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KARACHI: “The Volkswagen Beetle has always been a good and sturdy option for a family car. Everyone here had a Beetle in their collection of cars during the 1960s and 70s,” says Mohsin Ikram, founder and president of the Vintage and Classic Cars Club of Pakistan.
Among his own collection of classic cars, Mr Ikram is proud to own a 1951 Beetle, the first one that came to Pakistan and a 1958 Mircobus.
I waited 13 years for the Beetle. It was brought here by a German couple but got confiscated by the customs at that time. The customs department then auctioned it off to a family here. And I had been convincing that family to sell it to me for 13 years until they finally gave in a few years back.
“This particular Beetle has a split window for a rear windshield. This is the oldest Beetle and the only one of its kind in the subcontinent certified by the Volkswagen Club in India. Right now, it can fetch something between 20,000 and 60,000 Euros or between Rs3 million and Rs8 million,” he adds.
Mr Ikram also points out that with classic cars out of the reach of hobbyists, the Volkswagen is still a good classic to acquire. “It is also easier to maintain while being good on petrol,” he says.
Asad Ishaque heads the Karachi chapter of the Volkswagen Club of Pakistan. Proud of his own collection of Beetles, he says that he owns three models: a 1959, a 1968 and a 1972.
He says, “I can’t even think of parting with my Beetles ever.” Laughingly, he adds,
Yes, my family would like to see newer cars at home, but they, too, have tired of bringing up that issue with me now.
About their exclusive club, he says that it was formed with some aims in mind. “There are very few Beetles left. The last show we held here in December last year had some 65 cars most of which were well-maintained. Still, we Beetle owners wanted to be here for the newcomers in the club. Since we have the know-how about this car we wanted to share it with the others, too. We want to help them keep their cars in good condition. The Beetle deserves to be preserved,” he says.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim Ghauri, shows his love for the Beetle through his workshop, Universal Motors, on Jahangir Road. “The Beetles in really bad condition, we call kachra gari. I take it off its owner’s hands for around Rs50,000 to Rs60,000 then I have my fun restoring it. I resell a restored Beetle for around Rs450,000 and up,” he says, gesturing towards the many Beetles in various stages of repair inside and outside the garage.
There is an entire chassis that he has built right here resting against a wall. It is for one Beetle that has to be rebuilt. There are fiberglass bodies, sparkling new engines, etc. Mr Ghauri discards several myths about the Volkwagen. If you think that a Beetle engine once opened up for overhauling is never the same again, you have to see his smooth-running Beetle engines; if you think that a Beetle cannot be converted to CNG, he has achieved that, too; and if you think a Volkswagen cannot be air-conditioned, you are wrong there as well. Mr Ghauri proudly unlocks his own metallic green Beetle to display its AC, etc.
Although this city also has a couple of dedicated Volkswagen spare parts dealers, Cheap Autos and Novelty Motors, at Plaza, Mr Ghauri says that he usually gets his spare parts from Germany, Brazil and China. “All over the world, people associate my name with the Volkswagen,” he announces. He has been running his garage for 42 years now. “None of my 11 children share my love for the Beetle but I have been here all this time,” he says.
Asked what he intends to do to keep this service he does for the car going on, he shrugs and says,
The Quaid-i-Azam left but his Pakistan is still here, isn’t it?
