JOIN USA lawyer by profession, Manav Nagaraj’s love for vintage and classic vehicles didn’t bloom overnight. He grew up watching his father polish and maintain his fleet of vintage beauties. Manav recollects that he used to spend a lot of time with his father learning and understanding why these vehicles never lose their charm.
Today, Manav not only maintains his father’s collection but has also added some of his own to it. His interest is shared by his wife Nivedita and their two sons, Vikram and Anirudh, as well. “All of us in the family are die-hard vehicle aficionados. My father not only loves these vintage vehicles but also has an in-depth knowledge of vehicles in general and vintage vehicles in particular,” explains Manav.
He says that growing up, he was always exposed to several technical aspects of vehicles, although the family did not own too many. “My father owned a 1963 model of Standard Herald and we still have the Herald with us,” he adds.
Like any other college-goer, Manav dreamt of getting a bike of his own. “When in college, I was eager on getting a motorbike and even in the 1990s, I laid my eyes on a Yezdi Roadking while all the bikes on the road were the Indo-Jap 100cc bikes. I remember getting one of the last models from the factory in Mysuru before it closed down. We also had the Vespa in our family and my grandfather was the first owner,” he shares.
The family’s grand line-up includes a 1968 model Lambretta LI, a 1954 British-made BSA 350 cc (plunger suspension) and a recently added 1952 Hillman Minx Sedan car. Manav admits the biggest challenge is to maintain these vehicles in perfect condition. “Yes, the maintenance of the vehicles is a little difficult but it is not as hard as people think. With respect to my BSA motorcycle, I am fortunate that my friend Rajesh Nair is not only an expert on British motorcycles but is also generous with both knowledge and time,” he states. With help from friends and people who own similar vehicles, Manav has also managed to obtain the spares for some of his vehicles and gained a lot of technical knowledge. “The scooters are fairly easy to maintain and the parts are available off the internet. I believe that the best part of owning such vehicles is getting one’s hands dirty and working on them yourself,” he says. He points out that there are a few reliable mechanics in the City who have a passion for vintage and classic vehicles and take pride in restoring them.
“We have had some issues with the Standard Herald because of the lack of availability of some of the spare parts but I am hopeful of getting the car back in its original condition pretty soon,” he says.
He points out that none of these old vehicles are used during the week but he tries to ensure that all them are started and run, even if for a short distance, to top up petrol and air every weekend. “That way not only are the vehicles in good condition but this also makes it easy to identify any issues and rectify the same without wasting too much time.
And I always prefer to take them out early morning when the roads are empty,” he adds.
His wife Nivedita is a financial and strategy consultant and has been extremely supportive of his collection and his children, although still young, are eager to know and understand the working of the vehicles.
“My children come for rides with me every weekend and my elder son is already picking up some nuances of the vehicle. My younger son keeps track of which vehicle has been used more often than the others and reminds me to start them as well,” he says.
He adds, “My children also join me in polishing the cars and enjoy getting their hands greasy and dirty.”
Would he add on to his fleet? “I would love to own a few more vehicles, especially old British motorcycles, but they are hard to come by and getting them at a competitive price is a challenge,” he says.
Manav can be reached on manavn@gmail.com