For the 24th time, the classic car fundraiser in aid of people with disabilities in the district of Giessen is open for business. This year, there is a wide variety for every lover and fan of classic vehicles.
Lebenshilfe Gießen e.V. helps over 2,800 people with disabilities and mental illness to lead independent lives. Under the umbrella of our non-profit association, there are inclusive children's and family centers, youth welfare facilities, schools, workshops, advice centers and homes. The realization of these projects would not have been possible without the donations from the classic car donation campaign. A big thank you to the donors of the classic cars who parted with their classic cars for a good cause to support people with disabilities! We are delighted to present the 2018 vehicles:
1st prize: Mercedes-Benz 180 Ponton, year 54, donated by the estate of Helmut Hansen
For the 1950s, the 180 was also well motorized. Even if 52 hp, a top speed of 126 km/h and acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in 31 seconds sound more like a decelerated driving experience today: That is precisely the appeal of our beautiful Ponton Mercedes today. The classic car in excellent condition comes from the estate of Helmut Hansen and is the first prize in the 2018 classic car fundraising campaign.
2nd prize: MGA, year 60, donated by Apollo Vredestein GmbH
If there is an ideal image of the British sports convertible, this car plays a key role in it: the MGA has all the classic building blocks. Roadster shape, great power-to-weight ratio (70 hp at a good 900 kilograms), crisp four-speed transmission and, of course, rear-wheel drive: every Sunday outing becomes a sports lesson! Of course, our MGA is not just summery white - "Old English White" is the color! But even though the little speedster is "very British", it only sold in small doses on the island. Less than 6000 MGAs were on the road in England, the rest were sold abroad and particularly well in the USA.
3rd prize: Opel GT 1900, year 73, donated by FOE GT-Clubs Europe
It was the design that made this car an icon: There is a particularly fine example with the large power unit (90 hp) to be won in the 2018 classic car fundraising campaign, which was restored for us by the umbrella organization of European GT clubs. Bamotec Motorenbau from Nuremberg overhauled the engine and Splendid Parts from Leizen contributed missing parts: Thank you very much!
4th prize: Land Rover, Series III, year 76, donated by Jaguar Landrover
The 70 hp engine with a displacement of 2236 cubic centimeters does not exactly make the Briton a fast everyday vehicle, but the Rover four-cylinder petrol engine gives it a small pinch of verve compared to its diesel counterparts. But as soon as the surface becomes more demanding, the 88 is in its element and shows off the striking rear lights of many a modern colleague. Our fourth prize stands for adventure, freedom, British country life, a touch of Africa - and a big thank you to Jaguar Land Rover for providing us with this great Brit!
5th prize: Mercedes-Benz 380 SE, year 83, donated by Andreas Dünkel, head of Motorworld in Stuttgart and Berlin
For many car enthusiasts, the matter is clear: large saloons must have eight cylinders! - We are immediately on board and refer to the fifth prize of the 2018 classic car donation campaign: Mercedes-Benz 380 SE of the W 126 model series - with a 3.8-liter grey cast iron engine that can do 200 km/h and is supplied with 204 hp from eight cylinders. Smooth running, elegance, solidity - since its launch in 1979, the W126 S-Class has had everything that should be standard for a luxury-class saloon.
6th prize: VW Golf I LS, year 78
How nice that the classic car donation campaign 2018 can do its part: The 1978 Golf 1 LS is our sixth prize. Our signal green VW is powered by a 70 hp engine, the power reaches the road with the relaxed automatic gearbox: it's not an invitation to sporty driving - but it is a tin invitation to remember the good old seventies!
7th prize: Ford Fiesta MK II, year 87, donated by AHS-Autodienst; Uwe Hochstein
Well, the discreet rally stripes on the diamond-white sheet metal are more of a visual embellishment than the crowning glory of furious power delivery in the seventh prize of the 2018 classic car fundraiser: 49 hp is still 49 hp. But the second generation of the Cologne-built Golf competitor impressed with other elementary values: it was incredibly practical, economical thanks to the aerodynamically favorable front section, and the five-speed gearbox ensured unagitated driving in the city and countryside.
8th prize: Zündapp 200 S, year 55, donated by Frank Rückriegel, Druckriegel GmbH
100 things from 12 hp - these are performance values that inspire! Our eighth prize brings them with it - and on two wheels on the road: The Zündapp 200 S from 1955 was a fully-fledged everyday means of transportation at a time when owning your own car was not yet a matter of course, the pillion seat even made touring for two possible and the air-cooled single-cylinder two-stroke did its job reliably and undemandingly.
As always, numerous other prizes awaited our participants, so a big thank you to all donors! This year, the proceeds from the fundraising campaign will go towards the expansion and modernization of our workshops for people with disabilities in the district of Giessen. In recent years, numerous projects for people with disabilities and mental illness have been realized thanks to a wide range of committed support.
You can take part online or by fax at www.oldtimerspendenaktion.de, where you will find lots of information about the classic car donation campaign, the vehicles and the donation projects. The campaign ends on January 20, 2019.
