Touring rally tradition
| Touring rally tradition |
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Practitioners and people who know the tradition well
Suomen Automobiili-Historiallinen Klubi ry (SAHK), The Historical Vehicle Association of Finland founded in Helsinki in 1958, has organised touring rallies for historic cars and motorcycles annually during the summer since 1959. The rallies were m
odelled after similar events organised by Motorhistoriska Riksförbundet in Sweden, founded ten years earlier. Over the years, 31 regional clubs have joined the association, and the organisation is now known as Suomen Ajoneuvohistoriallinen Keskusliitto (SAHK), with local clubs as members. The total membership of SAHK’s member associations is currently approximately 8,500.
Responsibility for organising the touring rallies rotates annually among SAHK’s member associations. The transfer of organisational responsibility from one local club to another ensures the continuity of the rallies in the future and introduces variation in routes and destinations visited along the way. One of the objectives of SAHK is to promote and support the preservation, conservation and restoration of historically valuable and old vehicles, as well as their use as part of mobile cultural heritage. As an event, the touring rally is an important way to bring together enthusiasts of historic vehicles around this mobile cultural heritage. Rotating responsibility for organising the rallies enables participation in the event within each enthusiast’s local region.
The touring rallies are intended for all enthusiasts of historic road vehicles. Participation requires a well-maintained vehicle that is over 30 years old. The touring rally offers enthusiasts and club members a good opportunity to use their vehicles that were built to be driven. At the same time, local audiences get to enjoy historic vehicles.
Over the past decade, the number of participating vehicle crews in the rallies has ranged between one hundred and two hundred. Participation depends partly on the location, influenced both by local activity and by the travel distance for participants coming from elsewhere.
Practising of the tradition
The touring rallies consist of a driving competition, a vehicle-and-costume competition, and a restoration competition. The driving competition includes a route with checkpoints featuring various tasks. The ranking of participants is determined by points earned at these checkpoints. The route is typically around 100 kilometres in length. It is designed so that historic vehicles can complete it while causing minimal disruption to other traffic. At the same time, the route should be as interesting as possible for participants, usually favouring older road networks. Sections with historic significance are often preferred. Tasks along the route test participants’ knowledge, for example of history or historic vehicles, and may also include tasks related to driving skills.
In the vehicle-and-costume competition, prizes are awarded to crews best dressed in a style matching the period of their vehicle. This competition has been part of the touring rally tradition since its early years. Its roots lie in international events, as already in the 1930s, historic vehicle events in England included historical reenactment through period dress. Not all participants take part in the competition, but it helps maintain international traditions in the hobby. Dressing in accordance with the vehicle’s era also enhances the visual appeal and atmosphere of the event.
The restoration competition evaluates the quality of vehicle restoration. Participants do not compete directly against each other; instead, each vehicle is assessed against predetermined quality criteria. This competition format resembles the concours d’elegance events held at major international gatherings. In Finland, a distinctive feature of such competitions is inclusivity: vehicles do not have to be particularly rare or expensive to participate. Only a small proportion of vehicles in the rally take part in this competition.
In addition to SAHK’s annual touring rallies, many other associations in Finland organise similar driving events. Examples include Helatorstaiajot (“Ascension Day Rally”) by the Ajoneuvohistoriallinen Seura (The Car Historical Society), Veteraaniralli (Veteran motorcycle rally) by Veteraanimoottoripyöräklubi (The Veteran Motorcycle Club), and the events organised three times a year by Veteraanikuorma-autoseura (The Veteran Truck Society) in different parts of Finland. Most SAHK member clubs also organise their own regular driving events, one of the most traditional being Keski-Suomen mobilistien Talwiajot (“Winter Rally”), which has been held over 50 times.
Touring rallies help maintain a wide range of knowledge related to historic vehicles, including maintenance, restoration and driving skills. The older the vehicle, the more its operation differs from modern vehicles.
The background and history of the tradition
The idea of touring rallies in Finland originated from Sweden, where the concept in turn had been influenced by historic car competitions from England and Central Europe. These earlier events were based on rally traditions prior to the Second World War, which were very different from today’s highly competitive rally culture. Examples include the original Monte Carlo Rally and various French and Central European competitions. In Finland, the well-known Hangon ajot organised by Suomen Autoklubi (The Finnish Automobile Club) in the 1920s and 1930s served as an important model.
