Ravi Speaks:-
ARTICLE UPDATED ON 03.07.2022.
My Visit To Vintage Car Museum In
Ahmedabad
On 03.07.2021.
After a long time, I could get some time to visit my sister in Ahmedabad along with my whole family members. This was possible only after there was some improvement in the Covid restrictions imposed and the easing out period given to lift off the Lockdown conditions and other restrictions, which were strictly imposed after the second wave of havoc. Yesterday we all could get some time to move around and we went to the known “Vintage Car Collection Museum-Centre in Ahmedabad-which was at the East Sardar Patel Ring Road- Kathwada-Ahmedabad. It took hardly around 45 minutes from my sister’s place in the Satellite area of the city.
We reached there at around 2.45 PM and it was boiling-hot. There were no possibilities of any rains or even the cool breeze was not blowing around that area. There was one more family of around five people in the Museum and that was fairly good since the number of people was less. Second, after the tickets were taken we realized one more thing: that there was a lot of time with nobody’s influence of making it fast.
So we started seeing the unique collection of vehicles ranging from the 1890s till even the beginning of the twentieth century. Before we could ask for any clarification, we simply wanted to know the difference between vintage, Classic, and Unique cars from the guide there. Suddenly, my brother-in-law showed me the tickets on the back of each ticket. The details about these three words were written and explained in a layperson’s language.
A vintage car is usually termed as any car which is quite old and is in working condition now. But technically, for most car enthusiasts, a car which is made from 1919 to 1930 is known as a Vintage Car. It may or may not be restored but is in working condition. Vintage is a term applied to “things” that are identified by the year of their birth, production, or manufacture. Likewise, when we talk of Wines- Wines that are made from a consistent variety from a known region are identified by their year of harvest and production. This encompasses the weather of said harvest year which affects the quantity and quality of the grapes used to produce wine. So, a Tokay wine of the vintage 1998 may be superior in quality to a Tokay wine of 1999 because of lower rainfall causing sweeter grapes.
It is the same for vehicles. The same Alfa Romeo model Disco Volante from 1963 may be superior to the 1964 model because of changes to the design or manufacturing process. The original Datsun 240Zs of 1971 and 1972 “vintages” are much superior to later models because they did not have performance-sucking emissions controls.
We often mistake classic cars, vintage cars, and antique cars to be the same. But in reality, there are certain differences between the three. Their definitions often overlap with each other to some extent and thus it gives rise to a lot of confusion. Their definitions have a different approach from different guidelines. The following discussion will throw some light on each of the cars.
Classic cars: Sometimes, classic cars and antique cars are put under the same tag by definition. But there is a thin line that separates them. Cars that lie somewhere within the range of 20 and 40 years of age are defined as classic cars. Classic cars are expected to be kept as close as possible to the stock manufacturer’s design and specifications. The cars suffer from a significant loss of value if they are changed. The same is applicable even with engine modifications, stock accessory replacement, and paint jobs. Not just that, a car might lose its standing as a classic car in case it undergoes too many modifications.
Another guideline suggests cars built before 1925 cannot be classic cars. Classic cars can include convertibles, muscle cars, sports cars, etc.
Antique cars: The definition of antique cars might differ from guideline to guideline. One of the most widely accepted guidelines for defining antique cars is that the car should be over 45 years old. Like classic cars, antique cars are also to be kept close to the original production model, both in terms of technical and cosmetic features. But that also signifies that the owners might have to place a special order for parts and spares, to keep the car running. An antique vehicle ranges from a car, truck, or motorcycle, to even a farm tractor.
Vintage cars:
Vintage cars and antique cars have overlapping definitions. Some vintage cars might qualify as antiques, but not all. Just like classic cars and antique cars, the definition of vintage cars also differs from guideline to guideline. One guideline defines vintage cars as cars that were built between the period of 1919 and 1930. Whereas, some consider the period to be 1919 to 1925. However, unlike antique cars and classic cars, vintage cars do not lose their value in case they are changed. Alterations made to the design or engine specifications do not make them any less of a vintage vehicle. Customized cars, street rods, and exotic cars fall under this category.
So, we were very much amused to see how the people in the “Auto World Vintage Car Museum-Ahmedabad” were maintaining every unique piece of vintage so carefully that after every ten-fifteen minutes, I saw the man assigned to the particular vintage piece trying his utmost to keep the same piece as beautiful as it was brought and kept there.
We were told that there was a unique collection of 112 vehicles inside the total arena -which included some of the two-wheelers of that time as well. I could find a collection of vehicles mainly Rolls Royce, Bentley, Fiat, Chrysler of the USA, and also jaguar-like models of a long time ago era. My daughter was busy taking the snaps of these unique pieces and we could get some of the good snaps of this vintage material as well. The vintage pieces of the era before 1930 were quite a few and we liked the unique collection of the same.
On asking from their people, we came to know about one unique thing at that was the display of some of the finest vehicles of that time which were sold by the concerned king to the authorities or even in the bidding. These vehicles were marked with the Red name of the state-the royal head who would either sell the vehicle or even gift it to the achievers of those times as a mark of respect and recognition for their achievements. There were even pieces as old as 1890 and even one huge Truck like structure which was an ambulance of those old days-a rare sight for the present generation.
We finished the whole museum segment after visiting all the fronts within almost an hour and we liked the sight of such a classic collection as normally we don’t find such displays in various celebrations or even in exhibitions of such sort. We came to know about two very interesting facts about this museum. One that it conducts a vintage rally every year in Ahmedabad-which is a special treat to be watched. Second, all the vehicles bigger or smaller were kept in a functioning condition, no matter how much old they are. For this, a lot of money and maintenance are naturally being done for these vehicles. I realized the ticket kept for the same per head was a paltry sum which, according to m would not be sufficient for the overall maintenance of the complete collection in the museum. I have spent almost three decades in Delhi and had heard of such vintage rallies some ten years back-which was conducted from President’s enclave to an old walled city near Redford via the areas of Rajpath and so on-but of late nothing of such sort has been done in the capital.
Would strongly suggest my friends have a visit to such a place and you would enjoy the very sight of such wonderful vintage specimens in the functioning state. Those of you who are even interested in driving such classic /Vintage vehicles on some additional payments, you can do that as well and have the real feel of the times bygone-where the technical know-how had since started making the news.
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