Rebirth of a bygone era
Car enthusiast Jason Kuutondokwa (34), is passionate about rebuilding old classic cars and restoring them with a new look and more aggressive power. These self-taught skills are aiding him in generating a much-need revenue stream.
Kuutondokwa said he never attended any formal school for his talent in car modifications but in 2008 he attended a bricklaying course at Kayec in Ondangwa and was ranked the best student.
Kuutondokwa’s talent kicked in from a young age when he used to craft toy cars from wires and fix broken bicycles. Apart from that he extended his knowledge with art which also led him to start drawing and painting.
“I am always interested in fixing things, it is what I enjoy doing,” he said. He added his passion for cars led him to fix, design as well as upgrade their performance by swapping engines and adding high-performance accessories.
“My dreams and aspirations are to host my own classic car shows that are a product of my imagination and tuning skills, he said.
Kuutondokwa said he buys the wrecked cars from villages because that is where they are mostly parked. He added that it does not matter whether the car has an engine or most of the parts are missing as long as the body has the shape that he likes and if it is something he would love to modify.
He added that he transports the body to his workshop for modification to start as soon as possible and work on it slowly. This is because the old body is fitted with a new engine for high performance and speed, a new suspension for smooth comfort and a new colour and design to give it a stunning look.
The restoration project can last for as long as a year and some take as long as two years to complete.
Kuutondonkwa remarked that his current challenge is financing but said he still looks forward to pushing his dreams further and making Namibians marvel at his creations.