On the highway exiting Brasília, Brazil's capital in the state of Goiás, we are overtaken by a Lincoln Continental. A car this size, especially one this well-maintained, is a rarity on Brazilian roads. As the Lincoln Continental passes us the driver waves us on, indicating we should follow him. Always in for making new friends we do so and exit the highway, following a rough track. We are intrigued; where is he taking us?
Who and what is VCC – the Veteran Car Club
Wooden sheds, painted in various colours dot a large field with mango trees. In the parking lot more vintage cars are parked – we find ourselves at the weekly Saturday encontro [meeting] of Brasília's vintage car lovers. We see Dodges, a Mercedes, a Jaguar, a Mustang, a Stingray Corvette as well as Gurgels, Pumas and DKWs. The latter three are produced on Brazilian soil. Introductions with welcoming smiles are made quickly and easily.
Anelito is one of the members and explains who and what they are. "VCC stands for Veteran Car Club. Most states and some important cities in Brazil have such a club, which is part of Brazil's Federação Brasileira de Veículos Antigos [Brazil's Federation of Antique Cars]. The VCC in Brasília has existed since 1983 and we have 142 members."
When is a car a vintage car in Brazil?
"In Brazil cars have to meet two criteria in order to be considered a vintage car [veículo de colleção in Portuguese]. The car has to be thirty years old and secondly, has to pass a test at a VCC. The car is tested according to a checklist on parts such as engine, transmission, suspension, brakes, electric system, bodywork and interior. For each item points are given and out of the maximum of 100 points the car must score a minimum of 80 in order to be a vintage car," Anelito explains.
In a blue shed about twenty beautifully restored vintage cars are on display, an extraordinary collection of A-Fords, Beetles, DKWs and Pumas. This isn't a museum though. "Owners pay a fee to store their car safely here. There is a monitor system which enables the owners to check on their car via an internet connection," explains William – the owner of the Lincoln Continental.
Behind this section there is an ordinary-looking workshop, however, only antique cars are repaired here, or restored from a rusty wreck into a new-looking car. The latter may take up to two years. Together this brings in enough work to have five mechanics working in this garage.
Vintage Car Meetings in Brazil
In Brazil there is a growing passion for owning and maintaining old cars. Vintage car lovers like to meet, exchange information and do tours together. There are local meetings but also large, national encontros. Two important national meetings in Brazil are:
- In April / May there is a meeting in Aguas de Lindoia, in São Paulo State.
- In June there is an even bigger encontro in Araxá, in the state of Minas Gerais.
From the Veteran Car Club to the Puma Club
William walks up to us. "There is a special meeting of the Puma Club today. Maybe you’d like to join me? Of course this is organised in the Brazilian fashion, with a churrascaria [BBQ] and a beer," he invites us. And so we change our travel plans again – which is so common when travelling in hospitable Brazil, where invitations are part of life. If you're interested on learning more about the VCC in Brasília, or meet up with them, check out the Veteran Car Club website.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
Join the Conversation