As a child, Sushim Gotadki had an unusual dream—not just of owning a fancy home or a fleet of cars, but of blending the two. He imagined driving his car into his house, parking it where he could admire it even over breakfast. Today, that vision has come true and become part of his life.
Step into the Gotadki residence in Belagavi, and you’ll find a home where design meets devotion. Two vintage cars actually sit inside the house like curated art pieces, while two more rest outside. It’s not indulgence—it’s pure passion. For Sushim, cars are not possessions; they are living and evolving stories.
Born into a family with deep automotive roots—his father and uncle helmed Gotadki Motors, among the first automobile dealers in Belagavi for Tata and FIAT before expanding into Yamaha—Sushim grew up around engines, grease, and legacy. Today, he manages a Royal Enfield showroom near Kolhapur Circle. But beyond business lies his true calling: restoring and collecting vintage automobiles. And a few bikes as well, but that’s another story!
Sushim is a genuinely warm and loving person. His vast group of friends vouch for this. That warmth is evident in the way he adores his kids and family and also his cars.
Interestingly, Sushim hesitates to call attention to his collection. “I don’t want to sound materialistic,” he says, almost apologetically. But his quiet pride surfaces when he adds, “Everything I own is legal, registered and accounted for.” There is integrity in his passion.
What truly sets his collection apart is not rarity alone, but resurrection.
Each car is handpicked for its heritage value and then painstakingly restored—by Sushim himself. His home reflects this hands-on philosophy. It’s elegant yet lived-in, where polished floors flaunt scattered tools, and a few spanners casually rest in the lounge. It’s a space where restoration is not confined to a workshop—it spills into everyday life with his kids occasionally joining him in the tinkering.
The aesthetic warmth of the house comes from softer touches too. His mother, Asha Gotadki, fills the home with her handmade pottery—delicate vases, whimsical birds, flowers and earthy planters that offset the metallic presence of the cars. The garden outside breathes life into the space. Sushim lives here with his parents, Santosh and Asha, his wife Sneha, and their children, Riaan and Anaaya—a family woven together by both tradition and transformation.
Among his prized possessions is a 1929 Ford Model A, currently stationed inside the house, visible directly from his breakfast table—a childhood dream realized with poetic precision. What began in 2018 as a restoration project he thought would take months, turned into a labor of patience. It’s coming into shape already. The engine held strong, but sourcing parts and executing intricate woodwork proved to be a slow, exacting process. Today, it stands as a beautiful work in progress- evolving and alive.
His journey as a collector and restorer began modestly, with a vintage Mini Cooper, a Morris Minor—his first personal acquisitions, later passed on to a cousin. His father’s original Fiat still holds pride of place in the garage, a reminder that legacy often precedes passion. Then came more ambitious additions: a 1929 Ford, a1930 FORD, a 1961 Buick and a commanding Studebaker President with its massive 5000 cc engine, and a striking red Triumph that gleams like a showstopper. The Triumph steals your heart literally. It’s cute, glamorous and stunning.
The Studebaker President, once a flagship luxury model, was built to rival giants like Cadillac and Lincoln. Owning it is one thing—restoring it is another. But for Sushim, that’s where the real joy lies.
Perhaps the most fascinating feature of his home is the seamless integration of machinery and architecture. During the Covid lockdown, when the world paused, Sushim moved closer to his dream. He installed one of his showroom hoists into his home, converting part of the garage into a glass enclosure. With the push of a button, a car can now be lifted from the basement to the living space above- a mechanical ballet that turns engineering into theatre.
And yet, these cars are not static displays. Sushim drives them often, taking them out onto the streets where they draw admiration, curiosity, and nostalgia in equal measure.
He owns more vintage masterpieces. A Buick rests at his office, while his latest project—a worn-down Jeep pick-up truck (yes, Jeep tried building trucks) waits patiently for its turn at revival. If his track record is anything to go by, it won’t be long before that too roars back to life and may well glide down the Belagavi roads.