The Automobile and Touring Club of Finland, Autoliitto, has organised annual Tähtiajot rallies since 1927, which in terms of their basic concept and participant badges closely resembled SAHK’s touring rallies.
Already in 1959, the founding year of Suomen Automobiili-Historiallinen Klubi, a parade of cars over 25 years old was organised in Helsinki. The first actual touring rally took place in spring 1960, when participants drove from Helsinki to Porvoo and back. The route included tasks and a picnic stop. In the early years, approximately 25 vehicle crews participated, with the oldest car being a Ford from 1904. These Porvoo rallies were held four times between 1960 and 1963. By 1963, participation had grown to 50 vehicle crews, including nine from neighbouring Sweden.
Subsequent rallies in 1964–1966 took place around Helsinki. In 1966, an additional rally was held in the Tampere area following the founding of the first local SAHK club there. Vehicles already travelled considerable distances, for example between Tampere and Helsinki. From 1967 onwards, rallies were organised in different locations as new local clubs were established.
The 1986 rally celebrated the 100th anniversary of the automobile. It started at the Uusikaupunki car factory and ended in Pori, where over 200 vehicles gathered for public viewing. The event included acceleration races with historic cars. For the first time, participants from Baltic countries also took part. Finnish participants have since taken part in similar events abroad, including those in Sweden and the Baltic countries, and some have even participated in the London–Brighton rally restricted to vehicles manufactured before 1905.
The transmission of the tradition
The tradition of organising touring rallies is passed on between SAHK member associations and within associations from one generation to the next through practical arrangements. Responsibility for organising the event is applied for at the latest before the preceding year’s event, and the central organisation supports organisers both by transferring knowledge and providing financial assistance.
Within associations, efforts are made to involve a broad group of participants in organising the events, with experienced members passing on knowledge to younger participants. Local political decision-makers and business representatives are often involved, as the rallies bring hundreds of visitors to the area.
The rallies attract both long-time participants and newcomers each year. A significant proportion are local enthusiasts or participants from nearby areas, though some travel longer distances. The oldest vehicles are typically transported to the event on trailers.
The rallies also attract a wider audience interested in historic vehicles. Events held in different towns offer local residents and enthusiasts an opportunity to see mobile cultural heritage in motion, rather than only in museums.
Information about the rallies is primarily published in SAHK’s own magazine Automobiili and in the publications of local clubs, as well as in commercial vehicle enthusiast’s magazines such as Mobilisti, Klassikot and Retro. Newspapers at both national and local levels also cover the events. Today, communication increasingly takes place online through SAHK’s website and social media channels.
From the very beginning, the rallies have been documented in photographs and on video. Since 1975, rally publications have been produced that include photographs of all participating cars. Newspapers publish articles about the rallies held in each locality, and these articles have been preserved in scrapbooks. The materials are partly dispersed, but a significant portion is preserved in the archives of SAHK and its clubs. At present, the history of the rallies is being researched and documented in a series of articles in SAHK’s Automobiili magazine. The aim of the series is to describe the organisation and routes of touring rallies in the period before rally publications were introduced, as well as the significant participants, vehicles and events of each year.
The most important factor in safeguarding the tradition of touring rallies is attracting new young enthusiasts to the hobby of historic vehicles and to the activities of hobby vehicle organisations. The activities of the associations depend on membership funding and enthusiastic volunteers, although efforts are continually made to obtain outside support as well. So far, SAHK has succeeded in increasing its membership. Its activities, membership benefits and advocacy work are clearly regarded as significant among its members.
The hobby changes over time, and nowadays the old vehicles participating in touring rallies are several decades newer than in the early years of the rallies. In the 1960s, participants mainly drove vehicles from the 1920s, whereas today the emphasis is on cars from the 1960s and 1970s. Even today there are some nearly hundred-year-old vehicles involved that recall the early days of SAHK, but the newest participants are now from the 1990s. In general, it can be said that people tend to take an interest in vehicles that were favourites in their own childhood and youth. The tradition therefore changes over time, but its core remains similar and recognisable.
