Vintage car show at Kolkata's Lake Club brings out ageless gems of a bygone era

The old contraptions once owned by the Maharajas, presented in a spic and span condition, would evoke nostalgia of a bygone era of automobiles that were exclusives for only social gentry and of a time when the smell of burned motor oil would blend with the otherwise cleaner air of cities.

Eastern India Motoring Group (EIMG) alongside Ace Commercial brought back the old Calcutta vibe with vintage automobiles and bikes such as 1940 Triumph and 1925 Rolls Royce.

Car enthusiasts, collectors and restorers were present throughout the day to have a look at the glamorous past represented by the classic vehicles of the city.

Eighty antique automobiles were driven out to be judged by EIMG President Shrivardhan Kanoria on the basis of restoration, rarity and authenticity among various other parameters.

Explaining how collectors got their hands on vintage cars, Kanoria said, "When the Maharajas of Indian princely states wanted to sell their vehicles, that's how collectors got a hold of these premium cars. Now, the royalty in India have again gone back to his hobby which makes maintaining these old beauties a royal hobby."

Sharing his experience of restoring his 1925 edition Rolls Royce, he said," It took me seven years to restore this car. I started off in 2011 and ended in 2017. This is a Rolls Royce Phantom which makes it very special to us.

"Restoration meant to bring it back as close as possible towards the car's original condition."

Under the Concours D' Elegance format, the cars remained static but were spruced up to have an element of completion.

The 1938 Rolls Royce owned by Gulam Momen won the 'best of show' award.