The year 2022 flew by. Numerous classics were reviewed for the AMK magazine reports. The events also returned in full scope. I had a good car year. And chose my favorite classic of 2022. A personal retrospective.
Photographer Bart Spijker and I started the reporting year in January 2022 with Cor Dijkstra's Mercedes-Benz 240 D. The 123 W1977 runs on Blue Diesel and was taken from barrel to scrap by the owner. The report also inspired me to stand up for HVO. In any case, Cor and his Mercedes-Benz symbolized an alternative view of sustainability in several respects. In November, a trio in the House of Representatives thought about this concept in its own way. Members of Parliament Dassen, Nijboer and Matoug submitted an amendment to sweep the old-timer regulation off the table, but it was rejected by vote. Probably also to the pleasure of the BOVAG, which lobbied against the amendment with the FEHAC, the KNAC and the ANWB. An interim fiscal old-timer change is especially not convenient for BOVAG. Because a new interim arrangement is for them noise on the line, also because they strive for road pricing with, among other things, a kilometer rate based on emissions.
Special CRX
We return to the report cars. The adventure with Cor Dijkstra and his Mercedes-Benz was followed by an adventure with the Honda CRX 1.4 GL of Dijkstra Classic Cars & Youngtimers. The humblest second generation CRX was a very nice car to be on the road. He gave an insight into the way in which Honda developed the chassis technology in particular on the basis of F1 experiences. At the same time, this CRX was never available in the Netherlands as a 1.4. Well in Belgium, and not long after our report the car was sold. It returned to Belgium, where it was delivered new.
Peugeot prominent in 2022
Peugeot played a significant role this year. During the summer I drove for two weeks with the Peugeot 308 SW Hybrid, which Stellantis Nederland had made available to me. The 308 was a good reason to put it against the 304 Break SL from Ulko and Bert. The 304 Break SL was one of the best driving classics of this year for me. We also regularly paid attention to the Peugeot 104, which turned half a century young this year. We made a report with Chris van Haarlem's 104 GL from 1976, and visited the modest but oh so nice anniversary in Kockengen, which was held in honor of the 104 and the forty-year-old Samba. In this way we took the 104 out of the shadow of the much more extensively celebrated anniversary of another (and more successful) model: the Renault 5.
Various classics with their own character
The 104 was followed by (in random order) the rare Mitsubishi Colt 1.2 Olympique Automatic from Christiaan Okkema (impression) and the Citroën Break 20 (by Geert Oosting). The Citroën is a Goddess in work clothes for the owner, and you will read more about that next year. The latter also applies to the aforementioned Mitusbishi and the Toyota Celica RA24 of Henk Toonstra, a very good driving and functioning hardtop with rare specifications for Europe. We can also easily unleash those praises on Peter de Roy's VW Scirocco 1.5 GT, you read all about that earlier this week and keep an eye on the magazine report. An absolute cracker was the Audi TT, which we borrowed for a day from Jelle Talsma Automobielbedrijven. Not yet an accepted classic, but what an incredibly good steering and dynamic driving car the TT is. And the classic potential is definitely there. In addition, I returned once more in the Volvo 122 S of Theo Hoekstra. We drove a nice stretch with the very strong Volvo. The classic that we also did everything necessary with in 2021 made an impression again. Vilken fantastic ass! The Volvo is great.
Top Toyotas
With Ron Moës, Jan Hendriks and Wouter Oud I spent a day in Fryslân with the Toyota Corona RA40 of the Strikwerda family. It surprised pleasantly, drove excellently and was comfortable. He came along easily and he greeted many thumbs up. The compliments for the Toyota were more than justified. It is not for nothing that the Corona RA40 was Toyota's first globally delivered model. The Japanese manufacturer was committed to making the Corona a success. What that meant became clear during a beautiful report day in April.
Panda and three times 124 Spider
We also drove Fiats that came from a long-running series. Also special was the Panda 1000 Lie from Tjerk and Evelyn Binnema. They added these to a fine collection of Italians. The Fiat from 1993 was in new condition and had less than 40000 kilometers on the clock. A great car, as a classic, as a daily usable vehicle. It proved why the Tipo 141 was built for 23 years (in combination with some model changes). We made another report with an illustrious Fiat, even more so: we went out with Piet and Michel Verhaag and took three Fiat 124 Spiders with us. One 1800, two 2000 versions (one with and one without automatic transmission). Wonderful and well-built touring cars. And yes. When you take in that Lampredi hum in triplicate thanks to the open roof, you know: driving is designed for pure enjoyment.
