THE CONVERTIBLE CRAZE OF THE 1950s – By HUGH KARUNANAYAKE
The Korean boom of 1950/51 which created record disposable incomes within the country, ,elevated standards of living among those who already enjoyed a reasonably comfortable life, but sadly did not have the “trickle down” effect which most Keynesian economists of the day desired. As we all know; the much vaunted “welfare state’ of Ceylon soon began to creak under the weight of welfare costs, and by mid 1953 the government took away one of the keystones of its welfare arch, by withdrawing the free rice rations made available in better times. The Hartal organised by the LSSP on 12 August 1953 led to police action resulting in 9 deaths. It was to be the first significant anti government protest since independence was granted in 1948.
The early nineteen fifties was an era yet to be influenced by overseas air travel. It was still in the drab steamship mode of international travel, which did not carry the awe and the attraction of air travel to dominate global skies a decade later. The “Korean boom “and the mini “tea boom” which occurred a few years later not only impacted favourably on those who owned rubber and tea properties but also others connected with plantations, like estate suppliers and produce transport owners. For its part the government made no attempt to consolidate its foreign exchange reserves, and imports continued on merrily.
One of the most conspicuous items of consumption, was in glitzy motor cars, especially in convertibles, where one could flaunt ones acquisitions in more than one way, especially if a glamourous woman was sitting beside the driver!
The EY series of registration numbers for motor cars were introduced in the early 1950s and within a couple of years we were in the EL series and by 1957 on to the Sri series.
A brand new Caddillac was sold at Rs38, 000. In 1960, a new Fiat 600 was Rs 6260, a VW was Rs 9950, and an MGA convertible was Rs13950! Inflation inn later years may portray these prices as insignificant, but in real terms were very upmarket. One could buy a good house in a desirable area of Colombo for instance, for the price of a Cadillac!
CADDILAC ELDORADO CONVERTIBLE 1953
The two Senanayake brothers RG and Upali bought the first Caddillac convertibles imported into the country. The Caddillac Eldorado convertible had features like power steering, power windows, and power control of the hood, features which were then unheard of in the automobile scene of the time. In fact those features were introduced into the “popular” market more than a decade later. There were two prominent Buick convertibles one owned by Onally Gulamhussein and another by Ernest Perera. Those cars driven up and down Galle RoAd on a Sunday afternoon was the cynosure of all eyes. It may have helped to create a demand for convertibles which caught the fancy of young bucks of a few years later. The MG TD, TE and TF series were very popular, as also the Austin A40 Sports version with a canvas manually operated hood. The EY /EL series of motor cars included many Austin A40 sports
Model cars owned by police officer Sidney de Zoysa, Tax Chief Jeff Felix, and Basil Rajanayagam. The EL Series included a magnificent Benz convertible owned by RGC (Dick) Pereira, lawyer son of luminary RL Pereira. Dick Pereira passed away in his forties not before showing signs of a promising legal career ahead, cut down by heart failure.
Motor cars continued to be imported without restraint well into the dawn of the decade of the sixties, when our custodians of national reserves suddenly realised that imports could no longer go on without tighter controls. In 1961 car imports on a commercial basis was prohibited and that policy continues to this day sixty odd years later. Exemptions to the rule were always there and loopholes to rules always found! The national fleet keeps on growing!
THE MGA CONVERTIBLE
Prior to the imposition of the import ban on automobiles in 1961, there was a spurge of imports of motor cars. It was during the time of the 3 Sri series, and many of the well loaded young bucks of the day owned an MGA, They included Ranjit Wijewardene of Lake House, Killy Maharajah, Jayantha Fernando, David Silva, Feisal Abdeen, Tooty Rahim, most of whom are no longer with us.
Half a century ago, the country was known as Ceylon, and the environment for an enjoyable life ever present for the privileged few.
Egalitarian measures such as free education, have since opened the doors for those who had limited options, and the fruits of development there to be enjoyed by those outside the charmed circle.
