At Concours, the cars are the stars as 1977 Nissan steals the show

The Concours d’Elegance is one of the most prestigious events on Kenya’s motorsport calendar, where car enthusiasts gather to celebrate their passion for vintage automobiles in a spectacular display of elegance, history, and creativity. The participants come prepared to show the world their most treasured possessions: their babies.

Sati Gata-Aura was the man of the hour at this year’s Concours d’Elegance, having scooped the first and second overall positions with his white 1977 Nissan 160J and a 1947 MG TC, respectively. In an interview with The East African, the 78-year-old said: “I used to be a rally driver. I did the 1978 Safari Rally with this Nissan 160J, which I had imported from the United Kingdom in 1977. In 1985, I decided to dismantle and rebuild it. Since then, I have been attending the Concours with it.”

This is the third time that Mr Gata-Aura has clinched the top position at the Concours d’Elegance, having won last in 1993. “I grew up watching my father work on his cars. I was like his little spanner boy. It was only normal for me to want to have my collection. There is so much work that goes into building a classic. Once you put so much work into something, you do not want to leave it,” he says when I ask him if he would want to sell his vehicles. Sati has a collection of 10 classic cars.

Not just a man’s hobby

While classic cars have long been seen as a male-dominated space, women are proving that passion knows no gender. One such enthusiast is Kamene Wanday, who secured eighth place with her 1972 red Alfa Romeo Spider.

Her family has collected vintage cars for over 20 years. “Initially, only my husband was interested in cars but his love for the classics has trickled down to the family. Restoring cars and taking them out for a spin is our weekend thing to do as a family. Saturdays we do cars then Sunday we do other things,” she says.

The most fulfilling part for her is spending time rebuilding a car and seeing it come to life. “I particularly enjoyed rebuilding our 1971 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV. We acquired it six years ago and we’ve been building it ever since and it is only this year that we have managed to complete it and bring it in for the competition. Mostly we buy a shell of a car, an old car or an abandoned car then we rebuild it.”

How they navigate Kenyan roads

A common concern for classic car owners is the practicality of driving these treasures on Kenyan roads. Mrs Wanday says that Kenyan roads are not the best for classic cars, but they are still usable. “The bumps on our roads can easily spoil the underside of the car. So we try to look for the roads without many bumps or just move slowly where there are bumps. It can also move on rough roads,” she says, adding, “It is so important to be careful with the classics because if any gets scratched, the spare parts are quite expensive to acquire.”

The collection of classic and vintage cars is no cheap hobby. “Sometimes getting spare parts can be a challenge.”

Car restoration as a business

Stephen Warui has been restoring classic cars since 2016. He says that times and seasons have changed compared to when he started. “Back then, the restoration of classic cars was an elitist movement that was close-knit and generally closed out to the general public. There were very few Africans involved in this. There was an assumption that certain people cannot do certain things. However, these days I am seeing more people embracing Africans as part of their car restoration team.

“I got into classic cars because of constrained budget. My first car was a 1959 Volkswagen Beetle that I bought from my grandfather in 2009. At that time, that was all I could afford,” the 43-year-old shares. That was the beginning of Mr Warui’s love affair with classics.

“My next car was a Volkswagen Combi. I was playing in a band, and we needed a big car to carry our equipment. It was being used as a toilet in the Mathare Slums. I got it for Sh30,000. My first task was to get it cleaned. I used it for about eight years, and then I started to improve it. In 2015, it was in good condition, and I did a road trip to Southern Africa with it without any breakdown.

Why do people still hold on to classic cars? “It is very easy for most people to get a car in a show room but there is a satisfaction that comes with working on something and moulding it to become something unique. In 2020, I saw a shift towards classics as people wondered what they can do with their time and resources and people started shifting into cars. I have started seeing an appreciation of building cars. The movement is growing slowly and now you can find people buying classic cars as their second vehicles,” Mr Warui offers.

He says that among the best ways of investing today is in classic cars because they appreciate in value. “The rule of the thumb is the older the car, the more expensive it is. When selling a 1970 Beetle, the most you get would be Sh3 million while for the 1950 Beetle you can get around Sh30 million because it is rare,” he tells The East African.

Getting a Camper Van

Mr Benson Muli owns a Volkswagen Combi. “It is a 54-year-old Camper van. I wanted a car that I could go on adventures with my family. You have to be free like a bird, hit the road, stop somewhere and have your meal, proceed, and when you are tired, you have a bed where you can rest. This is what was running in my mind when I bought the car seven years ago. I have always loved classic cars. I have owned a Beetle since 2011. It is equipped with a two-litre engine and can easily cope with modern traffic,” he observes.

He says his biggest challenge has been sourcing spare parts. “Being a classic car, there are no original spare parts in Kenya. If you want quality stuff, you have to import it. This car was a shell. It was previously used as a school van. I had to rebuild it from scratch,” the 42-year-old shares. Now, the Camper van has two beds, drawers, a TV, a tap, and a fridge. You could literally live in there.

Insurance challenges

Another challenge with classic cars is getting a comprehensive insurance cover. “It is easy to get a third party insurance cover like all other vehicles. But with a comprehensive insurance cover, many companies shy away from giving covers for many classic or vintage cars,” he says. This forces many classic car owners to seek comprehensive insurance cover from other countries.

Every man has a distraction

Rhys Mirindo says that classic cars are his poison. He owns a 1974 Austin Mini. I had planned to do it as a 2020 project, but then I was constrained by funds, so I decided to improve it slowly. It was only this year that I felt confident enough to enter it into the competition. “I got it somewhere in Kariokor and bought it for Sh100,000. It was just sitting there, not being used. It had no life. It was just a shell. I imported the engine from Japan, the rims and the tires from the UK, and I imported the steering wheel from the US. I got bits of pieces from all over the world.

The bug for classics bit him 10 years ago. “I attended the Concours D’ Elegance in 2014. I did not even have a job at that time, but the seed was planted in me. I promised myself that one day I would own a classic car, and this is my first time participating in the Concours.

He named his classic car Aisha “in memory of my ex-girlfriend, who passed away three years ago when I was buying the shell. Men name their cars after people who are dear to them”.

“A vintage car or motorcycle is any that was created before December 1930. A classic car is 25-years-old or older. Vintage cars are quite rare. There are not many 1930 cars still in existence,” offers the founder of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club, Bob Dewar.

“The judges check for the condition, cleanliness and presentation of the cars and motorcycles. When I say condition, a vehicle with scratches, dents, faded paintwork, different colors of paint from one part to another will result in the ultimate deduction of marks. They are looking for perfection, if you like, and deduct points for any weaknesses,” he explains, adding, “To join the club, one has to own an Alfa Romeo car. The joining fee is Sh5,000 and an annual subscription of Sh5,000.” The Concours continues to grow in prominence, showcasing not just the beauty of classic cars but the stories, dedication, and passion behind them. This year saw the entry of 75 cars and 34 motorcycles.

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