A family in Greece are looking for a new owner of their 1968 Alta A200 one of the few cars ever manufactured in Greece.

The family call their car Bourbouli, which is the only Alta certified by FILPA (Friends of Old Cars in Greece) and has competed in several classic car rallies, earning multiple awards.

In May 1969, Panagiotis Maglara, a resident of Agia Triada, Nafplion and an engineer in a juice factory, made an important decision: to leave behind the motorcycles he had been riding for years and acquire his first car.

The Alta A200 was not only an economical option, but also an opportunity to acquire a vehicle with a closed body that would protect him from the weather.

This decision coincided with a period of change in his life, as in September of that year he was expecting his first child, Vicky.

“The Bourbouli became an integral part of our family. It is no coincidence that we gave it a name. For years, this three-wheeled car covered our family, even after 1973, when my brother was born, serving all four of its members,” Vicky told Neos Kosmos.

“With the Bourbouli we travelled countless kilometres, either for business or pleasure, and where didn’t we go.”

“I remember in Naousa, in Patras for the carnival, in Thessaloniki, in Edessa, in Pelion…it was always with us in the most beautiful family moments.”

But the Bourbouli has always attracted attention due to its unique three-wheel design.

Vicky recalls on excursions, when other children made fun of them because the car had three wheels, while the others had four.

“Dad always had the same answer, ‘ours is different and unique’. So, we felt proud, because this diversity made us stand out.”

In 1978 Panagiotis decided to sell his beloved car to get something more modern but the sale fell through when the prospective buyer, his friend, drove into a ditch on a test drive causing serious damage.

The car would end up sitting in the backyard and over time became home for the chickens and a shelter for strays in the neighbourhood.

“We still remember that as children, we would look for eggs that chickens hid in seats or chase away cats that had settled in the back,” Vicky said.

Decades would go by before Panagiotis decided to give the car a second chance when he began reconstructing it in 2007 because in his words ‘it belongs in the streets’.

Everyone called him crazy and that it can’t be done, but he did not listen to the negativity.

“He started it and succeeded, proving the determination and strength he had inside him, giving us the example, if you want something, don’t listen to anyone and try to do it,” Vicky said.

But the car is not only the work of her father, but a team effort with her mother and brother.

She didn’t help since she lives in Athens.

“It reminds us a lot of Giannis, my brother, who passed away in 2018 from a stroke.”

“They had gone together in many races with this car, and we have many photos that bring to mind those moments.

“For us, it’s so much more than a vehicle – it’s a link to our memories, family and history.”

Then came the races, which Panagiotis and Giannis were so eager for, they entered their first race having not fully completed the reconstruction of the car.

“It didn’t even have a regular windshield said Vicky. They had put up a plastic one, there were no wipers and the second gear didn’t work at all.

It just happened that there was storm with hail.

“The rain was coming in from everywhere, visibility was zero, and the car was almost “swimming” in the water” Vicky said.

Nevertheless, their stubborn commitment ensured they finished.

Since then, the Bourbouli has written its own history on the streets of Greece.

It has participated in antique competitions, traveling to different regions of the country. On every route, in every village and town, the vehicle attracts the attention and love of the people.

There is usually shouts and applause from young and old who stop to see it, take pictures and admire and appreciate it.

Now the time has come for the car to change hands. Panagiotis, now 87, can no longer maintain it as he would have liked.

But this past Greek summer, the Bourbouli took part in the 12th Spring Rally of Argos.

It was the last race for Panagiotis where he said goodbye by winning another cup for the smallest car in racing.

“We are interested in the car ending up either an owner who will take care of it and keep it functional or in an antique car exhibition, where many people will be able to see up close and appreciate the history of a Greek car,” Vicky said.

“We want it to remain in good condition and its history to stay alive. If we keep it, since I can’t afford to maintain it, it will end up back in the backyard, where it will essentially be ditched and lost.”

Vicky Maglara can be contacted at magklaravicky@gmail.com