| Great Personalites of Vintage Cars restoration projects
I wish to share interesting articles about people who had dedicated
their efforts in restoring Vintage & Classic cars in India. I am sure
our friends in Team BHP will add more valueable information to it.
Here is one article about Mr. K. C. Aswanth, read in Hindu newspaper:
DRIVEN BY PASSION:
[IMG]file:///D:/My folders/Folder_E/Zameer/B_cabinet/personal/My Personal/vcars1/Austin Cars folder/Austin_7/Austin7_Aswath_bangalore/The Hindu Driven by passion_files/ 2003080401190101.jpg[/IMG]
AT THE recent Ford Centenary in the City, a 73-year-old man embraced (well, as much as he could) a 1915 Model T and planted a kiss on its gleaming bonnet. Kalburgi C. Aswath was not merely moved to tears to see, for the first time in India in many, many years, a Model T in working condition, but was also overwhelmed because the car was once in his charge.
A decade ago, C. Ravi Kumar, a Bangalorean, had bought the antique car from an authority on vintage and classic cars, Manvinder Singh of Indore, who in turn had stumbled upon the gem in Nagaland. Mr. Aswath, founder member of the Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club, was entrusted by Mr. Ravi Kumar with the responsibility of restoring it to working condition. Even with his expertise and track record, the task was challenging and for nearly a decade, Mr. Aswath lovingly set about getting the jalopy to purr again at his well-organised workshop near Kalasipalyam. That the workshop is a sight to behold with an array of splendid beauties displayed by the proud owner is another matter.
Then in 1998, tragedy struck. Mr. Aswath and Mr. Ravi Kumar set out for Indore by road. On the way, near Dhule, the latter fell seriously ill and was taken to hospital where he passed away. A shattered Aswath brought the body to Bangalore. Later, Mr. Ravi Kumar's family gave away the Model T to Mr. Aswath since he took as much interest in restoring the car as its owner himself did. Mr. Aswath kept the car with him for some time but his heart was not really in it as the loss of his friend was too much for him to bear. In no state of mind to carry on, he handed over his prized possession to Mr. Ravi Prakash, who himself owns a range of vintage beauties.
When the Model T joined its contemporaries at Mr. Ravi Prakash's Kala Farm, it was already on the road to a new a life thanks to Mr. Aswath, who had done more than 60 per cent of the restoration work. In due course, the exacting task was completed and at the Ford Centenary celebrations, the vintage beauty did Karnataka proud by being the only working Model T in the country. Incidentally, one Pranlal Bhojilal of Mumbai owns a 1910 Model T, but this one is not in working condition.
Mr. Aswath and Mr. Ravi Prakash did not merely restore an antique. They also restored, to an extent, Karnataka's glory in vintage classics. Time was when the Maharaja's of Mysore had the country's best collection of classic beauties. Today, according to Mr. Aswath, besides Mumbai, Bangalore has a fine collection of the classic machines. He adds that the State must recognise that these cars are assets and give due encouragement to their owners since the task of restoring them is arduous and expensive.
Mr. Aswath's love for fine cars goes back to his youth. He was born into a family of silk merchants which owned, at different times, status symbols of those days like the Austin, Morris, Ford, Pontiac, and the Studebaker. Cars in his family used to be replaced by the latest models. And with his involvement and interest, he soon familiarised himself with the insides of the various models his family owned. Blessed with a mechanical bent of mind, it was he who used to maintain the family's cars. It is this natural curiosity and love for vintage vehicles that has led people looking to restore old cars to turn up at his doorstep. After his family was divided, he inherited a few cars of the '40s, '50s, and '60s.
His prized possession, however, is an Austin Wonder 7 of 1930, which he has restored to its original glory after 15 years of patient work, literally transforming it from junk. Today, it has the pride of place in his garage, lovingly covered.
He has himself participated in many vintage car rallies in Hyderabad and Chennai and has bagged a number of prizes with his 1939 Morris convertible. Restoring old cars requires immense patience and Mr. Aswath is endowed with a reservoir of it. With the assistance of four helpers, he sets about the task of reviving machines and memories, often unsure how long it will take and how much it will cost. "It's like admitting a patient with a mystery ailment. You'll simply pay as the expenses arise," as he puts it.
Before undertaking a job, he first ascertains the customer's background and interest in old cars. Only after he has satisfied himself does he acquiesce.
Apart from his accumulated knowledge, he has detailed books and workshop manuals from the car companies to guide him. Today, with his skill and reliability proven beyond doubt, people have been entrusting him with restoration jobs. So far, he has brought back about 15 cars to life in Bangalore.
Spares are the most critical components of restoration work. Parts are gathered either by looking for them in the second-hand gujri market where one has to patiently scour for the right part. If one can't find them there, the component is fabricated, and in the worst case, it is imported.
Restoration is done in keeping with the company's specifications. No alterations or additions are made and the car is made to look and work just like the original. Mr. Aswath's work is so methodical that even foreigners have appreciated the restoration work and have offered to hand over their vintage vehicles for restoration.
Mr. Aswath feels people need to have more awareness about these old machines. There are some 200 vintage cars in Bangalore of which about150 are in working order and take part in rallies. People who own these cars are finding it difficult to get mechanics and spare parts to keep the machines running and hence bring them out only occasionally.
Mr. Aswath has a proposal to increase awareness about his demanding hobby. He plans to drive his Austin Wonder 7 from Bangalore to Delhi and then on to the Rohtang Pass. The 73-year-old Aswath is looking for sponsors to fund his venture. En route his 6,000-km adventure, planned between September and October this year, he proposes to meet the President of India.
His precious Austin Wonder also has a history. He once chanced upon a bill in his house for Rs. 1,800 and 12 annas for the purchase of an Austin 7 Wonder, which his father had bought in 1930. It was a four-seater, achieving a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour. His father later sold it someone and Mr. Aswath had no clue who he was. Driven by a strong desire to locate the car, he rummaged files at the Regional Transport Office. His persistence paid off and managed to ascertain that the car was sold to a Nawabi family in Hyderabad.
Armed with the bill, Mr. Aswath went a dozen times to the Nawab's family saying his father had bought the car and that he wanted to buy it back for sentimental reasons. The Nawab's family was not impressed at all. However, after a decade of toing-and-froing, in 1982, he ran into the Nawab's mother. The matriarch invited him to tea, calling him beta. Narrating his tale, he conveyed to her how badly he wanted that car. The lady told him that she had spoken to her son and that he could come back after six months. However, it was not until 1984, when he met the son that he finally managed to persuade him to part with the car. Once in his possession, the Austin was taken apart and reassembled and to make it roadworthy.
Mr. Aswath says that he will not take the car out nor allow anyone to sit in it till he takes it to the Nanjangud temple, his family deity. With a rally for Austins and Morris cars scheduled for this month, one hopes that he will flaunt his precious automobile.
About the Model T itself, he points out that Henry Ford's father was a farmer and as a lad, young Henry was fascinated by mechanical contraptions and used to make toys. The ambitious Ford was an achiever who wanted to make something of his life. He got a few friends of his together and bought a mechanical car which was a three-wheeler, more like a motorcycle with a chair for sitting. It had small pedals and an improvised engine. From here evolved the Ford four-wheeler. The first car, made with the help of half-a-dozen friends and his father, emerged from a small workshop with no electrical gadgets or fancy lathes. All the work was done in the smithy with mere hands.
Wish to know and meet these great men.
Regards,
Last edited by Rehaan : 4th March 2021 at 08:04.
Reason: Old post - but making a small change as it was breaking the page on mobile :)
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4th January 2008, 07:12
(1)
Thanks
