Giant Buick Riviera from Rwanda for the CBA Africa Concours d’Elegance

Kigali-based Paul Bakuru has entered this 7000cc Buick Riviera manufactured in 1968 to compete in the September 30th CBA Concours d'Elegance, a car beauty competition annually held at the Ngong Race Course. [Standard, Bob Dewar Publicity]

 

 The Buick also sets a landmark by having a seven-litre (7000cc) engine which is the biggest car engine to be seen at the Nairobi Racecourse. This year’s Concours will be held on September 30 and will be the 48th in the annual series run by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club.

Paul’s massive two door Buick coupe was a great favourite with the crowd at the recent CBA Uganda Vintage and Classic Auto Show (a Concours event) in Kampala. It is expected that this machine will be a centre of attraction for the motoring fans gathering at the Nairobi Racecourse for the classiest event on the Kenya motor sport calendar. 

The Buick has been listed in the class for touring cars over 4000cc and will be up against the crowd pulling 1952 Rolls Royce of Roger Tanner, the Adenauer Mercedes Benz of Sachit Shah  which was made in 1959 and Dhiren Pitrola’s 1987 Mercedes Benz 300SL.

Lucy Mungai, the Concours secretary, reported, “Car entries have reached the maximum of 70 which is specified in the regulations. This requirement is aimed at ensuring high standards of judging. Now there is growing interest in the eight classes for motorcycles, the Classic Car and Motorcycle Sale and Auto Expo which is the motor trade section of the event”.

There is a flock of newcomers who will be making a first appearance at the Nairobi Racecourse on September 30th   including Anwar Fatehdin with a 1930 Ford Model A and  Ravi Soni who will be driving a 1928 International box body on the Total Excellium inspection ramp and along the judging line in front of the main Racecourse grandstands.

 Rally driver Rob Linck will have his classic 1979 Porsche 911 and will be against the similar car of veteran rally driver Aslam Khan in the competition car class.

Other motor sport personalities participating in the competition car class are Rehan Shah who is leading the Kenya National Autocross Championship in his Mitsubishi Evolution 7 which he won last year and the current runner up Sahib Omar with a Subaru Impreza GC8. Their cars are being prepared by Autohire Traders who have also entered a classic Mercedes rally machine made in 1984.

The oldest machine in the event is the 1925 Triumph 550 SD motorcycle of Dominique Antoine which will contest the newly introduced class for bikes made before 1960.

Dominique will be competing against the 1959 BSA Shooting Star of Peter Giraudo and the BSA Bantam entered by Ugandan motorcycle enthusiast Robert Lule.

Peter Giraudo is also busy preparing his 1966 Triumph TR 6C which is  a competition motorcycle favoured by riders in the desert racing events held in America in the 1960s.