The first thing that catches your attention when you see Sharath S Namburi's collection of vintage and classic vehicles is a tricycle that he found at Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Previously owned by the Nawab of Hyderabad, it dates back to the early 1800s and was manufactured in Great Britain. It has been restored completely and put back on the roads.
There's a sense of excitement and anticipation in Sharath's voice whenever he starts talking about his collection and he calls it his 'prized possession'.
It is also the stories that his mother used to tell him about his grandfather's military auctioned Triumph 500 cc British bike from the time of World War II that ignited in him the passion for anything that is antique. "It's not just vehicles, I have also been collecting stamps, coins and chewing gum cards since my childhood. My first bike was a 1981 Yezdi D250 Classic which I bought in 1999 when I was in college," recalls Sharath. He hasn't looked back since and has added quite a few rare automobiles to his fleet. Another head-turner in his stable is a BSA Autocycle manufactured by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) between 1901 and 1904. Sharath feels it is not only its historical value and appeal but also the performance that impressed him. "It comes with a 25 cc Villiers engine. It has a 24-size frame with rolling bell and kerosene-operated oil lamp made by Joseph Lucas (lamp manufacturers in England)," he says.
Sharath also owns a Vespa 150 scooter made in Italy. "This was the last model to be imported. The only thing that I got from the previous owner when I bought the vehicle was the chassis, engine and registration book. I had to look for the rest of the spares across India and now after working on it, the scooter is in perfect running condition," he adds. Sharath is assisted in the restoration process by his mechanic Mohammad Ismail, who brought to working condition a 1960 Suvega Moped made in France under licence from Motobecane. "It came in parts and was in a bad shape when I bought it. It took us a while to work on it and convert it to look like a brand new vehicle," he shares. Sharath says his habit of collecting old vehicles has been an interesting journey so far. "Spotting the right model, hunting for spares and meeting new people in the process has inspired me to make enough room to park all the vehicles and preserve them," he adds.
Although Sharath's family wasn't too buoyed by his collection at first, they have slowly understood the value and rarity of these vehicles and today, they are just as proud as he is to own them. "There are a lot of people who admire my collection and sometimes, I have strangers asking me a lot of questions to understand the working of the vehicles and get a glimpse into their history," he says. Sharath takes the vehicles out for a spin only when there's less traffic on the roads.
He is still on the look out for more such bikes and cars. "Owning these beauties has made me popular among collectors and the charm of restoring and putting them back on the roads is an inexplicable feeling," he says.
(Sharath can be reached on hotrocks.bling@gmail.com)
![]( "A tricycle")
The first thing that catches your attention when you see Sharath S Namburi’s collection of vintage and classic vehicles is a tricycle that he found at Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Previously owned by the Nawab of Hyderabad, it dates back to the early 1800s and was manufactured in Great Britain. It has been restored completely and put back on the roads.
There’s a sense of excitement and anticipation in Sharath’s voice whenever he starts talking about his collection and he calls it his 'prized possession’.
It is also the stories that his mother used to tell him about his grandfather’s military auctioned Triumph 500 cc British bike from the time of World War II that ignited in him the passion for anything that is antique. "It’s not just vehicles, I have also been collecting stamps, coins and chewing gum cards since my childhood. My first bike was a 1981 Yezdi D250 Classic which I bought in 1999 when I was in college,” recalls Sharath. He hasn’t looked back since and has added quite a few rare automobiles to his fleet. Another head-turner in his stable is a BSA Autocycle manufactured by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) between 1901 and 1904. Sharath feels it is not only its historical value and appeal but also the performance that impressed him. "It comes with a 25 cc Villiers engine. It has a 24-size frame with rolling bell and kerosene-operated oil lamp made by Joseph Lucas (lamp manufacturers in England),” he says.
Sharath also owns a Vespa 150 scooter made in Italy. "This was the last model to be imported. The only thing that I got from the previous owner when I bought the vehicle was the chassis, engine and registration book. I had to look for the rest of the spares across India and now after working on it, the scooter is in perfect running condition,” he adds. Sharath is assisted in the restoration process by his mechanic Mohammad Ismail, who brought to working condition a 1960 Suvega Moped made in France under licence from Motobecane. "It came in parts and was in a bad shape when I bought it. It took us a while to work on it and convert it to look like a brand new vehicle,” he shares. Sharath says his habit of collecting old vehicles has been an interesting journey so far. "Spotting the right model, hunting for spares and meeting new people in the process has inspired me to make enough room to park all the vehicles and preserve them,” he adds.
Although Sharath’s family wasn’t too buoyed by his collection at first, they have slowly understood the value and rarity of these vehicles and today, they are just as proud as he is to own them. "There are a lot of people who admire my collection and sometimes, I have strangers asking me a lot of questions to understand the working of the vehicles and get a glimpse into their history,” he says. Sharath takes the vehicles out for a spin only when there’s less traffic on the roads.
He is still on the look out for more such bikes and cars. "Owning these beauties has made me popular among collectors and the charm of restoring and putting them back on the roads is an inexplicable feeling,” he says.
