N S Vijayakumar, Retired KSRTC bus driver owns 16 vintage cars
Heads turn in awe and eyes gleam with envy as history on four wheels rolls down the road. As the blood red 1930 Ford model-A treads at a slow speed, behind the wheel, its 56-year-old owner N.S. Vijaya Kumar can’t stop grinning with unmistakable pride.
“There was a time when my friends and relatives used to deride me for spending all I had on vintage cars and bikes. But whenever I see people eying my vehicles while on the road, I forget all those hardships that I had to face to collect the vehicles,” says Vijaya Kumar, from Kattayikonam, on the outskirts of the city. The retired Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus driver owns 16 vintage cars and 10 two-wheelers. Apart from the 1930 model Ford, a 1947 Ford Deluxe, a 1953 Austin 14 and a 1958 Mercedes Benz are some of Vijaya Kumar’s prized possessions. He also owns a 1961 model Chevrolet Sports Wagon that has participated in a California Road Show and a 1962 Dodge Polara, previously owned by the late actor Jose Prakash.
Vijaya Kumar’s romance with cars began as a toddler. He claims that even as a kid he wanted to be a KSRTC bus driver. Unfortunately, he had to wait a long time for that. But he was persistent and finally landed in his dream job at the age of 40. “It was a wonderful 15 years of service,” he adds.
The first car Vijaya Kumar rode was Hindustan 14, a driving school vehicle. “I’ve been looking for that model for some time now and I have found one recently. The owner has promised to give it to me. It’s just a matter of finding enough money to buy it,” he asserts. But his first ride was on a 1953 model Ariel motorcycle, and it is still the crown jewel of his bike collection. A 1956 model Matchless, a 1970 Jawa and 1964 Lambretta are a few of the rare two-wheelers in his collection.
Collecting vintage rides blows big holes in your pocket. Vijaya Kumar’s achievement is even more remarkable when considering the fact that he has been financially unstable for a major portion of his life.
He recalls: “I used to do all sorts of odd jobs such as road construction and driving trucks. Money is necessary to keep this passion alive. I started digging wells as a means of earning as well as an alternative to a treatment that a doctor had suggested. It has kept me healthy and helped me financially. I still dig wells. It has sort of become another hobby.”
The first car he bought was a 1967 Standard Herald. However, Vijaya Kumar believes that that his 1958 model blue Mercedes, bought nine years ago, brought him prosperity. His favourite car, though, is a majestic 1947 Ford Deluxe. He says: “Every buy was difficult as money was always hard to find. The Deluxe was a particularly difficult buy. It cost me Rs. 2 lakh. I bought it from a prosperous family. The car was in a bad condition. I had to spend a lot to restore it, which included the porting of it’s petrol engine with a diesel one for more mileage”.
Recalling the obstacles and criticism he had to face, Vijaya Kumar says: “I had once dug 26 wells in an year, to repay the debts. By god’s grace, I have somehow managed my passion and life all these years. Nowadays, people borrow my vehicles for movie shoots and marriages. So, I able to properly maintain these vehicles with the earnings from such events.” He often spends his nights inside his beloved four-wheelers. It gives him a relief that is hard to find elsewhere. “I have had a difficult life. But I forget all about it while I am inside these cars. These vehicles are my life,” says Vijaya Kumar.
News: The Hindu
