Weekends 23.
– 25.
August 2024, the club held its annual meeting for the oldest cars in the club at Straand hotel in Vrådal in Telemark.
The location is ideal for this type of meeting because it is easy to get there from the south, west, east and north.
The hotel specializes in car and motorcycle rallies and there are many great activities in the area in addition to beautiful scenery.
It’s important to support such section meetings, especially the meetings for the oldest cars, because in addition to meeting nice people, you also make the contacts you need to keep the cars on the road.
That’s why the trunk market is one of the activities during the meeting.
The weather was forecast to be very wet on both Friday and Saturday, so it was exciting to see if everyone made it.
There was great joy when everyone braved the rain and one car after another rolled in front of the hotel on Friday.
This year, the drive on Saturday went to Åmdals Verk Gruver, which is located along Riksvei 38 towards Valle in Setesdal.
We were about 30 cars on the drive when some arrived on Saturday morning.
In the mines, we got a good insight into the mining community that developed from a young shepherd in the 16th century finding what he thought was gold until the copper mines were a fact and in full operation just two years later.
Mining lasted until 1945.
This mining museum is highly recommended to visit if you are in these parts.
During the evening dinner in the beautiful Bestemorsstua, a prize was awarded to the person who had driven the furthest on their own wheels to get to the meeting.
This year it was Leif Skare and his wife from the Stavanger branch who had driven via Evje.
Leif also scored the most points on the follow-up quiz after the day’s drive to the mines.
The audience prize went to Tor-Sven Berge, who arrived in style in his 1934 Model 290.
When he and Arvid came down the hotel stairs wearing period suits and hats and got into their car, the choice of the prize was already decided there and then.
This year’s Scrap Iron Cross went to someone who was unlucky enough to get a flat tire on the way to the meeting.
After dinner, we gathered in a separate room where we continued the socializing.
Frank Omnes brought his accordion and entertained us with great singing and music.
On Sunday morning it had stopped raining and after breakfast we immediately went down to the cars with coffee cups and chairs and those who had brought something to sell found it and the parts market began.
Many found parts they needed for their cars.
After checking out of the hotel, those who had the opportunity drove down to the Z-museum in Treungen.
In addition to the great exhibitions, including many Mercedes-Benzes, we got to meet Truls Eivinn Sørvik from Porsgrunn outside the museum with his newly restored 170S.
The car is truly a feast for the eyes.
Many thanks to Jarle Boye who provided his W126 500SEL with the necessary workshop equipment and drove after us in case anyone had problems during the drive.
Also thanks for the support from Bertel O. Steen who sent along prizes.
Text: Sverre Monsen, Chairman Mercedes-Benz Norway Club Photo: Hanne Emilie Høksaas Røch