We all look up to the breathtaking beauty of vintage cars, but only a few among us have contributed to their restoration. Not everyone is aware of the stories of passion and patience that keep these charming machines ticking. Promod Bhasin, Delhibased owner of five vintage and classic cars is a passionate vintage car enthusiast.

He has contributed in a big way towards restoration of the old beauties. Bhasin is the owner of an Indian oil petrol pump and he also owns a workshop service station for cars. He started collecting vintage cars since 1990. He has very gracefully taken his family legacy forward of owning and driving the classic beauties. “Since my childhood, I used to watch my elders own & drive different cars which enthused me to follow them,” he says. “I also happened to see The Statesman & VCCI Rally when I was a child in the 60s which finally drew me in.

This liking turned into a hobby when I grew up,” he reminisces. In the past, Bhasin’s vintage and classic car collection have expanded to include to five vehicles. His collection include Chevrolet Master 1934 Salon, Hillman Minx 1939, Austin 1929 Clifton 1929, Hindustan Ambassador(Mark 1)1962, 1933 Tourer Morris Major 6. When asked to pick a favorite amongst his extensive collection, he has no hesitation in choosing the1933 Tourer Morris Major 6. He feels super satisfied and proud after driving his beauties.

Promod Bhasin’s 1933 Tourer Morris Major 6 is an exclusive piece of beauty in his collection. “I have a 1933 Tourer Morris Major 6 which is very rare & probably the only one in India,” says the proud owner. The Morris Major was produced by Morris Motors in the United Kingdom from late 1930 to 1933. It was described by industry experts as a Morris Oxford Six with a coach-built saloon body. 4,025 pieces of the 1931 model were produced followed by 14,469 of the 1932-33 models. It’s a tough job keeping these 70-80-year-old classic beauties in running condition. You have to maintain them every single day! You have to check after their smooth operation by driving them for a short while at least once a week.

Bhasin does this with love and affection. “I own a car service station and it’s not that tough for me to maintain my collection,” he says. When asked how vintage cars differ from the massproduced premium vehicles popular these days, Bhasin said that the “older cars were not so complicated”. “Vintage cars were very simple in their engineering and thus easy to repair and maintain in comparison to the present-day cars which have a lot of electronics in them,” says Bhasin. Promod Bhasin is part of a VCCR journey for over 25 years and he feels immensely proud and happy that he witnesses it every year with the same enthusiasm. He started the journey as a participant and later as a judge.

“I have been associated with The Statesman Rally for over 25 years as a participant & later as a judge. This is the oldest vintage car club that has been organizing a car rally since the early 1960s,” he says.

As many as two cars from his collection will be participating in the 55th Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally being held in New Delhi on March 6. Even an enviable collection of five vintage and classic cars is not enough for Bhasin who has a true passion of collecting and restoring these 90s classic beauty with a rare Morris, being top in his list. Pramod Bhasin is indeed a content man though. He says, “I get a real sense of satisfaction whenever I sit & drive my old cars because I feel I have also contributed towards the restoration and conservation of our rare automotive heritage.” Now that is what passion is all about!