Steve McQueen stares down from an original ‘Bullit’ poster with the iconic Ford Mustang flanking him. Various miniature models of classic cars dot the bookshelves stacked with a bevy of photographic tomes recording the history of motoring. And amidst the assorted vintage cars, paraphernalia and motoring bric-a-brac sits Wael Buheiry, himself something of a throwback to a time long gone and a ‘true blue’ classic car aficionado.
Buheiry is the author of Rouge: A Classic Car Journey through Jordan, an immense coffee table book of about 7 kilograms featuring over 400 images of a classic car rally that crossed the expanse of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan back in October 2006.
Rouge is a visual journey through a slice of automotive history with images from the rally representing 65 classic cars spanning 100 years of motoring. Chronicling the journey were three photographers whose work appears in the book – Robert Leslie, Dave Saunders and Zohrab from Jordan who served the Royal Hashemite Court for 25 years as the official photographer of His Majesty the late King Hussein of Jordan.
“The first instance of the book was a complete inspiration. I didn’t even know how to put it together but I knew that I wanted to do something with the inventory of images that I was collecting,” Buheiry says.
“Sometimes you feel these things; you get a sense that you are in caught in a certain moment that needs to be recorded for posterity,” he adds. That moment came when he was driving his 1950s red Jaguar XK 120 across Wadi Rum where it happened to break down right in front of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, made famous in the West by T.E. Lawrence. The sun was setting across the pink-hued desert and the scenery was awash with the distinct reddish tones of the area, eventually inspiring the title of the book.
Buheiry chose to rally with his red Jaguar in homage to his late father’s red 1954 Arnolt Bristol Bolide which he used to race in Jordan during events organised by the late King Hussein, himself a classic car enthusiast, in the 1950s. But as filled with history as it is, Rouge is also something of an exercise in coincidence, or what some would call, fate. From Buheiry’s mechanical malfunction in Wadi Rum, his late father’s passion for cars and photography to specific cars that joined the rally, there is a distinct sense of destiny to the entire project.
Wadi Rum is forever entwined with the history of the Arab Revolt in 1918 and the role Lawrence of Arabia played in that chapter of the region’s past. It seems providential then, that Lawrence’s car, the same one he had in Jordan at the time of the revolt, was one of the 60 cars that joined the rally.
“We had several classic pre-World War Bentleys as well as a 1920s Rolls Royce - the Silver Ghost - that came with Lord Montagu. T.E. Lawrence owned the Silver Ghost that he later sold to Lord Montagu’s father. It’s displayed at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu but returned to Jordan in 2006 for the rally.”
Like moths to a flame, there is an almost magnetic dynamic between men and cars. But when it comes to classic cars, it takes a certain kind of man, and according to Buheiry, his kind is not always easily understood.
“The truth is, I’m chronically addicted to all things vintage and rare; there is no other way to explain it,” he says. “Everything that is old and historical has translated into this part of my life for various reasons. Being raised in England instilled in me an appreciation for tradition in general and that is where my love story with vintage cars springs from.”
While serious car collectors can own upwards of a hundred cars, Buheiry’s collection is more modest, numbering between five and ten cars at any given time. For him, the allure of rare cars extends beyond just numbers; the process of restoring a vehicle to its former glory with original parts intact is one of the main draws, along with the fact that it allows the driver a glimpse into the past.
“Most people who try to understand the mentality of a classic car collector may come to the conclusion that we’re all senile or crazy. It’s a time consuming hobby that is expensive and labour-intensive all in the name of something old. And yet, that is where the passion stems from.”
Buheiry is quick to point out that while his love story with vintage cars was inherited from his father, the truth is, the cars themselves are works of art that are very easy to become enamoured with.
“In my opinion, these old cars are works of art. Unlike modern cars, the attention to detail involved with the lines, shape and bodies of the cars along with the interior upholstery is something that takes the driving experience to a different level,” he says. “Part of the enjoyment is fixing up a classic car, enjoying it and then passing it on to other enthusiasts.”
His devotion to rare cars is enhanced with each rally he embarks on, usually twice a year. According to him, there is a spirit of adventure that is part and parcel of the rally experience where the road twists and turns, allowing you to discover a country in an utterly unique way.
“I started rallying in 1997 and that is where the bug was caught. When you rally in an old car, you’re actually discovering a country. It’s simply you, the road and your co-pilot, who incidentally, is the most important man in the journey as he guides you through what essentially is unknown territory.”
The rally in Jordan, which forms the basis of the book, remains one of Buheiry’s favourite driving experiences thanks to the ever-changing landscape that takes you from stunning deserts to historic towns, the Dead Sea and beyond. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have more roads to travel in the future.
I sat with Buheiry after he had arrived from the Trans-Europa Rally that saw him cross the Balkans, Switzerland and Tuscany with a Morgan Aero 8. He brought along a photographer to shadow them in the hopes of compiling another book, this time a black and white photographic voyage through Europe that he’s thinking of calling Noir.
But until then, he is content to simply step into a classic car and get back on the road for another journey of discovery.
1000 limited edition copies of ‘Rouge: A Classic Car Journey through Jordan’ have been printed. They are available at Jashanmal stores and Bookworld by Kinokuniya in Dubai, UAE.
