Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website 28th U.S. Car Reunion: more than 400 American cars rev up in Lignano for the Italy’s biggest stars and stripes meeting
june 05, 2023 - Biker Fest

28th U.S. Car Reunion: more than 400 American cars rev up in Lignano for the Italy’s biggest stars and stripes meeting

The four-wheelers of the U.S. Car Reunion were the co-stars of the 37th Biker Fest International: the snake of more than 400 cars is back to spice up the weekend in Lignano Sabbiadoro for the Italy’s largest and longest-running American car gathering, now in its 28th edition

By now, after so many years, we can say it: there is no Biker Fest International without U.S. cars. And also in this 37th edition of the BFI, held in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Udine-Italy) from the 18th to the 21st of 2023, the American legends of the 28th U.S. Car Reunion played the role of the precious co-stars, alongside the tens of thousands of motorcycles that populated the five areas during the four-day event.

The Europe’s longest-running custom bike show, which took place for the first time in 1987, has always had a special relationship with U.S. four-wheeled world. A partnership certainly facilitated by common roots (the ‘States are the homeland of custom bikes and cruisers, the 'hard core' of the Biker Fest) but cultivated with great passion by the Organizers over the past three decades: 28 years after its first edition, born as a 'simple' meeting between a few friends who were passionate about four wheels and American culture, the U.S. Car Reunion has now turned into the largest Italian meeting dedicated to ‘Yankee’ cars, organized by Crusin' Magazine in partnership with Old School Garage Club. A fantastic growth that, in addition to making it an unmissable event for every petrolhead, turns the huge meeting of American Cars one of the main attractions within the BFI.

This year, the American car celebration began to heat up on Thursday. During the following days the number of U.S. vehicles grew until the colorful 'explosion' of Sunday morning, when the parking literally filled up with Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Lincoln, and Plymouth from all over Italy and several European countries such as Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Slovenia and Switzerland. Particularly strong was also the representation from the U.S. and NATO military bases located in northern and central Italy.

From classic to modern, passing through 'youngtimers' and customized examples: more than 400 cars participated at the 28th U.S. Car Reunion. At 11 a.m. on Sunday, the amazing multitude of roaring muscle cars, crazy hot rods, extra-large sedans and massive pick-up trucks turned into a long snake, that set off from Viale Europa towards the city center for the traditional parade, accompanied by a host of Fifties-styled Pin-ups.

But the Star-Spangled Banner also flew over the Dirty Area 4x4, the off-road 'heart' of the event. Eventi 4x4 was in charge of the Area, in collaboration with JES: Jeepers East-coast Side was founded back in 2003 as the northeastern section of the Jeeper's Generation Association, a national fan club of the Jeep brand. Its aim is to spread the culture of four-wheel drive and encourage off-road driving techniques, but also to promote the love for historic 4x4s with a special concern for the environment and territory.

In Lignano off-road lovers on four wheels were able to safely test the features of their vehicles and their own abilities along the trial course, developed on an area of 20,000 m3 and articulated on various difficulty levels among obstacles and more or less impervious passages. Especially on Sunday the unexpected rise of the water table and the consequent flooding of the potholes made the track even more funny for the 100 crews who took up the challenge, but the 'extreme' conditions of the surface forced the marshals to work overtime in order to free the vehicles that were gradually getting stuck in the mud. All of this, of course, to the delight of the spectators, who were exhilarated by the show.

American cars, but in 'green' declination, also silently populated the e-Mobility Village, the area of the festival traditionally dedicated to EVs. On Sunday, the e-Mobility Meeting opened its doors to about 40 low-emission cars: the gathering, official meeting of the Tesla Club Italy, saw the electric-powered Texans take the lead, parading along the city streets shortly after their U.S. combustion engine 'colleagues'. 

A mandatory step for all sportscar lovers was finally the RacenLow meeting, the reunion dedicated to the most exciting cars, old and new, organized by Lowered Garage. Almost 300 vehicles gathered on Saturday at the Market Area, next to the Teghil Stadium: not only supercars of the most exotic brands, but also youngtimers, JDMs and powerful hatchbacks, with a special place for the ‘little devils’ that forged whole generations of enthusiasts.

Turning to the awards of the 28th U.S. Car Reunion, the jury of Old School Garage and Cruisin' Magazine selected 30 cars that stood out for originality, rarity, preservation and quality of restoration, as well as the most important national and foreign clubs dedicated to U.S. cars.

