P Bhaskar graduated as a sound engineer but found his calling not in what he studied but in his passion for automobiles. The automobile businessman is a passionate collector of vintage and classic vehicles. He says there was a time when he owned 18 bikes and 11 cars but had to sell more than half of them as he couldn't maintain them. He, however, has managed to retain some rare models.
The oldest machine in his stable is a Matchless 1941 bike which was extensively used during World War II. "I bought it during an auction in Chennai. I brought it home in a gunny bag and the only part that was intact was the wheel, while the rest came in pieces. It took me a while to put the parts together and restore the bike," he says. "I ride it and it is in perfect running condition. But I have some more tinkering and painting work to be done. Somehow, the rustic feel of the bike seems more attractive to me than a completely painted neat look," he says.
The serial number of the bike is written on the side shield, below the petrol tank and under the chassis. "You have to tilt the vehicle to see the number. This is also what prompted me to buy it. If you look up the serial number of the Matchless on the Internet, you will see that the bike was extensively indeed used during World War II and is a true war veteran," explains Bhaskar.
He also has a Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes 250 D in his collection.
"Both these vehicles are made in Germany and belong to the classic collection. It took me a while to procure the parts and restore them but now, I travel long distances in them and thankfully haven't faced any trouble," he adds.
Bhaskar has bought some of the parts from used car showrooms in Chennai, got a few of them shipped and had some friends help him as well.
Bhaskar hopes to restore some of his vehicles but is hard-pressed for time. "Restoring each of the vehicles is a long process. You have to first understand their working and match the parts. I don't believe in doing a half-baked job on the vehicles," he says. Bhaskar's mechanic Joseph was assisting him in the process of restoration until he passed away a few years ago.
Vintage car rallies don't excite Bhaskar as much. He collects old vehicles but doesn't believe in exhibiting them.
"I take turns to drive the vehicles and every time I travel in them, I have a lot of people asking me questions about the vehicle. It's nice to meet new people and exchange information about the vehicles," he says.
Bhaskar is also a motorsport enthusiast and was the national champion in motorsport in 1999. Modifying cars is also another of Bhaskar's pastimes.
"I modified a Maruti 800 to resemble a sports car for actor Upendra's movie 'Super'. The car was later used in a couple of movies. I am not active in the field modification anymore because I am concentrating in the restoration process," he says.
(Bhaskar can be reached on bhasky1982@yahoo.co.in)
![]( "Unique: The Matchless 1941. DH photo by S K Dinesh")
P Bhaskar graduated as a sound engineer but found his calling not in what he studied but in his passion for automobiles. The automobile businessman is a passionate collector of vintage and classic vehicles. He says there was a time when he owned 18 bikes and 11 cars but had to sell more than half of them as he couldn’t maintain them. He, however, has managed to retain some rare models.
The oldest machine in his stable is a Matchless 1941 bike which was extensively used during World War II. "I bought it during an auction in Chennai. I brought it home in a gunny bag and the only part that was intact was the wheel, while the rest came in pieces. It took me a while to put the parts together and restore the bike,” he says. "I ride it and it is in perfect running condition. But I have some more tinkering and painting work to be done. Somehow, the rustic feel of the bike seems more attractive to me than a completely painted neat look,” he says.
The serial number of the bike is written on the side shield, below the petrol tank and under the chassis. "You have to tilt the vehicle to see the number. This is also what prompted me to buy it. If you look up the serial number of the Matchless on the Internet, you will see that the bike was extensively indeed used during World War II and is a true war veteran,” explains Bhaskar.
He also has a Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes 250 D in his collection.
"Both these vehicles are made in Germany and belong to the classic collection. It took me a while to procure the parts and restore them but now, I travel long distances in them and thankfully haven’t faced any trouble,” he adds.
Bhaskar has bought some of the parts from used car showrooms in Chennai, got a few of them shipped and had some friends help him as well.
Bhaskar hopes to restore some of his vehicles but is hard-pressed for time. "Restoring each of the vehicles is a long process. You have to first understand their working and match the parts. I don’t believe in doing a half-baked job on the vehicles,” he says. Bhaskar’s mechanic Joseph was assisting him in the process of restoration until he passed away a few years ago.
Vintage car rallies don’t excite Bhaskar as much. He collects old vehicles but doesn’t believe in exhibiting them.
"I take turns to drive the vehicles and every time I travel in them, I have a lot of people asking me questions about the vehicle. It’s nice to meet new people and exchange information about the vehicles,” he says.
Bhaskar is also a motorsport enthusiast and was the national champion in motorsport in 1999. Modifying cars is also another of Bhaskar’s pastimes.
