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I’m from Thrissur, a metropolis in Kerala, India. I’m additionally the proprietor of a classic Vauxhall Velox, which I inherited from my father in 1968 after I obtained my driver’s license. My automobile has many tales to inform about her lengthy her life. She has an 18 horsepower, 58 break horsepower six cylinder engine with a physique fabricated from sturdy metal sheets like what was used to make Wilson Churchill’s tanks throughout WWII. The knee motion entrance suspension and worn steering pinion makes driving it an journey, however pleasurable, for me.

One story from 1975 with my Vauxhall Velox stands out amongst others. We left from my metropolis of Thrissur to Kodiakanal, a metropolis within the mountains well-known amongst vacationers. She climbed the hills with ease to our first cease. Whereas there, I talked with some taxi drivers about our plan to proceed as much as Kodaikanal on a brief lower route I’d discovered on the map, which might be off-road. They appeared over the automobile and believed it had excessive sufficient clearance and a strong sufficient engine to make the journey. Then we set off!

This route took us about 60 miles by the deep forest filled with wildlife. We noticed elephants, bison, deer, peacocks, and monkeys as we drove alongside a mud highway filled with potholes and overgrown with grass. Because the Velox continued to climb and navigate extraordinarily sharp curves, I out of the blue noticed a Jonga Jeep forward and utilized the brakes shortly. On the slim path the Jonga slowly made its method handed us as we wished them properly on their very own journey. That was the one car we noticed on this off highway route.

My Velox ultimately reached the tallest mountain in South India, Anamudi, which stands about 9,000 ft excessive. We reached our last vacation spot the next day, after which returned the “regular” route house. This was completely probably the most thrilling journey taken in my basic automobile, if not ever!

One other fascinating reality about my Vauxhall Velox is that in 1993 she received the Apollo Tires trophy on the South India Classic Automotive Rally. Round 25 vehicles participated, and mine obtained a complete of 97 factors.

–Jacob A., Kerala, India