Ignacio Saenz de Camara
Around Manresa, the capital of the Barcelona region of Bages, the 6th edition of the Manresa Microcar Trobada. 85 specimens have attended this international meeting, some of them from Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.
Little by little, different strollers arrived at the central Paseo de Pere III on Saturday morning. There were four-wheelers, but also one-rear-wheel tricycles and the Bond Minicar, which featured their only front wheel.
The Autonational Biscuter, With 23 copies of its Zapatilla model plus two Rubia vans, they were the majority of the vehicles present. In contrast, one of the few Inter 175, by Frenchman Gilles Deloge and just finished restoring.
Meanwhile, the audience could not hide their surprised faces. And it is that there are few occasions to contemplate such varied cars and different styles. Throughout the morning, the participants collected the documentation in the tent of the Classic Motor Club of Bages, the entity that organizes this meeting since 1987.
1.300 kilometers to attend the Trobada
The engines began to start at 12,30. It was time to go out in a caravan to the nearby town of Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, on a 4 km route. The short journey served to contemplate the group in motion and in the open sky. And hear the different sound of its mechanics, entirely from just one or two cylinders.
Among the most distant participants, the one of greatest merit was Ralf Bosser. He left Stuttgart at the wheel of his Glas van Goggomobil 1959 and drove the almost 1.300 km to Manresa. In the same way, the group arrived from Vienna, the capital of Austria, was to be applauded. Although they loaded their strollers on trailers, the more than 1.800 km one way and as many back are commendable.
During the afternoon and after lunch, it was time to return to Manresa, where the Elegance Contest was to be held on Paseo Pere III. One by one, the participating teams had to pass over the red carpet and be examined by the Jury.
Likewise, there was also a vote by the people who wanted it. And in it, he was chosen as the most attractive the gray 1957 Heinkel Kabine, with whom Mr. Gerard Vingerhoed and his wife had arrived from Holland.
Apart from the contest itself, the public's amazement at such unusual vehicles was striking at that event. Not surprisingly, some had come with a camera to portray that spectacle. There were also many who reached for their mobile phone and be able to keep the memory of that afternoon.
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Elegance Microcontest
As in previous editions, the Elegance Contest brought together a large audience, the members of the jury being Josep Mª Companys - president of the FEVA- and Agustí Marin, librarian at the Clàssic Motor Club de Bages.
More than wearing dresses made by prestigious couturiers, the issue consisted of knowing how to improvise and looking for the right accessories for the type of vehicle, before posing on the red carpet. In fact, the Lacastaignerate family won the Elegance Contest thanks to their beach clothing and accessories, according to your Vespa 400 sky blue, registered in 1960. [/ su_note]
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David Serge and his companions were also successful, adorning their Autobianchi cabriolet from 1965 with flowers. The podium was completed by Sara Nafarrate from Logroño, in the company of Pilar Vergara and her grandson Marcos Luquin, all three in a Biscuter Zapatilla from 1956 and wearing some eye-catching hats.
In addition, the Jury awarded another twelve prizes, which took into account the level of restoration, conservation and longest age. There were also trophies for the most distant participants, as well as for those who were harmed by misfortune. [/ Su_note]
Roads untethered, yet tough
Again to get up early on Sunday morning, because at 8,30 am the strollers would gather again on Paseo Pere III. A quick breakfast and at 9 am they would take the exit to Cardona. It was a 36 km excursion to the castle of that town, through secondary roads with hardly any traffic.
The difficulties of some biscuit, especially on the steepest slopes, they managed with the camaraderie from other participants who stopped pushing. In addition, the organization had a mechanical team and a crane.
Without a doubt, this route is the part of the Trobada that most excites the participants. That during that day they had the opportunity to roll freely, without the pressure of the big guys and in the company of friends who drove cars of a similar size.
Already in the vicinity of Cardona, a service station was the stopping place for many teams. And not only to refuel, but also to have refreshments on that hot morning and monitor the general condition of the stroller. There was still going up to the esplanade next to the walls of the old castle and modern inn. There, occupants and vehicles rested and regained their strength, in a pleasant and strategic setting that had excellent views.
Luckily, the route back to Santpedor was generally downhill, although with some not too steep uphill that forced second gear to be engaged. Once again, the favorable terrain made this final section of another 36 km covered more quickly. And even attend some overtaking, especially of two-cylinder four-stroke cycle cars that surpassed the single-cylinder 2T.
Upon arrival at the Ramon restaurant, the farewell meal took place, followed by the presentation of trophies and souvenirs. Among the winners, it is worth highlighting the Vespa 400 by Thierry Lacastaignerate, the first trophy for Elegance, as well as Pascual Navarro from Alicante, whose Biscuter won the trophy for the best restoration.
Finally, a special award for perseverance to Michel and Sylvie Humbert. As they traveled to Manresa, their Velorex broke down in the Pyrenees, they returned to their home in Picardy by train and went to La Trobada aboard a Bond Minicar.
And without much loss of time, to say goodbye for another two years, which many still had to undertake a long return.
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Thirty microcars on display
After lunch on Saturday in Sant Joan de Vilatorrada, the participants walked to a nearby building. In it, the members of the Microcar section of the Clàssic Motor Club del Bages had prepared an exhibition that showed thirty different microcars.
The oldest was a Briggs & Stratton Flyer, manufactured in the United States in 1922, while the rest were vehicles from the XNUMXs and XNUMXs. Among them, there were several specimens of which hardly more units survive, as was the case with the 1956 Triver Rana, a 1960 PTV pick-up or a 350 Kapi 1953 sedan. [/ su_note]
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The presence of a large group of industrial microcars was noteworthy, made up of Mymsa, FH, Iso and Autonacional brand vehicles. Without forgetting some strollers of foreign origin, from the British firms Bond and Berkeley, the German firms Glas and Messerschmitt or the Czechoslovakian Velorex. [/ Su_note]
