Tips for picking up a classy vintage car for those with a deep passion

The last word in heritage and the ultimate status symbol, automobile antiques change hands in a close-knit market with huge entry, though not necessarily insurmountable barriers

For Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur, it’s his MG TC 1946 that remains the favoured mode of transport within the City Palace. Calling it “a delightful gem of a four-cylinder open two-seater” that he began driving sometime in the 1970s, he says, “it is a compact, powerful car which I have driven on the roads, especially in the days I used to play cricket and visited the polo-fields regularly. Being an open two-seater, it is a delight to drive under the open skies.” Parked in the mornings at his private residence in Udaipur, the Shambhu Niwas Palace, this car was the first in the line of sports cars introduced by MG in the 1940s and carries the official parking sign of the MG. For Shriji, the vintage and classic car collection is yet another facet of the 'living heritage of Mewar'. Says he: "These are not just automobiles on wheels; they are an integral part of our history.” 

All the vehicles that belonged to the Maharanas of Mewar, have been painstakingly restored, some over seventy years old but still in working order. The collection is housed in the original former Mewar State Motor Garage, where one of the first Shell petrol pumps sells fuel to this day. The motor garage itself was built at a time when the only cars in town belonged to the Mewar State Motor Garage and the present-day surroundings make it as wonderfully stylish as it would have been decades back.

A heritage well preserved

Vintage cars are part of India’s legacy, with Indian royalty being the primary custodians, though other groups such as industrialist families and the Parsi community have been equally passionate. Take the case of young Neville Tata, the 21-year-old son of Jimmy Tata and great great grandson of Jamshedji Tata who says, "We select our cars very carefully. I wouldn’t say we are collectors as we don’t collect per se, but this is a deeply personal and individual process. Cars have been a passion ever since I was a child and my current car was modelled off a set of hot wheels I got interested in when I was three. It was a cultural icon of its time, and pioneer in terms of technology.” 

His other favourite is Jaguar Hetich. He confesses how, despite logistics being a pain point, he takes his car out every night. “Everything from parking to maintenance is an issue. Plus the car keeps breaking down all the time. While some parts are easy to find, like in the case of the Impala model, for some other cars it’s more of a headache as parts are rare.” His uncle, Riyaz Mama, says the only time he takes it on road is Sunday mornings when the Mumbai roads are nearly deserted. He loves to drive down to some Parsi cafes, have brunch with family and ride back. “In Mumbai, you can still drive a vintage on the road, but in Delhi you can’t afford the luxury of doing so as any car over 15 years is not allowed on the roads. A friend who stays in a Delhi farmhouse only ends up driving in his farm or to local events.” 

Take a look at these Classic Volkswagen class cars parked in a line single file. These Volkswagen cars are from 1950s-1960s and could be valued anywhere from Rs 15-35 lakh

Driving your jalopy

According to Diljeet Titus, Managing Partner Titus & Co, Advocates  and Founder, The Titus Museum, “The Heritage Motoring Club of India, of which I am the General Secretary,  had previously obtained a specific blanket exemption from the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal by an Order dated December 18, 2017, allowing these automobiles to be used on the roads in NCR for specific purposes. The proposed Regulations of the Ministry of Road Transport have expanded the permitted uses to include exhibitions, shows, rallies, events, meets, maintenance, cinematographic events, historical and research purposes, weddings and ceremonies.”

Vintage cars will optionally have a new registration number. "All vintage four- and two-wheelers made at least 50 years ago will be registered with a specially allotted alphabet series applicable all over India - “VA”, that is, vintage automobile," says Titus. This will be pursuant to a Notified Order from the Ministry of Road Transport, expected shortly. On the basis of the new regulations, the principal RTO in the capital of each State or UT will now register or re-register autos more than 50 years old, for those who apply.

Vintage rallies

Vintage car rallies are a perfect time for people to take out their cars. A regular organiser of such shows is Madan Mohan, managing trustee, 21 Gun Salute Heritage and Cultural Trust, who owns 363 cars, 43 jeeps, 100 buses and trucks, 109 bikes – all stocked at Gurugram. Says Madan Mohan: “There is a classification of old cars based on which year they belong to - veteran cars (1886-1908), Edwardian (1909-1919), Vintage (1920-1949), Classic (1950-1965) and Modern (1966-1975).”

