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SA’s Chicanos Customs Mercedes-Benz arrives in the UK ahead of Gravity
Can Chip Moosa and the team at Chicanos Customs make South Africa proud at Gravity with their Mercedes-Benz Vato?
Vato pictured at the Chicanos Customs workshop in Wynberg, Sandton. Photo: Shaun Holland
Car builder and businessman Tariq “Chip” Moosa and his team at Chicanos Customs, in Wynberg, Sandton, have been hard at work getting another vehicle ready for the Gravity Car Show in Birmingham.
What is Gravity?
The Gravity Car Show is Europe’s premier automotive event, with cars from all corners of the world competing against each other in different categories.
The event takes place at the NEC in Birmingham over the weekend of the 24th– 25th August 2024 and usually pulls in over 30,000 car enthusiasts.
Spectators get to enjoy live events such as drifting, BMW & MTX displays, low riders, show & shine, supercars and a host of exhibitors.
Gravity meets Chicanos Customs Nkabi
Chip has a habit of naming all the vehicles that he owns, and last year, his pimped-out BMW E9, Nkabi, got the attention of the world when it won a top 5 spot at the show.
This was the first time that a South African business had managed to do this at an international show and Chip Moosa held the South African flag high when bestowed with this honour.
WATCH: Highlights from Gravity Show 2023
Vato to the world
This year Chip has decided to return to the United Kingdom ( UK), and with the help of his fans, they chose to take his Mercedes Benz 280se, Vato, to the show.
Moosa said that people always see his business Chicanos Customs as a BMW workshop when in actual fact, they work on all sorts of vehicles.
This influenced the decision of which car they would take to the UK, along with the fact that Vato had the least amount of work to get it show-ready.
Some of the work Chicanos Customs did on the classic Mercedes Benz, was to change the colour, redo the interior, upgrade the air suspension system and fitment of a ragtop sunroof.
WATCH: The reveal of Vato at Chicanos Customs
Vato arrives in the UK with some problems…
Last week Vato arrived in the UK and was offloaded at the docks, only for the shipping team to realise that there was damage to the paintwork and dashboard.
Thankfully Chip has the help of Car Audio & security or CAS TV as some of you may know them.
Car Audio & security will be installing the sound system into Vato ahead of the show and they will assist Chip and his team travelling with him to get the car in top shape for Gravity.
Chip Moosa makes the cover of Journey Mag
After his success in business, Tariq “Chip” Moosa was honoured to be put onto the cover of The Journey Magazine, alongside football star Brighton Mhlongo.
This comes after Moosa was recognized as one of the most inspirational businessmen in the automotive industry, making a success of his business, Chicanos Customs.
Tariq told us of his humble beginnings when he started his business on the pavement outside a sound shop in Marabastad.
He used to install sound into taxis outside the shop to make money, and while doing so, he realized that cars are his passion, and if you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life.
ALSO WATCH: Chip Moosa speaks about Nkabi winning at Europe’s premier car show
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