Observations of an associate ex-member

The president of the ÖRC, Thomas Paradeiser, invited me, the associate, at short notice to participate in the autumn excursion of the WCC. As a former club member, who  now  drives a Saab after 4 rovers, I was qualified in his opinion to accompany the troupe. Especially since with a Saab I also have a vehicle that comes from a faded car manufacturer, even as Rover unfortunately is.

We met in the morning at the Gumpoldskirchen in the Hotel Turmhof, quickly a coffee and warm welcomes, then the first tricky test was on the program, or in the roadbook: how do we get out of the hotel parking lot correctly  – left, very left, only right then left, and in general – how is the roadbook to be interpreted when the vehicle fronts point in different directions?

Everyone had one free try. At the level crossing in Gumpoldskirchen we all came together in a convoy.

Here a word fits to participants and vehicles: In front the President Thomas (P6),

hintendrein the honorary president Reinhard (P6), in between Walter with the young 75, Herbert with the America P6, Erich with the  meanwhile  already youngtimigen 800, and Wolfgang has chosen a suitable vehicle from his fleet with his SD1. In order to create the condition of the "glorious 7", I also found myself in the middle of it.

The route led us from coffee breakfast to coffee break at Forchtenstein Castle, where we almost "gone with the wind", took the group photo.
Wismath, Landsee, Kirchschlag were the next waypoints through the Bucklige Welt to Krumbach, where  a delicious lunch was served in the Gasthaus Triad. Meanwhile, the

autumn sun was clearly broken through the clouds, as it should be when Roverians are on the road (too much water might not be conducive to the English vehicles .....)

Time to pursue a small comparative observation in the midday sun: who and what has been better preserved in recent years? Drivers, passengers, vehicles?

Well, not only to maintain friendship, the outside author of these lines can truthfully state that both friend and machine are equally well maintained. Nowhere rust, no wrinkles in the sheet metal, the paint does not gray and also technically still fully there.

But with the lunch break, only half of the long distance was completed. The next destination was the lovingly and valuablely compiled classic car exhibition in Aspang. Always worth a visit! Having a Rally France CST 4 in stock is precious to any collection! The Austrian automotive history is presented just as extensively as the great automobiles that we would like to have in our garage. The Zagato Bosch electric car is also rare in museums, far ahead of its time. The Aspanger  Museum  only lacks rovers on display  . But rovers prefer to drive on the road.

So in the late afternoon we went into the dark night, over  the Ramsattel to Ternitz, Puchberg, Waldegg a.d.  Priesting, St. Veit a.d.  Triesting and back to the Turmhof. 

It's great that the WCC upholds the memory of these great automobiles – and also integrates associated ex-members into the group in a friendly way!

May the cold winter pass quickly and we enjoy the consequences of global warming, with a spring trip already in April?

Michael, the associate

Saab 9-3