July was a pretty gloomy month in Germany. The skies were cloudy and it rained almost every single day. So it’s safe to say that a lot of people were waiting for sunnier days to arrive – the car community included.

The weather finally made a turn for the better in the second week of August, and with Seaground Car Event 2023 taking place in the North Rhine-Westphalia town of Züplich that weekend, I was eager to get out and soak up some sunshine.

Seaground was one of the first events I heard of when I dove into the car scene in Germany, though I previously never found the time to make it out to the annual event. This year the stars aligned, and the combination of good weather and some free time on my part got me pumped to finally attend.

The day started with some rain, but I’m glad it stopped just as I arrived. The Seepark Zülpich venue was filled with everything from mandatory lowered Volkswagen Golfs to a couple of proper ‘Ring tools and some well-kept classics. If I’m honest, I thought the cars were packed in a little too tight, but I definitely can’t complain about the variety.

A couple of JDM legends also showed up. You really can’t go past a Bayside Blue BNR34 Skyline GT-R on Nismo LMGT4 wheels.

The main pier to the Zülpicher See was perhaps the least crowded part of the venue as the cars were pre-selected and coordinated, and you also had the bonus of a wide view of the lake in the background.

This Opel Kadett B Caravan was a show highlight for me. Super-clean outside, the entire engine bay has been shaved, smoothed and wire-tucked to perfection too.

The interior wasn’t overlooked either, with the Kadett’s custom air ride setup on show in the rear. I thought the Duracell battery-themed air tank was a nice finishing touch.

This Marrakesh Brown BMW Z1 was, in my opinion, the coolest car at the event. Seeing a standard Z1 is an occasion, but this one is on another level. It’s sitting on custom air suspension and has a fully re-trimmed interior. The longer you look at it the more details you notice; even the headlights have some unique touches.

In fact, it’s so special that I’m planning a full standalone feature on it soon. Stay tuned for that.

The color-matched E34 BMW 5 Series belongs to the same owner.

Check out this Volkswagen Lupo with a tent. What a neat setup!

I don’t know why the owner of this Lexus LS 400 parked so far away from the event; it really should’ve been presented closer to the stage. You just don’t see these in Germany every day.

At around 1:00pm the weather finally shifted, and the sun shone bright as many hoped it would.

The best part of this venue is the sand that mimics a beach. Apart from the northern border, we don’t have any beaches in Germany, but we do have a lot of lakes dotted around, many of which have been turned into beautiful parks for relaxing and events like Seaground.

I saw this Mk1 Volkswagen Polo Coupe on the day I took photos for my first Speedhunters story. With its bright paintwork and fender flares, it really stood out from all the other VWs at the Nürburgring.

Lately I’ve found a new appreciation for the Mercedes-Benz W124. I think the design of the car really oozes simplicity and elegance. I was glad to see a few of them at this event.

Built in a similar style to the Opel Kadett Caravan is this light blue Mk1 Volkswagen Golf, fitted with a big pair of side-draught Weber carbs and a really nice header. I couldn’t find the owner to talk to and learn more about the car, but it was quite a cool piece of machinery.

The coolest part of Seaground Car Event is that the lake park is also open to the public. While it might have caused some traffic early in the morning when all the cars arrived, as everybody settled in, it became much more positive and owners talked to casual visitors about their builds.

Seaground was a nice change of atmosphere from the previous cold and wet month. With the wide variety of cars to admire and perfect weather, it was a welcomed weekend break.

Steve Edward
Instagram: stevedwrd

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