Most hobbyists acquire and collect items, big or small, but of specific interest to the person.

One good thing about human beings is that they have always found ways to persevere and overcome the ho-hum nature of living.

These days, when the lives of most people are nearly preset into an omnibus of mundane events, one thankful exit from the "dull lull" has been to go for a hobby.

Most hobbyists acquire and collect items, big or small, but of specific interest to the person. These collectors are typified by their boundless enthusiasm for items as simple as postage stamps or modern coinage, and as pointed as milk bottle labels from Glasgow. They may collect virtually all sorts of things, the depth and breadth of their collection a synthesis of their interest, time and that telling resource - money.

One hobby that ranks a high on all three counts is the collection of antique or vintage cars. Extremely demanding and expensive, it is much more than the simple acquisition of an aging heap of rusted metal that can be brought back to life with a little elbow grease. For first-timers, the road to acquiring such vehicles begins with knowing how to define them. Is an antique car any different to a vintage car or are they quite the same animal?

There is a range of difference. Vintage cars are normally classified into that clique of cars that were produced between 1919 and 1930. While there is no dispute about when this period should commence, there is some debate on which year of make this should end, with collectors taking positions from 1925 to 1939. This was an exciting period for vintage cars. Car-heating, radio, antifreeze, four-wheel braking and even power steering were some of the innovations of the era that were not matched until the 1950s. As people took to these cars, social America rewrote itself with drive-in restaurants, suburban shopping malls and motels dotting the cities and the highways.

An antique car is on a different time plane. For a car to be so designated, it has to be at least 25 years old. Rather logical when you consider that modern cars are not designed for an economic working life of over 12 years. Antique cars are predominantly the area of interest to the Pakistani collector, and there are many who go to great lengths towards restoring these old machines. After all, nothing beats the feeling of giving new life to an old classic.

But why collect antique cars? Apart from all the joy garnered by acquiring and restoring an object of deep personal interest, even enjoying a drive in it, these cars may also be considered as investments. However, given that market prices for these cars have quivered rather wildly over the last few years, this would seem a gamble. Besides, a car is a large object requiring expensive, protective storage and maintenance that would surely cut into profits.

The next step in acquiring antique cars is to seek them out. The initial urge is to look up relevant ads in the newspapers. However, for the greater challenge of it and for cost reasons as well, most collectors will first scour old garages and salvage yards, or even scan the streets for old vehicles. Skilled restorers are less finicky while buying their cars - the idea is to buy cheaper cars and restore them for the love of it.

Buying an antique car has its pitfalls. Rust is an overwhelming issue, more so for Karachi collectors and poses a serious caveat for both the buyer and the seller. While some rust is unavoidable, the corrosion should not be around any structural parts. Cars with original body paint and chrome are preferred, with relatively less mileage and little broken glass. The rarity of the model is the key basis for value. For everything else, it is the intrinsic charm of the car and the statement it makes for the era it represents.

Once the car is bought, it has to be more or less dismantled, which means collectors need to have enough space. One garage is normally enough but ideally there should be two, located side by side - one to dismantle the vehicle and store the parts, and the other to rebuild the car. Critical parts like the engine and gear box need to be stored in dry areas (a basement would be handy).

In Pakistan, parts to replace the existing ones can be found from old garages and salvage markets and are relatively easier to acquire. The key is to obtain as much original equipment since this raises the asking price of the car, should one plan to sell it later. To enhance this value, collectors generally focus on hood ornaments, old mirrors, original knobs, radios and the like. Parts are one thing - if this is your first time, restoration also demands the right tools - and you may need a lot of them.

Another good idea would be to collect any information on the specific car or in the least the particular model - how good or famous was it in its prime expands on the allure and the feel-good nature for the collectible. Collectors go to great lengths to try and find old brochures, or even any maintenance records of the car model to double up the pleasure of restoring and owning the vehicle.

Antique cars are a trip back in time for collectors, and good hard work in successfully restoring old classics gets car buffs there. The pleasure, of course, is for keeps