I was very proud to represent the United States as one of the 14 speakers at the two-day Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens (FIVA) 5th Pan-European Conference for Automotive History held at the Norwegian Public Roads Museum near Lillehammer, Norway.
Highlights of this wonderful conference are below.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Conference Summary from FIVA
The 5th Pan-European Conference for Automotive History has come to a close at the Norwegian Public Roads Museum in Lillehammer, bringing together more than 70 participants from 24 countries and 14 internationally recognised automotive historians, all united by a shared passion for motoring heritage.
Organised by FIVA in partnership with LMK, FIVA’s National Authority in Norway, the Conference offered two inspiring days of stories, research, discussion and discovery, exploring a remarkable variety of chapters in automotive history: from forgotten car and motorcycle manufacturers to iconic events such as the Vanderbilt Cup, from industrial history to the legacy of Louis Renault, and from academic perspectives on nostalgia and touring to the experience of historic vehicle events and Norway’s extraordinary roads.
The opening session also provided a particularly meaningful moment as we paid tribute to Anders Ditlev Clausager and Thomas Ulrich, who founded the Conference in 2016. Their vision created a unique platform for historians, researchers and enthusiasts to meet, exchange knowledge and contribute to the preservation of our shared automotive heritage.
Beyond the richness of the programme, however, what made this Conference truly special was the community it brought together. The worldwide historic vehicle community counts millions of enthusiasts, but gatherings such as this demonstrate the extraordinary value of bringing together a smaller group of passionate and highly knowledgeable individuals. Their collective expertise represents a precious heritage, one that must be shared, preserved and passed on to future generations.
This is at the heart of FIVA’s mission. Looking to the future means evolving and embracing new perspectives, but it also means ensuring that the knowledge and stories of the past remain alive and accessible to those who will follow.
As FIVA’s President Alberto Scuro pointed out, the Conference was also marked by a wonderful spirit of friendship, warmth and cooperation, reminding us that preserving motoring heritage is not only about vehicles and history, but also about the people and relationships that keep this heritage alive.
Our sincere gratitude goes to all the speakers, participants and volunteers, to the President Harbitz-Rasmussen and entire LMK team, and to Nataša Grom for her strong support in bringing this event together under the auspices of FIVA.
Thank you to everyone who made the 5th Pan-European Conference for Automotive History such a memorable experience. The conversations may have ended in Lillehammer, but the exchange of knowledge and ideas will continue.
The conference was organized by Carl Harbitz-Rasmussen (right), President of LMK (Norwegian Federation for Historic Vehicles) and moderated by Steve Berry (left), journalist and former Top-Gear presenter. Congrats to both Carl and Steve for their great work!
Howard Kroplick Presentation
My presentation was my favorite topic: The Vanderbilt Cup Races (1904-1910)- The First International Road Races Held in the United States.
A highlight of the presentation was the film of the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup Race.
More Highlights
The speakers and FIVA and LMK officials.
Roz and Howard with Alberto Scuro, President of FIVA.
Howard with Monique Chapelle of the Marius Berliet Foundation.. We had a wonderful discussion of the licensing relationship between Berliet and Alco.
Our transportation to the conference.
Dinner in a very unique Norwegian tunnel event center at the Norwegian Roads Museum.
The conference was wonderful and Norway was spectacular.
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