Classic Cars in Malta

[Andy 308GTB]

I guess the climate in Malta is very kind to old cars. On a recent visit I was amazed by the number I saw. All of which appeared to be in concours condition. Sunday mornings were very popular.
From memory...
Ford Corsair
MK1 Cortina in Lotus paint scheme
MK 2 Cortina
MK 2 Cortina Convertible!
Capri
MK1 Escort
Ford Anglia - this sounded great, some work under the bonnet for sure.
Ferrari Testarossa
Rover P6
Lotus Evora
Alfa 4c
MGB
Merc 450sl
E-Type Jag (bronze) - absolutely stunning
Morris 1000 traveller
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Camaro 2nd gen.
Fiat 500
Various 1970 Datsuns
Panther something

plus a few more that I wasn't 100% sure of.


All spotted early on a couple of Sunday mornings on Bugibba seafront. I'm guessing it's part of an informal but established classic car scene?

[Wacky Racer]

Don't know whether they still do it, but there used to be a Sunday morning classic car meet at The Apples Eye cafe car park at Golden Bay.

Malta has always had a big following for classic 60's British cars.

[Old Merc]

I`ve been to Malta many times, a lovely place for car spotting. Everywhere you go there is often a 60`s or 70`s mainly British car.
As for the old buses , they were part of Malta heritage. Sadly the bus network has been taken over by Arriva, with a fleet of boring modern vehicles.

[langtounlad]

The old buses can still be seen, have been restored and are used for tourist sightseeing trips. The previous time that I was on the island (30years ago) they were in normal service. I boarded one and two things stood out immediately. As the bus came straight towards the stop, the driver was still sawing away at the wheel trying to keep it in a straight line! Then when boarding, I couldn't help but notice that the front nearside tyre was worn through to the cords. Still I was only going a short distance and no-one else seemed concerned. :-)

[Wacky Racer]

I've recently sold a villa at Mellieha, these days you hardly see a yellow bus, several years ago they used to actually be owned by the drivers, I knew a guy that kept four in a huge underground garage built under his house on my road.

I was on a bus once and one driver had his pet canary in a cage hanging from the windscreen mirror

Many of the dusty old roads have been resurfaced and brought up to UK standards, thanks to an influx of EU money.

A lot of the "olde worlde charm" has gone these days, but it's still lovely.

[langtounlad]

I'm sure that I've been on the bus with the canary!

[Wacky Racer]

langtounlad said:

I'm sure that I've been on the bus with the canary!

[Old Merc]

langtounlad said:

The old buses can still be seen, have been restored and are used for tourist sightseeing trips. The previous time that I was on the island (30years ago) they were in normal service. I boarded one and two things stood out immediately. As the bus came straight towards the stop, the driver was still sawing away at the wheel trying to keep it in a straight line! Then when boarding, I couldn't help but notice that the front nearside tyre was worn through to the cords. Still I was only going a short distance and no-one else seemed concerned. :-)

Most of the old buses I traveled in had a shrine and statue of Mary on the dash. The locals would always cross themselves as they boarded. So the good lord would look after them.

[hidetheelephants]

langtounlad said:

The old buses can still be seen, have been restored and are used for tourist sightseeing trips. The previous time that I was on the island (30years ago) they were in normal service. I boarded one and two things stood out immediately. As the bus came straight towards the stop, the driver was still sawing away at the wheel trying to keep it in a straight line! Then when boarding, I couldn't help but notice that the front nearside tyre was worn through to the cords. Still I was only going a short distance and no-one else seemed concerned. :-)

Glad I got to experience it before the purge. A ride home from a nightclub was enlivened by a shower of rain; this revealed the driver to be a budding Frolian Gonzalez at least in cornering technique, watching buildings come toward you in the side windows has a powerful sobering effect.

[Rob 131 Sport]

I’ve heard there was a lot of Fiat 131’s and 132’s in Malta which is a reason I always fancied going to Malta.

[Gompo]

As alluded to, Sunday is when the classics come out for a meet. Day to day, while you still see some interesting things, a lot of been lost one way or another. Many cars exported, and many 'unexceptional' older cars lost to scrappage type schemes I believe. Most apparent in the tourist areas.

[Benjy911]

There are certainly a few around - we went on holiday there back in 2013 and came back with a Fiat 125s!

[Rob 131 Sport]

Benjy911 said:

There are certainly a few around - we went on holiday there back in 2013 and came back with a Fiat 125s!

Great thing to come back with Have you still got it.

[Stevepolly]

Wacky Racer said:

I've recently sold a villa at Mellieha, these days you hardly see a yellow bus, several years ago they used to actually be owned by the drivers, I knew a guy that kept four in a huge underground garage built under his house on my road.

I was on a bus once and one driver had his pet canary in a cage hanging from the windscreen mirror

Many of the dusty old roads have been resurfaced and brought up to UK standards, thanks to an influx of EU money.

A lot of the "olde worlde charm" has gone these days, but it's still lovely.

Hopefully better than UK roads.

[Mr Tidy]

Benjy911 said:

There are certainly a few around - we went on holiday there back in 2013 and came back with a Fiat 125s!

That's lovely.

I still have fond memories of my Dad's Olive Green 125 that later became my 2nd car!

[Ambleton]

A few years back I attended the Malta classic and watched the Mdina GP (which I would thoroughly recomend by the way).

I overheard a statistic from one of the guys there who said that there are more ferarris per capita in Malta than there are in Italy.

The thing about classic cars is that new cars are very expensive to import there, so they often have a make do and mend mentality, its not quite as extreme as Cuba, but its a similar thing. Public transport is also very cheap and you can get anywhere on the bus just as quick as a car.