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Feb
12
Advertising is sometimes… weird. Create a new version version of a Renault 16 called TS, add a Le Mans racecar sticker to the rear window and a set of extra headlights. Et voilá – you have a sporty version of a rather sedate family car with plenty of roll in corners. Don’t forget to add elf oil and wear fancy sneakers – for that extra sporty pedal feel 😉
Feb
12
Everybody dreams about a barn find. A treasure that has been preserved for many years in a dry place, by a caring old gentleman. But reality often is rather cruel. I found this Mercedes-Benz W116 S-Class behind a Mazda dealership. Not preserved. Certainly not cared for. Just left outside to r̶o̶t̶ ̶a̶w̶a̶y̶ add some patina.
Feb
11
Considering the name of this blog and the nature of the subject pictured here, it really wasn’t easy to find a suitable title and words to describe this unusual vehicle I spotted in Barberton, South Africa. Let’s just look at it from a technical point of view, shall we? The base vehicle is a short wheelbase W126 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The chassis has been stretched and a third axle has been added. The wagon body is covered with vinyl and utilizes W124 taillights and probably a few other bits and pieces of the same donor vehicle.
Feb
09
Easter weekend 2013. Having a full day to drive from San Sebastian to Porto provided me with the much loved opportunity to leave the boring Autopista and explore the country on rural roads along the Camino de Santiago. I entered a town somewhere between Burgos and León early afternoon, soaking in the blue sky and the sun after a very long and dark winter. Nobody around, no wind, no sound. Absolute silence, not even a bird singing. The Citroën 2CV just sitting there under the blue sky. Taking a picture almost felt like disturbing the peaceful siesta. ¡Perdón!
Jan
27
While browsing the MeilenWerk in Düsseldorf with a friend in 2010, we found this pristine shark nose BMW 635 CSI.
Jan
26
On the way home yesterday, I drove past an industrial estate near Würzburg and found a beautifully restored Porsche 911 SC Targa with the roof open. Outside. Mind you, it was just barely over 0° Celsius and cloudy…
Jan
25
Visiting the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden in Capetown sure was an awesome experience. Beautiful plants and trees, the Table Mountain in the background and the perfect weather and light for taking pictures. While leaving the venue and turning onto the main road, I spotted a rare classic Triumph 2500 sporting a rather modern touch. Quite tastefully done, actually.
Jan
23
Austin Six | A vintage car that has never been fiddled with
I stopped to refuel my car at a local petrol station in Alexandra, New Zealand. It was a chilly winter morning, the air smelled like snow. A vintage Austin Six pulled up and the owner also started refueling. It’s always easy to start a conversation with a fellow car enthusiast. He told me that his grandfather bought the car brand new and it got handed down to him eventually. The car has apparently not been fiddled with since new! A couple of accessories, new spare parts now and then – but no major repairs. It has never been repainted and had a wonderful patina inside and out that told all the stories of many years and miles. The gentlemen even asked me if I would like to drive it around the block. Thank you, sir!
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Jan
22
The weather forecast tonight predicts snow for the next couple of days. This reminds me that I found the perfect vehicle for such conditions… on a hot summer day in 2011. I left my convertible in Grindelwald and boarded the train to the Jungfraujoch. After changing trains at the Kleine Scheidegg and stopping in the tunnel to enjoy the view out of the near vertical Eiger Nordwand, we arrived at the Top of Europe. The spectacular 360° panorama was well worth the price of the train ticket. Exiting the caves with the ice sculptures towards the Aletsch Glacier yielded a surprising drive-by snapshot opportunity: A Kässbohrer Pistenbully 600, parked right at the edge.
Jan
16
Do you remember the time when the Camel Trophy was an annual highlight for all 4×4 enthusiasts? Seems like that was ages ago. I fondly remember watching the coverage every year on TV when I was a boy. I used to dream about doing something like that one day in the future. Great to see one of the survivors in good but authentic condition these days. The Land Rover Discovery Mk1 looks way too clean, though. In my memory, the vehicles have always been caked in mud. The pictures below have been taken at the 2010 Abenteuer Allrad in Bad Kissingen.
