Page 69 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL8

It is the joy of breathing life into an obsolete object. It is happiness to see objects that we believe in survive in splendid condition“It is an annual gathering for col- lectors to meet and to take those vin- tage motors on the road because we don’t want to just keep those cars in the garage,” said Mr Kwanchai. “We encourage those cars to go on the streets a few times a year.”The club runs annual get-togethers where members can drive together to nearby provinces.The club was founded in 1971 by the late socialite Vilard Bunnag, vice-president of Laem Thong Motor Sport Club. In the early years, the name of the club changed according to sponsors. It was first registered as the Lufthansa Vintage Car Club (LHVCC), then became the Lufthansa- Castrol Vintage Car Club. It was not until 2003 that the club was officially registered and recognized by the Royal Thai Police and the Ministry of Culture as the Vintage Car Club of Thailand.The early name changes reflected the financial uncertainties surrounding every hobby or non-profit group. Sponsors come and go, and the club survives through the dedication of vintage car aficionados. Next year the club will celebrate the 40th Vintage Car Concours, which will be a major event. “I think the club has done quite well. We have run the vintage concours for 39 years. Over four decades, events were cancelled only a few times by major historic events, such as epic floods and coups.”Mr Kwanchai insists the event will always remain free to attend, because one of the club’s objectives is to promote the activities of the club and restoration work of vintage cars to the public. Most revenue comes from member donations – from wealthy patrons or sponsors such as Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Hyundai, Ducati or Siam Winery, which can use the highElite+ 67