This is the season. When winter is around the corner, can the garage doors stay closed on the golden oldies? This is the time when most of them are brought out as they were for The EIMG Vintage Car Fiesta presented by Club de Golf in association with t2. A cool 40 or so cars and motorcycles were on display at the Club de Golf in New Town with the air of a Sunday picnic as enthusiasts streamed in to get a glimpse of the vehicles as they were back in the day. Glimpses from the afternoon.
The occasion was graced by (l-r) Debashis Sen, chairman, NKDA and managing director, HIDCO; Col Indrajit Roy, GM, New Town Business Club; Akanksha Pandey, owner, Club de Golf; Vineet Choudhary, owner, Bombay Beach Resort; and Shrivardhan Kanoria, president, Eastern India Motoring Group (EIMG), who addressed the participants and handed out mementos.
NKDA chairman and HIDCO MD Debashis Sen said: “Connection with the past, with the heritage of Bengal, India and the world is very necessary for any state or civilisation. The delight was visible when people were talking about Land Rovers and Contessas. The thing I like the most is that it is a family outing and the next generation is getting inducted into caring for the past. And, of course, we are happy that visitors are coming to the Eco Park, which is a creation of the government and we would like to internationalise it. Recounting old car memories, Sen said: “I think left-hand drive Willys are the most evocative ones since when we entered service those were still there and I remember learning to drive one on the beach of Digha. I was the SDO of Contai at that time, around 1988, and my driver would allow me to touch the vehicle. The same Willys I found has come for the exhibition and it definitely strikes a chord.” He relived his memory in a 1964 Jeep CJ3B (below).