BETTER PARTSLargest US meeting in the world of American way of drive
American way of drive
A sort of Woodstock for vintage freaks once again thousands of American cars from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s years and whose owners will gather on Thursday, 7 July until Saturday, 9th July 2016. The scene? No, no place in Texas, California or else where in the United States. It is rather the 100 000 inhabitants town Västeraas, a highway an hour west of the Swedish capital Stockholm, where every year in the first week of July-historic U.S. automobiles in every conceivable State of restoration to the so-called power big meet, this year for the 39th time. Over 20 000 Ami sled are expected.
My toenails would Frizz probably scared each German TÜV examiners, he would be 18 Stockholm towards the Norwegian border in early July on the road on the way. That he, geriete shortly before Västeraas on Lake Mälaren, the third largest inland waters of Sweden in a huge traffic jam, which predominantly from bubbling American big-block eight cylinders is not just. The technical condition some of these cars would drive him the cold sweat on the forehead with security. Because next to gleaming noble cars, which look like when they were just rolled in Detroit fresh from the band, still just mobile scrap heap a lot line up with adventurous looking inmates, of which usually no more than the driver is still sober.
Objective, the Cadillacs travelled from all over Europe mainly on its own axis, Chevrolets, Fords, Chrysler's and co. is the Johannisberg airfield with its vast open spaces. One of the participants has managed in the past year even from the nearly 5000 km remote Novosibirsk in Russia. Others have chosen the sea or air. Overall, the organizers included visitors from 50 countries including Australia, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand.
From afar get familiar nostalgic sounds of Elvis, Bill Haley or Chuck Berry through the exhaust haze, which tickles the nose most visitors like a becoming sweet fragrance. Many of the girls wear petticoat or, if the weather allows, much less the boys of jeans and Stetson - just like the good Old days, was to have fuel across the Atlantic for a few cents as the gallon. Such times are in the Sweden of today, where the litre approximately 1.40 euros costs Super finalised. Many petrol stations in and around Västeraas got is still timely enough reserves to supply the thirsty engine giant with enough fabric and plan boom in July for each year.
The Festival started small in Anderstorp in 1978. At that time, met 400 visitors in southern Sweden and admired has been just 80 US oldies. A year later it moved to farther north Skövde, professionals as a factory of Volvo diesel engines known, where the crowd was already noticeably greater. It was followed by Jönköping on Lake Vättern, then Norrköping on the Baltic Sea. Since 1984, big power can be interrupted only once in 1986 by Kinnekulle, meet in Västeraas held a 300 meter-high table Mountain Lake Vänern. Then as now the event will include an exhibition of historical U.S. cars, an award of the most beautiful vehicles in eleven different classes and a huge market in spare parts, called power swap meet.
Three days and three nights blow bubbles and röcheln large V8 engines, sliding huge bodies, often with contemporary bonbonfarbenem varnish and sweeping tail fins fitted through the area, specially of viewers travelled to admired by a considerable amount. Why all people in Sweden makes the cult of the American way of drive such a high waves, has two reasons. Once, Sweden well over one million in the United States emigrated in the 19th and 20th centuries, so many familial connections across the pond across exist. In addition, the Scandinavian Kingdom that had been out of the two world wars with clever policy of neutrality, after 1945 cars, mainly from the United States, because there are hardly any Volvos only in small numbers and other vehicles imported. Therefore there are numerous meetings of American classic cars in the Swedish summer, but none is as big and important as that in Västeraas.
Power big meet weather usually shows a completely unschwedischen side whose organizers have obviously a very good wire to Peter? Last year climbed the thermometer about 30 degrees, and no clouds clouded the sky. According to a Swedish costly beer tsunami around the grounds, which affected the friendly relaxed atmosphere but not in the least bit sloshed. The police with Argus eyes, sure that the driver had taken place stocknüchtern on the steering wheel looked at the evening cruising through the city.
This parade also has tradition. An endless stream of old sheet by Västeraas wallows in the early evening, again it comes to longer traffic jams, why the concern for sufficient cooling of the elderly machines is growing. Many participants have therefore an extra cooling water on board. For the over 20,000 vintage car owners and more than 200 000 visitors Sweden at the edge of the track have came up with something very special. Whoever wants to can marry there even. In the past year, a considerable amount of willing marriage couples take this opportunity a Drive-In wedding. (ampnet/hhr)