VintagEuro #024
Speaking of Podcasts and Events...
The VintagEuro Podcast is Live (Again)
VintagEuro had been a project on my list for several years before it ever saw the light of day. In 2019 I was still publishing the Land Rover magazine I’d developed, Alloy+Grit, and had hoped to expand my company’s publishing footprint with the addition of a new title focused on classic European motoring. But I had business partners, and they weren’t on board.
And then 2020 came, and with it, the Covid pandemic. We chose to shut down the magazine that spring, not knowing how it would survive travel bans and ever-changing conditions. By summer, housebound and with no magazine to publish, I decided to go ahead and push VintagEuro into the daylight by launching the title as a podcast.
I enlisted the talent of my friend Myles, who was similarly locked down in Los Angeles. We produced a weekly podcast starting in the summer of 2020, recording audio-only episodes remotely. In total, we produced 35 episodes before I took on a new, all-consuming job in the spring of ‘21. It sucked up all the spare time and energy required to run a podcast on the side.
Those original 35 episodes lived in the ether for another year or so after we stopped producing the show. Eventually, I pulled the plug and stopped paying for the hosting service and they fell silent. So too did any new content or event plans.
But now, those episodes are back on the air again. I recently re-hosted the entire series in preparation for resuming production on a whole new version of the pod. Myles and I are finalizing details on the relaunch, which will include video this time around. So, we figured why not put the old ones back out there first.
As we prepare to launch the all-new “Series 2” version of the VintagEuro Podcast, I invite you to listen in on the first series as a primer. We hope to pick up where we left off and get back to celebrating the world of Classic European Motoring for your listening - and now viewing - pleasure.
Listening back on the first 35 shows, they are admittedly somewhat crude from an audio quality standpoint by today’s standards. And while not every discussion was a banger, we had a remarkable slate of guests join us. VWvortex founders Jamie Vondruska and George Acorn, legendary automotive journalist Jamie Kitman, former european car magazine editor Greg Brown, former EuroTuner editor Jason Jackman, Orchid Euro and L’oe Show founder Jamie Orr, automotive artist Dwight Knowlton, and many more.
Fuelfed Philly Kicks Off Inaugural Event
The podcast wasn’t the only element of VintagEuro we launched in 2020. By the fall, we threw caution to the wind and added a couple of in-person (albeit socially distanced) events. Called VintagEuro United, Myles and I did a couple in the Philadelphia area and another in Santa Barbara. They were well received and greatly appreciated, bringing out exactly the mix of classic European cars and motorcycles we’d hoped for.
Fast-forward five years and VintagEuro is getting its second wind. The website’s been redesigned, there’s now a newsletter, fresh original content is being posted, and a new series of the podcast is in the works. But what about the events?
While we originally considered reviving the former VintagEuro United series, we’ve instead chosen to promote a more established event series that aligns perfectly with VintagEuro’s unique focus. It’s called Fuelfed Coffee & Classics® and it’s been around for more than 15 years. Originating in the Chicago area, the Fuelfed organization now also produces its Coffee & Classics gatherings in Boulder, Fort Lauderdale and other locations.
As the founder of VinatgEuro, I reached out to Fuelfed to inquire about bringing the series to Philadelphia. The result was the first Fuelfed Philly Coffee & Classics, held on September 28 in the relatively central suburb of Glenside, just north of the city.
The scenic streetscape of Keswick Village there served as the backdrop for a couple dozen cars that showed up for the inaugural meet. As you can see in the pictures, an eclectic assortment showed up, with cars from all parts of Europe.
The next Fuelfed Philly Coffee & Classics will take place on October 26 from 9 to 11 am in Glenside. Check out the full gallery of pictures from the event on VinatgEuro.com and click on Fuelfed.com to learn more about what their events around the country.
