Motoring Middle East: Car news, Reviews and Buying guides

The extraordinary metal and dedicated enthusiasts in Shiraz
By Behnam Eghtedari

It was a lazy sunny afternoon in my home town of Shiraz. Having gorged myself with my mum’s homemade food I had just felt heavy and was about to go to sleep when my nephew asked me if I wanted to visit a classic car show?

“Leave me alone” I answered, I want to sleep. He then asked me if he could borrow my camera as he had not brought his. I told him he could take the camera and wished him “good luck” in a cheeky tone.

Classic cars in Shiraz? I thought. Pleaseeee you’ve got to be joking. How can anyone restore a classic in a country torn apart by 8 years of bloody war, 30 years of embargo and a currency which has almost evaporated in time?

I went to sleep and that was the end of it until few days later when my nephew brought back the camera. See my nephew loves cars and he modifies old Toyota FJ’s for off roading. He has even created an off roading club and leads his friends and members to different parts of Iran through rough terrain.

So I looked at him and kept on asking him sarcastic questions such as “So how many classic FJ’s did you see in there? Was the classic car show in the middle of a mountain? Did you drive to the show or did you have to climb up there? And so on…

He just smiled and said “why don’t you come look for yourself?”. He then brought me the camera and sat in front of me laughing. I could not believe my eyes.

1971 Dodge charger, 1973 Mustang mach 1, 1971 Pontiac Trans Am, 1971 Chevrolet Camaro RS/SS, Highly modified 1975 Chevrolet Camaro, 1951 Chevrolet Suburban, 1956 Morris Minor, 1949 Mercedes-Benz 170 S, 1969 Honda S 800, 1975 Corvette Stingray, 1962 Ford Mercury Comet, BMW 2002, Mercs, Jags, Land Rover, VW Beetles and etc.

I was going through the pictures zooming in and out and flipping through the pictures when my nephew laughed and said I am going there again tomorrow, would you like to come?

It was the last day of the show so I grabbed my nephew, my camera and headed out there.

I could not believe my luck. They would not allow us in as it was closing time but I insisted getting in and had to convince – ‘wink wink’ – the security guard to allow us in which we did. I was like a kid in a candy store.

All the owners were private collectors and with vast knowledge of classic cars. They told me stories about how they manage to bring some of the parts to Iran and how difficult it was for them to import some engine blocks.

I suddenly realized one thing, see to some of us a car is just a vehicle and its purpose is to take us from point A to B. Some others (collectors) buy their desired cars to enjoy their beauty, have fun with and to pass it on to their children. That’s Love. They say “if there is a will, there is a way” I say “if there is LOVE, there is a WAY”.

My favourite cars there were the 1949 Merc 170 S and the 1962 Ford Mercury ( unbelievably clean and neat).