HYDERABAD: It was indeed a magical evening at Taj Falaknuma on Saturday as a group of vintage car enthusiasts, on their way from Coimbatore to Bombay, showcased their cars at the backdrop of the palace during their halt in Hyderabad.
On display were cars such as Mercedes 220s & Studebaker(1957), Buick (1949), Rolls Royce (1936), Mercedes 250 SL , Buick 8 (1941) Chevrolet (1937), Belair Convertible (1957), Belair (1961), Mercedes 250 SW108, Morris (1948) Volkswagen Camper Van among others.
The group of 12 Mumbai-based car enthusiasts, who were on a road trip from Coimbatore are now heading towards Mumbai, with Sholapur as their next halt. This is their second road trip after the group toured Jaipur last year. Sharing their experiences in driving long distance in a vintage car, Sangram Shirke, who owns a 1978 Volkswagen Westfalia Camper-van said that it was indeed a fulfilling encounter. “Normally, we do not get an opportunity to ride our cars for shorter distances. However, it feels really good to take the car out on long distances as we do not get to do otherwise,” he expressed.
Speaking about the kind of attention they get from the people around, Sangram said, “It feels like we are the special attraction. Many a times, we got pulled over by the police only because they wanted to check out our car.”
While having a vintage car seems all too glamorous from the outside, it does take a certain amount of pain to maintain it, according to Sangram. “It is a little too risky to go on a long ride with a vintage car, as not many mechanics do not have the spare parts for our cars. Hence, whatever the repair might be, we do it on our own. We do order the parts through Internet where they are readily available, though a little bit expensive,” he explained, further adding, “having a basic knowledge about the car is must.”