Dhananjai

English

हिंदी

Petrol Head

Many ask why vintage cars? I say these are not just mere vehicles. They are emblems of delightfully amalgamated luxury and history. They carry more value, as they are a feeling, an emotion, a fleeting memory of glorious past. These cars have a lot of character, as they have a story to tell about the times that they have seen, the glory they have heralded, and the royals they proudly carried. Their vintage designs and imperfections are the signs of the wisdom and luxury that they present in their earnest entirety.

The custodian and owner of the Khimsar Royal Garage, Dhananjai  has a rich collection of Vintage, Classic and Collectors cars, Motorbikes & Scooters, ranging from a 1915 Ford model T to a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S.  He says “I have always been passionate about cars. I started off with collecting die-cast scale models at the young age of 3, after which I gradually moved into preserving these family heirlooms and began the restoration process. I plan to open a museum dedicated to automotive history soon.”

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Fragments of history

He says that every car that he owns has a story to tell. Each vehicle that belongs to his collection is a “head-turner”, and it enchants everyone when it hits the road. Each car is utterly special to him in different ways.

 

He also shares that the most cherished car from his collection is the 1927 Rolls-Royce 20 HP Open Tourer.

 

 “Everything about this beautiful Teal Blue Beauty spells indulgence. The car also has unique accessories such as an external Le Testaphone horn, helmet shaped parking lights, and Stephen Grebel spot lights, which were originally custom-fitted,” he says.

 

His stunning collection is home to beautiful cars and motorbikes  belonging to every era – Edwardian, Veteran, Vintage and Classic. A collection so vast, ranging from a vintage 1915 Triumph Motorcycle to Jaguars, Rolls-Royces, Cadillacs, and Mercedes. He adds that it is not easy for him to label any car as “his favourite”. “Every car is like a volume in history, keeping alive what we have left of the past. It is a story by itself as well as a piece of art. What fascinates me is how many of today’s modern automobile inventions can be traced back in time and seen in yesteryears’ cars. It is amazing how they thought of everything those days!” he says. 

Eyes on India

The trend of classic and vintage cars has boomed only in the last couple of years when people started to understand these royalties’ beauty. In India, not many people knew about these cars, and soon after we organized these vintage car rallies, people started paying attention to these beautiful machines.

 

 

He also adds that the younger generation have started to appreciate these cars as each car is different from the other and has its own unique characteristics. Also, there is a lot of charm that these beauties have to offer, and they are head turners when driven on the road. 

 

He mentions that collecting these vintage and classic cars is not as an easy job as it seems; instead these vehicles require attention just as a temperamental elderly. It is one task that comes with a plethora of challenges. “The Maharaja vintage cars, tailored to the opulent taste of the royals, are exclusive to India, making them extraordinarily special to collectors,” reveals Dhanajai, a vintage car enthusiast on the opportunities that it has to offer. 

 

 

“You need to hunt for spare parts across the world. Restoring cars to the standards seen internationally is a touch of a challenge,” says Dhananjai.

Fuelled by
Passion

Dhananjai explains that collecting cars is all about your Passion for them. More than anything that they have to offer, it is really about how much they matter to you, emotionally. He adds that collecting cars is akin to collecting gems, albeit of historical kinds, as they cannot be valued. These precious things tends to have extreme fluctuations in demand and supply, it is no hobby for a faint hearted. He believes that collecting vintage cars involves great in-depth study underlining perseverance and patience in a man’s character. Every procedure needs to respect the originality of the machines but still maintain the new technology under the hood. It is no less of a pleasure when components restored to their specific origins, are fully functional and are no less safe and reliable. ‘Passion and aspiration are the only two traits that can keep you on the path of collecting vintage cars, it is much more than putting them on display for the world to see’, maintains Dhananjai. 

 
 
 
 

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Dhananjai Singh

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