Men and their machines (Part 1)

In the wake of the Ondoy tragedy you have to stop and think. So many have lost their homes and possessions, and even then they are considered lucky. My condolences go out to those who have lost family members, friends and loved ones. I hope all of you readers are okay, and as much as we love our old-school rides, let's remember that even if some were submerged in the floods, they can always be rebuilt again. If anything, it's the guys who restore cars that know how to make something magical out of a scrap heap. Check the homepage of TopGear.com.ph for tips on how to revive a flooded-out ride, and for news about the subsidies that some car companies are giving out to help motorists like us. As promised, here are some short interviews that I did with the cool people that I've met on my old-school journey. Once again, I hope that you all made it through the storm okay. On a lighter note, consider yourselves (and your cars) famous! NAME: Aris Marquez (aka Buknoy Jr.) CAR: '80s Toyota Tercel WHY OLD-SCHOOL? "Iba yung dating sa akin. Parang destiny. Hindi ko maipaliwanag 'yung magic. Kapag nakakita ako ng lumang kotse parang, wow! Ganun ako." QUICK FACTS: Aris has a fine Toyota Tercel, not a very common car in the Philippines. It may be a front-wheel drive, but we don't need to go through the whole is-it-old-school-school debate. It's all in the vibe, and this car has it. NAME: Timothy John Remorca (aka Oracle) CAR: 1979 Toyota Corona WHY OLD-SCHOOL? "I'm fascinated by cars that came out in the '70s era, with square quad headlamps. And I got it!" QUICK FACTS: I bought it last July. I was searching for the "car for me." My first car was a Volkswagen Beetle, but I had to sell it because I ran out funds for repairs. Then I searched on sulit.com, and I found this one. I named her Trixie! NAME: Mark Arciaga CAR: 1987 Mitsubishi Lancer WHY OLD-SCHOOL? "For me, parang iba eh. Kesa brand-new. Pag brand-new anyone can buy that. Pag mag set up ka ng luma, pwede same model, pero different talaga." QUICK FACTS: Modifications done to his Box-type are mostly DIY-under the hood and with the sound system. Mark loves the old-school community. "Masaya, maganda 'yung camaraderie i," he says. By the way, look for this car (and for him) if you need to buy cigarettes during a meet. Thanks, pre! NAMES: Father and son tandem Manny and Empi Martinez CARS: MK II Ford Escorts (white and black) WHY OLD-SCHOOL? These guys are the driving force behind plenty of these meets. Men of little words, but the nicest guys. More about them and their cars, if they agree to a proper interview! I will be putting more snippets and photos up soon. Keep posted, and until the next post!