The convoy of cars set out from Karachi on Friday and travelled on the Indus Highway through Gumbut to Bahawalpur and on to Lahore. Another 15 cars will join the rally as it sets off for Islamabad on Tuesday morning.
The convoy was accompanied by eight mechanics. One of them said that extreme heat was a danger to the cars and so they had not travelled faster than 70-80 km per hour to Lahore.
In Lahore for the day, the drivers enjoyed lunch with Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence. One car owner said that Sharif had been very hospitable and keen to learn more about the cars. “We were surprised about how much Nawaz Sharif knows about cars,” said Yawar, who drove a 1967 Daimler.
“He even showed off his 1979 Mercedes SLC and asked how he could restore it.”
Other members of the club attended the Porsche Cayenne launch at the Porsche dealership in Lahore.
The convoy includes a Lincoln Continental once owned by Zahir Shah, the former king of Afghanistan. One of the club’s members, Karim Chopra, has acquired the Rolls Royce in which Lord Mountbatten and Muhammed Ali Jinnah travelled to sign the declaration of independence at the Sindh Assembly.
The classic cars, parked in the Pearl Continental’s exclusive lobby parking, drew several admirers. Muhammad Ibrahim Malik, a Beaconhouse student, said he drove nearly an hour to come see the cars.
“In Lahore there are exotic cars but not many vintage cars,” Malik said, pointing at the 1927 Hupmobile. “Imagine these cars are almost a hundred years old and they’re still running. These people would give their life to these cars. “
After reaching Islamabad, the vintage cars will be shipped back in a container to Karachi while the participants will fly back.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2010.
1713853507-0/MalalaHilary-(2)1713853507-0-270x192.webp)
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