Jan
15
Nürburgring, April 26 2013. It rains and the strong wind is bloody cold. Time for a hot shower! But wait… the local weather provides one of the natural photo effect filters it is so well known for: fog. Fortunately there is a nice opportunity for a couple of pictures. The BMW Z4 VLN racecar sits in the fading light, sporting a nice reflection on the wet ground. All it needs now is a bumper sticker… I’d rather be racing.
Jan
13
Somewhere in the Free State, south of Bloemfontein. We are on our way from Capetown to Johannesburg on the N1, being treated to a stunning sunset in the beautiful landscape. The road ahead is straight and smooth. We stop at a little rest area under a bridge and find a pair of tired looking Mercedes-Benz trucks, sitting peacefully on a flatbed trailer and enjoying the warm light of the low sun.
Mind you, the lorries of the New Generation are considered classics by now in Germany and eligible to wear Historic license plates.
Jan
12
The Citroën 2CV got it’s name from the French taxing system. Deux Chevaux (2CV) meaning two (tax) horsepower. While driving through the south of Spain in 2013, we found one that featured the name on the bonnet, quite literally.
Jan
11
RRROOAARRR! That sort of mean V8 growl is not what you usually expect to hear when seeing a classic Berlin double-decker bus. There is a mean beast rare car hiding behind the bus, scaring the cyclists. The light turns green, the cyclists make a run for cover and the beast… spins the tires due to lack of grip caused by the summer rain in July 2012. Finding a suitable parking spot might not be easy with a vehicle that has such a long name: 1972 Chrysler Newport Royal 2-Door Hardtop Coupé.
Jan
10
The first week after a long winter treated us to sunshine and quite agreeable temperatures in April 2010. While driving home, I found this yellow Nissan Skyline R34 drifter parked on a side road with a for sale sign on the dashboard. When I downloaded the files weeks later, I discovered something I never noticed when taking the pictures. The McDonalds billboard in the background says: We bring enjoyment to roll. Quite fitting, I suppose 😉
Jan
09
One day in February 2011 I drove through an unfamiliar town in the Rhön mountains. I spotted the familiar shape of an Alpine A610 and immediately thought I should make a U-turn and stop quickly to check it out. To my surprise I found even more Alpine goodness that made me drool. It seems like the proprietor, Axel Reß, knows a thing or two about the beautiful French sports cars. There have been quite a few awesome cars and engines in the showroom. Unfortunately the shop was closed that day and there was nobody around to answer a few questions. I should actually go back there some day…
Jan
08
Offenburg. A hot day in August 2010. Heading for the car wash after a long day on the Autobahn. Turning around a corner, minding my own busine… what?!? Wait a second! What the hell is that? A Clan Crusader. Excuse me, a what? With an Irish license plate?
Sometimes I stumble upon vehicles I have never even heard of before. The Clan Crusader is a lightweight monocoque car that is based on Hillman Imp Sport running gear and a rear-mounted 875 cc engine. It was designed and built in the 1970’s by ex-Lotus engineers. Guess it’s a true saying that you learn something new every day 🙂
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Jan
07
Swaziland, February 2008. Just before we left the the beautiful Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, two Toyota HZJ 78 B̶u̶s̶h̶t̶a̶x̶i̶s stretch limos pulled up at the visitors center. They looked like rather luxurious vehicles for long-distance traveling – but due to the decreased break-over angle caused by the extended wheelbase, the off road abilities might not be that great any more. Still far better than most SUVs, though.
Jan
05
We visited the Isle of Mull on a rather wet day in October 2013. Because most cats don’t enjoy rain, we unfortunately didn’t see the famous Tobermory Cat while visiting the beautiful town. However, we did find the not yet famous Tobermory Caddy.
Jan
04
Sodwana Bay is a famous fishing and diving spot in South Africa. The beach is accessible for all wheel drive vehicles and boats are launched directly from the beach without a concrete slip. The salty water from the sea and the heat add quite a nice patina over time. This rusty but trusty Ford F-250 4×4 has apparently seen many seasons launching boats…
