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On the wheels of nostalgia
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New swanky cars hit the road each day but a few Puducherrians still swear by their vintage vehicles, writes SERENA JOSEPHINE
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PHOTOS: T.SINGARAVELOU
TIMLESS BEAUTY Raja’s 1935 Rover and (above) Sukumar with his 1953 Baby Hindustan
Older the better! No we are not talking about wines. It’s about cars. Though car manufacturers are on an overdrive, unveiling stylish and luxury vehicles, there are a few in the Union Territory who still prefer vintage beauties. They do not mind the high costs involved in restoring and maintaining these classic cars.
Take for instance 55-year-old S. Sukumar, vintage cars are an integral part of his life. Apart from restoring them, he has his own collection of such cars. “I used to work in a cycle store and later joined the Aurobindo Ashram’s auto garage in 1966 and learnt to repair cars. In 1978, I started my own garage ‘Mother India’ in Puducherry,” says Sukumar, who is passionate about giving a new life to old and worn-out vehicles. Two years ago, Sukumar moved to Ariyankuppam to set up Ami Vintage Cars, a popular destination of vintage car collectors. Besides helping customers restore old vehicles, Sukumar keeps adding to his own collection. His collection includes a 1945 Renault, 1945 Citroen, Peugeot 203 (1954) and a 1928 Fiat.
Interestingly, he has trained his four children, two sons and two daughters, in repairing and assembling the cars. “I bought these cars from rich people living in villages. Many of them discarded their cars in bad shape. Each car costs between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 15,000. But you need to spend a few lakhs to restore them. Restoration also calls for lots of time and patience,” he says. So why this fascination for vintage cars and Sukumar quips, “You hardly turn around to take a second look at the many news cars on the road, but will surely stop and stare at a vintage vehicle.” “Many of the classic cars in Puducherry were sold and now find a place in the museum at Mysore.”
Another vintage car lover V.M.P. Raja, an antique furniture dealer, owns six classic cars and wants to add more to his collection. He has a 1935 Rover, 1934 Austin, 1956 Chevrolet, 1940 Baby Austin and a 1937 Morris Miner. “I have already restored the Rover and working on the Austin.” Julian Francis, who owns a 1950 Morris Miner is busy restoring the car’s original look. “The car was manufactured when there was no concept of assembling. It even needs some carpentry work as the interiors are made of wood, and a coat of paint too,” smiles this vintage car enthusiast.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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