Waterwagens 2002

More picture, more cars, more rain.

From the February, 2009 issue of European Car

By Dan Barnes

The second annual Waterwagens show reminded me why, when you live in the Northwest, if you wait for it to stop raining, you'll never do anything. In spite of on-and-off torrential downpours, the show held August 4 on the campus of St. Martin's College in Olympia, Washington, was a great success, building on the enthusiasm it generated in 2001. The rain may have actually helped vendors, as their tents filled with captive audiences whenever the faucets turned on. Neuspeed's Greg Woo, who tracks show results by weather, told european car that catalogs disappeared at the same rate as a dry show. Enthusiasts who came for the cars weren't discouraged much, either. The first big pour chased away a few of the weaker constitutions, but from then on, every time the sun came out, so did the chamois.

Joining presenting sponsor Evolution Sports, european car was again a major sponsor of the event, organized by Northwest European. The show was bigger and better, with 178 cars registered for judging and more vendors. There seemed to be at least one of everything, from a Vanagon-era Transporter with a Formula Ford Lola on the back to a sub-5,000-mile Mk2 GTI for sale. The fliers on the windshield weren't exaggerating when they said it was "like a time warp." Even the spectator parking area was loaded with well-maintained examples of German engineering. We're looking forward to the continued growth of this event supporting die-hard Volkswagen loyalists in the Northwest. See www.europeancarweb.com for more photos from Waterwagens 2002.