It is also essential that historic vehicles can be used as a hobby driven safely. Their features and equipment often do not correspond to those of modern vehicles. Through its advocacy work, SAHK seeks to ensure that both the authorities and the public understand the needs of enthusiasts and the cultural-historical significance of the hobby. SAHK and other hobby organisations have also examined the economic, environmental and climate impacts of the hobby of historic vehicles so that these can be communicated in their outreach. Museum vehicles and other old vehicles are subject to normal vehicle inspection procedures, and general laws and regulations apply to them. When used appropriately and with proper expertise, they do not constitute an environmental or traffic risk.
Documentation of the tradition
From the very beginning the rallies have been documented in photographs and on video. Since 1975, rally publications have been produced that include photographs of all participating cars. Newspapers publish articles about the rallies held in each locality, and these articles have been preserved in scrapbooks. At present, material related to SAHK’s touring rallies is held both in the archives of SAHK and in those of its member associations. In addition, private individuals’ archives contain a considerable amount of material, especially photographs. A series of articles in SAHK ry’s Automobiili magazine has examined the history of the rallies prior to the official rally publications. As part of this research work, the current situation of the surviving archival materials and photographs has also been investigated. Film material related to the touring rallies has not yet been systematically surveyed, but it is known to exist even from quite early rallies.
A unified collection is currently being compiled from the rally publications related to the rallies, to which other material will later be added. The collection will be deposited in the archives of Mobilia, the national responsibility museum for road and motor transport in Finland in Kangasala. Materials from the period before the rally publications are being sought and will be brought together into the same whole. The archives of Tampereen Seudun Mobilistit, which include planning materials related to the rallies organised in Tampere, have already been deposited in Mobilia. Similar material has probably also been preserved in other member associations of SAHK.
A folder containing practical instructions related to the organisation of the touring rallies, successful practices from previous years, contact information and other key material is given each year the local club organising the event. This folder is also supplemented annually with new material.
Vehicle museums have an important role in documenting vehicle history and making it known. Touring rallies are also featured in the communication channels of Mobilia, the national specialised museum for road traffic, Vehoniemen automuseo (Car Museum of Vehoniemi), and other vehicle museums owned by associations or private individuals. Vehicle museums are often also included as destinations along the rally routes.
Sustainable development
At first glance, driving old vehicles may not appear to be an activity in line with the principles of sustainable development. Depending on the individual comparison vehicle, the emissions and fuel consumption of old vehicles may be higher than those of modern vehicles. However, when examining the average annual mileage of old hobby vehicles, it is clear that, because of the very low number of kilometres driven, the hobby of old vehicles is quite ecological. Old cars have also already paid their environmental debt.
From the perspective of inclusion, participation in touring rallies is possible for everyone. Participation naturally requires an old vehicle, but rallies can also be enjoyed as a spectator at the start and finish lines, at designated stopping points, along the route or as a member of a participating vehicle crew. The route of the rallies is also available in advance. The activity is communal and lowers barriers between different social groups. Few hobbies bring together different social classes and people of different ages as openly as the world of old vehicles does. The living history of vehicles presented in touring rallies is also viewed by a wide variety of people. The hobby is still rather male-dominated, but other genders have always been involved as well, and increasingly in the recent years. Women are involved in all SAHK’s member associations. The women-only Naisten automobiiliklubi (The Women's Automobile Club) has existed as its own association for nearly 20 years at the time of writing, organising the Naisten Automobiiliajo (”Women’s Automobile Rally”) each summer for women drivers.
SAHK has taken sustainable development into account for a long time. For example, the association has calculated the average annual carbon footprint of hobby vehicles. At present, a project called Road Book 2050 is under way, defining future directions and sustainable practices for the hobby.
The future of the tradition
SAHK’s regional clubs take turns assuming responsibility for organising the rallies, so the tradition, which has continued for 65 years, has a strong future. Participants also regard it as important to take part in every rally, while at the same time becoming familiar with other regions at the most beautiful time of the summer. Usually, the next rallies to be organised are known two years in advance. In addition to cars, a few motorcycles as well as trucks and buses have often been included. On the other hand, Veteraanikuorma-autoseura (VETKU) and Veteraanimoottoripyöräklubi (VMPK) also organise their own touring rallies, as does Autohistoriallinen Seura (AHS), which separated from SAHK in 1964.
Like all association activities, the future of SAHK’s touring rallies also depends on enthusiastic and committed volunteers. So far, an organising regional club has always been found, and it has carried out the tasks involved with distinction.
