VintagEuro #020
Reuniting With AMG Friends and Enthusiasts in Chicago
A few issues back, I wrote about the days when AMG built cars in North America in a small shop in suburban Chicago. I recalled in that piece (with a somewhat fuzzy memory at this point) having lived in the area in my late teens and driving by the shop not realizing its significance at the time. And how years later, I would come to know some of the people who had once worked there.
It was a fun trip down Memory Lane for me, triggered by an old advertisement for the company that popped up randomly in one of my social feeds. But as luck would have it, I wasn’t the only one thinking about the long-defunct AMG North America. It turns out, a reunion of AMG cars and people was already in the works when I scratched out my thoughts.
After that issue went out, I received a PM from Brian Hughes, who runs the FuelFed classic European car group in the Chicago area. We’d gotten to known each other over the years through various overlapping circles in the car enthusiast world, and I had attended a handful of FuelFed events in the last year or so before we moved out of the Chicago area.
He had reached out to let me know about a special event he was helping with, and that most of the people I’d name-checked in my story were likely to be there. If I was interested in attending, all I had to do was hustle back to Chicago for the last weekend in June.
Even with many of the details still TBD at the time, it didn’t take long for me to make that decision. And because of his gracious invitation, I was able to reconnect with some people from my past.
The event was called 233West, and it was an unexpected thrill to be in the presence of so many incredible AMG cars, many of them nearly 40 years old but still looking and sounding like the timeless ‘80s flashbacks they are.
You can read the breakdown of the event at the link below and see pictures of many of the vehicles and people that attended this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Link: The AMG North America Reunion That Somehow Flew Under the Radar
Goods & Gear
OTTO 1/18 AMG Hammer 6.0 Coupe Model
If you don’t already own a genuine AMG Hammer by now, chances are you probably never will. But for a fraction of the cost, you can still admire the awesome presence of this legend in your own space in 1/18 scale.
This cast resin replica is a faithful reproduction of the real thing, right down to the color-matched three-piece Monoblock wheels. Finished in black over a black interior with accurate wood accents and Recaro seats, there’s a lot to look at here.
When ordered through LiveCarModel.com, you’re even able to request custom license plate stickers to truly personalize your desktop dream. Hey, whatever helps make the fantasy seem a little more like reality.
Classics & Cocktails
The Americano
In honor of the more than 200 official AMG vehicles that were hand-built in America, we toast with the Americano, a variation of Italy’s popular Negroni cocktail. Legend has it this version was concocted for American tourists who found the original classic a bit too heady.
Unlike the true Negroni, which blends equals parts gin, sweet vermouth and Campari bitter liqueur, the Americano replaces the gin with club soda for a lighter drink. It’s just as easy to make, has a lower ABV if you need to stay sharp, and works in a pinch when you discover someone’s finished off the last of your good gin.
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces Campari
1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth
Soda water, chilled
Citrus twist
Preparation
Fill a highball with ice
Add Campari and vermouth to glass
Top with soda water to desired strength
Stir with a bar spoon to blend
Garnish glass with a peel of lemon or orange