The three main aims of most old motor car enthusiasts are to own the vehicle of their dreams, to bring it back to life, and finally to sit back and enjoy it. However, Godfrey Debattista has no desire to keep his restored classic cars too long under his roof.
“Naturally it is my pride and joy to restore an old car and take it back on the road after so many years of idleness and inactivity. But the result of the whole process wells up in me such a tremendous satisfaction, that I want other people to enjoy it too, and to share this feeling with them. So after a while I sell either in Malta or abroad,” Debattista said.
Debattista’s father Paul had a lengthy career as a driver with the NATO headquarters based in Floriana, and a number of quality vehicles passed under his hands. He used to keep Godfrey abreast of all the latest developments in these cars.
Another influence was Debattista’s older brother George, who was a car dealer. “In the 1970s, with the departure of the British forces, the market was flooded with classic cars which servicemen left behind,” Debattista said. “I spent a lot of time with George, helping him out as a young boy as he bought many of these cars, many of them still in a very good condition.”
This background careened Debattista into a career as a painter and panel beater, both of cars as well as of aircraft. With the development of these skills it was a natural progression for him to own and restore a long list of classic cars.
“My first operation was on a Fiat 850 Sprint LHD with spoke wheels, which I assembled from the cannibalisation of three other vehicles – I can still vividly remember its number “44444”. Many other Fiats came back to life in my garage, including a 500 which was customised for the road, a 124 Spyder convertible, and a 124 standard.”
Baldacchino continues to list a number of old cars that came under his care, before parting company with them. One of the oldest was a 1929 Austin 7 Ulster, now housed at the Bugibba Classic Car Museum. Other vehicles featured a 1932 Austin 7 Opal, a 1962 Renault 4 CV, a Mercedes 280 SC 35 and a Mercedes 350 SCL, a 1962 Mini 850 Mark I, and a 1977 Alfa GTV.
“Some years ago, I bought a 1964 Mini Cooper S 1275cc Mark I. This tartan red with a black roof vehicle was one of a limited edition having a single fuel tank. Although not in a bad condition, I spent quite a lot of time and effort in taking it through a nut and bolt restoration project, and once completed, I was so satisfied with the result that unlike what always happened with other vehicles, I bonded with it and kept the Cooper – for eight years!”
Baldacchino recalls that among the highlights of this period, there were two trips to Sicily with the Old Motors Club, and a memorable participation in the first edition of the Valletta Grand Prix in 2007.
The Cooper first ran off the BMC production line in 1961, two years after Sir Alec Issigonis came out with the legendary Mini. John Cooper, who among other things designed and built Formula One and rally cars, immediately saw the potential of the Mini as a racing vehicle, and tried to persuade his friend Issigonis to convert it into a performance car. Initially reluctant, Issigonis finally agreed, and the two men collaborated to create the Cooper, which has been described as a nimble, economical and inexpensive car.
The vision of John Cooper of having a racing Mini came to fruition as the car earned victories in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967.
A year ago, Baldacchino was contacted by an Italian collector of Cooper cars interested in his Cooper. He came over from Milan with another Cooper connoisseur. Both men could not believe their eyes when they saw the condition of the car, which included the original wings and floorboards. They made him an offer he could not refuse, and the car is now in Italy.
In order to numb the pain and bereavement, Baldacchino purchased a similar 1968 Mini Cooper S Mark II, which is now at an advanced stage of restoration.
Recently, he also bought another rare and unusual classic car from England - a 1959 Lancia Appia convertible, of which only 1,500 were built. The Appia came off the production line between 1957 and 1963, and hit the headlines owing to its ultra compact engine and unitary construction. Baldacchino points out that the vehicle was available in various models, including the Berlina saloon, an estate version designed by Pinin Farina, a couple drafted by Zagato, and the convertible, designed by the Vignale automobile coachbuilders of Torino.
Baldacchino is proud of his latest acquisition, adding that the Appia is renowned for its high quality and simple engineering refinement, as well as reliability and longevity.
Photos: Tony Vassallo, Old Motors Club
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