with a Langenthal body. The Austin A90 Atlantic from 1950 was both exotic and elegant, attracting the attention of onlookers.
F for Fiat (500)
The Fiat 500 friends had their own little spot with a picnic corner.
As always, the chubby little cars provided a good dose of Italianità. The only things missing were the spaghetti and the vino rosso. But after all, most of them had to drive home the same afternoon.
L for Land Rover
Land Rover also had a club stand with a magnificent armada from its long production history.
There was even a Landy converted into a car tractor, loaded with milk churns in proper style.
T for TCS
The Pratteln meeting was organized by the Touring Club of Switzerland and the specially founded TCS Youngtimer & Classic Club beider Basel. This event normally takes place every two years and attracts even more cars each time.
Liberal approach
The secret of the event's success is probably its liberal approach, which does not exclude motorcycles, off-road vehicles or tuning vehicles. Even hot rods were spotted and, with the acceptance of youngtimer vehicles, cars up to 1998 were admitted.
In one place, the mix on site was reminiscent of the Golf Meeting on Lake Wörthersee, elsewhere of the classic car staging in the park of the Villa d'Este.
Those who did not shy away from the walk in the midsummer temperatures were able to view an impressive range of automotive creations and improvements.
Good atmosphere, hot weather
The good atmosphere was typical of the meeting in Pratteln. The weather also played along with plenty of sunshine and there was no shortage of food stands. So there was plenty of opportunity to talk shop and discuss, with a bratwurst in one hand and a beer or cider in the other.
Further impressions and atmospheric pictures can be found in the extensive picture gallery accompanying this article.
