From time immemorial, there have been periods in history when brothers have contributed immensely to their specific area of specialisation, either by way of innovation, improvement or performance.
For example, the aircraft industry is forever indebted to Wilbur and Orville Wright, who first flew an airplane. George and Ira Gershwin are long gone, but some of their musical scores have become immortal. Football fanatics continue to wax lyrical over Jack and Bobby Charlton, still alive and kicking, who formed the backbone of the English side's sole World Cup success in 1966. The list is extensive and endless.
Nearer to home, and in a more modest manner, the Old Motors Club is particularly proud to have Stuart and Duncan Abela in its fold.
Though relatively young - Stuart is 32, while Duncan is three years younger - the Abela brothers have already left their mark in the local classic car scene. For the past 20 years, Stuart has been photographing old motors in Malta and Gozo, in any shape, form or condition, and in every nook and cranny while Duncan aids and abets him with practical and moral support.
Featuring over 2,000 pictures, this impressive collection is neatly divided into pre- and post-war sections, local postcards with cars in the fore or background, vehicles involved in accidents and an area devoted to car scrapyards and their contents.
Besides, the Abela brothers are also keen classic car collectors themselves. How did they both contract the irresistible old motors bug?
It is a Saturday afternoon - the only period in the week when Stuart and Duncan leave everything behind and dedicate themselves to their absorbing pastime.
We are sitting around a table just inside the entrance of their garage - the only space available, as the place is literally crammed, sardine-like, with old cars. There is no passage between the vehicles, so to proceed to the back, one has to actually walk on the car roofs!
Stuart kicks off: "As a child, I started collecting Matchbox and Scaletrix models. One of my earliest recollections is tugging a small truck tied with a string, wherever I go - I still have that truck!"
A classic car magazine that his father had bought left an indelible mark on Stuart. Turning the pages, his eyes fell on a feature on scrapyards, and he was fascinated by the process through which a vehicle can eventually be restored from something beyond recognition to its full former glory.
"Something fired up inside me. I immediately ran to my camera - which my grandmother had recently given me - and went out looking for old cars to shoot," recalls Stuart.
Thus started a passion at the age of 13, an ongoing trek that in those days saw him initially cycling around the Balzan-Birkirkara area, taking photos of old timers on the streets, in scrapyards and in fields.
"On the family Sunday drives in Malta and Gozo, I would persuade my father to be on the lookout for old cars anywhere, and he would oblige," smiles the soft-spoken Stuart.
When he obtained his driving licence at 18, the photo collection burgeoned beyond expectations. His efforts to record for posterity an important part of Malta's motoring heritage have been appreciated not only locally but also abroad, especially in the UK, where interest in the island's old motor scene is increasing, and intermittently, Stuart is asked to contribute illustrated articles.
Duncan chips in: "Old things on wheels have always held a magnetic attraction for me. In my early teens, I accompanied my mother to a nearby auction, and convinced her to buy me an old functional Triang pram. I had to push it along the road all the way home - my friends had a field day with sarcastic comments!"
A similar experience came at 16, when Duncan bought a large field-cart from a farmer in Birkirkara. The only way he could get it home to Balzan was by positioning himself between the two large wooden struts that are normally attached to a harness on a horse or donkey's back, and doing the donkey work himself!
"Believe me, pulling a heavy wooden cart was far from easy. I was perspiring heavily, besides receiving more snide comments from friends and neighbours," confesses Duncan.
The Abela brothers had an identical education: St Edward's College, Sixth Form and then similar University courses, followed by immersion in the family business.
Their first joint motoring venture came about when Stuart purchased for Lm12 a 1964 Lambretta that had been left lying in a front garden in Balzan. Having a flat tyre, Stuart called on Duncan, and together they pushed it to their garage. They worked together on the body spray, while a neighbouring mechanic looked after the engine.
"Before becoming operational again, we used to push the Lambretta up the hill near the garage, then quickly jump on the seat as it proceeded downhill freely," laughs Duncan. Today the motorbike is one of their prized possessions.
In 1993, with a driving licence tucked under his belt, Stuart bought his first classic, a green 1971 Fiat 850 Special. A family friend wanted only Lm25 for it, as it had a blown cylinder head gasket.
Since their mechanical knowledge was rudimentary, the brothers enlisted the help of their knowledgeable cousin, Richard Zahra, who showed them the ropes. Richard's father, Joe, an engineering lecturer at the then Naxxar Technical School, was also a mine of technical advice and guidance. In a matter of weeks, the engine was repaired, the bodywork patched up and painted light blue.
