Long weekend in Holland
Translation of the article "Långhelg och dubbeljubileum i Holland" in the
PV-Entusiasten # 4 2000 page 10.
By Rolf Englund
The Dutch Volvo club V-44 Vereniging has celebrated it 30:th
anniversary and the Svenska Volvo PV-klubben conveyed its
congratulations on site in Holland The weekend August 31 to
September 4 my wife Inger and I participated in the 30:th anniversary
of the Dutch V-44 club. At the same time VOD (Volvo Onderdelen
Depot), the spare parts subsidiary of the club celebrated 25 years.
The PV was not used for the trip to Holland but modern means of
transportation were utilized. From Falun we went by X2000 train
directly to Sky City at Stockholm's Arlanda airport.
Troubled departure
When we had checked in and left our bags, two big bags, one of them
with presents from the PV-club, we had time for a coffee. Unfortunately
there was dense fog in the Stockholm area this morning, so our flight
to Amsterdam was canceled.
This was not so funny, since pickup at the airport in Amsterdam was
arranged. This was resolved by means of a phone call about later pick
up and another flight via Copenhagen.
Glad surprises
In Amsterdam Melanie Klerx met us at the airport. She drove through
the heavy afternoon traffic to Drunen, about 100 kilometers south of
Amsterdam. When we arrived at the VOD premises we had the first
surprise. We met the former "rally maestro" Carl-Magnus Skoog with
his wife Gun.
During the trip to the old fortress city Huisden we stopped by at a
garage belonging to Frans Klerx. There came surprise number two. In
the garage work was going on in order to complete a full size replica
of the rally car that Carl-Magnus used in the Safari Rally in 1964, an
real nostalgia trip for all of us.
Lodging in SMV
After a three course dinner it was time for a good nights sleep. We
had a new experience waiting. On the Oldtimerhof camping site north
of Eindhoven Win van Sambeek had placed his SMV caravan at our
disposal. His wife Jeanette had loaded the refrigerator with various
breakfast items, and also let us use her dark green 1967 Amazon for
a shopping car. The reason why we had to stay in a caravan was the
total lack of hotel rooms caused by an air show that attracted
thousands of spectators.
Excursions
During Friday we made some excursions on our own. After going the
wrong way a couple of times in the city of Hertogenbosch we ended
up in Rosmalen ,which is no more then a stone throw from the
camping.
We took out local currency from a banking machine enough to cover
possible bargains on the jumble. It was also enough to buy a couple of
beers. Inger also found a couple of bottles of beer with cherry flavour.
After tasting we decided to give them to our son in law who is curious
on "odd" beers.
We spent Saturday by visiting the anniversary autojumble that was
arranged indoors in the Autotron , a combined fairground and
museum with a lot of automania in the museum part. The exhibition is
in two stories, with the upper floor a U-shaped balcony.
On the upper floor all the clubs had their displays selling club regalia.
There were also some cars on display that had been lifted by means
of a hydraulic lift.
V-44 had a display where prospective buyers could find a anniversary
book packed in a tin jar. We had a copy and have studied it carefully.
The text is a bit hard to understand so we have probably not all the
details, but it contains history and pictures of members who have
joined the club since the start in 1970.
The Original behind the wheel of the copy
A lot of attention was at the gates when they opened and Carl-Magnus
Skoog came driving in the copy of his rally car. I was then on display
the whole weekend.
In the same display the model cars that were produced for this
occasion were sold. Wim van Sambeek found the desired number
and Carl-Magnus signed the certificate that came with each car.
I made a few bargains, both for myself and for the club. See the
models page in this issue.
Later was time for giving presents. The Svenska Volvo PV-klubben
had ordered special road signs from a company in Avesta. A
triangular sign with a PV and an additional sign with the text "V-44
VERINIGING" and 30 from a sign manufacturer. This was very much
appreciated.
We also attended the lottery drawing. The highest prize was a PV 444
BS. The winner was a guy who had been restoring a P1800 during
many years. His wife said the P1800 will now be sold.
The sad thing was that this was Wim van Sambeek´s last mission for
the VOD.
After many years of hard work his mandate time was up and the
annual meeting had decided he has to leave his position. For many
years Wim has been a good contact person in the cooperation our
two clubs have started, since he can speak Swedish. He has also
visited Sweden several times a year and leaned how we Swedes
think and work. I hope the V44 can find a equal replacement, so the
good cooperation can go on.
On Monday it was time to leave for home. We were driven to the
airport and after one hour and 45 minutes we were back in Swedish
airspace. We want to thank the families Sambeek and Klerx for their
hospitality and good service. It is always fun and enriching to visit
Holland.
Translation by Dan Jansson. Thanks to Mark Hershoren for assistance
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