A vintage car club in Pakistan is preserving history by restoring cars as old as 92 years.
Pakistan’s Vintage and Classic Car Club says the trend of owning classic cars has lately been growing among rich Pakistanis who often take century-old vehicles to rallies and auto car shows to promote the hobby.
The vintage Rolls Royce might be 92-years-old, but it still looks stunning on the streets of Karachi.
The Rolls Royce Silver Ghost now belongs to Karachi-based businessman Karim Chhapra, but was once owned by a prince in India’s Bahawlpur state. It remained in a royal garage for 46 years, but now is enjoying the fresh air and the open road once again.
The car has a special history and India’s last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten, travelled in it besides Pakistan’s father of the nation, Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the country’s birth announcement in 1947.
The Silver Ghost’s owner Chapra says he will never sell the car, but that it should become a family heirloom, passed from generation to generation.
When I drive this car it satisfies me, as this was out of service for the last 46 years. In a way I gave life to this dead car. I have worked hard on this car. I spent more sweat and blood, more than money I spent on giving a new life to this car. There is sense of achievement that I have made and restored this car. When I drive this car I enjoy.
– Karim Chhapra, Karachi-based businessman
Car lovers, mechanics and motor dealers all agree that the restoration’s hardest aspect is getting the rare spare parts for these long since discontinued motors.
Friends traveling abroad are often recruited to bring back car parts and spares from their travels.
Classic cars cost a lot of money to buy, restore and service, but for their passionate owners the price is irrelevant.
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