MHS Tunga Rallyt Åkarsvängen
The smell and sound of an old diesel engine on a crisp morning – not the worst way to start a weekend. After visiting the MHS Tunga Rallyt Åkarsvängen, I had only one regret: why hadn’t I learned about this event sooner?! I believe old utility vehicles deserve great respect, and this event gave them exactly that.
Classic car scene doesn’t really reflect how the streets used to look in the past. The models that now fill most classic car events were, back in the day, a rare sight on the road. They were more often seen on posters in teenagers’ bedrooms than shaping the everyday streetscape. So what vehicles actually defined those streets? It was the common Opels and Fords, cars that were mercilessly scrapped once worn out. From the millions produced, only a handful remain today. The situation is quite the opposite with cars like the Porsche 911 – it seems that most of the examples ever built are still around.
The same story applies to commercial vehicles. Almost everyone has memories of the buses we once rode to school or took when visiting grandparents. Buses were among the strongest elements shaping the look and rhythm of the streets. Trucks, on the other hand, were the silent heroes, tirelessly delivering goods to the shops we all relied on. Without them, our world would have looked completely different. Sadly, many of these vehicles went straight to the scrapyard once their service ended. It’s understandable, though: they are far harder to store than cars or motorcycles, and maintaining them requires much larger, specialized workshops.
That’s why I’m genuinely glad there are people who give these vehicles the respect they deserve and share with younger generations how transport once looked. When I first heard about Tunga Rally, I imagined it would be a small gathering. After all, the limited information on the event’s website and Facebook page didn’t exactly spark much imagination. It wasn’t until shortly before the rally, when the entry list with more than 120 vehicles was published, that I realized things were going to get exciting.
I only arrived at the venue shortly before the start. My main concern, however, wasn’t missing any of the pre-start activities. The real problem at that moment was the complete lack of parking spaces. From the entry list I already expected a sizeable lineup of vehicles, but what truly surprised me was the number of spectators. I was expecting the area to be empty and sleepy. And yet, the biggest surprise was still waiting for me.
Since I’ve already mentioned the entry list, let’s take a closer look at the vehicles before moving on to the rest of the day’s highlights. It came as no surprise that, with both the start and finish taking place in front of Scania’s buildings in Södertälje, the majority of participants were trucks built right here – from the older models still carrying the historic Scania-Vabis badge to the more modern ones. Volvo made up most of the rest of the lineup, while foreign trucks were only a small minority. Among them was the oldest vehicle on the list, a 1935 Chevrolet HS. Other notable international guests included a 1954 Magirus with police water cannon, a 1975 Mercedes LP608, and a 1987 Iveco 90 300 4x4 wearing Norwegian plates. Interestingly, it wasn’t the only truck from Norway. I only noticed this detail later while editing my photos – otherwise I would have loved to talk to someone who brought their vintage truck all the way from another country!
I felt that taking photos only at the start or finish wouldn’t do the rally justice. These classic trucks simply had to look spectacular out on the scenic country roads. But how to find the best spots for photographing them? Before the event, the organizers provided a map of the route along with a list of checkpoints. Unfortunately, the map’s lack of detail left me unsure about the exact course and locations. To make things easier, I decided to wait near Solberga and follow a passing participant to the third checkpoint. As luck would have it, I chose a driver who did indeed reach the checkpoint… but from the wrong direction.
I continued along the route by following the tracks of a few other drivers. A moment of doubt came when we reached the turnoff to Utflyktsvägen – the scenic road running from Nyköping to Södertälje. The Scania in front of me signaled left, while a Volvo lined up to turn right. Which one to trust? I bet on the Volvo, and it turned out to be the right decision. Behind that truck, I drove through what must have been the most picturesque stretch of the entire rally.
I have to admit, I’ve really missed taking part in any classic car rally for a very long time. The last time was two years ago, when I was a co-driver at GPPPZ, and before that… I can’t even remember. Hunting for photo spots along the Tunga Rally route gave me a very pleasant taste of what it feels like to join a touring rally. But that wasn’t what impressed me the most. What truly surprised me was the number of spectators waiting for the drivers all along the route! On roadside parking lots, at bus stops, or simply out in the fields – equipped with folding chairs and flasks of coffee, they greeted the drivers by waving while children made the familiar hand gesture asking for the horns. Some drivers happily obliged. I’m genuinely glad to see this kind of event drawing so much enthusiasm.
Driving behind these classic trucks also stirred up some childhood memories. I was reminded of family trips when we would crawl uphill behind slow-moving lorries, their thick smoke filling the cabins of every car behind them. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, and I’m thankful that modern vehicles no longer pollute like that. Yet the smell of those old diesels, free of any filters, turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant and nostalgic sensation.
I visited several spectacular classic vehicle events this year, though it’s a shame not all of them are yet covered here: I’ll have to fill in the gaps this winter. Still, the MHS Tunga Rallyt Åkarsvängen ranks very high among them. I’m glad this event made it into my calendar, and even more so that I discovered how many people care about preserving the history of commercial vehicles. It also gave me an excuse to drive along some truly scenic roads. So what’s next? See you next year!
