Francisco Carrion
It has been ten years since the forum participants Classic Trucks.com They had the pioneering idea of meeting annually. At first they were simple meetings in order to get to know each other personally and exchange impressions without the need to do it through the computer, but over time some fans began to come with a classic truck, and a few years later this became the first dedicated concentration exclusively to industrial classics held in Spain.
This dean meeting is not just a simple "rally"; Normally a large space is sought where the trucks are exposed to the public after small excursions for at least a couple of days. In addition, some stalls selling items related to trucks -t-shirts, pieces, miniatures, etc.- and even food stalls or some activity for the little ones are enabled ... as if we were at a classics event in England!
The truth is that in just 10 years this event has reached an organizational and participatory quality of the highest level. This year the base of operations was the Puerta de Gredos hotel, located on the outskirts of Barco de Ávila (Ávila), with wide open spaces suitable for parking the more than 50 trucks that attended the event.
(To see the captions in the gallery, hover over the images or click to open the viewer).
The day of arrival was last Friday, September 19, and during the days 20 and 21 the trucks made excursions to Navalonguilla and Alto de Tornavacas in the mornings, while in the afternoons, as we already mentioned, they remained on display to the delight of the visitors. . By the way, the entrance is free.
Quality restorations
As for the participants, the quality and variety stood out. Most had painstaking restorations and there were even some preserved "in their sauce" respecting all their originality, such as the small and exotic Nazar from 1965 or the Ford crane "mejunje" with a chassis from the 40s, a cabin from the 60s and Barreiros diesel mechanics, a typical Hispanic invention.
The brand with the largest number of units present was - how could it be less - Pegaso, of which you could see practically all the civilian models that were manufactured until the cessation of production at the beginning of the 90s. The oldest was the magnificent "Mofletes" 140 hp diesel from the early 50s owned by the Savall family, a truck that stood out apart from its age and magnificent restoration for being one of the very few units preserved (perhaps only 3) of the "tractor unit" configuration.
It is also rare to see Pegasos of the Comet and Europa series in "tractor head", and yet at this meeting there were several units. The only mythical model of the rearing horse brand that we miss was the Barajas from the mid-50s, although its absence was more than made up for by the lovely Monotral bus from the Savall family riding the same V6 diesel engine ... and making the same hoarse, backfire sound when running.
But there were not only interesting Pegasi; almost all the industrialists that were manufactured in Spain in the 60s and 70s were present. There were several Avia, Barreiros and Ebro of different sizes and eras, practically all perfectly restored. Nor was there a Mercedes O319 van of those manufactured by Enmasa, or the varied set of foreign production.
Among them stood out the typical Leyland Comet 90cv with its particular purr, an old Austin K4 from the late 40s or the awesome Diamond T from 1937 to which there was no lack of detail in its careful restoration. This American brand, so unknown today in our country, was one of the main truck producers until the 50s and its products were considered almost "luxury".
There was nothing more to see the interior care of this specimen, more worthy of a passenger car than a commercial vehicle, or its bulky 6-cylinder engine and flat cylinder head ... of course, gasoline. The latter disputed the position of the oldest vehicle with Angel Domingo's Russian 3HC, also 6-cylinder and gasoline but with a spartan and old-fashioned design, as befits all Soviet vehicles.
However, we were able to verify its more than correct operation in some of the sporadic walks that were offered in this truck around the hotel, and that is that several of those that were exposed lent themselves to small excursions to demonstrate to the public how these sound and smoke. transportation veterans. Without a doubt, a pleasure for the eyes and ears that - at least we - we plan not to miss next year.
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