Harry Minekus belongs to a small select group of genuine 124 Spiders experts in the Netherlands,
inwhich group also connoisseurs like Gerrit van de Mars, Bas Gielen, Robert Moeijes and Hans
Zoetbrood are participating.
Fellows, who travelled with their Spider every corner of Europe and are able - so to speak - to strip down
a 124 Spider with their eyes closed and rebuild the car in reversed order in the same way.
I could imagine that in the long run, the car loses its charm and power of attraction.
Don't you ever get tired of it, would be my next, most obvious question? In the contrary !
Although the 124 Spider does not have any hidden secret for these men, their enthusiasm never diminishes
and their fascination is invariable! What on earth has come over these fellows, I wonder
sometimes desperately.
A few weeks ago one of the most well-known 124 Spider experts in the USA sent me an e-mail
message, stating that he was emotionally moved by a magazine article that he came across again at
our website after more than 35 years. It was one of the very first publications in the USA
about the Fiat 124 Spider, just put at the American market those days. As a young boy he had read that
specific article and also because of this, he got mesmerized completely by the Spider.
In his e-mail he wrote: 'I was fascinated to see this article that impressed me so much on your
website. It took me more than half an hour and I had to reread the article again and again. It certainly
reminded me why I love the 124 !'
In this article from the California based magazine 'Car and Driver' published in August 1968
the Fiat 124 Spider is lyrically specified as:
A lady.
A lovely, sensual, responsive Italian lady.
There is no other way of thinking about Pininfarina's Fiat 124 Spider. It's time you knew it.
Like women to dream about, the really good Italian cars always had a mysterious irrestibility and an
eagerness to please. Somehow, they seem to exist solely for the pleasure of their drivers. Where there
are moments of tight-jawed hardship with the British cars, all is sweet willingness with Italy's 124
Spider.
We see the Fiat 124 Spider as a milestone : the beginning of the end of the hardship sports car. It's
the only machine in its class in which we'd enjoy taking a long trip.
Without a shadow of a doubt it is this fascination, that fellows like Harry Minekus are committing
themselves to the very special 124 Spider. Not without obligations anymore as an out of control hobby,
but fully professional in a perfectly equipped garage for "his" Fiat 124 Spider, under his direct concern and supervision.
As a sponsor of our website, you read more about his 124 Spider activities
HERE .
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