When people make plans for the perfect Sunday, it’s usually a casual laid back affair at
home. Recently, however, a group of Goans have chosen to give a new definition
to the perfect Sunday. They do not spend their afternoons at home, but rather,
they take one of their most cherished assets, that’s parked at their respective
houses, out for a day in the sun.
Enjoying the light breeze on their face on
a long drive, these set of Goans take a trip down the memory lane as their
journeys are filled with nostalgia, camaraderie and a sense of adventure.
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And if you think these kind of activities
are limited to just a bunch of old folk taking their vintage and classic cars
out for a spin, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. This group that consists of
members as young as 26 years old; was formed after Dheep Caldeira from Moira
and Ryan Braganca from Mapusa, who got the idea of putting together an active
classic car club.
“We realised that Goa is a treasure trove
of old cars – many just rusting away or parked in garages. Getting this current
generation to learn, love and appreciate these cars can go a long way in
preserving them for the future. Also, this is an active driving club, inspired
by the Sunday drives done in Bombay and Bangalore. Just driving these cars
regularly, go a long way in keeping them in good health,” says Ryan.
Nathan Fernandez, another member of the
group pointed out that through these rides, the group hopes to motivate others
who own such beauties, to fix their cars and get them on the road.
Acknowledging that many of these cars can
be difficult to maintain, the group is always ready to provide assistance
through their network, be it with information such as tips on how they can
repair their vehicles or where they can procure spare parts from. Besides, some
of the members of the group have done the maintenance of their vehicles on
their own so it’s safe to say that these cars are in safe hands.
“Ryan, Lysander and Reuben are very hands on and technically
sound and always help us out when it comes to any mechanical issues with our
cars,” adds Nathan. Some of the car models they have are the Mercedes Benz W123
( sedan and station wagon ), Volkswagen Notchback , VW Beetle, Morris Minor ,
Morris Mini , Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Nova, and the Volvo 144.
“We also helped organise the Vintage Car and Bike Rally done by
GTDC earlier. It was after this that we decided to have these car rides so as
to encourage others to drive their cars and thus keep them in good mechanical
condition” says Dheep
“The enthusiasm caught up from the time GTDC organised the
Vintage Bike and Car Festival, wherein there were bikes and cars dating back
from 1921 to 1970,” adds Rui Costa Araujo.
One man, who knows the ins and outs of keeping old cars in
running condition, as well as the ins and outs of organising vintage car
rallies, is none other than Pradeep Naik, proprietor of Ashvek Vintage World in
Nuvem. With its refurbished look and astounding collection of rare vehicles,
Pradeep, who was present for the recent Vintage car rally held in Mumbai; has
added a few more gems to the plethora of cars on display at his one of its kind
museum. For instance, Goans and tourists now have the opportunity to see his
latest addition, the Benz Motorwagen 1886 model working replica.
“If you have that passion and admiration for these type of old
cars, you will understand how thrilling it is to watch these marvellous
vehicles in action. You learn about the various aspects of the world class
engineering involved, how and where these cars were made and the legends behind
them. To get them back into shape is another joy to watch and to finally drive
them is an amazing feeling, “said Pradeep.
At the Ashvek Vintage World gallery, the first thing that
strikes you is that the place conjures up an aura of the grandeur of a bygone
era. The place is dedicated to restoring and preserving classics of yore. These
beauties have been reconditioned painstakingly from scrap. Such cars are just
dust for some, but they are worth their weight in gold for Pradeep.
Discussing about how there are a lot of vintage cars that are
lying in a dilapidated condition, Nathan observed that this happens as
sometimes the cars are difficult to maintain and a lot of times the younger
generation is not interested in the upkeep as they have moved on to modern
automobiles. “On the other hand there are those, who own these but just keep it
at home as a show car. They don’t maintain them but also don’t want to sell
them off as they consider it part of their family heritage,” adds Nathan. Rui
pointed out that at the beginning, he did not think too much about the car, as
the challenge of maintaining the Peugeot 403 Model 1960 seemed daunting. But
after finally taking care of it, he felt it was definitely worth the trouble.
“When you take these cars around you can bring back memories of yester years
and relive nostalgia. It’s a great feeling when we all go on in a cortege on
our Sunday drives,” adds Rui.
While Rui recently joined the group at their drive at Bogmalo,
the group has also covered Old Goa, Divar, Siridao & St Jacinto and Morjim.
The group that has members from Margao, Benaulim, Chicalim, Panjim, Mapusa,
Moira and other places, meets twice every month and drive to a new place every
time.
“The drives are designed around a 3 point idea of driving
pleasure, support and fellowship. We do drives along scenic routes all across
Goa which take us across varied terrain. And we make sure, we end our drives at
a good restaurant where we bond over a good breakfast or lunch.” quipped Nathan.
What adds some warmth to these casual social gatherings is when
the members bring their families along, ensuring that everyone is having a good
time as well as inculcating the habit to enjoy, maintain and preserve these
cars from a very young age.
The difference in age between the members of the group makes for
great conversations during these rides, as the senior members reminisce about
the stories of the cars and the good old days.
“It’s great because we have some really passionate people on
board. This also gives us a chance to share our experiences and guide each
other on how best to take care of their vehicles, adds Dheep.
“The younger members have gone to the extent of making a
database of cars and their past and present owners, along with where they have
been spotted. And everyone keeps their eyes open when they spot a classic on
the road and we make sure we invite the owner to our next drive,” added Nathan.
On
a different note, car aficionados in Goa will get a chance to check these
beloved antiques at the next GTDC Vintage Car and Bike Festival, that will be
held in April at Inox Courtyard Panjim. This event will be curated by Ashvek
Vintage World, supported by the Vintage & Classic Car Club of India and
will give a chance for this Goan tribe of vintage car lovers to grow.
