1939 Chevrolet Fangio Coupe: Father–son misunderstanding

When my son Tim and I signed up for the Peking to Paris 2024 rally as a father-son team, I never anticipated how this grueling journey could test our bond. At 66, with my spectacles perched on my nose, my primary focus was reaching Paris in one piece. Having already experienced the 2019 rally, I knew that survival hinged on keeping the car in top condition. On the other hand, 32-year-old Tim, a sportsman by nature, was all about precision and speed, determined to hit every regularity with clockwork accuracy.

Before one particularly challenging regularity, I skimmed through the road book and noticed the upcoming stage was riddled with potholes. Concerned, I told Tim that I'd take the wheel while he navigated. I could sense his annoyance but pressed on. After the stage, I offered to switch roles back, but Tim, clearly frustrated, asked if I didn’t trust him or feared he’d damage our beloved Fangio.

His question took me by surprise, and I had to clarify—my issue wasn’t with his driving, but with my own ability to read the road book under stress. The misunderstanding was brief, but it underscored the tension that can arise between a father and son in such high-stakes circumstances.

Later in the rally, as we neared Genoa, our engine suddenly lost power, forcing us to stop and diagnose the problem. After checking everything—plugs, valve clearance, fuel pump, carburetor—we were stumped. Realizing we wouldn’t make it to the finish on time that day dampened our spirits; we had been performing well until that point.

Driving on with minimal power, we reached a single-lane tunnel in a construction zone where the engine died completely. Behind us, trucks honking their horns, but luck was on our side—the Peking to Paris mechanics were right behind us! They towed us to the nearest rest stop, where we discovered the ignition distributor had come loose. One loose screw and we were out of the race. It can happen that quickly! Late in the evening, with the generous help and good ears of Manuel Dubs and Chris Dillier, we were able to adjust the ignition distributor perfectly again. The Fangio was running better than ever, straight to Paris!

Story by Christopher & Tim Oechsle