Monte Carlo Tribute 1939 at the Polish Concours d’Elegance
Even before the official premiere of the Monte Carlo Tribute 1939 project, which took place on December 20, 2024, at the Wena Automotive Museum in Oława, we had the opportunity to talk about our journey during the 2024 Polish Concours d’Elegance in Rozalin.
The coverage of the 2024 Polish Concours d’Elegance deserves a separate article; for now, we’d like to tell you how we became participants in the concours d’elegance.
It all started with a word
As you’ve probably guessed, preparations for the #MCT39 project took quite some time. We first hinted—still shrouded in mystery—that something was in the works back in May 2024. Preparing the historical background meant diving deep into a massive lesson on pre-war Polish automotive history and motorsport. Finding the right Opel Olympia and matching dreams with reality… well, that’s a story for another article.
Still, by mid-last year, we had begun the groundwork, and throughout that time, we had numerous conversations that brought us closer to making the dream come true. After one such conversation with Agata Ślepowrońska, director of the Polish Concours d’Elegance, we heard the words: “You absolutely have to share this at the concours!”
Prepping for the concours d’elegance
Shortly after the Olympia arrived in Poland from Sweden, she paid a visit to my friend Krzysztof at Car House. There, his team took great care of our car and prepared it for its appearance at the Rozalin Palace. With that visit, the Olympia became the oldest car ever to set wheels in Car House!
The essence of motoring
Taking part in the concours d’elegance was a fantastic decision. For the first time, we had the chance to publicly talk about our journey to Monte Carlo and confront our excitement with the reactions of others. We were met with great appreciation, and it became immediately clear that initiatives like this are missing in our country. Above all, sharing stories from Polish history brings us immense joy — and as it turned out, even among such a distinguished audience, we were still able to surprise our listeners with something new.
The Olympia itself was also warmly received. It’s a car with an interesting past — quite rare among popular cars for the masses, whose histories are usually well-known. As Jurek Reczek described this type of car, these vehicles are the essence of motoring; they are the ones that truly changed history. And it’s hard to disagree, because as you’ll soon discover in our series of articles about the Opel Olympia, this small, unassuming car wrote a huge chapter in automotive history.
Photos: Caroseryjni
