By Antti Kautonen
My May Day Weekend Edition posts continue, and today it’s time to move onto the European cars photographed on the May 1st cruise in Kokkola, Finland.
As expected, the turn-out was somewhat centred on American cars, but there were a number of very nice European cars present, some of them exceptionally rare.
This beautifully red Ford Taunus was a lovely sight. Can’t be too many of these left anywhere.
Not too far from it were these MG Midgets. I’ve sat in one of these two, and I can testify you kind of wear the car.
This Fiat 600 had eyelashes on it, and they kind of suit the car. Later on, one of them came off.
In case you thought, “Is that a Lancia Delta in the background?” Why, sure.
This Mercedes-Benz 220 was in better shape than 90% of old W114 Benzes here.
And I like to think going to the car event with little kids can turn them into car enthusiasts some time in the future.
Anglias were nicely present, too. They’re probably a great starter classic.
Not one…
But two brown Ford Granadas.
And a newer Granada in comparison. I kind of like the front lip on this one, it ‘s probably functional in autobahn speeds.
“The Beast.” Volvo hearses are surprisingly often seen here.
Super-rare 1984 Volvo 240 Turbo with a factory intercooler setup – excellent brownness.
I really like these drop-top Volkswagen Golfs in exactly this set-up – even if this one is a little too slammed.
This Fiat 127 was definitely aggressive-looking. It also sounded just as perky as it looks.
This 2CV has been featured before on the Verse.
And, to finish with a question: Would you call a Lada a European car?
[Images: Copyright 2013 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
I dig the Taunus, and the Granadas, just wish we could see them here in the States.
Wasn't that body style Granada also known as a Cortina? Seems like I had a gold Matchbox back in the day but I thought mine was pre Superfast though.
They were also known as Consul for the Brits
Close, but we never got the two-door sedan over here. We had the slopeback coupe, the longroof and the 4-door.
It was Consul Granada until about '74 1/2, then plain Granada, in 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 guise. We also "missed out" on the 1.7 V4.
[/Granada fanboi]
Sweeneymobile
I haven't had any dinner!
You did not have the 2.3 or 2.8?
This one from a friend of mine had a police modified 2.8, it smoked tires in third gear.
<img src="http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/268768_4466937001266_960238479_n.jpg" width="600">
Yeah, the 2.3 and 2.8 came in MK2 guise, with the latter available in carb'd or injected form, and later developed into a 2.9 litre with a 24v Cosworth head in 1990. That was quite a machine.
The ones assembled in the UK had Essex engines (1.7,2.5 and 3.0) and the ones assembled in Germany had Koln engines (2.0 V6, 2.3, 2,8). As far as I know, the 2 litre straight 6 Pinto was available on both.
Love their styling.
Proud of my Granada longroof
And the Fiats. As for the eyelashes, I usually see them on New Beetles, driven by women.
I suppose Ladas are European enough – they're basically Fiats, and most/all of 'em were built in Europe, no?
"Volvo hearses are surprisingly often seen here."
Don't mind me; I'll be in my bunk.
+1. The whole Soviet concept was also Eurocentric, trying to leap from Central Asian agriculture to British industrialisation and beyond.
Geographically speaking, if a Lada was manufactured in the purple area of the following map, then it is European.
<img src="http://www.ict4us.com/r.kuijt/images/en_continents.gif" width 640>
It IS manufactured in the purple area.
Precisely, and they were – western Russia and the Ukraine, mostly, as far as I know.
Dude: This is one excellent display of automobiles and trucks. Seriously, I am jealous as hell of you for seeing all of these in one place. Me? I would have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off checking out all of this cool shit. Thanks for sharing these images.
Thanks! I tried to keep it cool, but ended up circling the lines of cars very erratically.
Antti, where can we see more pictures? Do you have something like a Flickr page?
This basically is it. 🙂
My friend helps run this site http://retro-motoring.blogspot.co.uk/
Lots of UK and mainland Europe bread and butter cars. Plenty to look at
Maybe some cross fertilizations between 'verse and 'rides possible?
Technically that Mercedes 220D is a W115 (the W114 is the six cylinder version). It looks very nice indeed. Those bodies love to rust.
Love the Volvo Turbo! So bricky and yet so turboey! I hope it's MT.
It is. 4+1 with the button overdrive imo.
I love me some M46. The M47's fine, too, just not as strong, and there's no opportunity to wire the overdrive to an aircraft-style toggle switch.
The lead shot looked like a '63 Plymouth Valiant….