He recently organised the 9th edition of the 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally & Concours d’Elegance at Karma Lakelands Golf Course, NH-8 Gurugram. International beauties like the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster from the US, 1939 Buick Roadmaster Convertible Sedan, Model 81C from USA, 1936 Rolls Royce 25/30 from Canada, 1951 Bentley MK VI Freestone & Webb from Germany featured here, along with the 1938 Bentley owned by the Maharaja of Darbhanga, 1938 Bentley (Maharaja of Bhopal), 1966 Jaguar E-Type, and 1959 Chevrolet Impala. The concourse welcomed several royal families of the ex-princely state of India, including royal family members from Rajkot, Karauli, Rajpipla, Mansa, Dungarpur, Wankaner, Tehri-Garhwal, and Badnore.

“Pink, mint green, red, shades of blue – I don’t think we can imagine getting these colours today, even if we want them. These cars are head turners,” says Aashna Khurana, Creative Director at Karma Lakelands. “These are just pieces of art sculpted in a certain way. Back in the day, cars had just so much character.”

The winner of the first prize in this car rally was Ranjit Pratap, MD Rayalacorp Chennai, for his 1957 Studebaker. He talks about how he just grew up with different models of cars in his house as his grandfather was one of the biggest dealers and importers of American, British and French cars. Ironically, neither his father nor his son have had interest in old cars and the son “just feels old cars are scrap.” He adds that it is so difficult to restore a car that you need to have sheer passion and do it all from the heart. And what do the judges look for when evaluating the best car in a vintage car rally? Most winners say they look for perfection in all aspects – engine, undercarriage, body work, upholstery, interior and also the electric cables – minutest details of car and spend a minimum of thirty minutes on each car. Says Ranjit Pratap: “They even see the history and pictures of the car as it was before and how it has been done up.” One of the first runners-up, Pavit Libra whose Ford Mustang got a prize says judges look at everything, including the rims, for originality. Not all the cars made in the same year have parts from that year.”

This beauty in maroon is part of a legacy as it is a post-war American class. This 1947 Ford could be worth 20 lakh

Buying a set of wheels 

This is a closed market circuit and normally outsiders aren't privy to information about who is selling a car. They just sell their car, like they do, in a private sale. But some of the well-established markets such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi seem to have a good ecosystem.

Valuation 

These cars are valued on the basis of the Marque (make and model), body style, rarity, coachbuilder, provenance, and restoration quality. Valuation also depends a lot on maintenance and upkeep. Titus gives an idea of what restoration of an old car is all about. “A full-body off restoration, including overhauling the mechanicals, parts replacement, chrome plating, rewiring, new upholstery, bodywork and painting, new glasses, soundproofing, weatherstripping and rubbers, new tires, finishing and detailing could actually cost anywhere between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, depending on the level of restoration and type of car.” Then there is preventive maintenance such as oil changes, radiator cleaning, fuel tank cleaning, brakes servicing, oiling and greasing, battery charging and keeping away rodents from eating into the upholstery.

Car	Model	Current market price (Rs)
Austin Twelve 2 Door 1660 cc	1928	11,00,000
Vauxhall J	1939	45,00,000
Ford Super Model Deluxe	1946	25,00,000
Morris 8 series 800 cc	1948	45,00,000
Hillman Minx Series V 4 Door	1950	29,00,000
Chevrolet Biscayne Hard Top

1958  14,50,000

HM Ambassador Classic Nova Diesel 

1962 90,000 Austin Cambridge  1964  4,90,000 Willys Motor Willys M38  1972  3,51,000 Willys Motor Willys M38  1980  1,70,000 Source: Droom Car

Car category	Time Period
Veteran	1886-1908
Edwardian	1909-1919
Vintage	1920-1949
Classic	1950-1965
Modern	1966-1975
Source: 21 Gun Salute Heritage and Cultural Trust