What I like about the Autotron classic car events is that the visitors who arrive in an old vehicle are allowed to park their set of wheels directly behind the main building, in plain sight for everybody who’s interested. Let’s stroll around the lot before the rain sets in.
Standing out, not only thanks to its color, this 1972 Lancia Fulvia.
1986 Volvo 360 GL, powered by a 2.0 liter (Volvo) engine. It says so on its rear window.
1974 Ford Capri 3000 GXL.
Take me to the 1967 Hanomag Matador, formerly known as Tempo Matador. Later on in 1967, this series of FWD vans and light trucks got an update and was renamed Hanomag F 20, F 25, F 30 and F 35, all depending on the vehicle’s gross weight rating.
An early one, a 1967 Hanomag F 35 truck with a more recent Buca dump- and flatbed.
Hanomag took over Tempo, then merged with Henschel, forming Hanomag-Henschel. Shortly after, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) acquired the whole business. This 1975 Mercedes-Benz L207 van says Hanomag -with our without Henschel- loud and clear.
A Fiat 130 Berlina 3200, owned by a German visitor. The 130-3200 was offered from 1971 to 1977.
1983 Alfa Romeo Alfasud SC 1.3 hatchback.
1970 Dodge A108 panel van.
1974 Citroën ID 20 Familiale.
1964 Ford Anglia Sportsman (and deluxe to boot).
1972 Renault 4.
From Belgium, a Ford Thunderbird LX (MN12, pre-1994 refresh).
The Beetles, 1957 and 1971.
1971 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1.3 (or 1300 Super).
1971 Citroën ID 20 Break.
1979 Volkswagen Golf GL.
1962 Pontiac Star Chief.
1982 Ford Taunus 1.6 two-door. The final Taunus generation was replaced by the Sierra, later that year. Quite a leap and for many Taunus (and Cortina) owners a shock.
1964 Buick Special convertible. Needs some TLC. On the other hand, it’s the perfect winterbeater convertible in this condition.
‘DAF parking only, not all others will be towed’. An impressive fleet of DAF cars was present, both outside and inside the main building.
1973 Peugeot J7 2.5 diesel motorhome.
1973 BMW 2002 tii Touring.
1965 Buick Electra 225.
1972 Mercedes-Benz W116-series 280 S. Base model or not, it’s still a monument of a car.
1974 Peugeot 104 four-door.
1988 Opel Kadett E, representing the last generation of the Kadett.
1972 Rover 2000.
1969 BMW 2002 automatic. Slammed Benz in the background.
1973 Volvo 145 Grand Luxe Fuel Injection wagon.
1984 Volvo 340 GL (in this case that’s better than ‘Grand Luxe’ in full).
1971 Fiat 850 Familiare. An honest minivan.
1978 Citroën Visa Club.
1977 Volkswagen Polo with Porsche wheels and a Scania tail pipe.
1969 Ford 20M XL 2300 S. Sehr schön.
And then it started to rain. Naturally there were also plenty of classic cars to see inside the building, as usual all of them for sale, yet it was quite dark and simply too many folks were photobombing…
…yet this splendid full-size Volvo may not be left out.
A 1970 N88 6×2 tractor with a liftable tag axle, pre-air suspension era. That about wraps it up for today.
Fantastic finds and all in fine fettle, except maybe the 64 Buick.
I’d have the Alfasud or the Fiat 850 van, but I’d feel guilty about them rusting in NW England.
Dank U
Graag gedaan!
What an absolutely amazing assortment of vehicles… I would have spent hours perusing them all.. Thanks so much for posting the article…
Wow that’s a fantastic turnout, I too would have been soaking wet perusing them all .
So many never seen in the U.S.A. .
-Nate
When I attend classic car events, I often enjoy wandering around the parking lot as much as the main event, so it’s great to see this.
I didn’t expect to see a Thunderbird similar to mine here though! I wonder if this is an original European import – what I find interesting is that it doesn’t have the annoying motorized seatbelts that 1989-93 North American T-birds were saddled with. It now occurs to me that – despite owning one of these cars – I never thought about whether Ford (or any private exporters) sold them new in Europe.
There were several cars here that I never would have identified, such as the Volvo 340/360, or the big Fiat 130 sedan.
I love that mint-green VW Golf for some reason – though I remember now (from my experience owning a similar-era Audi) that the bumpers quickly faded into a splotchy gray, and short of painting them, there was no way to keep that from happening.
Oh, and that 1988 Kadett! That’s got to be one of the last of its kind anywhere!
