While the American spirit raged, Stano also appeared on the seashore: it was a complete addiction.

In the last days of July, the 14th meeting of American car enthusiasts took place in Šventoji and Palanga. All these powers, coming not only from all over Lithuania, but also from Finland, Poland, Latvia and Estonia, lined up near the Šventoji River.

Despite the pandemic and the deteriorating epidemiological situation, people were eager to see these spectacular monsters. This year, it seems, there were more of them than ever, and the organizers provided all kinds of fun.

However, it was the owners of these cars who enjoyed the most attention. In total, there were about 170 of them at the rally. For example, at the meeting it was possible to see such examples as the 1925 Packard 333 Limuosin from Kaunas and the 1929 Ford. People from Kretinga brought the 1933 Plymouth and the people from Klaipeda brought the 1937 Chevrolet Master Deluxe.

And that the attention that the owners like is obvious. Participants drew attention not only with American and Native flags, but in other ways as well. Like opening the hood, showing what the roof looks like, pointing and hitting the gas harder.

Vytautas: a single drug disease

For example, when Mr. Vytautas approaches him, he immediately puts him in his car and invites him to drive to Palanga and participate in the parade. It came with the 1977 Oldsmobile Toronado. When he gets in the car, the man immediately, faced with the facts, emphasizes that cars are like a disease to him. The man owned a 1937 BMW 321 and later owned a reconditioned Opel Rekord in the 1960s.

“Times have changed and it turned out that we had to choose a cheaper option. And this one is a bit cheaper. I bought this car 7 years ago and rebuilt it for another 3 years and made it look like the original. The Americans made cars so extremely light and made them so that they could be driven like humans. This car has it all: autopilot, you can adjust the position of the steering wheel, air conditioning, “he said.

Vytautas said he had a “new problem” because he had bought a new car and was going to attend the American Spirit meeting next year.

“It’s a disease and there is practically no medicine … No, there is. Buy another one!” He laughed.

According to the interlocutor, the operation of these cars is quite expensive. Vytautas revealed that the renovation of the car cost him about 7 thousand euros and it did not do everything he wanted.

“10 thousand. I really need to dedicate myself. All shipments, everything costs,” explained the man.

Stano: It is a complete disease, an addiction.

That it is a kind of illness is also confirmed by the interpreter Stanislav Stavickis-Stano, who attended the meeting for the fourth time. It came with the 2004 Cadillac DeVille, which it says is the family’s “spare car.”

“We have vintage cars, but since it’s Saturday now, it’s her chaltūrina, proverbially. One at a wedding, the other at a photoshoot. That is why we came with our daily car. ” 15 minutes he told Stan, who revealed that he currently owns three American cars in motion.

“It is a complete disease, an addiction. I had that disease for the first time 20 years ago because my first car was a 1985 Buick Riviera. I had a friend in Justiniškės, an old American kledar was standing near his house and it was written “for sale”. I bought for 2 thousand. dollars, and since then American cars have been with me my whole life, ”he said.

Stano emphasized that because of these powers, not everyone really goes crazy. On the contrary, in his opinion, many people prefer BMW, etc., and only a small part of Lithuania loses its mind due to American cars.

“It’s an absolutely impractical car, very expensive to operate. But that feeling … it’s a disease and when you get it, and you get the first American car in your life, it’s incomparable to anything. Uncompromising design, looking at all those cars. American, they are crazy designs. Europeans are very conserved, cultural. Another thing is the price. An American car is cheaper than a European one “, explained the interpreter.

For others, it is a way of life and a hobby.

It is true that not everyone agrees that having such a car is a disease. Other interlocutors see everything more restrained and believe that it is a hobby.

Signa from Estonia and her husband Velmo came to American Spirit for the second time with a 1966 Chevrolet Chevy Van that looks like a house.

“I think it is a way of life. We like these cars because they are very comfortable, beautiful, elegant, it is like another world. It is a hobby and, of course, expensive. However, as you know, all hobbies are expensive. We do not know how much money we have invested in this car in total, because it is not that important, “said Signa.

The man who came with a 1935 Ford also thinks it’s just a hobby.

“Some collect postcards, other postage stamps, other badges, medals, who can afford it. My financial situation may allow me to carry out such activities, “he said, admitting that he had another American powerhouse, Oldsmobile.