[h14]

I'm back again to bore you all with yet another trip log to Valparai. Rest assured, this will be a short photologue without pondering much about the location.

I'm sure there ain't many who get tired of visiting Valparai. This drive was completely different for me as this was my maiden drive there on a classic car. I have done Ooty on numerous occasions in various classics, but this was my first opportunity to hit Valparai in my SS.

This drive was entirely planned and driven by Naveen and Dr.Kannan. They had done two other (Cochin & Yercaud) classic FIAT drives before this and unfortunately I was not able to be part of them.

When they planned the 3rd one, I badly wanted to go. Initial dates were mid of the week and I was sad that I'm missing out once again, but somehow the dates got changed to Jan 27, 28 and it was now sure that I'm definitely joining them.

Day 1:

There was not much planning done. It was Dr.Kannan and myself from Coimbatore and others would join us en-route Pollachi. We decided to start around 7:30 am from Coimbatore and were pretty much on time.

I had to pick up Naveen's mechanic from Ukkadam while Dr.Kannan would join us there with his mech.

Waiting for Dr.Kannan at Ukkadam



The meeting points changed continuously and the other three cars joined us in Kinathukadavu. We then proceeded further to Pollachi which was the first official stop for breakfast.

The drive from Coimbatore to Pollachi was a forgettable one. It was very depressing to drive that stretch. The road widening works were in progress and all those huge trees were being cut down. It was sad and sickening

Made it to Pollachi amidst the tree felling madness all over and lined up at Grand Cafe for breakfast. It took an eternity to get all the 8 guys into the hotel to eat. All of us were equally busy in checking out each others cars and of course clicking pictures.

At the Grand Cafe



The food was good. The location is apt for anyone travelling this side and there is ample space to park.

Next stop was at Aliyar. It was more of a re-grouping and we proceeded towards the check post.



It was with mixed thoughts we decided to take all the 5 cars together to the check-post. There have been instances where they have questioned us when we went as groups. But this time, there was no issues at all and they let us pass without any question.

Few kms uphill and we started to feel the heat! The heat from the engine that is. The real face of the Valparai ghats was evident only now. Ooty/Kotagiri are all breezy climbs when compared to this for the Classics and it was testing times.

Almost all the cars (except Dr.Kannan's mille) had the temperatures soaring and hence we had numerous unplanned stops en-route.









Then it was my turn to stop near Loam's View. Coolant temperature was very close to boiling point.





Next planned stop was at Waterfall. What is a drive to Valparai without the customary tea stop here!







Further uphill and near the NEPC tea garden, we stopped to get a feel of the heavy mist that was spreading. For once in this drive we had a stop when the radiators were cool.







Post this point it was downhill drive and we made it comfortably to Valparai. Just as we enter the town, it started raining. It was as though the rain gods were waiting for us to reach the destination to come down

Checked out the place we had booked and we were not comfortable on the parking area. So decided to lookout for other options and headed to lunch. Post an elaborate lunch we headed to re-fuel as the we had to head back out of Valparai towards Rottikadai to our place of stay.

Such locations for a fuel pump? Not many in the Country I suppose!



We reach there and the FIAT's had to do some sort of off-roading or rather rock climbing to reach. Either-ways, it was not harsh for the cars and so reached safely and retired to the rooms.

[h14]

Day 2

Up and ready for the drive back home! (That's me in the FIAT tee alongside Dr.Kannan)



The parking lot





Some random clicks en-route







Let me introduce the cars!

The car that turned every eye on the road. Dr.Kannan's 1955 mille.


Naveen's 1959 Select


Prakash's Super Select


Abhinandhan's Delight


My 1962 Super Select


At Waterfall Estate Road















The entire team



Post the stop at Waterfall, we headed direct to Taj Biriyani at Sungam and from there on headed back home with wonderful memories and with some ambitious plans for the next drive!

[h14]

Couple of Videos we shot:

This was the road from the home stay we occupied.

https://youtu.be/jMU12hjzV8U

This was in one off the 40 hair pin bends (boost up the volume to feel the exhaust and the Jalwa's)

https://youtu.be/MiY7U9_6sfU

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Classic Car Section. Thanks for sharing!

[abhii176]

What a wonderful travelogue h14!!! Loved the pics as well, its such a sight seeing these 5 beauties on the road! Am sure you must've turned a lot of heads throughout your drive.
All the cars look in pristine condition, hats off to all of you for maintaining such beautiful rides!

[mallumowgli]

Nice trip you have had there. Cars are just wonderful. Thanks for sharing - nice write up

[Aslamjaffer]

That’s brilliancy shown in the photography. A set of well-kept gleaming beauties these are.

Nice travelogue all together.

Wishing you more such pleasant drives.

Thanks
Jaffer

[APV]

Wonderful photologue H14. Looks like you had great time driving classics.

OT: Every time I am amused you find comfortable parking space & also click pictures between Ukkadam & Athupalam. Lucky you.
If I remember right, You had a break down further ahead when you were heading to Walayar on one of your earlier trips.