(Sharath can be reached on hotrocks.bling@gmail.com)
There's a sense of excitement and anticipation in Sharath's voice whenever he starts talking about his collection and he calls it his 'prized possession'.
It is also the stories that his mother used to tell him about his grandfather's military auctioned Triumph 500 cc British bike from the time of World War II that ignited in him the passion for anything that is antique. "It's not just vehicles, I have also been collecting stamps, coins and chewing gum cards since my childhood. My first bike was a 1981 Yezdi D250 Classic which I bought in 1999 when I was in college," recalls Sharath. He hasn't looked back since and has added quite a few rare automobiles to his fleet. Another head-turner in his stable is a BSA Autocycle manufactured by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) between 1901 and 1904. Sharath feels it is not only its historical value and appeal but also the performance that impressed him. "It comes with a 25 cc Villiers engine. It has a 24-size frame with rolling bell and kerosene-operated oil lamp made by Joseph Lucas (lamp manufacturers in England)," he says.
Sharath also owns a Vespa 150 scooter made in Italy. "This was the last model to be imported. The only thing that I got from the previous owner when I bought the vehicle was the chassis, engine and registration book. I had to look for the rest of the spares across India and now after working on it, the scooter is in perfect running condition," he adds. Sharath is assisted in the restoration process by his mechanic Mohammad Ismail, who brought to working condition a 1960 Suvega Moped made in France under licence from Motobecane. "It came in parts and was in a bad shape when I bought it. It took us a while to work on it and convert it to look like a brand new vehicle," he shares. Sharath says his habit of collecting old vehicles has been an interesting journey so far. "Spotting the right model, hunting for spares and meeting new people in the process has inspired me to make enough room to park all the vehicles and preserve them," he adds.
Although Sharath's family wasn't too buoyed by his collection at first, they have slowly understood the value and rarity of these vehicles and today, they are just as proud as he is to own them. "There are a lot of people who admire my collection and sometimes, I have strangers asking me a lot of questions to understand the working of the vehicles and get a glimpse into their history," he says. Sharath takes the vehicles out for a spin only when there's less traffic on the roads.
He is still on the look out for more such bikes and cars. "Owning these beauties has made me popular among collectors and the charm of restoring and putting them back on the roads is an inexplicable feeling," he says.
(Sharath can be reached on hotrocks.bling@gmail.com)
The first thing that catches your attention when you see Sharath S Namburi’s collection of vintage and classic vehicles is a tricycle that he found at Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad. Previously owned by the Nawab of Hyderabad, it dates back to the early 1800s and was manufactured in Great Britain. It has been restored completely and put back on the roads. There’s a sense of excitement and anticipation in Sharath’s voice whenever he starts talking about his collection and he calls it his 'prized possession’.
It is also the stories that his mother used to tell him about his grandfather’s military auctioned Triumph 500 cc British bike from the time of World War II that ignited in him the passion for anything that is antique. "It’s not just vehicles, I have also been collecting stamps, coins and chewing gum cards since my childhood. My first bike was a 1981 Yezdi D250 Classic which I bought in 1999 when I was in college,” recalls Sharath. He hasn’t looked back since and has added quite a few rare automobiles to his fleet. Another head-turner in his stable is a BSA Autocycle manufactured by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) between 1901 and 1904. Sharath feels it is not only its historical value and appeal but also the performance that impressed him. "It comes with a 25 cc Villiers engine. It has a 24-size frame with rolling bell and kerosene-operated oil lamp made by Joseph Lucas (lamp manufacturers in England),” he says.
Sharath also owns a Vespa 150 scooter made in Italy. "This was the last model to be imported. The only thing that I got from the previous owner when I bought the vehicle was the chassis, engine and registration book. I had to look for the rest of the spares across India and now after working on it, the scooter is in perfect running condition,” he adds. Sharath is assisted in the restoration process by his mechanic Mohammad Ismail, who brought to working condition a 1960 Suvega Moped made in France under licence from Motobecane. "It came in parts and was in a bad shape when I bought it. It took us a while to work on it and convert it to look like a brand new vehicle,” he shares. Sharath says his habit of collecting old vehicles has been an interesting journey so far. "Spotting the right model, hunting for spares and meeting new people in the process has inspired me to make enough room to park all the vehicles and preserve them,” he adds.
Although Sharath’s family wasn’t too buoyed by his collection at first, they have slowly understood the value and rarity of these vehicles and today, they are just as proud as he is to own them. "There are a lot of people who admire my collection and sometimes, I have strangers asking me a lot of questions to understand the working of the vehicles and get a glimpse into their history,” he says. Sharath takes the vehicles out for a spin only when there’s less traffic on the roads.
He is still on the look out for more such bikes and cars. "Owning these beauties has made me popular among collectors and the charm of restoring and putting them back on the roads is an inexplicable feeling,” he says.
(Sharath can be reached on hotrocks.bling@gmail.com)