 

 

AMERICAN CAR CLUBS

  • American Brothers ACC
  • Angry Eagles ACC
  • A.S.I. - AUTOMOTOCLUB STORICO ITALIANO ACC
  • Austrian 500 US Car Days ACC (A)
  • Bad Brothers ACC
  • Big Block Breakers ACC (A)
  • Crazy Gang ACC
  • C.V.A.E. (Circolo Veneto Automoto d'Epoca) ACC
  • Gemelli Racing Team ACC
  • Milano Mustang Club ACC
  • Old School Garage ACC
  • Österreichische US-Car Club ACC (A)
  • Ram Division ACC
  • Romagna Boys ACC
  • Ruote Del Passato ACC
  • Shark Team ACC

 

TOP 30 28^ U.S. CAR REUNION

  • n.27 – Imperial Crown 1961 – Lino Mazzocca
  • n.99 – Ford Model T 1927 – Thomas Nagler (A)
  • n.343 – Ford Galaxie 500 1972 (D)
  • n.70 – Oldsmobile Cutlass 1971 – Mauro Martin
  • n.119 – Chevrolet Corvette 2003 – Alessandro Greco
  • n.242 – Rat Rot 1958 – Paolo Zanon
  • n.352 – Cadillac 1947 – Fausto Costantini
  • n.247 – Ford F-100 1956 – Luca Gubert
  • n.72 – Cadillac Deville 1970 – Igor Magas (HR)
  • n.10 – Ford Mustang 1968 – Marco Bohal
  • n.195 – Chevrolet M1009 1984 – Michele di Benedetto
  • n.26 – Cadillac Fletwood 1956 – Fausto Ruoso
  • n.273 – Ford Mustang Mach 1 2022 – Massimiliano
  • n.59 – Chevrolet Camaro 2018 – Rinaldo Marinella
  • n.317 – Mustang Fastback 1967 – Geremia Danny
  • n.30 – Ford Mustang 2013 – Cesare Lobertini
  • n.132 – Ford Mustang 2014 – Daniele Panni
  • n.75 – Cadillac Cabriolet 1959 – Maurizio Sartor
  • n.161 – Chevrolet 3200 1957 – Marco&Sabrina
  • n.367 – Cadillac Deville Convertible 1965 – Marco Grassellini
  • n.232 – Cadillac 1959 – Josef Schoggler (A)
  • n.350 – Shelby Super Snake 2019 – Chuck (CH)
  • n.184 – Ford Mustang Mach 1 2022 – Martin Goldberger (A)
  • n.68 – Pontiac Starchief 1989 – Patrick Guven (A)
  • n.158 – Willys MB 1945 – Alessandro W.
  • n.80 – Chevrolet Camaro 2012 – Daniele Bassan
  • n.329 – Pontiac Streamliner 1948 – Maurer Erwin (A)
  • n.160 – Ford GPW 1944 – Angelo Pallotti
  • n.206 – Chevrolet Corvette C4 1986 – Gabriele Degano
  • n.348 – Pontiac Formula 400 1973 – Damiano Gasparotto

 

During the weekend a special thought went to Massimo Tomaselli, with the Memorial dedicated to him. It’s been several years since his passing, but the memory of this great enthusiast and, above all, unforgotten friend of all American cars fans, still lives especially among those - like the Organizers of this event - have been fortunate enough to know and work with him.

The Organization and the editorial staff of Cruisin' Magazine want to thanks all the participants who took part in the 28th U.S. Car Reunion, with a special mention for Old School Garage and its president Luca Bortoletti. Once again the contribution of the Pordenone-based club proved to be simply essential for the success of this great festival.

Now the appointment is for the 20th Cruisin' Rodeo, scheduled in Como for the weekend from the 8th to the 9th of July, but at the end of the summer it's time to back to Lignano for the U.S. Car on the Beach (September 16th-17th), the stars and stripes meeting hosted in the context of the Italian Bike Week. In the meantime, the Organizers are already at work in preparation for the next U.S. Car Reunion, a 29th edition that already promises to be more unforgettable than ever.


Info Biker Fest International

Web: www.bikerfest.it Mail: info@bikerfest.it
Tel.: +39. 0432.948777 - Mob.: +39. 366.6310768

Press Office:  Angelika Bianchi press@bikerfest.it

Paolo Sormani stampa@bikerfest.it

Terre di Moto Srl - www.terredimoto.it - +39. 0432.948272

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