Hobbies occupy a lot of energy and time. Since it’s something that gives immense pleasure. All the time and energy invested in it seems worth it. Collecting vintage cars is a hobby for Pradeep Naik in Goa. It is an expensive and a time consuming hobby. Yet nothing deters him from pursuing it.
Ashvek Vintage World
One of the most prominent example of the hobby is Ashvek Vintage World, situated at Nuvem in Goa. Pradeep, the owner of the museum owns over 50 vintage cars. He is the dealer for Suzuki two wheelers in Margao. His passion is collecting vintage cars. The museum displays 14 cars in a 2500 Sq feet space.
“Space is a big problem. I need a bigger place to display all the cars,” said Pradeep in a report.
His passion began after his uncle purchased a Mercedes, he liked it very much. In 1985, Pradeep bought a Peugeot car which was made in 1939. It belonged to Deepak Kesarkar who is the current MLA of Sawantwadi. Eventually over the years Pradeep continued to add cars to his collection. The Ashvek Vintage World is the only vintage car museum in Goa.
Some of the cars on displayed
- Volkswagen limo dedicated to Mario Miranda
- Morris and Saloon, 1942
- Peugeot, 1931
- Chevrolet Fleet Master, 1948
- Two-engine Vandall tempo
- Datsun Fairlady, 1961
- Morris 8
- Mercedes 170, 1961
Filmy connection
Interestingly, many of these cars have featured in movies. The Mercedes 170 was used in the Hollywood movie ‘The Sea wolves‘. The movie is based on the covert mission undertaken by British army veterans against German spies in Goa during the World War 2. Besides featuring in many Bollywood films.
Maintenance
It isn’t easy to maintain these beauties. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the hobby takes Pradeep around the world. He further elaborates his experience in arranging spare parts for his cars.
“In Europe they have ‘car jumbles’, which are like jumble sales. Usually old people who no longer have the need for their old possessions set up stalls at these car jumbles and sell their old spare parts, etc. When I’m in Europe I visit these jumbles and buy parts which I could use to restore old cars,” Pradeep said in a report.
It is certainly due to efforts taken by Pradeep that a fresh breath of life is infused in these old beauties. There are many such cars in Goa that need urgent attention. Hopefully, many will be rescued by people like Pradeep and will be among us for the generations to come.
In Goa where life is slowly becoming fast- paced, It is nice to come across such examples that reminds one of the finer pleasures of life.
Image credits : www.ashvekvintageworld.wordpress.com
