Many collectors procure vintage cars from towns in UP and Bihar, where many lie abandoned, buried, under the ground, for decades in the old Havelis. Delhi has the highest number of vintage cars in the entire country followed by Jaipur which is another hub of vintage cars and a big centre known for the restoration of vintage cars.
According to vintage car experts, the restoration of any vintage car can cost anything between Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh, depending on its condition and originality. While it is easy to get parts of American and British cars, parts of Italian cars such as Alfa Romeo and Fiat Lancia are difficult to obtain.
While owning a Vintage car is a matter of pride, maintaining and restoring these cars is a nightmare. There is one man whose life mission is to restore old beauties. He is none other than Tutu Dhawan who is a legend in the automobile industry. He painstakingly restores vintage cars.
He has been doing it for almost five decades now. ”Keep your vehicle in use and must drive at least twice or thrice in a month to ensure the battery remains charged and the mechanicals remains well lubricated etc. and the tyres will also not have a Flat Spot.”
This is Dhawan’s advice to every vintage and classic car owner. He himself is a proud vintage car owner. And he is a restorer too. The biggest problem, according to him, in maintaining vintage & Classic cars is its non-use for long periods. It is not good for the health of the car. Engineers Corporation New Delhi, India has been engaged in the restoration and servicing of antique and special interest automobiles since 1969.
As the name implies, it has been restoring and creating spares that are not available or are hard to get. A vast majority of classic and vintage cars like Bentleys, Rolls P-1 and P-2, number of Jaguars ‘S’ Type, Mk X. Mk ll, the only surviving Supercharged 6.8 litre Mercedes Benz, 1909 threewheeled Morgan and a Willys overland, Chevrolets, Ford V8’s and many more have been restored by it and won prizes and other laurels at national and international levels.