VAFミーティングに参加しました
- AMAZONと仲間達
- by suna
- 2009/12/21 月 11:02
12月20日（日）「VOLVO AMAZON FANCLUB」（VAF）のミーティングに参加しました。ＶＡＦは、３０余年前にやっていた「VOLVO AMAZON OWNERSCLUB」をやむなく消滅させてしまった後に、AMAZONオーナー有志の方々が組織してくださったクラブです。快晴に恵まれた東京・夢の島公園駐車場に「・１２２」AMAZONと共にお邪魔すると、そこには、当時の懐かしい顔（もっとも、２０代後半から３０代前半当時の面影は残すものの、皆さん白髪でしたが、、、）が待っていて下さいました。３０数年振りの再会でしたが、その瞬間にタイムトリップ。かつてのAMAZONミーティングそのままに和気藹々としたAMAZON談義と、長い人生談義に花が咲きました。今回のＶＡＦミーティングには、１９６３年式から１９７０年式式まで、AMAZONが、何と８台も参加。さらに、P1800が３台、144Sが１台、164が１台、、、と、合計１３台ものAMAZONと仲間達が集まりました。遠くは群馬から２台のAMAZONをお持ちのＩさん、静岡・浜松からはＥさんがAMAZONを自走で参加、お馴染み赤AMAZONのＧさんは、名古屋から新幹線で日帰り参加をなさっていました。初めてお会いするAMAZONオーナーの方も多く、AMAZON博士で、目下AMAZONの日本での生息状況調査を鋭意進めていらっしゃるＮさんもシャシーNOとの符号、年式と型式の記録に勤しんでいました。Ｎさんによると、まだ５０台くらいはAMAZONが生息している、、、とか。当時の記録では、１９６１年に１０台、１９６２年に２０台、１９６３年に３６台、１９６４年に３４台が輸入され、１９７０年の生産中止までに合計１２３７台が日本に輸入されています。そのうちの５０台（もっとも最近ではアメリカなどからの輸入も多いようですが、、、）が、生き残っているとすると、それはそれで感慨深いことで、もっともっと「・１２２」AMAZONを大事に長生きさせてあげようと意を新たにした次第です。もちろん、私も６２歳を前に、年齢を重ねるわけですから、共に長生きしよう、、、ということで。
I participated in a "Volvo Amazon Fanclub" (VAF) meeting on Dec 20th. VAF is a club that was established after the original "Volvo Amazon Owners Club" disappeared 30 odd years ago. The day was another sunny one and I drove down with my Amazon .122 to Yumenoshima Park to see some of my old friends from 30 years ago (although they certainly did not look like they did 30 years ago). The lost 30 years were quickly forgotten and we went on and on about the greatness of Volvos. There were 8 Amazons this day - MY1963 to MY1970 in addition to 3 P1800, 1 144S, 1 164. Mr. I drove out from Gunma while Mr. E from Hamamatsu. Mr. G with the red Amazon from Nagoya came by Shinkansen for a day trip. There were several Amazons that had participated for the first time and Mr. N - aka Dr. Amazon who is compiling all the data for Japanese Amazon's ran around recording all the chassis numbers and other info. According to him, there should be about 50 Amazons "living" in Japan. According to records, 10 were imported in 1961, 20 in 1962, 36 in 1963 and 34 in 1964. By 1970 when imports were stopped, a total of 1,237 Amazons were imported into Japan. If 50 of these 1,237 are still up and running, this is quite an amazing feat. This data gave me further incentive to try to keep my Amazon up and going.
I participated in a "Volvo Amazon Fanclub" (VAF) meeting on Dec 20th. VAF is a club that was established after the original "Volvo Amazon Owners Club" disappeared 30 odd years ago. The day was another sunny one and I drove down with my Amazon .122 to Yumenoshima Park to see some of my old friends from 30 years ago (although they certainly did not look like they did 30 years ago). The lost 30 years were quickly forgotten and we went on and on about the greatness of Volvos. There were 8 Amazons this day - MY1963 to MY1970 in addition to 3 P1800, 1 144S, 1 164. Mr. I drove out from Gunma while Mr. E from Hamamatsu. Mr. G with the red Amazon from Nagoya came by Shinkansen for a day trip. There were several Amazons that had participated for the first time and Mr. N - aka Dr. Amazon who is compiling all the data for Japanese Amazon's ran around recording all the chassis numbers and other info. According to him, there should be about 50 Amazons "living" in Japan. According to records, 10 were imported in 1961, 20 in 1962, 36 in 1963 and 34 in 1964. By 1970 when imports were stopped, a total of 1,237 Amazons were imported into Japan. If 50 of these 1,237 are still up and running, this is quite an amazing feat. This data gave me further incentive to try to keep my Amazon up and going.
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