Words: Charlotte Vowden
Photos: Yassin Kara
The Bluebird that got away: Yassin Kara’s passion for cars was ignited by his father’s silver Nissan Bluebird, but after it was sold in Uganda during the nineties, will he go on an international hunt to find it? Charlotte Vowden finds out…
“I was at the petrol station in Knightsbridge and a guy asked me if I was a time traveller. He’d not seen a Bluebird in a really long time, they’re pretty rare, but they also look like a DeLorean and as a massive fan of the Back to the Future films I kinda love that.
These little interactions are a big part of why I enjoy owning the Bluebird so I decided rather than keeping it entirely to myself, I’d let other people enjoy it too. Renting the car out as a prop for movies and photoshoots is one of the ways I do that. It’s featured on the front cover of Pop magazine with racing driver Bianca Bustamante, and you can see it playing a cameo in a music video, here.
I’ve always believed that if you’re going to own a car like my 1989 Bluebird it should be used so I drive it as much as possible, whenever the occasion calls, but the idea that it can have a second life in such an interesting way makes me happy.
When I turn up on set, I often step away so I can watch people’s reactions. Seeing the talent, the actors and all these professionals admire it and talk about it is cool. In this modern age there’s not much like it left on the road so seeing young people take an interest like they did during a shoot in London recently is great. Although it’s an old school car it’s got electric everything which is what surprise people the most; it’s got electric power steering, electric windows and an electric sunroof.
If someone wants to hire your car there are checks you need to do. It’s important to vet the person wanting to borrow it and find out why they want it. Make sure you know the condition of the bodywork and the mileage before handing it over and get the insurance sorted as well. When I’m present on a shoot I keep a close eye on it, and I set a standard of what’s allowed and what’s not. For example, I wouldn’t allow somebody to sit on the bonnet, but if they want to sit in it that’s absolutely fine.
Sometimes a car just comes along at the right time in your life, and when the Bluebird came along it was the perfect time for me. I’ve had it since 2020, but this story goes back much further than that. It’s a car I wanted when I was 17 when I passed my driving test, and now nearly two decades later I have one.
My first ever memory of having a passion for cars was when I was five years old and my dad bought a 2.0-litre silver Nissan Bluebird. As soon as I saw it I was hooked. I don’t know what it was, perhaps it was the lines that I found so fascinating. Today’s vehicles all have a bubbly look, but the boxiness of the Bluebird is quirky in comparison, which I like, particularly the angle of the rear hatch and how it slopes down.
Dad took us up and down the country in his Bluebird. I have vivid memories of going to Blackpool, all the way from London, which is quite a trek. We used it to do the shopping, go to the Sunday market and visit car boot sales too; I don’t know how the whole family and all the stuff we bought actually fit! My dad, Ali, isn’t with us anymore, but I can still see him coming down the road to pick me up from school in the Bluebird. I always felt such relief.
My dad used to do a lot of business in East Africa. He exported items out there from the UK, including his silver Bluebird! It was one of two he shipped out to Uganda in a container, the other one was white. He used it for two or three years before selling it, and although I’ve not been able to trace it, I really do believe it’s still alive, they love to recycle cars over there. I’d love to take a month off work to track it down somehow, that’d be amazing. I’ve got an eight-year-old and he loves the Bluebird as well, so we could do it together.
My dad would be proud that I’ve got a Bluebird, he knew how significant it was for me to have one in my life, and he did help me look. When I came across mine, it was the exact same colour and spec as his, so I knew I had to buy it. I think there are only about 20 Bluebirds registered on the road, a lot of them got used for banger racing, so it really was a special find.
Even though it’s automatic and really straightforward to drive, it’s a completely different experience from a modern car. You get in, turn the key and feel connected in a way that can sometimes be missing from newer cars; it has a character of its own.
In terms of keeping it running, I service it regularly and deal with little things before they become big problems. Getting parts is becoming harder, which is one of the reasons why I joined the Nissan Bluebird Owners Facebook group; there are a lot of helpful, knowledgeable people on there and it’s a really nice community. In the future I’d probably get something made, it’s amazing what you can get 3D printed.
I don’t think preservation means locking cars away, I want to enjoy the Bluebird. I live in London so every time I take it out I pay the ULEZ, but it’s fine because it’s a special car so it’s worth it. Once I’m home, I always make sure it’s cleaned and covered to protect it from the elements, particularly the harsh winters we have.
I think it’s important that we showcase our cars and we should all be doing it more. They’re not just something with wheels that gets you from point A to point B, they all tell a story, whether it’s a personal one or a mechanical one. The more you learn about cars you realise that each has played its own part in the evolution of vehicles. Some very clever people have had the creativity and expertise to design and build them, and that’s truly inspiring.”
Have you ever tracked down an old car from your childhood? We’d love to hear your stories below.
