In spite of the coronavirus pandemic, the international federation for historic vintage vehicles notes that events in Europe, Latin America and Canada are providing a “rolling museum” on the roadways.
“Around the world, where restrictions allow, the historic car community is eagerly jumping behind the wheels of its classics to once again enjoy the open roads,” the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens quotes its president, Tiddo Bresters, in its news release.
Rest stop 
Days end
“Social distancing and compulsory masks are often the ‘new normal,’ but taking sensible precautions doesn’t dampen the thrill of getting a little closer to life as we once knew it.”
FIVA said that it is happy to see historic car events coming even, even if slowly in spite of Covid-19.
“While Chile and Argentina are still in fairly strict lockdown, Uruguay is a happy exception with more freedom for enthusiasts to enjoy their historic vehicles as long as they follow social distancing guidelines,” it noted.
“Hence FIVA member, the Montevideo Classic Car Club, was able to organize a mid-August 3-hour drive for 70 historic vehicles along the coast road in the Montevideo area where, after five months of lockdown, there was obvious joy at being back on the road.”
The federation noted that social distancing was carefully maintained throughout the event, with the car club handing out masks for the occasion.
In Canada, 16 cars took part in a 3-day, 800-mile drive across British Columbia in the Hagerty Fall Classic.
“But Canadians are no strangers to long drives,” FIVA noted,
“with the majority of participants driving up from Vancouver to the start in Vernon, itself a five-hour trip. Indeed, one entrant in a 1966 Ford Mustang drove from Toronto to Vernon, BC; participated in the full event; then drove back – a total distance of more than 5,500 miles in just a few days, at the wheel of a very original historic car, without a single mechanical hiccup.”
Events held recently in Europe include the 1000 mil československých 2020, the 1000 miles of Czechoslovakia, a 3-day regularity rally from Prague to Bratislava and back to Prague staged in memory of the ‘Czechoslovak Mille Miglia’ of the Thirties.
Bresters took part in the event in a Tatra 87, mainly as navigator, with his wife, Marianna, along as a passenger and with Juraj Porazik, the president of the Association of Collectors of Historical Vehicles in the Slovak Republic driving in an event that included 100 vehicles.
In France, the Traversée de Paris involved more than 500 historic vehicles driving across Paris. Already, FIVA said, more than 250 historic racing cars are registered for the Tour Auto Optic 2000 to be staged in September.
