Heritage Transport Museum - Where Life Has Been Breathed Back Into Vintage Beauties

Tarun Thakral's passion for vintage cars led to the establishment of the museum, where 60 cars are in working condition, and 40 are being revived.

Transcript

00:00A Delhi resident in possession of vintage cars has converted his house into a museum.

00:11Tarun Thakral has around 60 such vehicles in working condition.

00:17Thakral has preserved these cars while reviving them and making them roadworthy.

00:21He has created India's first heritage transport museum with classic cars from the 1930s to 1970s.

00:30The government has recognized this unique endeavor and supported it with financial assistance.

00:35The museum is located on Sona Road in Delhi.

00:40My passion gave birth to this museum. There was no other transport museum in India.

00:46When I decided to organize my collection, the first thing I did was to contact the government.

00:52The government appreciated my efforts and provided financial support.

00:57Consequently, in December 2013, the magnificent Heritage Transport Museum came into being.

01:04The journey of reviving old cars has not been easy as their spare parts are not easy to find in India.

01:10Many parts of these vintage cars are imported from the United States, London and other places abroad.

01:15Experienced mechanics familiar with these vehicles have to be traced for restoration work.

01:20If properly restored, they can last for years without any problems.

01:25My first car is a 1932 Chevrolet Feton that belonged to the Lahore Presidency.

01:31Its owner had parked it outdoors in Ramgad in Rajasthan.

01:35The heat had completely worn away the tires, rubber parts and seats.

01:40Only the frame remained. But the engine was intact.

01:44Thakral's journey goes beyond simply collecting cars.

01:48It represents a significant initiative to preserve the history of Indian transport.

01:52By breathing new life into old vehicles, he has created a museum that not only introduces the future generation to India's automotive history,

02:00but also demonstrates what passion and perseverance can achieve.

02:04Thakral's story demonstrates that time, resources and limitations are no barrier in the face of passion.

02:09By breathing new life into old cars, he has proved that hobbies can also lead to the preservation of history.