If there is an event that almost perfectly matches the theme and scope of Classic Velocity, it is Pennsylvania’s Deutsche Classic. The event has been around for a number of years, but it is billed as an all German multiple marque event including cars and now motorcycles. The event has moved around over the years from Reading, to Fleetwood, and this year for the first time to its’ new home in Oley Pennsylvania. Regular readers will know that Oley is also the site of the AACA vintage motorcycle swap meet in the spring. Familiar territory.
It is always good to see friends and fellow chronic disease sufferers from many brands all in the same place. I could walk to any encampment and see a familiar face, and I have been to the event with almost every marque present (my one and only Opel and my only Audi pre-dated the event). Last year there was a Bitter present (see Sweet Bitter), and that was another exception. All of this makes this event into a next snapping frenzy as every compass direction has something of interest, every for sale sign is of potential interest, and there are virtually no vendor stalls that are not of interest.
That said, there are always cars of particular interest. A nice Type 4 Karmann Ghia caught my attention, as did a BMW 2000. Nice examples of any car always stop you in your tracks, and Roger Jone’s beautiful 3.0CS is one such car. Todd was present with his superb modified R90S. Craig brought his immaculate single cab Bus. Several nice 356 cars were present. The most interesting car for me though was not on the show field. It was behind a vendor stall. It was an ultra rare Mercedes wagon. To the uninformed, it looked like someone’s shade tree experiment. However, it is actually a 1966 Mercedes 230 wagon. This one was an even more rare Binz version with a higher roofline. It is not the prettiest car to begin with, and this one is in rough shape, but what a great surprise to see one in the flesh.