The Fiat fever continued unabated, and in 1995, the 850 Special was replaced with a red 1969 Fiat 850 Sports Coupe. "This was love at first sight," muses Stuart. "It provided me with my first serious attempt at restoration; The body needed urgent action, especially the rust on the roof, but the engine and other mechanical features were still in good shape," he adds. The whole process took two years to complete.
From an early age, fuelled by the movie Herbie, Duncan cherished a dream for the Volkswagon Beetle. In 1996, a neighbour who was well aware of the Abela attraction to old automobiles, asked Duncan if he was interested in a 1968 Beetle.
"The engine and the gearbox were in good condition, but the bodywork was poor," he recalls. "I bought it and drove it to Sixth Form. In the free lessons, I would visit dealers and scrapyards to plan and budget its restoration. The white Beetle also provided me with transport to University, where its particular engine sounds contrasted sharply with the smooth rumblings of the gleaming new autos of my friends".
Duncan continued to drive the Beetle daily, until one day the battery literally fell off its tray under the back seat, and dangled from the terminals. This telltale sign heralded the start of a lengthy restoration process.
When deciding on a new colour, he followed the advice of his uncle, Vincent, who once had a similar new Volkswagon and had opted for an original Clementine Red - an unusual colour, a cross between red and orange.
When the restoration was completed, Duncan used the Beetle only occasionally - something he now regrets as he misses its comfortable ride, the reliable engine and its quality feel.
Sometimes, childhood impressions continue to haunt one in adulthood. Stuart recollects lengthy periods sitting on the doorstep of a butcher's shop in Birkirkara with Duncan, waiting while their mother shopped inside. A black Morris 10 used to be parked opposite the butcher. "We'll get a car like it someday," he would promise his little brother. Many years later, Stuart spotted a green one parked near the Balzan church parvis. He contacted the elderly owner, but the latter had no intention of selling.
Stuart gave it no more thought, until he saw a classified newspaper ad for the sale of two Morris 10 vehicles. He made an appointment to view them in Siggiewi, but when he arrived he was told that they had already been sold. A disappointed Stuart got to know that one of them was the Balzan green Morris.
Some time later Stuart heard through the grapevine that a Zurrieq classic car collector was disposing of his stock - he was soon on the spot, and lo and behold, there were the two Morris 10s. No time was lost in acquiring them.
"The idea was that I would cannibalise one to restore the other, as both had original parts missing or substituted," relates Stuart. "However, after I took part in a local radio programme during which I was asked about my cars, I was contacted by a listener who had many spare parts of the Morris 10, including two engines. Needless to say, I stocked up, and now, together with items I bought from Beaulieu, the restoration of the Morris 10 is nigh."
Duncan has another two classic cars which he acquired through sheer determination. "Driving to University one day, I saw an uncommon 1979 Lancia Beta, with a "For Sale" sign attached to the rear window," he recounts with a smile.
"My schedule went haywire as I followed the car, horn blowing furiously to attract the driver's attention, and I got some menacing stares back from him before he halted," Duncan recalls.
Ignoring mechanical advice, he bought the large car, which is powered by a small but powerful twin cam 1300cc engine, advanced for its day. While the body looked repulsive, the engine was still in its original state. The car is presently undergoing restoration, and Duncan hopes to have it completed by the end of the year.
Their other car is a 1967 Singer Chamois Coupe - a very rare car in Malta - which Duncan never dreamt would end up in his collection. He saw it last summer on the road in Rabat and sped immediately after the driver. His persuasive skills won the day.
"The body and engine, an 875cc known as the Coventry Climax, were in a very good condition," explains Duncan. "Sitting low on the road, it looks like a go-kart, and has period Revolution rims typical of the 60s and 70s sporting era."
One section in Stuart's photo collection features classic commercial vehicles, which he feels are not appreciated enough here.
Practising what he preaches, six years ago he bought a 1961 Austin A35 van, not only because he liked it as a classic, but also for functional purposes. The light grey vehicle needed very little attention, although Stuart added period extras, like chrome spotlights, badges and white wall tyres to enhance its appearance.
"I used to drive it daily and even went on an OMC trip to Sicily with it," he says with a proud glint in his eyes.
While the Abela brothers proceed individually on parallel lines with their classic acquisitions, sometimes, their paths converge. In 2004, an OMC member working in the construction industry, was perched high in a crane cabin, when he espied a partly covered old sports car in a derelict garden in Zebbug.
Stuart and Duncan got to know about it, and eventually bought the vehicle - a 1961 MG Midget - as a joint venture. Getting it out was not easy as the area had been built up, and they could only take it away after laboriously cleaning the garden, and jacking the car up.
