AP Photos: Collector saves classic cars in Egypt
CAIRO (AP) – The past often collides with the present in Cairo, including traffic problems near archaeological sites.
Cars in the city can be subject to heavy wear and tear from high temperatures, abrasive desert dust and traffic on busy streets. Classic models are not uncommon, but they often languish in dusty back alleys or garages. However, one man decided to try to preserve a part of Egypt’s four-wheeled vehicle history.
Vehicle collector Mohamed Wahdan says he has accumulated more than 250 antique and classic cars. Most of them he discovered in the country.
A fleet of this size would place him among the world’s leading collectors of classic vehicles. Experts typically classify cars as vintage, antique or classic depending on their year of manufacture.
Wahdan, 52, manages a tour company that takes visitors to Egypt’s famous historical monuments. But he is dedicated to his hobby. He owns several different garages to store all his vehicles and employs a full-time team of mechanics to maintain them.
He says one of the challenges is getting license plates for the cars. Government employees are often unsure how to classify them.
Wahdan’s oldest car is a 1924 Ford Model T that belonged to Egypt’s last monarch, King Farouk. It is a museum piece, and includes a velvet rope to indicate its place in the garage.
The various layers of the country’s history make it a treasure trove of antiquities. Egypt, an ex-British protectorate, was a destination for Europeans in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Italian, Greek and Jewish communities once flourished in Cairo and the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Their historical markets, or souqs, sell many souvenirs of bygone eras, replicas and genuine objects.
Wahdan has collected many of them. He is also fascinated by rotary dial telephones, gramophones, newspapers and old stamps.
Recently, one of his automobiles was featured in a television series set in the 1930s. He noted that Egyptian interest in car collecting is growing, and there has been an increase in the number of people attending classic car shows where his cars are displayed.
The first vehicle he bought is one of his most beloved: a 1970s Mercedes. As with his other vehicles, he doesn’t drive it often. However, he says he will never sell any of his collection.
“Anyone who has a passion for these cars is incapable of getting rid of them,” he said.
