JOIN USDependable and sturdy, the 1929 Ford Model A is the sparkle of GB Patankar’s life. A retired senior vice-president of Sienens, Patankar is a self-proclaimed golf addict who also has an unconditional love for old cars, especially his 86-year-old Ford A.
This green beauty, which was the best-selling car of the 1930s, has a hand throttle (hand accelerator) that sounds like the steam carriages of a bygone era. A non-polluting vehicle, she has a vintage hand horn along with a jarring horn.
It was sometime in the 1980s that Patankar inherited this prized possession from his father, Bhavani Shankar Patankar. “Ours was a joint family and my father and his brothers had immense love for cars. Ford A was not the only car in the house, but it was the only one that acquired my father’s possessiveness. He maintained this car very well and I grew up seeing this,” says Patankar. This possessive nature of his father was soon transferred to his son and this car is now the grand lady of Patankar’s family.
Be it Puttaparthi, Mysuru or Kolar, she has throttled the forepassed roads with efficiency and continues to keep her head high even today.
“My father bought this car from one of my uncles, who had imported the model just then for Rs 2,000! I remember my parents travelling in this car to places. My father always sat on the backseat (which is in the place of a boot) and travelled everywhere,” he says.
An enthusiastic driver, Patankar also understands these machines well. He says, “It is tough to find the right mechanic for these cars. Today’s mechanics are all well-versed in various softwares, but it is patience that is required to repair these cars. I know two mechanics who are better than the rest and I sit with them patiently whenever my car needs attention and care.”
He takes pride in maintaining this age-old beauty and shares great pleasure in driving her around the City. “I, however, avoid driving in busy areas due to the chaos. There are a lot of people who are curious about the car and come up with questions every time they see her.”
His wife Meera also loves travelling in this beauty and opines, “In a way, collecting old cars is a dying hobby. Our son has no interest in this car, at least not at present. These cars require a lot of attention as they are collector items. Till date, I see my husband polishing the brass of the hand horn with great care and passion, which is lacking in the younger generation.”
This car has been a part of many rallies organised by Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club (KVCCC) and Patankar says, “KVCCC is doing an excellent job in promoting the passion of vintage and classic car owners. Through the many rallies they organise, they are building awareness among youngsters about these antique machines.”
The Patankar family has a few more inherited cars that belong to Patankar’s cousins, including the Buick Fight, Fiat and Austin 30. They are in the process of being restored.
He comments on the technology of these old machines, saying, “These cars were much simpler, yet most dependable. With simple engine and body parts, each part of the car is easily accessible and there is no rocket science involved.”
He shares an immense attachment with the grand old lady and adds, “I am emotionally attached to this car and will not let her go anywhere, not at the moment.”