They started its restoration immediately, and are meticulously doing it up as they want to bring it to a concourse condition. There is complete agreement between Stuart and Duncan on how to proceed - strong evidence that when it comes to old motors, they are not only blood brothers, but also soul mates.
With his keen interest in old cars, Stuart became an OMC member well before he got his driving licence.
In 1997, he was elected to the OMC committee, and with his valuable database, the editorship of the monthly newsletter was a forgone conclusion. He has produced more than 100 editions in the old and new format over the past ten years.
"While I like the task, difficulties abound," admits a serious Stuart. "Usually it is the same small set of people who contribute the articles, as most members are reluctant to write. The deadline for new activities is also a headache, especially when events crop up at the last minute."
Duncan is also a very active OMC member. Both find the club an oasis of networking, interaction, practical knowledge and camaraderie. Their favourite event is the Mad Hatters Run, which takes place every Sunday at seven in the morning.
Regarding the local old motor scene, the Abela brothers think that the Federazzjoni Maltija Vetturi Antiki has created more public awareness, and obtained some valuable concessions from the authorities. They feel however, that the authorities should do more to promote old motors as an integral part of our national heritage.
A case in point is the problem with unlicensed old cars and getting them to a show - an expensive process if one has to tow them. On the environmental authorities' hamfisted clampdown on scrapyards in recent years, Stuart and Duncan, while in a way understanding the move, lament the permanent disappearance of such rich and fertile old motors mining grounds!
What about their nearest and dearest? "Being their only offspring, our parents never discouraged us in our hobby," answers Stuart. His brother also lauds their respective partners, Alison and Roberta, for their long suffering and patience. Although they are not over-zealous in their classic car interest, they do support Stuart and Duncan to pursue their dreams.
We have been talking for a whole afternoon, and we still have not covered all the cars sitting silently in the garage, plus various collections of radiator grilles, chrome hubcaps, old car instruments like speedometers, and so on, salvaged from scrap yards.
Like the beholder of an iceberg, I feel that I have only surveyed the tip, and that there is more motoring treasure to fathom under the surface. But then one mere article does not do justice to Stuart and Duncan Abela, for their labour of love to preserve so much local motoring history deserves a thick booklet.
• Joseph Busuttil is PRO of the Old Motor Club, e-mail: info@oldmotorsclub.com; Website: www.oldmotorsclub.com
For example, the aircraft industry is forever indebted to Wilbur and Orville Wright, who first flew an airplane. George and Ira Gershwin are long gone, but some of their musical scores have become immortal. Football fanatics continue to wax lyrical over Jack and Bobby Charlton, still alive and kicking, who formed the backbone of the English side's sole World Cup success in 1966. The list is extensive and endless.
Nearer to home, and in a more modest manner, the Old Motors Club is particularly proud to have Stuart and Duncan Abela in its fold.
Though relatively young - Stuart is 32, while Duncan is three years younger - the Abela brothers have already left their mark in the local classic car scene. For the past 20 years, Stuart has been photographing old motors in Malta and Gozo, in any shape, form or condition, and in every nook and cranny while Duncan aids and abets him with practical and moral support.
Featuring over 2,000 pictures, this impressive collection is neatly divided into pre- and post-war sections, local postcards with cars in the fore or background, vehicles involved in accidents and an area devoted to car scrapyards and their contents.
Besides, the Abela brothers are also keen classic car collectors themselves. How did they both contract the irresistible old motors bug?
It is a Saturday afternoon - the only period in the week when Stuart and Duncan leave everything behind and dedicate themselves to their absorbing pastime.
We are sitting around a table just inside the entrance of their garage - the only space available, as the place is literally crammed, sardine-like, with old cars. There is no passage between the vehicles, so to proceed to the back, one has to actually walk on the car roofs!
Stuart kicks off: "As a child, I started collecting Matchbox and Scaletrix models. One of my earliest recollections is tugging a small truck tied with a string, wherever I go - I still have that truck!"
A classic car magazine that his father had bought left an indelible mark on Stuart. Turning the pages, his eyes fell on a feature on scrapyards, and he was fascinated by the process through which a vehicle can eventually be restored from something beyond recognition to its full former glory.
"Something fired up inside me. I immediately ran to my camera - which my grandmother had recently given me - and went out looking for old cars to shoot," recalls Stuart.
Thus started a passion at the age of 13, an ongoing trek that in those days saw him initially cycling around the Balzan-Birkirkara area, taking photos of old timers on the streets, in scrapyards and in fields.
