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Padova, Italy, 23 - 25 October 2009

The Auto Moto d'Epoca show, held in the Fiera complex close to Padova's main railway station, is one of the highlights of Italy's annual classic car and motorcycle gatherings. Now in its 26th year, the show had 90000 square metres of exhibition space, filling eleven halls, with further parts sellers and cars for sale in the external driveways between them, featuring 1200 exhibitors and vendors, with over 2200 display vehicles, of which some 1200 were available to purchase. From these figures, it can be seen that this is a very significant show, and it attracts visitors from all over the globe.

The range of cars on display from the numerous one make/model car clubs, manufacturers and vendors spanned from veterans to modern supercars like the Ferrari Enzo and Pagani Zonda, whilst the array for motorcycle fans was no less impressive, with the likes of BMW, Ducati, Maserati and MV Agusta. It was not only original pristine examples on display and for sale, but restoration projects like the bare chassis and body of a Ferrari 250 GT Boano coupé, chassis # 0817 GT, and wildly modified cars like a lurid yellow with matching yellow leather interior hot rodded BMW 850i coupé,  and a Nissan 350Z with scissor doors. Equally there were some nice original cars on offer, including a nicely restored metallic green Fiat 500L, a rare Innocenti cabriolet, a very clean Citroen 2CV “Fourgonette”, and further up the monetary scale a number of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and a Jaguar XJ220.

The Fiat 500 was widely evident, both in new and original forms, with the Fiat stand showing the new 500C convertible, whilst on the adjacent stand Abarth displayed the 500 Esseesse, and one of the vendors had the race version on display. The original cult status models were even more numerous, with a variety of examples ranging from a cute pick-up to numerous Abarth variations on the theme. Being in Italy, there was also obviously a strong Alfa Romeo presence, including the manufacturer's own expansive stand which featured cars from their museum, including a 1925 P2 Grand Prix car, a beautiful 1951 Tipo 159 “Alfetta”, and a 1975 Tipo 33 TT 12, whilst hot off the production line was a matt white Mito. Nearby the Zagato Car Club displayed an example of the beautiful TZ1 alongside an elegant Fiat 8V. Classic rally cars were also much in evidence, with the likes of a World Cup Rally Austin Maxi, a Fiat 124 Abarth, a Renault Alpine A110, a Ferrari 308 GTB and a Lancia Delta S4 amongst the examples spread around the halls.

There was also a Coys Auction, which featured a varied selection of offerings, ranging through memorabilia, motorcycles and a diverse selection of vehicles, which included a 1930 Aston Martin 2/4 S International, a 1934 ex-Giuseppe Gilera (of motorcycle manufacturing fame) Fiat Ballila, a 1963 Citroen HY Horsebox, a stunning one owner from new metallic blue and gold 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV, through to an ex-JMB Racing 550 Maranello, chassis # 2102, raced by them in the FIA GT Championship during 1973. In 2006 it won the GTM category in the Campianato Italiano Velocita Montagna, and looked quite a formidable piece of equipment in its striking red and yellow livery.

 Apart from all the cars and motorcycles, there was an enormous variety of vendor and trade stands, where one could find almost anything motor related, or not, as the case may be. Apart from motoring focussed stands, there were also stands dealing in classic vintage clothing to match the era of your car, antique furniture in which to store or display tour memorabilia, and even one vendor with antique meat slicing machines, scales and the like, which was actually very attractive, and there is a mechanical element to them. Thus it can be seen that there was a truly eclectic mix to entice the enthusiast, and it certainly did, with large crowds throughout the weekend.

Keith Bluemel


10/2009

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