I’m completely kicking myself over missing the inaugural run of the Mezzo 200 Reliability Trial, first, because I learned of it a bit too late to change previously-made plans, and second, because neither of my vintage Volkswagens is anywhere near being drivable (and my ’50 Ford 8N is a bit too slow). The event started in Peoria Heights, Illinois and actually passed within ten miles of my farm during the 200-mile run that covered some of the best and most scenic roads in Central Illinois.
From the event web site, “Cars eligible for registration are any sports or touring car produced in or before 1973. This is a fun day of driving for enthusiasts of old cars, not a snobby car show. Breakdowns are encouraged and rust is part of the fun. Bring the strangest thing you’ve got! There are no points, no penalties, no registration fees and no prizes, just a fun, free day of classic motoring.” CC heaven, in other words.
Leaning toward the “strangest thing you’ve got” end of the spectrum were this pair of somewhat out-of-place-in-the-midwest Citroën 2CVs (deux-deux chevaux?) that tootled along with a big brother DX. My coworker Matt ran his ’62 Single Cab VW and said the nearly all-day event was a total blast.
At the more refined end of the automotive spectrum was this beautiful 1935 Auburn Speedster stopped at one of the scenic checkpoints along the route. Most of the entrants successfully completed the run, but several who had driven down from the Chicago area peeled off at the northern-most point and headed home from there.
Underscoring the “reliability” aspect of the run, this Lotus Europa made it only a block from the starting line before suffering a rallye-ending breakdown. Bet they still had as much fun as everyone else, though.
I’ve already signed up to be notified of next year’s event, and now have a deadline for finishing those Volkswagens! More coverage and photos of the event, can be seen here and here.
Vehicle photos provided by Matt (thanks!). Map photo and video from mezzo200.com.
What fun!
I love to see French cars anywhere. Seeing double to boot!
All the best for fixing your VWs.
I want the Europa, running or not!
Based on my experience with the one a good friend had, probably not running. To say that Europas are not very reliable is to understate the case; they are fun to drive when they run though.
Europas use Renault or Ford Cortina engines depending on model, cars with sun like reliability elsewhere outside the US.
The one my friend had was equipped with a Renault engine. Forty years on I don’t really remember the specific details of what plagued this engine; I will say that any time it would fire on all four cylinders it was considered a good day. I don’t know why Renault engines run reliably everywhere else in the world and aren’t worth crap in the U.S.; something to do with karma I suppose. That and the fact that most Americans don’t see the point in having to wrench on a car for four or five hours in order to get the thing to run for 30 consecutive minutes. As I said, the Europa was great fun when it was running; the problem was that running was something it would seldom do.
It is running like a top now…..and certainly for sale! Let me know if you are interested.
Mitch
. Hope to see your VW’s in next years event. Some great looking cars this year.
Awesome event, with cool cars and nice photos… Thanks, Ed.
Still kinda snobbish, how the cutoff year for entrants was 1973. 🙁
They didn’t want any cars with huge battering ram bumpers, see? (c:
Or catalytic converters… Understandable. 🙂
Ah, yes… The “wimpifying” of the automobile of 1974. Ugh.
Sounds like a FUN event… Would love to run my two classic Toyotas and my Datsun, in it.
To be fair, there were several cars that were registered that were later than the ’73 cutoff – including an ’86 Morgan that had a mechanical issue just prior to the event and wasn’t able to make it. Come to think it… maybe that mechanical accident wasn’t an “accident?” Heheh.
I think they are fairly lenient on the year – especially if the car is unusual. The folks with the Europa that had issues showed up later on the circuit in a later model Ferrari 355 and weren’t shunned… too much. 🙂
I hope everyone else had more fun than the Europa guys that broke down so soon after the start! I went to the biennial Lancia rally yesterday, I will do a write-up of that soon. There were Lancias from all states of Australia (excluding the Northern Terrritory) and some very rare cars.
Looks like lots of fun ! .
200 miles is a 2/3 day event , I hope you write about all the forthcoming ones .
I’d love to hear all about your old VW’s too , mine are all long gone but I miss them .
-Nate
All right Ed, I was just thinking we could run a two car VW team next year until I checked google maps:
Peoria is 13.5 hours from my house. Hoo boy…
Well, I *do* have two cars, just need to put ’em back together!
Some assembly required…
Wow, I see so many cars that I like a lot in that short clip. Citroens, an MGA + MGB GT, a Rambler American, a gorgeous C2 Sting Ray coupe, VW Type 2 pickups, a W115 diesel, a ’49 Ford, Jaguar Mk. 2, the Auburn (!!), the Lotus Europa in an awesome ’70s color, ’66(?) Fairlane convertible, Porsche 356 and 914… yowza! Looks like an early ’50s Buick in there with the Fireball 8 too, can’t make it out.
Despite the “teething issues” with the Europa, we had a ball. We still felt welcome in a “newer than 1973 car” when we returned, but our intentions were pure!
The Lotus is running really well now 🙂 I wish we had another shot next weekend.
I encourage anyone/everyone to participate next year. I can’t wait…and have started prepping our Fiat 850 Spider for the event. Now….what are the chances an 850 can make 200 miles?
Thanks Noah and Kyle for a wonderful event.
Mitch –
Hope to see more of that Europa around town. It’s one of the purtiest I’ve seen!
I was driving one of the 2 2cv’s…all the way from north of Chicago….184 miles to be exact… we arrived the previous evening, checked into the Mark Twain hotel, had a great dinner; yes, we had to cut it short and left after the 3rd check point….that was 330 miles in one day (yes in a 2cv!!) for a total of 527 miles …so my request for 2016: please start and end closer to Chicago….ha, ha! we’ll be there most probably and this time stay 2 nights….gets costly though!
DL
Sorry. …..I love that we had a Peoria-based event. That is still 50 miles from our home, but only makes it a 300 +/- mile days. Moving it north takes its away from the Peoria people. There are a million (in comparison at least ) Chicago based events.
By the way we loved the 2CVs. We have a Charleston as well…but not 1973 or before ? awesome cars!!! Let us know if you are coming next year and you can stay with us.