UMM AL QUWAIN // Khalifa Al Ghafli loves classic cars of all shapes, sizes and ages. But he loves classic Land Rovers most of all.
The 57-year-old Emirati has a collection of 200 vintage vehicles that he has lovingly restored over the years, with 192 of the famous British off-roaders taking pride of place.
His passion for Land Rovers started in the 1950s when they were among the few vehicles that British troops stationed in what was to become the UAE were using.
His first experience behind the wheel was as a 14-year-old driving his father’s 1954 Land Rover.
“I used to repair any malfunction in my father’s car and go to school in it,” he said.
Mr Al Ghafli, who lives in Al Falaj Al Mualla and spent 10 years in the armed forces before working in business, did not start his collection until 2004.
“For years I was yearning for my past days and for my father’s car that I had driven in my youth,” he said. “Then in 2004 I found the same car model when my friend brought it from Britain, and I bought it from him.”
This was the spark that led Mr Al Ghafli to buy another Land Rover, and then another until his collection reached three figures.
“At the beginning, I used to put them in the yard of my house and the number of people who used to come and see the vehicles increased until the Ruler of Umm Al Quwain [Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu’alla] gave me a piece of land, which is now my exhibition.
“The UAQ Ruler is the main supporter of my project, in addition to the piece of land that he gave me, he exempted me from licences and commercial papers that are required when I need to buy or bring a car from outside the country.”
As well as Land Rovers, Mr Al Ghafli also owns a Ford, Dodge, Nissan, Cadillac, Audi, Volkswagen, Land Cruiser and a Bedford, although only one of each make.
“I intend to increase the number of the other car types and to diversify by bringing more saloon vehicles and American and Japanese kinds.
“I concentrated on assembling models of classic cars launched between 1940 and 1970 because they are cheaper than the models of 1920s and 1930s. The price of a 1922 model costs US$1 million (Dh3.67m) which is equal to the value of all my cars and auto parts.
“I always search to buy old cars that are cheap and need an engine or to be fixed. I have 200 classic cars and want to buy 300, but I concentrate on bringing more auto parts.”
Word of his collection soon spread, attracting tourists and other car enthusiasts from all over the globe. Some come to admire the vehicles, while others hope to drive one away.
“The tourists began coming from Europe, America, Japan and Russia to see the cars and buy auto parts,” said Mr Al Ghafli, adding he always gives visitors a gift as a sign of what he calls “a desert generosity”.
To finance his passion, Mr Al Glafli occasionally has to sell some of his beloved cars or parts to other fellow collectors, exhibitions or museums.
“I don’t have government financial support,” he explained. “So I do these sales to bring an income.”
Although his collection of Land Rovers came out of a personal desire to collect the cars that meant so much in his youth, Mr Al Ghafli is also keen to give a little back to his community and used to offer training courses to youngsters keen to lean about cars.
“Every year in the summer vacation I used to do lessons for about 15 school students and train them on mechanics and structures of cars. But the heat of the summer was not conducive to the continuation of the lessons because the exhibition does not have air conditioning.”
His dream is to have a permanent museum for his cars and a place where he can offer vocational training to youngsters.
“Expo 2020 is coming and many tourists will surely come here, so I want the support of the Government to develop my gallery and provide air conditioning in it to make me able to welcome tourists and visitors and to bring school students to train them practically, along with the theoretical lessons that they take them in their schools.”
RESULT
RS Leipzig 3
Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'
Emil Forsberg 87'
Tottenham 0
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company Profile
Company name: Big Farm Brothers
Started: September 2020
Founders: Vishal Mahajan and Navneet Kaur
Based: Dubai Investment Park 1
Industry: food and agriculture
Initial investment: $205,000
Current staff: eight to 10
Future plan: to expand to other GCC markets
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Fight card
1. Featherweight 66kg: Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)
2. Lightweight 70kg: Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)
3. Welterweight 77kg:Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)
4. Lightweight 70kg: Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)
5. Featherweight 66kg: Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)
6. Catchweight 85kg: Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)
7. Featherweight 66kg: Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)
8. Catchweight 73kg: Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Ahmed Abdelraouf of Egypt (EGY)
9. Featherweight 66kg: Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)
10. Catchweight 90kg: Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)
