Vintage cars are owners' pride

CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh may not be a city which boasts of a huge collection of vintage cars, but the small group of people who own them make it a point to have them on display during the major events here and some other parts of the country.
    
"Way back in 1993, the first vintage car rally was held here and in 1995 few like-minded people joined hands and formed Vintage and Classic Car Club, Chandigarh," says the Club's founder general secretary, Baljit Singh Manco.
    
The club members display their prized possessions at various exhibitions which include Sunbeam Tablot of 1939, once owned by Nizam of Hyderabad, 1938 make Austin, Citroen, also of 38, besides other cars made before 1950s like Buick, Ford Tourer, a MG and a Chevrolet.
    
Other cars owned by the Club members like Wolseley, Fiat, Mercedes and Hindustan are anywhere between 50-60 years old, informs Manco.
    
"There is great interest among the people, especially among the younger generation who want to know more about these cars," says Manco.
    
The club, in association with Delhi Heritage Motoring Club, organised a rally from Chandigarh to famous hill resort of Kasauli in HP recently.
    
However, the maintenance of these oldies, which are fuel-guzzlers giving an average of just 2-8 kmpl, is a big project in itself.
    
"Restoration and maintenance of these cars is not an easy task. From odd size of tyres to all automotive parts, it's a painstaking process. In north India, there is just one place in Delhi's Jama Masjid area where one may be lucky to get the original spare parts of these cars. Most of other times, we have to source them from friends abroad, where various workshops and clubs deal in such cars exclusively," Club's founder president Brigadier (retd) J S Phoolka says.
    
Phoolka suggests that vintage car owners should "cultivate" their own mechanic so that help can be at hand when need arises.
    
"The problem with many of the present-day mechanics is that they do not have any knowledge about these cars. Many times they will take a short-cut and replace the original part, which can be avoided," he says.
    
The other problem which these vintage lovers have to face is that re-registration of these cars is not done by authorities concerned.
    
"Registration and insurance of these vehicles is a big problem. The registration and licensing authority does not issue registration certificates for these cars as these are very old.
    
Had it not been for the policemen and traffic personnel, who show courtesy, our vehicles can be impounded any moment," says Capt C S Vohra, who owns 1939 model Sunbeam.
    
"Everybody will have to appreciate that these cars are not going to be re-made. Our job does not end in just owning them, but we are also making an effort to pass on some knowledge and create awareness among the people, especially the younger generation," says Vohra.