A full house and sunshine guaranteed a good mood for visitors and dealers at the Spring Veterama at the Hockenheimring on the last weekend of March 2014.
Bargain hunting even before the doors open
By Friday afternoon, most of the stalls had already been set up and the "insiders" went bargain hunting. The goods were laid out on long rows of tables, on shelves and sometimes on the floor, with some treasures hidden in boxes. Haggling is still very much the order of the day, especially among the less professional traders. Most of us ended the day in the sunshine in our Veterama catering tent and took stock.
Crowds from Saturday morning
When the gates opened at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, leading under the grandstands into the spacious paddock, the aisles between the stands were soon packed with people. The first heavy and bulky items were then dragged into the "Service Depot" to be collected later.
In the "Show Arena" area, the vintage and classic cars were lined up almost like pearls in a row for presentation to the public. After a short time, the Veterama team from Gate 1 announced: "So now we're already at number 200" and there was no end in sight.
With supporting program for the first time
This year, Veterama presented a great supporting program for the first time. Drift drivers demonstrated on their racing cars specially prepared for this sport how to control a vehicle with so much horsepower at the limit. And the guys could do it. Much to the delight of the visitors and exhibitors, who quickly sought their seats in the inner grandstands to get a better view of the spectacular drifts in the Sachs curve.
Some were drawn straight into their cars, as cab rides were on offer. The engines were roaring and tires were howling as they released their rubber reserves - pure Hockenheimring.
Lively vehicle trade
As things quietened down again, the first negotiations began on the marketplace. The range of vehicles on offer was impressive.
A few examples:
DKW Sonderklasse built in 1958, black with charming patina for €8,500 and another DKW as an elegant sports car with the type designation SP from 1961 for €25,000.
An Opel Rekord A from 1964 in elegant light gray paintwork with 70,000 original kilometers for € 10,950.
A beautiful Lagonda from 1935, perfectly restored for €99,500. The Mercedes Benz 280 SE from 1978 was expected to fetch an impressive €12,500.
The small MG from 1972 was priced at €8,400.
The price tag of a Mercedes Benz 280 SL W 107 built in 1979 in medium condition was €11,500.
The Mercedes Benz 420 SE W 126 from 1987 in a beautiful wine red with a harmoniously matching interior was priced at €6,500.
A Mercedes Benz Pagoda from 1966, which had rolled in from Malaga, was priced at €36,900 by the owner.
Among the many Porsche vehicles, a Porsche 993, built in 1994, was particularly striking. 300 hp Bilstein dampers, turbo wheels, with 90,000 original kilometers on the clock, should be worth €54,911 to the new owner.
A BMW 1802 in white, built in 1975, was marked at €11,900.
A small Trojan cabin scooter from Heinkel, perfectly restored, was certainly not overpriced at €12,500.
And then there was the bright red 1955 Ford Thunderbird, which is said to have once belonged to the legendary Marylin Monroe. At €39,900, the vehicle was certainly not too expensive, if the story is true.
Interesting restoration objects
Particularly impressive for the screwdriver scene were a number of restoration objects, such as the complete chassis of a Rolls-Royce Type 20/25 built in 1932, 8-cylinder engine, bulkhead, dashboard, radiator-pumped tires for €15,500.
In contrast, the rare but rather scuffed Maico Champion, which was once a "new car" in 1953, for €12,500, was certainly only something for special and courageous small car collectors.
The list of automotive "special offers" on the marketplace could go on and on, offering the typical Veterama mix.
Impressive numbers
With the wide range of offers at the spare parts stands, the marketplace and the show arena, the spring Veterama at the Hockenheimring has established itself in an impressive way. Over 1000 dealers, 2500 stand operators and more than 20,000 enthusiastic visitors are proof that Veterama at the Hockenheimring is an enrichment for the "rustiest hobby in the world".
Information about Veterama and upcoming events can be found on the corresponding website.
