Bengaluru gears up for a new vintage car museum

Car collector Dr Ravi Prakash promises to pull the wraps off over 900 classic beauties
Car collector Dr Ravi Prakash promises to pull the wraps off over 900 classic beauties

Classic car lovers may soon be spotted wheeling down the state highway more frequently than ever before. Giving the finishing touch to his glossies, doctor-turned-vintage-car-collector Ravi Prakash is almost ready to steer open the doors of a nine lakh square feet property on the fringes of Bengaluru that will house a covetable collection of more than 900 classic cars, together with a range of time-honoured motorbikes and carriages.

Describing it as an ‘auto-history museum’, Dr Ravi says, “More than a treasure trove of vintage automotives, I hope to create an aural-visual and educative experience that every vehicle enthusiast and historian would want to have. The museum will illustrate the evolution of motor vehicles through its exhibits. But more importantly, it will replicate the bygone era, complete with the classic favourites, road networks as well as the people and attire of old times.”

From the Bentleys, Aston Martins and Rolls-Royces to the Mini Coopers, the museum will showcase a diverse collection of glistening steel beauties that could make even the most hard-nosed cynic quiver with excitement. Located on a farmland near Rajarajeshwari Nagar along the Mysore Road, the museum will not just line up the cars in an array. “Expected to be one of the 10 largest vintage car museums in the world, this state-of-the-art venue will promote awareness about old-style vehicles. The property will also comprise an automotive mall, serving as a platform for buyers and sellers,” adds the collector, who himself was a national rallying and racing champion between 1981 and 1984, and is a die-hard fan of the Mercedes Benz classics.

It’s not just this cardiothoracic surgeon who likes to travel back in time. His daughter Rupali also takes interest in old cars. “She is into vintage car merchandising and is quite passionate about it,” sums up Dr Ravi, who dreams to make this museum a major tourist hub in the coming years.

Zooming facts

The museum will be equipped with advanced technology, wherein each car will be displayed under individual sheds.

Among the lot will be a car driven by Motilal Nehru.

Visitors will have access to an enviable collection of 18,000 books and journals on automobiles, apart from other antiques.

Typically, the restoration and modification process for every car takes around six to nine months, while it may also vary between three to four years, depending on the amount of work required on the vehicle.

The restoration of the vehicles is a done by a team of 15 motor experts at a special workshop.

A restaurant featuring car-themed design and decor will be the star attraction of the auto-mall.

A charitable foundation will run the museum, the proceeds of which will be primarily spent for the treatment of road accident victims, while the rest of the money will be used for the acquisition and restoration of cars.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bangalore / by  Reema Gowalla / TNN / March 28th, 2016

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