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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Oldtimer Club Celebrates 40 Years With Ghent Retro Day

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

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  • The oldtimer club "De Gentse Retrowielen" celebrated its 40th anniversary with a "Retrodag" event in Ghent.
  • The event featured a 60-kilometer scenic drive around Ghent and a shorter rural route, culminating in a display of vintage cars on the Vrijdagmarkt.
  • A separate exhibition showcased around 300 oldtimers and 50 trucks at the Arsenaalsite, detailing the club's history.

The oldtimer club "De Gentse Retrowielen" marked its 40th anniversary with a vibrant "Retrodag" event in Ghent, celebrating a passion for vintage vehicles and a return to driving them through the city. The club expressed joy at being permitted to cruise through Ghent again, a sentiment echoed by members proud of their classic automobiles.

We are very happy that we are allowed to drive in the city again with our cars.

· Marc BrackeExpressing happiness about the club's return to driving through Ghent.

The day's festivities included a 60-kilometer drive encircling Ghent, commencing at 9:30 AM, alongside a more pastoral 10-kilometer route towards Merelbeke. Several cars also ventured directly through the heart of Ghent, drawing attention and admiration.

The Vrijdagmarkt became a showcase for the club's prized possessions, with vehicles like a 1927 Minerva and a 1930 Cadillac drawing significant interest. Marc Bracke, owner of the Cadillac, shared his pride in the rare model, noting its comfortable seating for three passengers, a unique feature for its time. He acknowledged the car's high fuel consumption limits its daily use, with annual mileage around 1,000 kilometers, though he noted it requires minimal maintenance.

My car, a 1930 Cadillac, was only produced for 1 year. I am very proud of it. Three people can sit comfortably in the back, which was unique at the time.

· Marc BrackeDescribing his 1930 Cadillac and his pride in owning it.

Dirk Lajoie displayed his canary-yellow car, expressing pride in its Belgian origin, lamenting the disappearance of numerous Belgian car brands. Bert Peerlinck, a board member of De Gentse Retrowielen, highlighted the club's enthusiasm for returning to city drives, a practice that initially inspired the club's formation 40 years ago. He noted the overwhelming response to the event, with 150 people registering to participate, necessitating a cap to manage the numbers.

Unfortunately, I can't drive it every day; it consumes far too much fuel for that. I drive about 1,000 kilometers with it annually. Fortunately, I don't have much maintenance on it.

· Marc BrackeDiscussing the practicalities of owning and driving his vintage Cadillac.

In addition to the city drives and market display, the Arsenaalsite hosted an extensive exhibition featuring approximately 300 oldtimers and 50 trucks, chronicling the club's four-decade history. The event successfully blended nostalgic automotive displays with a celebratory atmosphere, underscoring the enduring appeal of classic vehicles.

I am proud of my car of Belgian make. There used to be dozens of Belgian brands. Unfortunately, they have all disappeared.

· Dirk LajoieExpressing pride in his Belgian-made car and lamenting the decline of local automotive brands.
About this summary

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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