The cars that time forgot
Our ongoing photodiary of old cars that are either abandoned, dumped, neglected or awaiting restoration or purchase that we’ve seen in the region – keep checking back for updates!
[Shahzad, August 2013] Here’s a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II found in Al Nahda in Dubai in. Apparently it’s awaiting restoration, but it sad as it is, it looks too far gone for that. Perhaps it could be a donor car for another.
[Shahzad, August 2013] This Ford Thunderbird was seen along side the Rolls-Royce, also apparently awaiting restoration. It’s been removed now, so hopefully it’s being worked on. These are quite valuable in good condition, so well worth it as a project car.
[Imthishan, August 2013] Rare in our region, this sorry looking Opel Calibra was spotted in in an industrial estate in Al Quoz, Dubai.
[Shahzad, August 2013] On the look out for an old Chevrolet Impala, I stumbled across this, but I wanted to shoot something with maybe a bit more of it still there (I did find a good one). This was round the corner from the Calibra above.
[Shahzad, June 2013] Don’t think this Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Convertible was abandoned, because it has been moved from where I saw it in Al Qusais industrial, Dubai, but please give it clean-up. It’s worth it!
[Shahzad, May 2013] If Detective Starsky’s looking for his car, we think he might have left it in Al Quoz, Dubai. Read about the Ford Gran Torino here.
[Shahzad, May 2013] This poor tiled Audi A8 was actually featured in a strange French movie called Dubai Flamingos. See it in the trailer
[Shahzad, April 2013] Not exactly neglected, and not quite sure what is going on here, but perhaps some sort of tribute to a Motorcycle rickshaw pickup thingy.
[Shahzad, March 2013] This classic Ford Mustang had a mashed in door on the other side and until recently was parked near Medina Mall in Al Mizhar, Dubai.
[Shahzad, Oct 2012] Did someone try to transform this Volkswagen Beetle into a convertible and then just give up? In Al Qusais, Dubai.
[Shahzad, Nov 2012] MG-F is over 18 years old now believe it or not. Saw this one sitting in Al Qusais, Dubai for while. It’s gone now though.
[Shahzad, Oct 2012] It may have been unkindly called the beach whale or the upside down bathtub (my less unflattering term at the time was a used bar of soap – slippery!), but this shape Caprice does have a special appeal now. Sad to see this Caprice SS (essentially the Impala SS and you can see the Impala badge inside) lying around unloved with its 5.2-litre 300bhp V8 in Khor Fakkan, Fujairah.
[Shahzad, Oct 2012] And right next to the above Caprice in Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, was this poor thing. I owned one of these once, and it remains one of my very favourite little cars. The Honda CRX had buzzing performance and sensational handling – a real laugh-a-minute riot. Hopefully someone’s rescued this one by now.
[Shahzad, Feb 2008] And here’s one from a few years ago. The Lotus Esprit is my all-time favourite car. This was a sight so tragic it made me want to weep. Wish I could have rescued it, but it turned out to be stolen and then, one day, vanished. Body was in relatively decent shape, interior need some work, engine was blown. Wonder where it is now? I even wrote about it on the official Lotus Forum and investigated it with Lotus itself.
Keep checking back for updates. Meanwhile, share your finds with us below!