"I modified a Maruti 800 to resemble a sports car for actor Upendra’s movie 'Super’. The car was later used in a couple of movies. I am not active in the field modification anymore because I am concentrating in the restoration process,” he says.
(Bhaskar can be reached on bhasky1982@yahoo.co.in)
The oldest machine in his stable is a Matchless 1941 bike which was extensively used during World War II. "I bought it during an auction in Chennai. I brought it home in a gunny bag and the only part that was intact was the wheel, while the rest came in pieces. It took me a while to put the parts together and restore the bike," he says. "I ride it and it is in perfect running condition. But I have some more tinkering and painting work to be done. Somehow, the rustic feel of the bike seems more attractive to me than a completely painted neat look," he says.
The serial number of the bike is written on the side shield, below the petrol tank and under the chassis. "You have to tilt the vehicle to see the number. This is also what prompted me to buy it. If you look up the serial number of the Matchless on the Internet, you will see that the bike was extensively indeed used during World War II and is a true war veteran," explains Bhaskar.
He also has a Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes 250 D in his collection.
"Both these vehicles are made in Germany and belong to the classic collection. It took me a while to procure the parts and restore them but now, I travel long distances in them and thankfully haven't faced any trouble," he adds.
Bhaskar has bought some of the parts from used car showrooms in Chennai, got a few of them shipped and had some friends help him as well.
Bhaskar hopes to restore some of his vehicles but is hard-pressed for time. "Restoring each of the vehicles is a long process. You have to first understand their working and match the parts. I don't believe in doing a half-baked job on the vehicles," he says. Bhaskar's mechanic Joseph was assisting him in the process of restoration until he passed away a few years ago.
Vintage car rallies don't excite Bhaskar as much. He collects old vehicles but doesn't believe in exhibiting them.
"I take turns to drive the vehicles and every time I travel in them, I have a lot of people asking me questions about the vehicle. It's nice to meet new people and exchange information about the vehicles," he says.
Bhaskar is also a motorsport enthusiast and was the national champion in motorsport in 1999. Modifying cars is also another of Bhaskar's pastimes.
"I modified a Maruti 800 to resemble a sports car for actor Upendra's movie 'Super'. The car was later used in a couple of movies. I am not active in the field modification anymore because I am concentrating in the restoration process," he says.
(Bhaskar can be reached on bhasky1982@yahoo.co.in)
P Bhaskar graduated as a sound engineer but found his calling not in what he studied but in his passion for automobiles. The automobile businessman is a passionate collector of vintage and classic vehicles. He says there was a time when he owned 18 bikes and 11 cars but had to sell more than half of them as he couldn’t maintain them. He, however, has managed to retain some rare models. The oldest machine in his stable is a Matchless 1941 bike which was extensively used during World War II. "I bought it during an auction in Chennai. I brought it home in a gunny bag and the only part that was intact was the wheel, while the rest came in pieces. It took me a while to put the parts together and restore the bike,” he says. "I ride it and it is in perfect running condition. But I have some more tinkering and painting work to be done. Somehow, the rustic feel of the bike seems more attractive to me than a completely painted neat look,” he says.
The serial number of the bike is written on the side shield, below the petrol tank and under the chassis. "You have to tilt the vehicle to see the number. This is also what prompted me to buy it. If you look up the serial number of the Matchless on the Internet, you will see that the bike was extensively indeed used during World War II and is a true war veteran,” explains Bhaskar.
He also has a Volkswagen Golf and Mercedes 250 D in his collection.
"Both these vehicles are made in Germany and belong to the classic collection. It took me a while to procure the parts and restore them but now, I travel long distances in them and thankfully haven’t faced any trouble,” he adds.
Bhaskar has bought some of the parts from used car showrooms in Chennai, got a few of them shipped and had some friends help him as well.
Bhaskar hopes to restore some of his vehicles but is hard-pressed for time. "Restoring each of the vehicles is a long process. You have to first understand their working and match the parts. I don’t believe in doing a half-baked job on the vehicles,” he says. Bhaskar’s mechanic Joseph was assisting him in the process of restoration until he passed away a few years ago.
Vintage car rallies don’t excite Bhaskar as much. He collects old vehicles but doesn’t believe in exhibiting them.
"I take turns to drive the vehicles and every time I travel in them, I have a lot of people asking me questions about the vehicle. It’s nice to meet new people and exchange information about the vehicles,” he says.
Bhaskar is also a motorsport enthusiast and was the national champion in motorsport in 1999. Modifying cars is also another of Bhaskar’s pastimes.
"I modified a Maruti 800 to resemble a sports car for actor Upendra’s movie 'Super’. The car was later used in a couple of movies. I am not active in the field modification anymore because I am concentrating in the restoration process,” he says.
(Bhaskar can be reached on bhasky1982@yahoo.co.in)