A Wheel Good Time in Marbella
Thousands of classic car lovers took to the sun-drenched streets of Marbella on Sunday as the town hosted its first ever “Classics on Wheels” event, organised by Andreas Ullstein of the American Classic Car Owners Club, Costa del Sol.
Hot wheels
At the weekend, Nueva Andalucia’s Central Plaza buzzed with over 100 vintage motors and their owners as they competed for awards by flaunting their immaculately preserved cars. The event started at 10am, when thousands of classic car owners, their families and enthusiasts enjoyed a delicious breakfast, accompanied by music from one of Marbella’s top DJs at the Centro Plaza in Puerto Banus.
At noon, a fabulous “Downtown Sunday Cruise”, escorted by the local police, gave everyone the chance to marvel at some seriously stunning American and European rarities from the 1920s up to the 1970s. The convoy, drove through the harbour of Puerto Banus, featured an array of classic American Mustangs and Cadillacs, as well as British beauties and Beetles, Jaguars and MGs plus a sexy 70s BMW, some magnificent Mercedes convertibles and lots more. But of course, no convoy would be complete without some mean machines, so Harley Davidson owners took their custom built beasts along for the ride too.
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Meanwhile, traders and vendors wowed the crowds with their unique retro accessories and merchandise then later, Rockabilly band; The Sun Rockets provided the soundtrack to the warm, sunny afternoon. And as the crowd discovered their dancing shoes, the show’s organisers brought the past to life in their fabulous period costumes.
Popular local restuarant, Yanx, offered tasty treats from their USA-style BBQ and the ice-cold beer flowed as the crowd applauded the winners of “Concours de Elegance”and prizes were given. Here are just a few of the winners:
Oldest Classic at Show: 1925 Austin 12/4 Tourer owned by Trevor Lester.
Best Restored to Original: MGB 1800 owned by Augustin Lopes
Best Original: 1925 Morris Cowley owned by Stefan Nicholson
Best US Classic: 1940 Packard 120 Sedan owned by Sergio Lopez
Best European Classic: 1974 Citroen DS 23 Pallas owned by Rafael Sanchez
Later in the afternoon, a final prize-giving ceremony was held for the overall “Best Car of the Show” won by the pristine Rolls Royce Phantom II, owned by Jose Luis Gomez.
Thanks to all the car owners, their families and the thousands of visitors who turned out for the glorious day of retro madness, Classics on Wheels proved a huge success and we’re already looking forward to next year’s event!
Join the Club
The American Classic Car Owners Club, Costa del Sol, was formed in 2009 and promotes the restoration and preservation of classic cars in Spain. Members can attend regular car shows as well as partake in social activities such as cruises and parades. To join, you must own any model of American classic car over 20 years of age and most importantly, be passionate!
For more information visit www.classiccarownersclub.com
