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The vintage charm

new company Monica Bedi with K.T.S Tulsi (left) and Diljeet Titus (extreme right)

Vintage and Classic beauties lined up the roads from Gurgaon to Pataudi, as seasoned motor enthusiasts participated in a car rally sponsored by Heritage Motoring Club Of India (HMCI), Covering a distance of 50 kms, the rally took them from Gurgaon to the palace of Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi in Pataudi.

The rally was flagged off by another beauty, Monica Bedi, who looked quite stunning while admiring the old beauties. She even tried her hand at a 1963 model Sunbeam Alpine owned by Diljeet Titus, General Secretary, HMCI. The morning showers deprived everyone of many of the topless (convertible) beauties as the owners preferred to stay indoors.

Among the cars was a 1947 model Buick Super Eight owned by K.T.S. Tulsi, President, HMCI. He drove it himself with Monica sitting by his side. The car with an eight cylinder petrol engine was powerful enough to run at 100 km per hour. Tulsi said, “We are trying to preserve history by restoring these cars. It is a great challenge as these cars can break at any moment, so we have a team of mechanics with us all along the rally.”

Another car, a 1966 model Buick Skylark convertible is one of its kind in the country. As its owner Ashok Gupta said, it has got everything power assisted, even the hood of the car is operated by a switch. Another participant Maneesh Mansingha brought a 1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster. Incidentally, Manish won the Haig car rally in 2007.

The biggest collector of these masterpieces in Delhi Diljeet Titus who has his own museum in his farm house with nearly 70 cars of his own, drove this journalist to Pataudi Palace in his Buick Super Eight. The car with its beautiful interiors has a very good pickup and a smooth drive which cannot be found in some of the modern day limos.

With a height of 6 feet, there was a space of about a foot between my legs and the front seat. The ride gave a princely feeling. All these cars are petrol driven and are petrol drinkers, giving an average of two-three kms for a litre.

Most of the cars were without turn indicators, brake lights and even seat belts. Titus tells, “In the Motor Vehicle Act they are exempted from all these as they are not meant for daily driving, these are only for show or rally purpose.”

The show stealer was a 1959 model Cadillac, which may be the longest four door car, owned by Titus. To compliment the size, the car has a 5600 CC 8 cylinder engine too big for a car. This car will be featuring at the Cartier Travel Show Concours in Mumbai to be held on 1st and 2nd November. The event will be the first Vintage and Classic car festival in India where this Cadillac will be taken on a truck.

Cars classified

Vintage cars are the ones manufactured on or before 31st of December 1939. Cars manufactured from 1st January 1940 to 31st December 1969 are called classic cars.

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