The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : A classic car for them

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Sunday, Oct 29, 2006
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

A classic car for them

RALLY ENTHUSIASTS: Steve Mc Cullagh and his daughter Michelle at the end of an Ambassador car rally in Kochi on Saturday. - Photo: VipinChandran

Foreigners associate Ambassador cars with classic cars.

For a group of 50 people from the United Kingdom (U.K.), the Ambassador is a classic car (considering its 1950's semblance of the British Morris).

They drove 30 such cars through Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as part of the Ambassador Car Rally organised by Hindustan Motors.

"We drove 1,650 km sans accident," says Steve Mc Cullagh, the captain of the group. He drove an Ambassador, with his daughter Michelle as the navigator. There were 15 women in the group.

The rally, which began in Kozhikode a week ago, concluded in Kochi on Saturday.

Mr. Cullagh shares his experience of the rally - how they negotiated tough and potholed terrains with just a minor breakdown or two. "This would not have been the case had we been in some of the sleek cars.

The cars would not have survived the ordeal. Ambassadors are ideally suited for the tough job of steering through Indian roads."

A participant in many classic-car rallies, it was Mr. Cullagh's idea to organise a rally of Ambassadors without power steering and other add-ons. He approached Marikar Motors, the dealers, and sought the cars for the rally.

After negotiations, the dealers agreed to provide the cars as well as nine mechanics.

The team was quite terrified at the prospect of driving on Indian roads. "We were particularly afraid of heavy vehicles such as buses."

Cameras were mounted on the bonnets of a few cars, to capture road users, the numerous types of vehicles sharing space on narrow roads and the driving habits of the people.

The participants had fun negotiating heavy traffic and rough roads.

Mr. Cullagh instructed the participants not to compete with each other.

"This was because the person who came in last would have the best day.

There was an instance where a woman driver who was addicted to chocolates knocked at the door of a chocolate factory en route. The factory manager took her around the premises and showed how chocolates were made."

One of the team's biggest worries was how to drive the cars up the steep slopes to Ooty. "We were worried that the clutches would wear off. But none of the cars gave us trouble," he says.

Most of the participants own classic cars back home in U.K. Ron Boulton, a participant, says the cars responded well on all types of terrain, despite having no power steering and disc brakes.

"It was surprising that they provided good driving comfort. I don't think the Ambassador is an outdated model. They offer classic charm."

John L. Paul

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