A vintage car meet took place at the Peshawar Services Club on Sunday, 8 November 2020. Although it was a limited gathering of about a hundred spectators, the collection of between 30-40 cars was fascinating.
People from various cities and tourists attended the event that was jointly hosted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KP-CTA) and the Classic Land Rover.
The vehicles had been gathered after a two-day-long journey from Islamabad to Peshawar, and the showcasing featured classic Volkswagen Beetles, Mark-7 Classic Minis’, a range of classic Mercedes Benz Sedans, Coupes, Station Wagons, a beautiful green 1967 Ford Mustang Soft-Top, and big American V8 cars including a Red 1957 Chevy Impala, and a 1980s Chevy Caprice. Also displayed were FJ40 Land Cruisers, an MG Midget, and the E39 BMW 5-series among other classic icons.
The car owners were people from different walks of life, with a common love for classic cars. The organizers remarked that this common interest had culminated into the formation of a tight-knit community whose members are always up for a fun time with the vehicles and ready to help each other out.
Two vintage car owners – Abdul Manaan and Imran Khan – were interviewed at the meet to gain insight into their experiences of owning such cars in Pakistan. Abdul Manaan owns a classic Austin Mini and Imran Khan owns an MG Midget convertible.
Here is what they had to say:
Motivation for Buying a Classic Vehicle
Manaan said that he had always been fond of classic cars and Minis in particular. His friend had been the original owner of his Mini, and it had been love at first sight for Manaan, and so he had bought the car from his friend. It is a fun, lightweight car with a 1.3-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine that produces 62 hp which is sent to the front wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission.
Khan’s car has been in his family for over 4 decades since his father bought it in 1976. Growing up with it and the VW Beetle, Khan developed a special bond with the MG Midget. He said that the classic tiny-roadster-look was what had made him fall for the Midget. The Midget is also a lightweight vehicle with a 1.3-liter naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine that produces 60 hp which is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission.
Drivability on Pakistani Roads
Both owners agreed that these cars offer an all-around fantastic driving experience. Khan said that the Midget has a reasonably soft suspension setup from the factory, which gives it a fantastic ride even on bumpy roads, and its soft seats add to the relaxing driving experience.
Manaan said that although the Mini is not as smooth as the Midget, it is a very fun car to drive. He added that it is light, compact, has a short wheelbase, and cuts around corners at fair speeds with great ease.
Both owners said that the compact size of their cars makes them maneuverable and easy to drive on Pakistani roads.
The Benefits of Owning an Iconic Classic Car
When asked about the benefits of vintage cars, both Manaan and Khan admitted that they get a lot of attention on the road while driving their cars but that it can be either fun or irritating depending on their moods. Manaan said that one of the benefits is the fun of the driving and the fact that these cars, being icons of the automotive market, are appreciated in value over time, and serve as a great investment.
Khan said that these cars have their own driving-feel on the road which cannot be replicated in modern cars. Their driving experience, looks, sounds, and ergonomics are completely different from modern cars but in all the right ways.
Both owners said that these cars are more mechanical which is why driving them feels relatively better. The steering got great feedback for allowing the drivers to aptly regulate the steering input around corners. Plus, the throttle response of these cars is comparatively quicker and allows for a lively driving experience, even at modest speeds.
The Challenges of Owning Classis Cars
Both Manaan and Khan concurred that finding the right parts and mechanics for their cars are, by far, the biggest challenges of owning them. Khan added that people often assume that these cars are “a nightmare” to live with because they allegedly often break down. He clarified that if the right parts are installed in them as per the manufacturing company’s instructions, they are as reliable as any other modern car.
Manaan said that if one were to import brand new genuine parts, it would be troublesome because a local mechanic who understands such cars is one in a million Therefore, the owner must also have enough technical and mechanical knowledge to ensure that the mechanic is doing his job right.
Both owners shared the opinion that the owners of classic cars must not make the mistake of locking them up inside garages as hidden treasures because they are meant to be driven around. However, one must be gentle with them while driving and they have to be driven at least once a week to keep them running.
Khan disclosed that reliability issues are common with old British cars because they were specifically made for the British climate. He added that classic German cars like Mercedes or Volkswagens are more successful everywhere because they were manufactured to be used in all sorts of climates.
Maintenance of Vintage Cars
Manaan said that one of his friends who owned a Mini is very familiar with the car and is Manaan’s go-to person for the mandatory periodic maintenance of his car and whenever something goes wrong with it.
Khan teaches himself from Youtube guides and service manuals. He added that he avoids using a wrench on his car himself but guides the mechanic with where the different parts go and how tight the bolts should be.
When asked about their annual car maintenance expenses, the owners chose to remain mum, from which it may be inferred that it is not a cheap affair. Therefore, it is probably safe to assume that the higher the quality of the part, the more expensive it is.
Advice for Novice Vintage Car Owners
Khan said that one should always begin with the simplest classic vehicle and that there is no vintage car more simple and easy to have in Pakistan than the VW Beetle, more popularly called the ‘Foxy’.
He added that a lot of mechanics in Pakistan that are familiar with the Beetle and that there is a huge close-knit community of Beetle Owners that is tremendously helpful. He also said that if one cannot own and maintain a Beetle, then one cannot own any other vintage car.
According to Manaan, regardless of the type of classic vehicle one opts for, modified ones are to be avoided because once a classic vehicle is modified, it loses its value, structural integrity, original performance, driving feel, and character, which make vintage cars so special in the first place. He added that restoring such cars back to their original glory is an impossible feat.
Conclusion
The vintage car culture, although limited in Pakistan, is, nonetheless, wonderful. The community comprises highly-informed, educated, and dignified gentlemen who are very welcoming of opportunities to spread positive messages about the Pakistani vintage car culture. They are also eager for the expansion of their community for the rapid propagation of their message of positivity.
All the community members were appreciative of the event and expressed their desire for more similar events so that more of the general public and the youth, in particular, maybe educated, fascinated, and inclined towards adopting the constructive hobby of admiring and preferably owning special cars in Pakistan.
