A CAR WITH HERITAGE

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A CAR WITHHERITAGE

The story of a girl who grows to love the Ford Model A her father owned.

In the age of supercars and electric cars, it’s hard to imagine an era

where cars didn’t have automatic transmissions, or where cars could not exceed 105 km/h. The Ford Model A is a fine example of the cars of that era.

The 2018 CBA Africa Concours d’ Elegance offered a fine selection Ford Model A cars that were in great condition. It was amazing to hear the stories of how their owners came by such exquisite toys and how they’ve kitted out and pimped them up ever since.

Among such proud car enthusiasts were Hanee Khan, his wife Fayha Karimbux-Khan and her mother Sheila Karimbux-Sheikh. Their 1928 Ford Model A, a thing of beauty which Fayha fielded at the event first belonged to her dad, Tehsin Karimbux.

They shared with me the fascinating tale of how this Ford Model A found its way into their hearts.

I understand your family has had this car for decades… Sheila: Yes! It belonged to my late husband, Tehsin. But it first belonged to his father, Yakub. When my husband died in a gruesome road accident on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway in ’89, my father-in-law sold the car to John Wroe, who was a long-time family friend. In fact, we partnered with Wroe to create the Vintage & Classic Car Club of Kenya in ‘88. He owns the car to date but allowed Fayha to show it at the 2018 CBA Africa Concours d’ Elegance in her father’s memory.

C1010 is such a unique registration number. Any story there? Sheila: The car was imported by a man called Hughes. The C shows that it was registered in Nakuru. It was one of the first cars to be registered by the colonial government. Hughes sold it to the Karimbux family around the late 1930s or early 1940s.

How much work has gone into modifying it? Sheila: My husband started restoring it in the late 1980s. Initially, he tried to import parts from the USA but encountered challenges due to government regulations and of course, the cost. But he soldiered on and by the time of his passing in 1989, we had actually driven the car up to Gilgil and Naivasha. Fayha: After he bought it 15 years ago, Wroe continued restoring the car. He imported original parts from the US but kept the fundamental parts of the car- including the engine and chassis- the same. If my dad and granddad saw what it has become, they’d be proud. Haanee : The woodwork was redone- switching lighter wood on the doors and body for darker. We also removed the roof- which although fun, spells trouble if it rains when you’re out with the car.

Is it easy to drive? Fayha: It’s not the easiest car to drive. My husband usually drives it as I find it too difficult.

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He imported original parts from the US but kept the fundamental parts of the car- including the engine and chassis- the same.

Haanee: The accelerator is in the middle, the brake pedal is on the right, and clutch is on the left and further to the left is the starter. The car has a choke, and you have to manually turn the fuel on and off. It doesn’t have power steering, so turning it is plenty of work. You have to use hand signals to indicate when you are turning. The fuel tank sits between the dash panel and engine compartment’s fire wall, and fuel flows to the carburetor by gravity. However, it’s still a joy to drive. It’s a 1928 car; you’re not getting Ferrari sports car stability with it, but you are still going to enjoy the ride.

How often do you drive it? Fayha: Not very often. We drove it earlier this year at the Vintage Car Treasure Hunt held at Karen House. My husband has driven it down the Southern By-Pass once or twice, and of course- we drove it here today.

What do you love most about the car? Fayha: The fact that it was special to my dad. I never met him; he died in a car accident before I was born. The car gives me a glimpse of what he was passionate about. I’ve realized that you have to be very keen on details to own and keep such a car. It’s also a beautiful piece of engineering.

Ford Model A tidbits

• Produced between 1927 and 1931.

• Ford Motor Company’s second major success after the Ford Model T.

• Production of Ford Model A reached the 20-million mark by 1931.

• The Ford Model A made in USA: 3.3-liter water-cooled L-head inline four engine/40 horsepower/ three-speed sliding-gear manual transmission/ single speed reverse/ top speed 65mph

• European: 2,043 cc engine/28 horsepower.

• 4-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

• First Ford car to use conventional driver controls like a clutch, brake pedals, a throttle, and gear shifter.

• First car to have shatter-proof glass windshield.

• Comes in different body styles, e.g. coupe, convertible cabriolet, sedan, station wagon, taxicab, and truck.

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