Vintage Passions and Royal Dream Cars

He's a man of few words. But, Inder Krishnama can talk endlessly about cars. Not suprising considering his exquisite collection of 25 vintage and classic cars.

Krishnama's passion for collecting old cars began two decades ago when his grandfather, C C Paul, Chief Engineer of the erstwhile Nizam state and Order of the British Epire, bought a 1938 Dodge Toura, a limited edition model.

Krishnama, a civil engineer like his grandfather, got it restored and the fancy of collecting classic and vintage cars became into a full-blown passion.

"It's one of the 120 pieces totally produced. This is the most valuable of my collection," says Krishnama, chief of Siddarth Associates, an industrial construction company.

You ask him how valuable, in terms of purchase, restoration and maintenance, and pat comes the reply:

"It's not about money. It's about a passion. No collector can talk about the money he might have spent on his collection," says Krishnama born in the 100-year-old palatial house on SD Road in the heart of Secunderabad, where his cars lie sprawled out in garages.

It's difficult to even estimate how he much have spent over these cars over the past 20 years. It's a myth that the older the car the more expensive and valuable," he adds.

The oldest among his vintage collection (i.e. cars prior to 1940s) is a 1927 chocolate brown and black coloured Austin, which belonged to Dewan Bahadur A Veeraswamy. He also possesses a Chrysler Royal 1938, an Opel 1938 and Ford 1934.

The Ford, for example, is old and vintage, but not very expensive because it a car produced for the masses, Krishnama, who did Bachelors in Sciece at the Wesley College and his BE from Osmania University, explains.

It all depends on how original the car is, whether the car still has its trim, beading, light rings, mascots, color, tail lights, tyres, etc., which are either impossible to get or cost the earth in case they are available and need to be imported, he adds.

Among his classic collection (cars made between 1940 and 1960) is a Cadillac 1948 that belonged to the Maharaja of Gwalior. "It's always preferable to collect cars with a history," he says.

Krishnama's favourite is a hot red MG from Mother's Ashram, Pondicherry. He also has a limited edition 1957 Chrysler 300C, which belonged to the Ambassador of Brazil, which was bought by former vice chancellor of Osmania University. There are apparently only 249 pieces of the model.

He also possesses a 1957 Plymouth, 1948 Singer, 1959 Volswagen, 1952 Morris, 1957 Vanguard, 1957 Pontiag, a 1947 Buick Eight and 1948 convertible Triumph.

Krishnama, who has taken part in many traffic safety events and car rallies in Hyderabad and won many a award for best maintained vintage cars, travels around the country for the sake of his passion. He gets his information about old cars either through word of mouth or through agents.

Each car, he says, takes minimum 3 years to be restored to its pristine condition. "We get the manual of the car and rebuild according to each specification. Even the minutest details such as pattern on the seats are taken care of," he says.

Then the cars need to be taken on a ride at least once a week. The petrol otherwise gums, thus choking the fuel lines and carborettor. The oil in the breaking system also apparently consolidates and clogs and breaks down, and its rubber parts begin to perish. The batteries too go weak.

So collection comes with a price literally. "Tyres are the most difficult to get. They are real problem. The mileage is pittance. The Cadillac gives just 2 kilometer a litre. The fuel costs are expensive and prohibitive," Krishnama adds.

But, that hasn't deterred him or any of the 25-odd collectors in Hyderabad, part of the Federation of Motors Club AP, which is not very active though.

A ghazal singer Rashid Quyub reportedly possesses 125 vintage and classic cars. Then there is RM Pestonji of Chermas, with 100-odd collection. "There must be about a 250 vintage cars in Hyderabad," says Krishnama, who's other passion in life is dogs.

But, with the cars taking up most of his time and effort, the number of dogs he possesses has come down from nine to five, says Krishnama's wife, an educationist, who set up the Sishya school.

Krishnama and his wife are currently on the management committees of the Keyes High School and Dewan Bahadur Padmarao Mudaliar College for Women set up by his wife's grandfather.

Krishnama, who has two engineer sons, one working with Intel in California, and another studying at Symbiosis Pune, has no interest in new cars and drives an Esteem for general usage.

But, his ultimate dream is to buy a Rolls Royce. "You know, Pranlal Bogilal of Mumbai hold the Guinness Record for collection of maximum number of Rolls Royce, 125?" Krishnama informs animatedly.Well, hope his dream comes true, too!