Prabu

[shankar.balan]

Lovely classic cars and lovely photos.

My Dad was a Tea Planter in Valparai and Munnar in the 1960's-1970's.
Rottikadai had a movie theatre of the same name, owned by a friend of my Dad's.

Dad had a Fiat 1100 1969 Model which was the car in the house when I was born and my Uncle had a Fiat 1100 1966 Model which lived partially in Madras, Calcutta and even in Assam on the Tea Estates there.

And my Grand Uncle had the old Millicento with the forward opening Front Doors, which lived in Madras.

At the time we sold these and moved to "newer" cars, we never ever though that these would be considered classics one day. They were just so common!

Now, every time I watch the opening sequences of movies like "Come September" and "Roman Holiday" and see those beautiful cars of the 1950's and 1960's moving about the streets of those lovely towns in Italy, I get a pang.

This thread now, is pure nostalgia and gives me the same pang.

As a kid I have gone up and down so many times in our old Fiat and later the Amby and the Mahindra CJ500 Jeeps and so on, on the self same roads that you've pictured so well!

[h14]

Originally Posted by abhii176

What a wonderful travelogue h14!!! Loved the pics as well, its such a sight seeing these 5 beauties on the road! Am sure you must've turned a lot of heads throughout your drive.
All the cars look in pristine condition, hats off to all of you for maintaining such beautiful rides!

Thanks abhii176. Yes, we did turn a lot of heads. What was amusing is that whenever we took a break, 4 out of 5 cars crossing us would stop by and click pictures of themselves with the FIAT's. Some even requested us to stop so that they can have a look at the cars

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Nice trip you have had there. Cars are just wonderful. Thanks for sharing - nice write up

Thanks mallumowgli!

Originally Posted by Aslamjaffer

That’s brilliancy shown in the photography. A set of well-kept gleaming beauties these are.

Nice travelogue all together.

Wishing you more such pleasant drives.

Thanks
Jaffer

Thanks Jaffer! When is your travelogue coming up? Thought you would compile one after the vagamon drive

Originally Posted by APV

Wonderful photologue H14. Looks like you had great time driving classics.

OT: Every time I am amused you find comfortable parking space & also click pictures between Ukkadam & Athupalam. Lucky you.
If I remember right, You had a break down further ahead when you were heading to Walayar on one of your earlier trips.

Prabu

Thanks APV. Early morning the Ukkadam area is completely different!

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Lovely classic cars and lovely photos.

My Dad was a Tea Planter in Valparai and Munnar in the 1960's-1970's.
Rottikadai had a movie theatre of the same name, owned by a friend of my Dad's.

Dad had a Fiat 1100 1969 Model which was the car in the house when I was born and my Uncle had a Fiat 1100 1966 Model which lived partially in Madras, Calcutta and even in Assam on the Tea Estates there.

And my Grand Uncle had the old Millicento with the forward opening Front Doors, which lived in Madras.

At the time we sold these and moved to "newer" cars, we never ever though that these would be considered classics one day. They were just so common!

Now, every time I watch the opening sequences of movies like "Come September" and "Roman Holiday" and see those beautiful cars of the 1950's and 1960's moving about the streets of those lovely towns in Italy, I get a pang.

This thread now, is pure nostalgia and gives me the same pang.

As a kid I have gone up and down so many times in our old Fiat and later the Amby and the Mahindra CJ500 Jeeps and so on, on the self same roads that you've pictured so well!

Thanks Shankar! Glad to know the log brought back some good memories to you.

[boeuff]

Lovely hill climb. Great pictures and very inspiring.

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by abhii176

What a wonderful travelogue h14!!! Loved the pics as well, its such a sight seeing these 5 beauties on the road! Am sure you must've turned a lot of heads throughout your drive.
All the cars look in pristine condition, hats off to all of you for maintaining such beautiful rides!

Yes sir they did turn heads. One of it was mine, I was going up hill when suddenly I see 3-4 Fiats coming down, now I realize who it was. Wonderful cars, maintained very well.

[Aslamjaffer]

Originally Posted by h14

Thanks Jaffer! When is your travelogue coming up? Thought you would compile one after the vagamon drive
.

Will surely write one sir. Unfortunately lost my phone (please keep the group posted) which had the major pictures of the trip.

Will have to compile one with what was taken using the other gadgets that i carried.

Thanks
Jaffer

[sknglobal]

Awesome post, really got nostalgic seeing all the Fiat's. It really refreshed my memory of our old ride which was our first car back in 80's. Brakes, steering, windows nothing were powered, and not even air conditioned, but we never bothered and I virtually learnt the art of driving in our good old and memorable Fiat (Premier Padmini).

It is really commendable to see you guys driving these beauties out in the open in this era of cars loaded with high-tech gizmos. Big thumbs-up for maintaining such icons in pristine condition. Really liked the petrol pump photo with the cars. Thanks so much