BMW 323i. Class within a class
The car of choice from the late 323s - the BMW 21i - proved how successful you can be as a manufacturer when you go against the grain. The EXNUMX created its own class, especially in this trim, and was in many ways unapproachable. This BMW was owned by Gerard, Jannie and Anne Kramer, fully documented and delivered new in the Netherlands. A wonderful Langstreckewagen, which lasted for a long time.
Many events
2022 was also the year in which events returned in full force. It is hard to imagine, but at the beginning of 2022 there were still many COVID-19 uncertainties. This meant, among other things, that the Bremen Classic Motorshow (a personal favourite) took place online again. But while the world was ravaged by new concerns (the war in Ukraine, energy crisis) the virus faded into the background. This was noticeable in the large number of events. I visited several of them. As an editor, as an enthusiast. And time and time again I enjoyed the often excellently organized old-timer days and fairs. Events too, which were often very well attended and all had a unique character. You have been able to read a lot about it online. And I also made these reports with great pleasure.
Long journeys, also by private car
This year I also experienced beautiful car moments outside of the classic reports and event visits. In March we drove the Opel to the snow. After I bought the V50 from Gerard Kramer Classics in June, I visited eight countries and drove 18000 kilometers with the Volvo. The V50 took me -vice versa- to the really deep south of Europe. Another trip abroad was classic related. I made this one with Folkert, we drove to Munich to visit BMW Welt and the BMW Museum. And weeks afterwards to the wider area. The capuccino on the terrace of Am Zugspitzblick in Austria was the icing on a wonderful trip without planning. Thousands more foreign car kilometers would follow. Even without Volvo I made a nice trip abroad.
Creme21 Youngtimer Rallye and Golf Cabriolet
At the end of September/beginning of October I drove the great Creme21 Youngtimer Rallye in Germany (and a part of France) together with photographer/navigator Spijker. With the Golf Cabriolet 1.6 (1987) from Dijkstra Classic Cars and Youngtimers we drove along at the invitation of Sicco Dijkstra, and that was a wonderful experience. You read it in one online triptych and in the magazine already. Including home and away kilometers, we drove 2400 kilometers with the VW. You have read all about it, but again: the route, the organization, the atmosphere, the stops (Zylinderhaus Bernkastel-Kues and Boxenstopp, two fantastic museums!) and the facilities were top notch. And so was our rally weapon. The Golf got everywhere with ease. The 35-year-old Volkswagen didn't get team 35 into trouble for a moment. In the mountains, on the highway: it can be used anywhere and is more practical than expected. And you still have the convertible roof as a bonus.
Good-old will be classic of the year 2022
As early as November I asked myself the question: which reportage car will soon be my classic car of the year? I had my preferences, but it turned out to be difficult to choose from. At that time there was still a report with a very special Mini 1275 GT from Hofman Leek on the program. Classic Minis were not unknown to me. But again I was surprised by the amount of fun that the little one offers. The charisma of the Mini is undisputed. The car designed by Issigonis was not built for nothing more than forty years. You can always improve an existing concept. But you can only think of it once. The Mini 1275 GT embodied both principles. He put the biggest grin on his face. He crawled deepest under my skin. The Mini is my classic of the year 2022.
Wishing you a happy, healthy and very nice 2023. See you next year!
Badgers, Nijboer and especially Matoug! She has nothing to do with us NL people, our culture. All she does is spit left without any under or background. They should give her a lease broom. Good for emissions!
Good story. Most of all, I learned from the Covid and from Putin that anything of value is indeed very fragile. Live by the day.
So….. I visit every nice fair, make tours when I feel like it and I don't care much about doomsayers and environmental knights who question our hobby. In short, I experience the classic experience much more consciously and to the fullest.
Thank you for your beautiful articles that I received every day this year.
I therefore wish the authors a very good 2023 and hope to be spoiled every day by you on a beautiful article.
Thank you for all those lovely articles which I really enjoyed. Wish you a healthy 2023.
The CRX is essentially the third generation, between the twelve-valves and the sixteen-valves there was an intermediate model with 16 valves.
That was a more or less modified 12-valve coach with a 16-valve block based on the twelve-valve.
As far as I know, it ran for 2 years until the more round 16 clapper from the report.
Which also had a newly developed engine that later also carried the first Vtex engine.
There was not that much difference between the 12 valve and the 16 valve, but in the workshop they were considered separate generations.
Attention to the 104 but not to the legendary Renault 5?
I have not driven the R5 this year. I did mention him. The anniversary of the 104 was hardly highlighted by Peugeot or other media (including abroad). And I thought the concept of the 104 was too good for that.