The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : The nuts and bolts of a passion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

The nuts and bolts of a passion

Deepa Kurup

– Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Old is gold: A vintage car rally was held in Bangalore on Sunday.

BANGALORE: He sat silently in his wheelchair near his 1927 model red Austin at the Vintage Car Rally organised by the Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club. B.K Sathyan, all of 83 years and voice steeped in veneration, said the car was in an unspeakable condition when he bought it seven years ago and he had spent a fortune on restoring it. His eyes shone with pride as he talked about his labour of love as though the nuts and bolts were blood and nerves.

Such is the enthusiasm and pride in the eyes of the owners of the 60 cars and 15 motorcycles participating in the rally.

As the rally started on Sunday amidst cheer and hurrahs, the car owners said they felt like kings. “My husband spends all our money on these jeeps and this is his special day,” said Shameen, wife of Noor Ahmed, who owns eight such vehicles. He is a car dealer, but will never sell his jeeps for anything in the world. Sitting behind the wheel of his jeep, he said: “It was put together for use in the Second World War, and I found it lying in ruins in Palani. I had to bring it along.”

The rally saw the whole gamut of cars and motorcycles, from snazzy jaguars to the classic Wolseley to strong sturdy Ford Jeeps. Sponsored by the State Bank of India with “cleaner greener Bangalore” as the theme, it marks the closing of the festival home and car loan mela organised on the SBI heritage campus which dates back to 1815 – popularly known as Cubbon House.

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