The community/communities behind this submission
The Historical Vehicle Association of Finland (Suomen Ajoneuvohistoriallinen Keskusliitto, Finlands fordonshistoriska centralförbund rf) with its member associations:
Helsingin Seudun Automobiiliklubi HAK ry, Turun Seudun Mobilistit ry, Satakunnan Mobilistit ry, Tampereen Seudun Mobilistit ry, Päijät-Hämeen Mobilistit ry, Kymen Automobiilikerho ry, Mikkelin Mobilistit ry, Keski-Suomen Mobilistit ry, Seinäjoen Seudun Mobilistit ry, Vaasan Veteraaniautoseura ry, Keski-Pohjanmaan Automobiilikerho ry: Facebook: Keski-Pohjanmaan Automobiili Kerhho ry, SA-HK Savon Kerho ry, Pohjois-Karjalan Automobiilikerho ry, Kainuun Mobilistit ry, Oulun Seudun Mobilistit ry, Lapin Mobilistit ry, SA-HK Vakka-Suomen kerho ry, Hämeen Mobilistit ry, Sisä-Savon Mobilistit ry, Veteraanikuorma-autoseura ry, Parkanon Seudun Mobilistit ry, Etelä-Karjalan Vanhat Ajoneuvot ry, Jakobstadsnejdens Veteranbilssällskap rf, Koillis-Savon Wanhojen Ajoneuvojen Harrastajat ry, Rauman Seudun Mobilistit ry, Ylä-Savon Mobilistit ja Konepyöräilijät ry, Kuusamon Seudun Mobilistit ry, Ylä-Pirkanmaan Mobilistit ry:, Pargas Retro Cars rf, Savonlinnan Moottorikerho ry, Ikaalisten Seudun Ajoneuvoharrastajat ry
Bibliography and links to external sources of information
Videos
SAHK:n Retkeilyajot 2025 - Bothnia Rally, Pietarsaari.
SAHK Retkeilyajojen 2025 palkintojenjako, Pietarsaari.
SAHK: Retkeilyajot 2024, Tampere.
SAHK:n retkeilyajot, 2019, Vantaa: Klassikkoautoja ja historian havinaa Vantaalla
SAHK:n retkeilyajot, 2019, Vantaa: Vanhat automobiilit Kulttuuriajo 2019.
SAHK Retkeilyajot 2016, Päijät-Häme ajo, Hollolan kirkolla, video 1, video 2.
SAHK:n Retkeilyajot 2010, Kangasalan Auton ja tien museo Mobilian pihasta.
Websites of touring rally organisations
Suomen Ajoneuvohistoriallinen Keskusliitto ry. (SAHK)
Local SAHK member organisations
Helsingin Seudun Automobiiliklubi HAK ry.
Tampereen Seudun Mobilistit ry.
Seinäjoen Seudun Mobilistit ry.
Keski-Pohjanmaan Automobiilikerho ry.
Pohjois-Karjalan Automobiilikerho ry.
SA-HK Vakka-Suomen kerho ry
Parkanon Seudun Mobilistit ry.
Etelä-Karjalan Vanhat Ajoneuvot ry.
Jakobstadsnejdens Veteranbilssällskap rf.
Koillis-Savon Wanhojen Ajoneuvojen Harrastajat ry.
Ylä-Savon Mobilistit ja Konepyöräilijät ry.
Kuusamon Seudun Mobilistit ry.
Ikaalisten Seudun Ajoneuvoharrastajat ry.
SAHK member associations engaged in advocacy work
Suomen Mercedes-Benz Klubi ry.
Literature and articles
Mobilian arkisto, Vehoniemen automuseon arkisto, jäsenyhdistysten arkistot: ajoista tehdyt ajojulkaisut, SA-HK Retkeilyajo 1975-, valokuvat, kaitafilmit, videot
Ajetaanpa automobiililla: Suomen automobiili-historiallinen klubi 1959–1989. (1989) SAHK.
Annetaanpa välikaasua: 50 vuotta autohistoriallista osaamista. (2009) SAHK.
Ajetaanpa automobiililla: Suomen automobiili-historiallinen klubi 1959–1989. (1989) SAHK.
Annetaanpa välikaasua: 50 vuotta autohistoriallista osaamista. (2009) SAHK.
SAHK:n Retkeilyajojen uusin ajojulkaisu (julkaistaan ennen ajoa).
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