2010 Volksworld Show Trip

Now that it's time for Volksworld Show of 2011 thought to publish some photos of the previous trip. As part of the feature for the magazine agreed not to publish anything from the studio session before the magazine comes out so decided to skip the travel photos too until now. Here is some coverage from the trip.


Ran out of time for so many details, but still very happy moment, yet pretty slippery.


One of the things on my list I decided to skip was new rear tyres, the old no name pokemon tyres were turning into plastic and trying to reverse the car to the trailer with it's new shiny plywood ramps with wet crappy tyres was an ordeal I hope I don't have to do anytime soon again. The hydraulic cylinders of the trailer's tilt-system had lost some "bounce from their bungee", so Pete and Juse had to stand at the edge of the trailer to make it tilt using their body mass. Reversing with your just finished car to a trailer on ramps that are like ice with no rear visibility and aiming between couple of your close mates..


That was the upper deck of the cargo ship we took to Lybeck, Germany from Helsinki, Finland. Pretty tight squeeze and almost wiped couple of trucks clean with my clothing while searching for our ride.


After the crappy Winter we had in 2010 (and in 2011 wasn't much better) it was nice to escape the slush from melting snow in Finland. The drive on the evening/night when we arrived wasn't too nice, being tired, driving in rain in dark autobahn etc. So, it was pretty cool to wake up to sunshine and +15C weather in the next Morning.


Approaching Osnabruck, Germany. This was the place where my 'Vert was manufactured almost precisely 50 years earlier in April of 1960.


What happens in Belgium, stays in Belgium? :) Somewhat funny to see this in the middle of beautiful suburb and homes.


After great stay over our friend Gunter Hofmanns, we headed towards France and Eurotunnel train to Folkestone UK. The traffic was getting pretty hectic and packed around Antwerpen.


Eurotunnel. In Homer Simpson's voice: "Note to self, find out the clearance beforehand next time". No issues, no hits, but not a lot of extra room.


Yes, we're in UK!


Oatland's Chaser, our base camp for Volksworld weekend, great price/quality-ratio and (my favourite) Aspall Cider on the tab. On arrival we noticed some signs about Brooklands museum and we decided to take a visit there before dinner and some drinks to celebrate succesful first part of the trip.


Couple of shots after unloading the car in Kent, UK for the Volksworld-magazine photoshoot next to Undutchable Barry's unbelievable Single-Cab. Loading of the car back to trailer was again little bit of an ordeal because it was just the two of us, luckily found a guy from local pub that helped us by standing on edge of the trailer to make it tilt :)


When the car was unloaded a couple of driving shots was supposed to take place, unfortunately I had a car to finish and so while Neil from Volksworld was shooting Barry's Pritschenwagen and I had to open my toolbox and start installing the pieces I got from Gunter couple of days earlier.


Last minute detail job on the NOS bumpers during the photoshoot.


My favourite angle of the car.


Just awesome seeing your own car in the show you've read about so much during the past 15+ years and visited a few times. The Top 20 trophy was a huge suprise and I was caught totally off-guard when I heard my name on the PA. Me and Juse had been preparing everything to easy push out of the hall, on to the trailer, hitch the trailer to the tow-car and off to Eurotunnel as fast as possible. Decided then to kill time to check out who won.. Of course I had played a little "what if" in my mind while seeing the show and calculated 15 cars that easily should be in Top 20 and then summing an odd few that will get a trophy to recognize the styles I don't like (camper busses, buggies, customs or other wild creations etc).


I think Juse took this artistic picture of the 'Vert inside the trailer during the home trip.


Back home after 9 day trip. The snow we had melted during our trip which was good news. 4000 kms (including the boat-ride) round trip and pretty much uneventful. No hassle with the trailer, apart from the tilt-springs, not even one missed exit with the trailer on tow.