We head to Knysna to catch up with a father-and-son team trading in classic cars. Having only opened their doors a few years ago, Iconic Classic Cars has gained good traction in the Southern Cape.
Words and pictures: Wilhelm Lutjeharms
You first drive past a gin distillery and bakery before you find the neatly wood-paneled building of Iconic Classic Cars in Knysna’s small industrial area. It is a mostly quiet area, and as I walk into this father-and-son business, I’m greeted with a firm handshake by the duo: Brett and Milan Temple.
Parked around us are a number of classics and modern classics. There is a BMW Z3 3.0-litre, a 986 Porsche Boxster, a relatively rare Ferrari 360 Spider manual, a 997 Porsche Carrera GTS Cabriolet and then there are even more cars around the corner. Oh, and also a rare BMW in the shape of an E21 323i Cabriolet by Bauer. However, before I explore the rest of the stock on offer, I sit down to hear the Iconic Classic Cars story and how the business started.
Good foundations
Brett elaborates. “The late Norman Frost had a significant influence at the start of our business. My business partner and I sold a few cars through Norman Frost, and every time we came to Knysna we would visit him. He sadly got ill and said to us that he was not going to be around for long and that there is a business opportunity. We found this building and renovated it – that was around four years ago.”
“However, when Norman sold his building, we sort of took over the business with our own concept and ideas. But, we did work quite a bit with him at the early stages of the new business. He was really a great help to us in the beginning. He would come in, see new stock and then tell us about a potential client that might be interested in the car.”
Milan, Brett’s son, continues: “It was actually a great period, as it was almost like he passed on the baton to us, as he was simply coming in and connecting the dots. That happened for around 18 months.”
Around the corner from Iconic Classic Cars is one of the most prolific and knowledgeable car collectors in South Africa, while Bodge Engineering is just next door and V.I.P. Car Clinic is up the road. The result is that, without planning, these places have created the small motoring hub of Knysna.
A passion for cars
Cars have always been of interest to both the father and son. “Milan’s nickname as a youngster was ‘Wheels’. On the other hand, I used to wait for my dad to get home from work, and then I would drive the car in and out of the garage. The buying and selling of the cars I only did as hobby, for a few friends in the past. It is only when we came to Knysna that we started to focus on the business.
“It takes some time when you start, but once people start to know you and hear about you, you get offered a lot of stock. That develops to the level where we can now choose what we want to sell. It is a natural progression, you sell a few cars to a number of enthusiasts, and when they are happy with your service, they come back to you.”
Being of the younger generation, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Milan believes that social media has changed the game as well. “Now social media is playing a big roll, not necessarily in just selling cars, but also building the brand and pushing the name out there.”
Brett confirms that they also use WhatsApp groups to inform enthusiasts when a new car has arrived in the showroom with some information. At the same time word-of-mouth is still playing a big roll. Even though they are mainly based in Knysna, they are also trading in classic cars in Cape Town.
“Things have already changed a lot since we opened our doors. The market for the '60s and earlier cars have gone a little flat. Keep in mind that even a Jaguar E-Type is still likely to appeal to a younger buyer, but generally you need to be rather picky with these cars. I believe cars like the R107 Mercedes-Benz SL has great potential. Milan has also started to introduce more modern classics to our stock. These cars will be up to 25 or 30 years old. The are drivable and now they appeal to an audience who might have some disposable income and these were some of their dream cars at the time. You can park it for a couple of months, then one day just turn the key and drive it. They also make so much sense, especially if you take new car prices into account. Even if you have to spend R20 000 or R30 000 a year maintaining the car, it is still less than the depreciation of a new car.
The current favourites in the market from their experience is the R107 Mercedes-Benz SLs as well as BMW Z3s. The interest in the 450SL model seems to be slow, but the couple admit they have seen serious interest in the 280SL models. “We’ve sold a few 280SLs and I even have two customers who are looking to buy. Also, you can’t really go wrong with Porsches. Finally, there is also interest in special BMWs, if you can find them, because it is becoming more difficult by the day.”
An example of a BMW that sold immediately was a BMW 650i, equipped with a manual transmission. The potential buyer took it for a drive and decided there and then that he’d take it.
Brett admits that he sometimes needs his son to guide him: “Where I also need to be a little careful, is that I go back to my youth and then I want to take a car, and then Milan would discourage me indicating that it will be a pointless car to try and sell. I like some old Fords, but we have to be specific in selecting the right Fords.”
Talking of Fords, as I walk through the rest of the building, there are a number of other interesting cars. These include a couple of Volkswagen Beetles, a Citroën 2CV, a Porsche 912, a Ford Escort XR3 and an Escort Sport. A rare homologation special is parked in the one corner, in the shape of a Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution.
Next time you are in Knysna and want to look at some cars or want the father-and-son duo to source a car for you, pay them a visit while also enjoying some of the most picturesque scenery the Cape has to offer.