Fleetwood, Pennsylvania is where East Coast German car fans bring their Bugs, Buses, Benz', Bimmers, and Bubblecars.
 Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, carries that name synonymous with American cars. It was the home of the Fleetwood Metal Body Company from 1909 until Fisher Body purchased the company in 1925 and moved it to Detroit. It's the same Fleetwood name that Cadillac carried from 1927 until 1996.
So it should seem odd that the town of Fleetwood hosts one of the best German car meets in America, but it doesn't. Along with the connection to the American car industry, this region of Eastern Pennsylvania also has a long heritage of German immigrants.
 Under the shady trees of Fleetwood Park, about 1,200 people shared their passion for Volkswagens, BMWs, Porsches, Audis, Mercedes-Benz, Opels and even NSUs and Messerschmitts. One group of Porsche fans drove their beloved air-cooled cars up from Delaware while another group brought their Smart fortwos (owned by a German but built in France) down from the New Jersey border. Websites and fan clubs for Opels and Volkswagens planned their trips up and down the East Coast to meet for this annual event.
As the smell of the chicken being cooked for lunch wafts through the morning air, the ring of air-cooled Volkswagens and the clatter of Mercedes-Benz diesel engines announce the arrival of the second Saturday in July. Lines of cars from the 1930s through the current model years pull into the Fleetwood Park with hundreds of cars from enthusiasts move into the parking field.
Where else can you see early BMWs? Many car shows will have early 3-Series coupes and some might even have an Isetta or two, and this show has those. But how many shows feature five or six examples of the beautiful 3.0 CS coupe? The long low lines of the 3.0 CS made a statement that this was a step up from the entry-level (for BMW) 2002. With an inline-six cylinder, the 3.0 CS was not only more luxurious than the 2002, but also more powerful.
 The local Audi dealer, along with the North American corporate offices, brought a range of current models including the diesel Q7 and A3. But across the way, private owners showed off their own rides including the 1985 Audi Quattro coupe once raced by, among others, Bobby Unser and Gene Hackman.
One owner even brought this elegant little red and white hardtop coupe sporting four interlocking rings on the nose and tail. To the uninitiated, it would be easy to confuse this for an early Audi since it did share the same logo. The chrome strips that run from the trunk logo to the grille logo also points to the "Auto Union" script across the bonnet. While Audi was one of those four rings in the Auto Union logo, this car represented the DKW ring. Traveling the hour from West Chester to Fleetwood, the owner proudly parked his 1960 1000S Coupe prominently in the middle of the show.
 Another rare model in the US, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 250 LWB stole some of the spotlight from late model SL roadsters and more vintage sedans. Americans know the 250's body style from the US-market 300-Series sedan, but this one was a bit different. The longer wheelbase makes the 250 LWB into a six-cylinder limousine complete with jump seats providing seating for up to 8.
Seating fewer but with the ability to go almost anywhere, the Pinzgauer makes a much bigger statement than relatively simple blue Benz limo. Built in Austria by Puch, the Pinzgauer was developed for military use. Looking like a four-wheel-drive box on wheels, this 1973 7106 was kitted as a Radio Command Truck with a "full working radio suite" and "dummy weapons." My buddy, a former Army man, looks at the Pinzgauer as nearly the holy grail of military vehicles...or daily drivers, in his case.
 But it's Volkswagen that is the most prolific German brand in the world, and that just how it is at the Deutsche Classic. From late model water-cooled Jettas to early air-cooled Beetles, this is definitely the place to be to show off your VW.
And that's just what Donald Harer did. Parked under the shade of the trees on the far side of the field, Don's 1966 Bug was largely untouched and well-preserved. While not a concours-quality car, this particular Type 1 has something special about it. It caught our eye in a field of Beetles and it caught Don's heart.
With documented 109,000 miles, this Sea Blue sedan was a Craig's List find. Originally purchased in Atlantic City, the car was purchased by Don in North Carolina after he confirmed his love for this car to the previous owner. Once the previous owner was assured that Don wouldn't cut this up for a Baja Bug or Dune Buggy, the car's sale price was lowered to fit the young Harer's budget.
Dozens of Type 1s (Beetles) and Type 2s (Buses) were scattered around the park, but the two Type 34 Karmann-Ghias stood out from the air-cooled group. Looking like a cross between a Corvair and an early BMW, the Type 34 was produced between 1962 and 1969. The Type 3 Karmann-Ghia was produced from 1955 through 1974 with over four hundred thousand finding buyers, however only 42,500 of the Type 34 were built. Complex creases run from the subtly pointed nose to the tapered tail providing the base for the larger glass area as compared to its more common Type 3 brethren.
Like many shows, the highlight of this event was the oldest product on display. Looking very much like many other Beetles here, the 1944 KdF 82E predates the Volkswagen brand.
Built for use during World War II, the 82E rides higher than the later consumer models. Camouflage paint covers the split window body. Inside, a spartan instrument panel sits behind a basic three-spoke steering wheel and features a centrally-mounted speedometer flanked by two small open storage bins. No carpeting on the floor here; instead wooden slats gapped by an inch of space allows for dirt and water to fall off the driver's boots without gumming up the pedal linkages.
Throughout the day, the emcee calls out the winners of door prizes and announces the contestants for the tire toss and Ladies in Jeans competitions while the kitchen hands out lunch boxes. Whether you're Terry looking for old friends among Z3 owners or Nick sitting in your folding chair answering questions about the T-bar bumpers on your 1974 Super Beetle or Peter discussing racing mods on his classic 1965 BMW 1800ti sedan, the Deutsche Classic just the place for the car guy to learn from, teach, or meet others with a passion for German cars. This five-year old show grows each year and gathers owners from farther and farther away, evolving into a must-attend event on the East Coast.
Be sure to check out more photos of the vehicles at the 2009 Deutsche Classic in the Automotive Traveler image gallery.
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I ENJOYED THE GREAT PICS AND THE INFO GIVING. MY BOSS HAS AN 80'S MODEL FIAT HIS IS RESTORING. AS FOR MYSELF I WOULDN'T MIND GETTING MY HANDS ON AN 81-87 BUICK REGAL NOT THE GNX (TOO MUCH $$$) MY FIRST CAR WAS A 1981 BUICK REGAL AND I'VE LOVED THEM SINCE. THANKS