"On the family Sunday drives in Malta and Gozo, I would persuade my father to be on the lookout for old cars anywhere, and he would oblige," smiles the soft-spoken Stuart.
When he obtained his driving licence at 18, the photo collection burgeoned beyond expectations. His efforts to record for posterity an important part of Malta's motoring heritage have been appreciated not only locally but also abroad, especially in the UK, where interest in the island's old motor scene is increasing, and intermittently, Stuart is asked to contribute illustrated articles.
Duncan chips in: "Old things on wheels have always held a magnetic attraction for me. In my early teens, I accompanied my mother to a nearby auction, and convinced her to buy me an old functional Triang pram. I had to push it along the road all the way home - my friends had a field day with sarcastic comments!"
A similar experience came at 16, when Duncan bought a large field-cart from a farmer in Birkirkara. The only way he could get it home to Balzan was by positioning himself between the two large wooden struts that are normally attached to a harness on a horse or donkey's back, and doing the donkey work himself!
"Believe me, pulling a heavy wooden cart was far from easy. I was perspiring heavily, besides receiving more snide comments from friends and neighbours," confesses Duncan.
The Abela brothers had an identical education: St Edward's College, Sixth Form and then similar University courses, followed by immersion in the family business.
Their first joint motoring venture came about when Stuart purchased for Lm12 a 1964 Lambretta that had been left lying in a front garden in Balzan. Having a flat tyre, Stuart called on Duncan, and together they pushed it to their garage. They worked together on the body spray, while a neighbouring mechanic looked after the engine.
"Before becoming operational again, we used to push the Lambretta up the hill near the garage, then quickly jump on the seat as it proceeded downhill freely," laughs Duncan. Today the motorbike is one of their prized possessions.
In 1993, with a driving licence tucked under his belt, Stuart bought his first classic, a green 1971 Fiat 850 Special. A family friend wanted only Lm25 for it, as it had a blown cylinder head gasket.
Since their mechanical knowledge was rudimentary, the brothers enlisted the help of their knowledgeable cousin, Richard Zahra, who showed them the ropes. Richard's father, Joe, an engineering lecturer at the then Naxxar Technical School, was also a mine of technical advice and guidance. In a matter of weeks, the engine was repaired, the bodywork patched up and painted light blue.
The Fiat fever continued unabated, and in 1995, the 850 Special was replaced with a red 1969 Fiat 850 Sports Coupe. "This was love at first sight," muses Stuart. "It provided me with my first serious attempt at restoration; The body needed urgent action, especially the rust on the roof, but the engine and other mechanical features were still in good shape," he adds. The whole process took two years to complete.
From an early age, fuelled by the movie Herbie, Duncan cherished a dream for the Volkswagon Beetle. In 1996, a neighbour who was well aware of the Abela attraction to old automobiles, asked Duncan if he was interested in a 1968 Beetle.
"The engine and the gearbox were in good condition, but the bodywork was poor," he recalls. "I bought it and drove it to Sixth Form. In the free lessons, I would visit dealers and scrapyards to plan and budget its restoration. The white Beetle also provided me with transport to University, where its particular engine sounds contrasted sharply with the smooth rumblings of the gleaming new autos of my friends".
Duncan continued to drive the Beetle daily, until one day the battery literally fell off its tray under the back seat, and dangled from the terminals. This telltale sign heralded the start of a lengthy restoration process.
When deciding on a new colour, he followed the advice of his uncle, Vincent, who once had a similar new Volkswagon and had opted for an original Clementine Red - an unusual colour, a cross between red and orange.
When the restoration was completed, Duncan used the Beetle only occasionally - something he now regrets as he misses its comfortable ride, the reliable engine and its quality feel.
Sometimes, childhood impressions continue to haunt one in adulthood. Stuart recollects lengthy periods sitting on the doorstep of a butcher's shop in Birkirkara with Duncan, waiting while their mother shopped inside. A black Morris 10 used to be parked opposite the butcher. "We'll get a car like it someday," he would promise his little brother. Many years later, Stuart spotted a green one parked near the Balzan church parvis. He contacted the elderly owner, but the latter had no intention of selling.
Stuart gave it no more thought, until he saw a classified newspaper ad for the sale of two Morris 10 vehicles. He made an appointment to view them in Siggiewi, but when he arrived he was told that they had already been sold. A disappointed Stuart got to know that one of them was the Balzan green Morris.
Some time later Stuart heard through the grapevine that a Zurrieq classic car collector was disposing of his stock - he was soon on the spot, and lo and behold, there were the two Morris 10s. No time was lost in acquiring them.
