Mission accomplished: Harald spoken!

As a puppy, Den Boet, Wolsink, Sheene and Cruijf were never my heroes. Because if I could have driven better and if my Jawa had been faster, or if I had had more feeling for the ball, I could have performed the same.

But I dreamed away completely with the then King Self-build projects and in my eyes those builders had more right to a canonization than Pope Paul the Second. And then there were the generally recognized Divine Willie Roots as - in no particular order - Cees Fick, Ab van Ginhoven, Jan Heemskerk and the toppers behind the OCR1000.

Yesterday I was in Kleve following a very pleasant journey with Harald Westenberger. And that was the man who had a lot of NSU R80 experience when Henk van Veen brought him on board for the OCR1000 project. And Harald turns out to be a friendly, enthusiastic technician with a life worth a book. After his OCR time, he also worked for Honda NL for a while, where he also did great things.

We met this time in Hotel Restaurant Zur Post (www.hotel-zur-post-kleve.com), where it is once again proven that you can enjoy a neat three-course menu for a maximum of € 16,50. At least: In Germany, even just across the border in Kleve you can. You see a lot of Dutch people there. While you are there: grocery shopping in Germany is also much cheaper. A box of wine that costs a tenner here at Aldi costs five euros there. And the petrol is still cheaper there.

The Wankel story, with a lot of previously unpublished information, will be coming soon Auto Motor Klassiek – for which, by the way, you still have a score a subscription. For little money. And with the conversations with Harald I have completed my round of Dutch Top Builders. The Harley side valve with Matchless overhead valve heads from Fick and his Honda racers. The unparalleled Paladijn by Ab van Ginhoven, the man behind the early pulse calculations in intake and exhaust systems. Jan Heemskerk's beautiful V-twin and now – or for the AMK readers 'later' – the story of Harald Westenberger (and the patience of his dear Tanja) and the VanVeen story.

But a three-course menu for €16,50? That is unbelievable!

We also have a unique appendix to the Wankel story. And we're wondering if we want to keep it for subscribers only or if we want to share it online. Because everything on Tinternet is free? That of course has its limits.

The idea is to find more classic self-builders. There are. But their propagation rate is clearly below the national average, while the material has not become any easier in the last forty years: More and more difficult technology, less easy to process materials. Go ahead.

It doesn't have to be as perfect as the Heemskerk Twin or the OCR. But just mounting a different exhaust and tank does not make it self-build. And someone who has had a special radical classic V-twin spray painted for 50 grand is not what we are looking for either. However, good will and a low budget will get you a long way. And in this context we will not talk about what the RDW or your insurer thinks of your work. If it is technically sound, you can count on standing applause with us. Are you, or do you know someone, send an email to redactie@amklassiek.nl.