International Meet up - 17/18/19 May 2024 - Bruggen

[brinkie]

I soooo wish I could attend this. It's exactly why I bought the car, to attend events like this.
Bloody kids and bloody exams! 🤬

Mine just said he wanted to come with me on Saturday 18th, despite being in the middle of his exams. It's Pentecost weekend, which is in The Netherlands followed by a bank holiday (Tweede Pinksterdag = second Pentecost day) on Monday so he has enough time to study.
So #54 should read Robert + Max (NL)
We will only be joining on Saturday and also join dinner.

[Martin63]

Please check your emails - the last event email was sent out earlier this evening.

[Martin63]

I soooo wish I could attend this. It's exactly why I bought the car, to attend events like this.
Bloody kids and bloody exams! 🤬

Mine just said he wanted to come with me on Saturday 18th, despite being in the middle of his exams. It's Pentecost weekend, which is in The Netherlands followed by a bank holiday (Tweede Pinksterdag = second Pentecost day) on Monday so he has enough time to study.
So #54 should read Robert + Max (NL)
We will only be joining on Saturday and also join dinner.

It'll do Max good Robert! I still regret not seeing The Cramps opening for The Police in June 1979 due to school exams

[Fietsaapje]

I will be attending (#33) on saturday and sunday. Happy and safe travels to all drivers coming from far and wide

[Martin63]

So does anyone know for sure if the low emissions zone around Antwerp applies or not? This is as clear as mud!

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/en/2024/04/24 ... ion-zones/

[brinkie]

As long as you don't leave the motorway to enter Antwerp city centre or Scheldt left bank, you're good. The motorways around Antwerp more or less form the boundary.
Scroll down on this page to see the map: https://www.slimnaarantwerpen.be/en/LEZ

Good luck with the traffic jams, as they can be quite bad around Antwerp and there is no real alternative, Brussels is equally bad. This is noon on a Tuesday...

[Martin63]

As long as you don't leave the motorway to enter Antwerp city centre or Scheldt left bank, you're good. The motorways around Antwerp more or less form the boundary.
Scroll down on this page to see the map: https://www.slimnaarantwerpen.be/en/LEZ

Good luck with the traffic jams, as they can be quite bad around Antwerp and there is no real alternative, Brussels is equally bad. This is noon on a Tuesday...

It was yesterday afternoon......and Google Maps took me off the motorway

[Martin63]

I am really looking forward to meeting many of the group members on Friday evening in Bruggen and in Eindhoven on Saturday!

The weather forecast is wet at times over the weekend so do bring suitable clothing and coats etc with you. It's been typical May weather this week - beautiful warm days and then heavy rain at times the next.

There are a lot of speed cameras around and many of them are extremely discreet and well hidden - beware!

[jamescarruthers]

Bon voyage everyone! We enter France after lunch.

Are photos still broken?

[JohnO]

Have a great time everyone.
Looking forward to all the pictures.

Wish I could have been there

[Martin63]

94 cars from Italy, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, France, the UK and of course Germany and the Netherlands. What a day!

[Martin63]

66 cars yesterday in Germany - including a few new ones, 1 from Poland!

A wonderful weekend. It was great to meet fellow 480 enthusiasts from France, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Sweden, the UK and of course Germany and the Netherlands

[dragonflyjewels]

Brilliant week end !! We loved every minute and the weather was kind as well. Many many thanks to the organisers.
I was really pleased to see John and Janny de Vries again. We have kept in touch by email but nothing beats an actual hug! John very kindly signed Paris on the bodywork for me.
After long email chats with Corien Pompe it was great to finally meet her. The Paris leather was her favourite out of all the 480 ones she did. It seemed appropriate to ask her to sign the dashboard insert - she was quite horrified at the thought of writing on the leather but she did when Al told her I have a spare one.
When I first met brinkie I didn't realise who he was - the speedo face on the front of his cap should have given it away but I was slow on the uptake there.
It was also nice to meet Erik Vanaubel and Tom who wrote the Volvo Coupes book. Erik and I exchanged hundreds of emails during the pandemic. If it wasn't for lockdown I would have flown over to sit with him and correct all the errors as he was typing into the publishing software. Sadly it wasn't possible so the last few errors had to go uncorrected - sorry guys !
I still can't post photos so I'll send some to Jeff to host and post for me when we get home. DAF museum in Endhoven today.

[brinkie]

94 cars from Italy, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Belgium, France, the UK and of course Germany and the Netherlands. What a day!

I have counted 96, including the red 480 Cabriolet and a guy from Belgium (who was about to travel on to take a flight to Canada) who arrived later.

I am so happy I have been able to join, even if it was just for one day. It was a delight to see so many faces belonging to persons I've only known online.

Here's me, John de Vries, Al and Max (who bought a Volvo 480 poster and had it signed by all three designers - happy days!)