The Constant Gardener and his Classic Cars

Click on photos to enlarge for a far better result

This Saturday the CCC was kindly invited to a classic car 'party' event at the Palac Rozalin, some 40 kms from the centre of Warsaw. Needless to say the weather was decidedly 'iffy' - damp, rather chilly and typically threatening autumnal skies. 10C falling to 8C in the evening.

It was an invitation only event by Pawel Molgo, President of the NAC company http://www.nac.com.pl/ and owner of Palac Rozalin, a restored historic building used mainly as an entertainment venue. He has had a long and very interesting experience in motorsport - from the Monte Carlo Rallye Historique to 4 x 4 rallies in Morocco. 

On this occasion unfortunately very few members of the CCC turned out which is perfectly understandable given the short notice and weather - Michael Moran, Iain Batty,  Krzysztof Niewiadomski  and Grzegorz Grątkowski.  A real pity as it turned out be an amusing and well staged, surprisingly high class event with some rare cars perfectly restored, excellent food, wine and musical entertainment. Oh and more to the point and a sign of Polish hospitality it was free...

The Palac Rozalin, marquee and section of the car field early in the afternoon 

As might be expected among the 30 or so historic classics there was a predominance of various models of Mercedes Benz - half the field in fact.  At such events it would be helpful if participants put a small board or windscreen sign indicating the model of their car and its date of manufacture as a bare minimum of information. The owners were not standing with their cars to have a chat but out of the cold tucking into the Bavarian barbecue. 

We are not all experts on every marque! Accurately naming the various historic models of Mercedes is a task for a librarian in a Jorge Louis Borges short story. Perusing these unknown models has been a real education and a salutary lesson in refined Teutonic elegance which I had scarcely considered possible. The 'Adenauer' Mercedes line does not feature strongly in the UK and Australia where most of my classic car education took place.

German classics are by far the most sensible classic cars to own in Poland from the maintenance point of view - next to Jaguars which are also well serviced here. I counted at least four superbly restored Pagodas, a very fine 190 SL, a number of elegant two-door saloons, a 180 saloon, two 1950s period 300 saloons (one in a fabulous dark, metallic red) and a black 1957 300 SC coupe - for me one of the the most elegant cars in the show. BMW were represented by a sole 3.0 CSL. 

There was also a superbly restored Porsche 356 owned by Mr. Molgo, a Porsche 911 Carrera,  Roger Moore's The Saint car - a Volvo P 1800 in a superb light blue metallic. My own heart was lost to an outstanding restored red First Generation Ford Thunderbird with whitewall tyres and stunning interior (the epitome of young love and Jane Mansfield sex on wheels 'Youth' - the glory of it!' so wrote Joseph Conrad), a 'mixed bag' prewar Rolls-Royce of which I have yet to identify the coachbuilder, my own rather out of period 1974 RR Silver Shadow (a most modest contribution among this collection of exotics but still an RR after all) and an uncompleted Maserati-Citroen. Jaguar were represented by a Series II E-Type, and XJS convertible, an XJ-Coupe and a 2.4 Mk II. There was also a Fiat Topolino saloon (I think).

The assembled cars from the balcony of the palace

As ever I will let the pictures and their captions do most of the talking.

The Porsche 356 (as if you didn't know!) The XKS Convertible to the left - a fine example

A few of the more interesting punters clearly moving into Goodwood Revival Mode at the Bavarian barbecue

The Maserati Citroen not completed or registered yet. Pawel Molgo must be a supreme masochist taking on the restoration of one of these!

The Ford T-Bird

One of the 1950s Mercedes 300 S in a stunning colour and fitted with a sunshine roof. 
A wonder to behold!

Mercedes 300 SC Coupe

Rozalin Palace

The neo-Renaissance villa of Rozalin itself is architecturally an important and historic building in Poland designed by Leonardo Marconi, son of the famous Henryk Marconi who designed so many important neo-Classical buildings in the country. The full detailed history can be read here in Polish and with automatic translator one can get a fair idea in English 

http://www.palacrozalin.pl/historia.html  

The highly romantic gardens at Palac Rozalin

Some team cars from Pawel Molgo's Rally Team  

                             

The Rallye du Maroc vehicle

                            

The Polski Fiat 125 in which Pawel Molgo took part in the Monte Carlo Rallye Historique and was well placed. On my first project in Poland in 1992 as a 'Team Car' I bought an excellent
FSO 125p and was absolutely happy with it. Perfect for Polish conditions!

The trusty FSO 125p I first owned in Poland in 1992. Here is the car for 'Team Eurocentre' parked outside the remote Tartar mosque at Kruszyniany ca. 1992 when I was working on a project in Poland.  
Note the green 'IWA' registration plate (International Warszawa) a ploy by the authorities to assist thieves in possible rich pickings which they managed on a number of occasions! Tweed Donegal suits, Kielman shoes, vintage pens - that sort of thing. 
Most people hated the car but I thought it excellent for the Poland of that time.

A well known motoring magazine with a section amusingly called
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly described the car:

FSO 125P

For: Quad headlamps
Against: Everything behind them

'On yer bike'
Your club chairman MM as part of a remarkable Tableau Vivant in the garden of Palac Rozalin.
Practising for when bankrupted by his classic car obsession

The superbly restored Volvo p1800

Interior at Palac Rozalin
Romeo et Julietta cigars with a cutter were nonchalantly left on the mantle for passing guests. That's what I call stylish hospitality!
(and I took full advantage)

The beautiful wrought-iron staircase balustrade at Palac Rozalin

Our colorful friend who to my mind bore a distinct resemblance to Auric Goldfinger about to set off on the 'mounted lawnmower race' over a timed course. Actually won by a lady 'who was very light' I am assured!

The 20/25 Rolls-Royce with an unknown body owned by the above gentleman aka Auric Goldfinger

Presentation of prizes in the marquee at the end of the evening for the various competitive events that took place (prizes were chain saws, leaf blowers and other gardening equipment manufactured by Pawel Molgo)
The prize for the most elegant car of the day went to our friend above and his Rolls-Royce. Certainly not the connoisseurs' choice in my opinion. For me it was the 1950s Mercedes 300 SC Coupe or the Volvo p1800.
Oh the T-Bird was excluded from the competition - it would have won hands down of course but the owner Pawel Molgo did not think it was cricket to enter it!

And so we wended our weary way home...

There was some dancing to 1950s and 1960s songs at the concluding party played by a rather glamorous violinist in gold and black accompanying the recordings. I shall spare you pictures of my geriatric shuffle. 

The day was very enjoyable, surprisingly so, and a terribly generous gesture on the part of the host.

So a big  thank-you Pawel from the CCC for your kind invitation!

Not a pleasant drive back to Warsaw in the dark through Janki in the heavy rain - also heavy traffic. Thank God I used my better judgement and resisted taking the MG TC. I would have been cleaning it for a week...
                                                                                                                                    Michael Moran