The revered 54th The Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally is gearing up to become a testimony of timeless and iconic automotive beauties as they take over the city roads on Sunday. The rally will start from the RCTC ground and will cover approximately 25 km.
Apart from getting a sneak peek into the several automotive legends that have already drawn admiration from the public and viewers for years now, this year’s rally would be graced by a few other never-seen-before retro beauties that are ready to rule the lanes along with their already known vintage four-wheeler counterparts.
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Sarojesh Mukerjee’s 1948 Rover is a prized timeless vehicle that has been a part of the family since his great-grandfather bought it for Rs 14,000. According to him, “It was the first car purchased by my great-grandfather, the first family car, and therefore, it always held an elevated status. During our childhood, I remember when we used to go to school during exams, there was always a norm to touch the feet of the elders; however, my grandfather used to make sure that my cousins and I genuflect to the car’s tyres since it was a family elder as well.” The Rover 75 comes in a six-cylinder version of 2103 cc and was the first post-WW-II model produced by The Rover Company. Another new entry from his crew of retro wonders would be the 1959 Ford Zephyr, which was previously owned by a gentleman from Chandannagar.
The high-spirited parade of vintage beauties would be joined by Azam Monem’s 1937 Roll Royce Phantom III, which initially belonged to the then Governor of Bombay, Sir Roger Lumley, but was later acquired by Azam Monem’s grandfather, Khan Bahadur Golam Kibria during the 1950s. Fitted with a C98A engine and with a high C-rake steering, the car’s body was crafted by the renowned coachbuilder, ‘Hooper & Co.’ While the original colour of the car was black, it now showcases vibrant hues of navy blue and royal blue.
Unveiled at the rally for the very first time would be Ranajit Gooptu’s 1951 Austin A40 Somerset. Hued in Oxford blue, the car was neglected for almost 40 years with the engine dismantled and half of the body under the soil after which it was acquired by Ranajit Gooptu in 2022. “It was in such bad condition, my first impulse was to restore this car because this model has always played an integral part in my life and holds a rich significance as a part of my family legacy as well for my father used to own a similar model,” stated Ranajit.
While often overshadowed by the vibrant four-wheeler retro beauties, the rally will witness the old-world charms of two-wheelers, including Zaki Anwar’s 1973 Ideal Jawa in the colour tangy red, which was rescued from a chemical factory where it was kept and neglected for 47 years.
A few other vintage beauties that are geared to turn heads at the rally would be Arpan Kumar Dey’s 1937 Plymouth and 1956 Dodge Kingsway, Surendra Kumar Dugar’s 1928 Essex, Sikkander Basha’s 1951 B.S.A, a 1946 Austin, 1972 Volkswagen Beetle belonging to Rajiv K.Puri and many others.