"The idea was that I would cannibalise one to restore the other, as both had original parts missing or substituted," relates Stuart. "However, after I took part in a local radio programme during which I was asked about my cars, I was contacted by a listener who had many spare parts of the Morris 10, including two engines. Needless to say, I stocked up, and now, together with items I bought from Beaulieu, the restoration of the Morris 10 is nigh."
Duncan has another two classic cars which he acquired through sheer determination. "Driving to University one day, I saw an uncommon 1979 Lancia Beta, with a "For Sale" sign attached to the rear window," he recounts with a smile.
"My schedule went haywire as I followed the car, horn blowing furiously to attract the driver's attention, and I got some menacing stares back from him before he halted," Duncan recalls.
Ignoring mechanical advice, he bought the large car, which is powered by a small but powerful twin cam 1300cc engine, advanced for its day. While the body looked repulsive, the engine was still in its original state. The car is presently undergoing restoration, and Duncan hopes to have it completed by the end of the year.
Their other car is a 1967 Singer Chamois Coupe - a very rare car in Malta - which Duncan never dreamt would end up in his collection. He saw it last summer on the road in Rabat and sped immediately after the driver. His persuasive skills won the day.
"The body and engine, an 875cc known as the Coventry Climax, were in a very good condition," explains Duncan. "Sitting low on the road, it looks like a go-kart, and has period Revolution rims typical of the 60s and 70s sporting era."
One section in Stuart's photo collection features classic commercial vehicles, which he feels are not appreciated enough here.
Practising what he preaches, six years ago he bought a 1961 Austin A35 van, not only because he liked it as a classic, but also for functional purposes. The light grey vehicle needed very little attention, although Stuart added period extras, like chrome spotlights, badges and white wall tyres to enhance its appearance.
"I used to drive it daily and even went on an OMC trip to Sicily with it," he says with a proud glint in his eyes.
While the Abela brothers proceed individually on parallel lines with their classic acquisitions, sometimes, their paths converge. In 2004, an OMC member working in the construction industry, was perched high in a crane cabin, when he espied a partly covered old sports car in a derelict garden in Zebbug.
Stuart and Duncan got to know about it, and eventually bought the vehicle - a 1961 MG Midget - as a joint venture. Getting it out was not easy as the area had been built up, and they could only take it away after laboriously cleaning the garden, and jacking the car up.
They started its restoration immediately, and are meticulously doing it up as they want to bring it to a concourse condition. There is complete agreement between Stuart and Duncan on how to proceed - strong evidence that when it comes to old motors, they are not only blood brothers, but also soul mates.
With his keen interest in old cars, Stuart became an OMC member well before he got his driving licence.
In 1997, he was elected to the OMC committee, and with his valuable database, the editorship of the monthly newsletter was a forgone conclusion. He has produced more than 100 editions in the old and new format over the past ten years.
"While I like the task, difficulties abound," admits a serious Stuart. "Usually it is the same small set of people who contribute the articles, as most members are reluctant to write. The deadline for new activities is also a headache, especially when events crop up at the last minute."
Duncan is also a very active OMC member. Both find the club an oasis of networking, interaction, practical knowledge and camaraderie. Their favourite event is the Mad Hatters Run, which takes place every Sunday at seven in the morning.
Regarding the local old motor scene, the Abela brothers think that the Federazzjoni Maltija Vetturi Antiki has created more public awareness, and obtained some valuable concessions from the authorities. They feel however, that the authorities should do more to promote old motors as an integral part of our national heritage.
A case in point is the problem with unlicensed old cars and getting them to a show - an expensive process if one has to tow them. On the environmental authorities' hamfisted clampdown on scrapyards in recent years, Stuart and Duncan, while in a way understanding the move, lament the permanent disappearance of such rich and fertile old motors mining grounds!
What about their nearest and dearest? "Being their only offspring, our parents never discouraged us in our hobby," answers Stuart. His brother also lauds their respective partners, Alison and Roberta, for their long suffering and patience. Although they are not over-zealous in their classic car interest, they do support Stuart and Duncan to pursue their dreams.
We have been talking for a whole afternoon, and we still have not covered all the cars sitting silently in the garage, plus various collections of radiator grilles, chrome hubcaps, old car instruments like speedometers, and so on, salvaged from scrap yards.
Like the beholder of an iceberg, I feel that I have only surveyed the tip, and that there is more motoring treasure to fathom under the surface. But then one mere article does not do justice to Stuart and Duncan Abela, for their labour of love to preserve so much local motoring history deserves a thick booklet.
• Joseph Busuttil is PRO of the Old Motor Club, e-mail: info@oldmotorsclub.com; Website: www.oldmotorsclub.com