In Kampala, Classics Have Their Day in the Sun Julia Mayersohn bravely and graciously attended numerous collector-car shows with Norman Mayersohn, her father and the deputy editor of the Automobiles section, while growing up in New Jersey. She lives and works in Kampala, Uganda. KAMPALA, Uganda - "Auto shows have not been big in Uganda," said the listing in The Kampala Sun, a tabloid newspaper here. However, we are getting there. This Vintage and Classic Auto Show at the Sheraton should prove that Uganda's "automobility" is high." Uganda might be among the poorest countries in the world, with exceptionally poor health indicators and teetering infrastructure, but that would not stop Kampala's car enthusiasts from enjoying a day out in their finery. Recovering from the riots and rampant inflation of 2011, the capital is in a bullish mood. And so it was, while most of the city was watching the soccer match against Congo Brazzaville last weekend - the Uganda Cranes won, 4-0 - a certain subset of the city convened on the grounds of the Sheraton Kampala Hotel. The Sheraton is a favored gathering place for the city's elite, but the crowd at the auto show would not be unsuited to a cruise night in any city in America. The owners were overwhelmingly male, compelled by nostalgia or a sense of duty to maintain a grandfather's car, and seemed glad to bask in the cachet of showing off their restored beauties. Most owners I spoke with were proud that their cars were in original condition, some claiming that the cars were on their original set of tires. Not so Sabiita Kiwanuka, who bought his 1958 Mercedes-Benz sedan in the United States, imported it and restored it. He said he was required to touch up the paint and replace the side-view mirrors after run-ins with Kampala's army of "boda boda" motorcycle taxis, who dart through the city traffic. The owners of this "76 Volkswagen Microbus, meanwhile, offer self-driven safaris. Six-inch heels optional.