Those Thunderbirds, and other contemporary US FoMoCo cars, were imported here. I remember reading a test report of an MN12 Thunderbird (post-1994 refresh) and a Lincoln Continental from the same era. Back then (the nineties) you could also find them on the weekly price lists, printed in the car magazines.
Thanks – somehow I’d forgotten (assuming I ever knew to begin with). They’re great cars; I drove mine to work this morning,
Thanks from me, too. This is a great tour. I agree that there are many vehicles here that we do not see in the U.S. I love that Volvo truck. I recognized it from a book that I have on the history of Volvo and White Trucks that I received as part of my introduction to the merger of these two companies (really bought out by Volvo) and for which I would be representing both marques in my truck sales. Early 1950’s Volvo Trucks showed signs of modern design.
The Netherlands is a pretty solid place and I loved being there when I could. I too really enjoyed the photos of the Volvo truck. It is beautiful. There are some very interesting rides at Autotron this month. I’d be interested in the European Fords since they are markedly different from US Fords. The Taunus and the little Anglia seem to have little in common with what the corporation was selling here. It is quite a different side of that company. We really didn’t get a taste except with the Capri, until Ford sold the Fiesta during the 1970s, and when they finally started bringing together the newer Fiesta and Focus in the past decade.
Those BMW 2002 coupes I remember well, I was pretty jealous of anyone who had them. The DAF/Volvo cars are also pretty interesting.
Thank you for bringing the Autotron to us. The weather looks – well – looks like what November in Noord Trabant would look like. I always had an umbrella when I was there, so I’d have stayed outside with those terrific rides.
Ha, Noord Trabant, that’s an appropriate slip of the tongue! Noord-Brabant is what you’re looking for.
I checked the weather forecast beforehand, so I started outside right away and then went inside for the indoor event. And for a Broodje Unox.
Trabant – that is funny!
Yup – Noord-Brabant
Johannes, your comment about parking for visitors with old cars prompted me to wonder, do you still have your Barracuda? This looks like an amazing show; not so much because of the cars we’d never see at a show here, but because of the sheer variety in size, shape, condition – and country of origin. The front 3/4 view photo of the blue Polo, with the DS, 1970-ish Olds and older Cadillac and Chevy pickup in the background really epitomizes that.
The Barracuda is gone, sold it in the spring of 2021. Then I had a 1984 Celica Supra 2.8i but last August I traded the Toyota in for a 1989 MB C124 300CE. I just couldn’t let it go. Old-geezer status is coming fast (58 next February), time for a Benz!
Aha! Beautiful car; love these as you well know.
Another amazing turnout. My kind of car show.
Minor detail but the 1964 Buick convertible appears to be a relatively rare low end Special, not a Skylark.
Fixed now, thanks!
That is one show I’d love to attend! Great selection of cars to see.
There were a few that struck me the most. First, that beautiful 65 Buick Electra. The second choice for me would be that Fiat 130 Berlina. Nice looking sedan. Third would have been that 72 Rover 2000.
Working at a Volvo store, I found those two Volvos (86 360 and the 340 GL) very interesting. I’ve never seen or heard of those and assuming it’s because they were never sold in the US? And lastly, that orange van is not my style, but it sure has the cutest face of all.
Those Volvos were Dutch designed and built cars, one can say the successors to the DAF passenger cars. Also built in the same factory (Volvo bought DAF’s car division in the mid-seventies). Never offered in the US.
Tons of great cars!!! Wow! I’m really digging that 1965 Buick Electra in red!!
Amazing car, indeed!
Beautiful work Johannes, thank you! Wow, what a diverse collection. Would have loved to have been there to enjoy all these classics on the street, in their prime.
Great idea, starting your post with the eye-grabbing Fulvia.
I love that very ‘silvery’ green metallic on the ’79 VW Golf. So elegant. And a great combination by the owner pairing the VW Polo, with Porsche wheels.
This is very much appreciated viewing Johannes, this grey, chilly Monday morning here in Ottawa. Have reviewed this post multiple times already! Thank you again!
…and thank you!
That 1969 Ford 20M XL 2300 S looks Broughmy enough Ford could have sold that in the states in 1975. Might have even sold a boatload of them.
I love the red Capri. Aren’t those US-spec headlamps?
When google-image-searching ‘ford capri 3000 gxl’ I only get those dual headlamps. Same bezels?
They look like the US-spec bezels to me. Interesting that they went for US-appearing headlights on an upscale model.
Or did they think four round lights looked more upscale than the rectangullar units seen on cheaper Fords?
Yes, I’d say that’s the case.