THE 1980 STÖRY RALLY
by Jean Hammond (published in the Isetta Gazette June 1980)
Yes! We are back! Eleven intrepid souls, five micro cars (and one big car) have been to the International Kleinwagen Treffen in Germany. Some of us have been before, but this time we dared to drive our little cars, rather than trail them. We decided to travel via the Harwich/Hamburg ferry, to cut down on the driving miles, or should I say 'kilometres'? We Hammonds have not yet developed the supreme confidence in our cars that is displayed by some 'Scmitt owners, who shall remain nameless.
We were to meet at Harwich on the morning of May 14th by 11:00am at the latest, for the noon ferry, the only departure of the day. Yes, you are correct, it was the infamous 'day of action'. What chaos would we expect to meet on the roads? Malcolm Thomas decided to drive his beautiful Scootercar to Colchester the evening before so that he would only have ten miles to drive to the port. Fellow members of our group, Nick and Sandra Mander, journeyed in their Mark D Bond Minicar to meet Mick Stacey at his Aylesbury home, where they spent the night. Then Mick, driving his Bond Mark A, accompanied by the Manders in their Mark D, left at the crack of dawn (5:00am) for Harwich. That left us, including me with all of the tickets, south of the Thames, and faced with all of the possible traffic jams. We were chicken and loaded our Heinkels onto a trailer for the trip to Harwich, followed by daughter Lesley and her boyfriend in their Cortina, loaded to the gunwhales with our luggage. We are notoriously late risers, but me managed to get away by 7:30am, and, as it turned out, we had a smooth journey, arriving at the dockside at 10:30, only minutes after all of the others. Edwin and I then drove in the 174cc German Heinkel, and our son Andrew with his friend Steve drove the Irish Heinkel 200, leaving Lesley, Michael, and another friend, Brian, to follow with the luggage.
The interest that our convoy aroused as we drove onto the ferry was quite considerable.
The twenty hour crossing was very good, I am happy to say. I am a fully qualified coward as far as boat's are concerned, but I think we all managed a good night's sleep.
At 9:30am, German time, we found ourselves in Hamburg, but with no sign of the promised reception committee. Our friends from the German Iseeta club had arranged to be there to guide us through the city, but were nowhere to be seen. The Scootercar and Bonds decided to press straight on to Störy, and Malcolm took the lead to find the way out of the docks, across Hamburg, and on to the autobahn towards Hannover. We waved goodbye and watched them disappear into the distance, wondering if our German friends had forgotten us. Could we possibly find our way out of Hamburg alone? Malcolm had driven in Germany before -
Anyway, all was well, and in next to no time the three English cars were sandwiched between those of Hans and Katrina and whisked off across Hamburg to see the Hellier Automuseum, then back to Hans' home for lunch.
Michael and Lesley then left for Störy on their own, while we did more sightseeing and then spent the night with our German friends. Sightseeing in Hamburg is something else! You weave in and out of the lanes and all the other drivers hold back to let you go. When you want to park you just drive onto the pavement and walk away. On your return you find that each car has collected a group of curious onlookers.
The next morning we journeyed in convoy with a Spatz, a pink Isetta which had just been completed, Katrina's yellow Isetta, a blue isetta and a Fiat. Huge juggernauts passed us by, only to stop at the next pull in to take photographs of these weird cars as they passed. At last, Störy. When we arrived, the museum quadrangle was already full of micro cars. We found the Scootercar and the Bonds, and, surprise, surprise, an English Messerschmitt. Our friend Wynford Jones had travelled all the way from Bristol on his own to be there. We quickly met up with Dutch and German friends of previous years, and found plenty to chat about.
Saturday morning was the time for the road run. Lesley and Michael took the 174 Heinkel, Andrew and Steve the 200, Brian joined Mick Stacey in his Bond Mark A, Nick and Sandra their 'D', and Malcolm, in his Scootercar, was joined by Irene Rutgers. Edwin and I thumbed a lift in Sjoerd ter Burg's Zundapp Janus, which we immediately fell in love with, and we all enjoyed a 50 kilometre tour of the local villages with about 150 other microcars. The local support was tremendous. In every village and vantage point crowds waved at us. Journeying backwards, because the rear seats are back to back with the driver in the Janus, was spectacular and never to be forgotten.
Following the road run, there were other cars to see, things to buy, and the museum to view. In the evening, films of last year's rally, and more chat with friends old and new. Knowing German is not important. Language is no barrier for fellow enthusiasts. Otto Kunecke made sure no English went hungry, and his hospitality was unbounded. In fact, I am sure, my son and his friends brought most of their food back with them!
The weekend was over all too soon, and on monday morning the English cars left for Hamburg, this time without escort. Without mishaps we arrived at the quay in good time for the boat back to England. Those of our party who had not been before were overwhelmed by the German hospitality, bemuse by all of the different cars that they had seen, and already planning their next trip.
Why don't you join us? It's well worth the effort.