Nowadays you see plenty of “old cars” captured in radical styling shots and “sick” filters. Insert a youth driver, have it sitting low at dawn or in a car park, and Boomz you break the internet. Today’s smartphones can pump out images with D-Slr traits so even rusty metals can have more likes than new ones.

It’s great to see this movement grow from strength to strength; passion in not what is the latest, but passion in what is precious to the heart. As today’s generation polish their appreciation for the metals, their predecessors can sleep easy knowing that the flames of “old” has not been extinguished; it is just renamed to bespoke, stanced, backdate, retro, reimagine etc.

Driving with the vintage car clubs, we always learn something new with each meeting. Comprising of professionals and veterans, enter the real men (and women), vintage in quality and probably an age too. From our viewpoint, having formed and joined multiple auto clubs, this is such a stark contrast. Though the cars maybe similar, differences between the generations create an entirely diverse event.

Forget the likes, they don’t arrive in style, they arrive very early. And there is no loud engine noise at the gathering, then again there is not much noise period. There is the usual car enthusiast chat and then more about children or maybe grandchildren. Coffee costs 2.30 not 14.90. The dress code was free but pretty much everyone had their knees covered, collared shirts on and hairs combed like it was a workday.

Back then there was no Waze, so they use folded maps and route notes till now. Funnily with this system, you put 100% faith in the car in front of you. So when the lead car makes a detour because of mechanical woes, everyone follows suit. So don’t be in a hurry if you ride along. It’s the journey and not the destination that is important. Tailing in our Boxster or Megane feels overly dressed. The “modern” cars take a seat back and enjoy much fuel savings this outing.

During one of the west coast drives, one car broke down and the whole convoy pulled over. Fuel was leaking from under the tank. At this point, most of us would be asking Siri to call workshops or towing. Not these humans. Outcomes the reflector wear and toolbox. Lying on the searing bitumen, 7 decades worth of experience starts repairing the problem on-site. Slowly but surely the leak gets fixed and everyone was off again.

In the 2016 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, after the race and driver’s parade, the same thing happened. Returning home after a full day’s duty, a tiny MG threw in the towel beside the highway. Like clockwork, everyone stopped to assist. Eventually the car was resuscitated and the convoy resumed motion, in the dark. Mind you these are mostly seniors and the highways were busy. They were oblivious to their surroundings and focused on getting the car fixed. Brilliant, experienced, skilled or crazy?

Well, we certainly don’t make them like they used to. What would you do?... if you were sailing at the horizon of a century, it is nightfall and your car has died. Hats off, gentlemen & ladies.

Picture Credits: Mcclubz, Hayashi86

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