HS on: Driving veteran-cars

Last week I drove very slow. Not because I suddenly grew up and realized the potential dangers of speeding, but because last week I got my hands on a 1970's Mercedes Benz 220D, a car in which you can't break the speedlimit. Literally. With 60 old grey horses and weighing enough to have its own orbit the 220D gets you from 0 to 100 in... Well practically, it doesn't. Usually that spells "instant turnoff", but with the old 220D it's different.

The thing with speed is it makes you feel alive. Going 200km/h in a regular car is a bit scary, and that's the kick right there, fear. With the 220D you don't need to travel at 200km/h to feel scared because 40 is enough... It's engaging on an entirely different level, there's the steering, or the lack of it. There's the clutch, but is unusable. There's the front left wheel, but a suspicious clonking noise is coming from it and so on... And as confusing as it sounds, that, for me, is the appeal with old cars, they're intimidating, brutal and if nothing else, raw. Essentially I like them because they're frankly a bit scary, and the 220D is no exception. It starts as soon as you step in...

First thing you notice when you get in is the smell of the interior, I'm pretty sure it's death, but no worries I'm told, that's all part of the experience of driving a veteran car. Smell aside the interior is immaculate, velour seats of make 'extremely retro', more comfortable than my couch by the way, nice finish on the dashboard, detailing in chrome and so on, a very nice place to be all in all, majestic in a way.

"offensively self-satisfied smile"

Driving the 220D feels, well, majestic too, and takes you to an era when being rude signaled high status and wealth. Driving it there's always this offensively self-satisfied smile trying to take over your face for some reason. You don't care that it's an old diesel, you don't care that it's the symbol for illegal 3rd world taxi-drivers and you don't care that there's a massive queue behind you on the highway because it is such an indulgent experience. You don't get that in modern cars, you don't drive around in C-class with a smirky face anymore. The modern western world, tolerant, friendly and sensitive has made the cars conform in its image too.

I guess that's the thing with all veteran-cars, they are creations of a no longer existent world. Reminders of days when you could wear that offensively self-satisfied face and not be embarrassed. In fact, I think that smirk is the essence of veteran-motoring...



-HS

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