by Jamal Hashim
BAGHDAD, April 21 (Xinhua) -- On a sunny spring day in the Adhamiyah neighborhood in northern Baghdad, a red 1937 Mercedes attracted people's attention as it slowed down at an intersection, prompting passersby to take selfies and souvenir videos.
Its owner, Imad Abdullah, a retired government employee, speaks proudly about his unique Mercedes which he said has a spiritual value that makes him feel the happiness of the good old days in Iraq.
Every antique car tells a story, and Abdullah's car has a reputation in Adhamiyah because it dates back to the monarchy era between the 1920s and the 1950s.
Abdullah first saw the Mercedes several years ago and did everything he could to buy it, and then spent a lot of his money on the restoration to its original form as much as possible.
The vintage car market in Baghdad has been booming in recent years, as many Iraqis feel that they evoke memories of happy times they lived in their youth before the decades of war and chaos.
The prices of vintage cars, in general, range between 15,000 and 60,000 U.S. dollars, depending on the car's make, condition, features, and how rare it is, and the classic cars gain in value over time.
According to Abdullah, he refused many offers from others to buy his car including one from an antique car lover who offered 50,000 U.S. dollars.
"This car was made in 1937, it reminds us of the good old times in the last century when life was stable, no wars, people were simple and Iraq was advancing," Abdullah said.
However, after three wars starting in the 1980s and 13 years of economic sanctions that severely destroyed Iraq's infrastructure, the country began to suffer from many difficulties.
Abdullah, like many of the vintage car lovers in Baghdad, enjoys living with the passion of showing off their precious cars, as the security situation improves in the country after the defeat of the IS. Decades of wars and chaos have forced many vintage car collectors to keep their cars hidden.
"When security is achieved and people feel safe in Iraq, we can enjoy driving classic cars," Abdullah said.
Omer Mohammed, 35, has parked two classic cars, one blue 1965 Chevrolet Impala SS and a red 1965 Convertible Impala SS, in front of his shop near the main entrance of Adhamiyah.
"I adore these two cars and I consider them the hallmarks of my shop. People always take selfies and that's what makes my shop popular here," Mohammed said.
Basim al-Tamimi, 58, another vintage car enthusiast, told Xinhua that many luxury models of antique cars in Baghdad "were formerly owned by well-known families or dignitaries."
Standing by his 1964 Ford Thunderbird at the bank of the Tigris River, al-Tamimi said that he and some vintage car lovers formed a group that includes more than 70 cars, ranging from 1922 to 1968.
The group members usually communicate with each other to cooperate and exchange ideas on maintaining their antique cars and they have an account on social media.
"We help each other and we make shows of our cars on some local occasions. People enjoy looking at our cars and taking pictures because they represent an era of Iraq's history," al-Tamimi said.
Amid the sounds of hammers in a car repair workshop in Adhamiyah, technician Amer Ibrahim told Xinhua that he considers himself a part of the vintage car community and he enjoys working on antique cars, especially some rare and elegant ones.
Driven by his passion for vintage cars, Ibrahim is now taking on the challenge of repairing a badly damaged 1949 Cadillac convertible which he considered a piece of art worth bringing back to life.
The car was burned and badly damaged in a bombing by the U.S. forces after it invaded Iraq in 2003.
To Ibrahim, the business in the vintage cars market is lucrative because the demand for such cars is high.
"There are many families that have classic cars and are intended to repair or sell them. There are also dealers and rich classic car lovers who are willing to buy and restore these cars at any price," Ibrahim said. ■
