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A convoy of classic cars appeared on the snowy plateau,
The domineering classic cars opened our eyes.
So where did this wonderful caravan come from,
What’s the story?
On April 17, 2019, 45 “walkers” from 6 countries (UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland) drove 13 classic cars and 7 off-road vehicles to start the 2019 journey through the Himalayas ( The Trans-Himalayan Adventure 2019).
The convoy participating in this cross-border journey started from Chengdu, along National Highway 318, passed through Ya’an-Kangding-Litang-Batang-Shigatse-Mount Everest-Sacred Mountain Holy Lake-Ngari and other places, and finally arrived in Lhasa. The trip ended on May 15th and returned via the China-Nepal Gyirong Port.
Picture/Xiqiang Aqiang
For classic cars, almost all of my knowledge comes from Ann Beatty’s “An Old-fashioned Thunderbird”. Just like, my understanding of Taiwan comes from Long Yingtai, and my understanding of Xi’an comes from Jia Pingwa. Ann Beatty’s men are always melancholy and vulnerable. A white Thunderbird convertible, running through the beginning and the end, is a kind of lost beauty and also Nick’s spiritual support. In the end, Karen sold the Thunderbird, and Nick’s eyes were as dark as the deep sea.
The long existence of classic cars gives this type of car a sense of history, and it also reveals a strong sense of fate, tracing back to the source, along the timeline, picking up the damaged personality, and mending the wounds after blood loss. This is probably the wonderful state of harmony between people and things.
Just like that, in the years to come, Nick kept thinking back to the day Karen bought the Thunderbird, driving through tunnels and galloping on the street, and the car was still new with less than five miles on the mileage. But many years later, he tried to find the route they drove that night, but he couldn’t find it.
Why choose Sichuan-Tibet Line 318 National Highway?
318, across the longest national highway in China, covering plains, hills, basins, mountains, and plateaus, it is not an exaggeration to evaluate it as a landscape corridor with a high concentration of beautiful scenery in the world. From the Land of Abundance in the Sichuan Basin to Everest on the top of the earth, from the third step to the first step of China’s topography, from plains to plateaus, from freshwater lakes to islands and saltwater lakes, the natural landscape of the Sichuan-Tibet line is complete and diverse, and the splendor is rare in the world.
This road is also a humanistic tour and a historical tunnel. All the way to the west, some scenery that is not well understood by people and cannot be found in traditional culture begins to enter our field of vision. On this line, Namjagbarwa, 7782 meters above sea level, 7294 Mijiala Bailei appeared, and then to the west, 4 of the 14 peaks of the world’s 8,000-meter level – Makalu, Cho Oyu, Everest, and Shishapangma appeared, among which Mount Everest the highest point on Earth.
Rally director Liz Weinman said: “Our first challenge to high altitude was in 2015, but this Himalayan crossing event has allowed us to rise to an even higher challenge. Due to the plateau terrain, we have always restricted participating vehicles. An unforgettable adventure.”
How great is this batch of classic teams: 1925 Bentley Super Sports; 1925 Rolls-Royce 40/50 Silver Soul; 1927 Nash Roadster; 1937 Alvis 4.3; 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30; 1938 Rolls-Royce Slash 25/30; 1952 Stubeck Champion; 1965 Porsche 911; 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL…
There are also Logistical Support SUVs, still distinct in age and model. The oldest is a 1979 Land Rover and the youngest is a 2014 Land Rover Defender.
At 9 a.m. on April 17, Rally Events Director Liz Wenman put the 1925 Bentley SuperSports under the flag and began the journey.
Driver’s 1925 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
A muddy 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30
Ready to Go 1927 American Brand Nash
Many of you may not have heard of the Nash brand, but from 1916 to 1957, it was one of the most innovative automakers in the world.
It created several firsts in the history of automobiles. For example, the heating and cooling air-conditioning system was pioneered by this brand. However, after Nash and Hudson merged to form AMC (American Motors Corporation, AMC for short) in 1954, their brand personality gradually disappeared.
By 1957, all Nash models had been renamed Wanderers. Although AMC was the fourth largest automaker in the United States at the time. But by 1988, eventually bought by Chrysler, Nash disappeared with AMC.
1937 British brand Alvis Alvis
Alvis Motors was a British car manufacturing company founded in 1919 and closed in 1967. During this period, in addition to the design and production of civilian cars, professional racing cars, aircraft engines, armored cars and other armored combat vehicles were also produced. In 1965, when the Alvis brand became a subsidiary of Rover, the manufacture of civilian cars ended, but the manufacture of armored vehicles continued.
Snow mountains, green lakes, streams and rivers, glaciers, forest seas, meadows, blue sky, flowing clouds, cattle and sheep, horse herds, herdsmen, Tibetan villages, temples, monks…
Entering the open land, flocks of sheep, goats, cattle and wild donkeys, the vast world, the collision of speed and passion.
Porsche 911 crosses high-altitude snow-capped mountains
Alvis passing high altitude lakes
Mount Kailash with red mountains and white snow peaks
Caravan stuck on prairie road
On the 17th day of the journey, a Rolls-Royce with a fuel system problem was looking for a gas station when it accidentally fell into a ditch.
With the help of a local resident, the driver repaired his car with the panda hanging on it and went back on the road.
I couldn’t believe my eyes, the one that overtook me was actually a classic car that was older than my father’s father.
On April 17th, when I encountered such a big battle of old-fashioned motorcades, the people who ate melons were not calm. Some said, “Wow! The best self-driving motorcade on May 1st.” “It’s too luxurious, a walking pound!” It’s so fun.”
There are also people who say, “Is it up to the National VI standard?” “Should it be mandatory to scrap it in 1994?” “Can the vehicle pass the annual inspection?” Questions like this far exceed the love for classic cars.
I think foreigners will be moved to tears when they read the comments from netizens. In the ancient oriental country, a group of people are concerned about the exhaust emissions of their cars. The bewildered foreigners also responded with a soul-like question: Classic cars are really just us on the road. everyday.
In China, why are classic cars not allowed on the road? The classic cars that fly around the sky are speeding on the real road suddenly, and they are still driving freely in groups. Something is colliding in the minds of the people who eat melons, knocking down the wall between the old car and the scrapped car, as if seeing a withered rose suddenly sprouting a pair of wings and rushing out of the sky, inspired by things beyond ordinary life, shooting down The spirit of an enemy plane also exposed the futility of being stuck in place.
The classic car culture is a fluid narrative. This time, starting from Chengdu, the classic cars across the Himalayas hit the road, which proves that the classic car culture has begun to have a living soil in China.
The riders happily sailed into Nepal
On May 9, after a 20-day trek, the convoy finally crossed the China-Nepal border and descended from the broken mountain road in Nepal. Both Rolls-Royce and Bentley lost their headlights. They could only rely on the car in front and the torches they held Light the way forward. Bigger troubles arose as we approached Kathmandu, as trucks drove out of the city. Near midnight, all the convoys arrived at the hotel, tears and beer in the air at the same time, they did it!
There were setbacks and difficulties on the road, but in the end they became the first batch of racers to drive classic cars from Chengdu to Kathmandu. Completed his incredible trip.
Sometimes I have to admire their bravery
and their pursuit of the dream of freedom
hope
Nothing can stop your longing for freedom
Photo and text source: Sanhe Classic Cars.
