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Car nuts flock to vintage repair shops
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 10/25/2008 1:01 PM | City
Scores of vintage cars were parked along the street, all in various states of disrepair. Some of them had lost their doors, others their windows or tires.
Although some might have called their presence along Jl. Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta, an eyesore, antique car lovers flocked to them in awe.
Every day, five or more mechanics can be seen busily repairing the fine machines, including a Volkswagen, a Holden and a Chevrolet.
They work at Auto Classic, a makeshift garage with walls made of boards and zinc sheets.
Here, Doddy Ruhyadi and his crew of mechanics make the cars fit for the road.
Doddy opened the vintage car repair shop in 2004.
"I love vintage cars. It is an honor to see them on the road again," Doddy said.
There are two reasons he likes antique cars, he says. First, fixing them is a challenge because of the specific difficulties involved, and second, he earns money from them.
His biggest challenge is finding spare parts.
According to Doddy, the lengthy time required to fix antique cars is largely down to the difficulties in securing spare parts, which are rarely available at common auto markets.
"The newest cars have many spare part stores but no stores sell vintage car parts today except for certain types, like the Mini Cooper," Doddy said.
One solution, he said, was to strip parts from cars that were beyond repair, or that had been neglected.
"We call it cannibalism. I buy antique cars which are difficult to repair and I take all of the spare parts and use them again in other cars," he explained.
He also searches for parts at Jakarta's myriad of dump sites.
"On those cars, I usually find many spare parts which are rarely found in common markets."
It takes Doddy several months to repair a classic car.
He surveys the damage to his customer's cars with great patience and care.
"I have been fixing the 1959 Chevrolet for two years and the restoration is still underway," he said.
Many people come to Doddy's garage to have their cars restored or to buy rare spare parts.
Most of his customers are classic car nuts willing to spend hundreds of thousands or even millions of rupiah to get their antique cars looking beautiful.
Joko Santoso owns an antique car repair shop in Tanjung Barat, South Jakarta, that specializes in Morris cars, the small vintage cars made in England.
Joko fell in love with Morrises when he was a boy.
"My father was head of a Morris assembling auto shop. We had various kinds of Morrises in our garage," said Joko, who currently has four Morrises in his own garage.
Joko established his repair shop in 1987. Spare parts are available in several places in Jakarta.
"We can buy them at Atrium Senen (shopping mall in Central Jakarta) or in some other places. The prices of spare parts range from Rp 100,000 (US$10) to more than Rp 1 million."
Many Morris owners in Jakarta bring their cars to him for repair or to be modified, he said.
With fuel prices rocketing to new heights, many Jakartans have turned to fuel efficient cars, and the Morris, with its small capacity engine, fits the bill.
"The clientele increased 35 percent in the last few months. Using a small car in Jakarta is trendy today," Joko said.
Many vintage car fans like to hang out in antique repair shops, including Doddy's and Joko's. They share experiences and information on cars, including on where to find spare parts. They sometimes swap cars and tour together across the country.
"This country is a haven for vintage car or motorcycle lovers ... The tax is not so expensive, unlike in Singapore and other places," said Abdul Kahar, a vintage car collector.
Abdul started collecting antique cars and motorcycles in 2000. Now he has two antique cars and seven old motorcycles.
He spends almost every Sunday night touring with fellow enthusiasts.
"Indeed, I spend a lot of money on this hobby but I don't mind because I am happy," said Abdul, who works at a private company on Jl. MT Haryono, South Jakarta.
"Antique cars force their owners to spend extra. It seems a waste of money but it is worth it for the satisfaction," said another fan smiling. (naf)
