Notes to mod:
- Sorry if a thread already exists, I searched but couldn't find any.
- Not sure if this should be in "Shifting gears", but I thought its more appropriate to place this under Indian car scene, as it will throw light on our previous generation vehicles especially cars. Please move it if you feel fit.
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So we are discussing a lot about the cars and bikes we like, what we call "drivers car", we do a lot of research on which one to buy, and when we finally do buy a car we proudly share our happiness with fellow bhpians. And we painstakingly note down every detail about the car - good and bad - and sit down and write detailed reviews. Thats because we are bhpians.
Now for a moment, I had a thought: why don't we go back down memory lane and think about our dads' vehicle choice? Their choices and priorities were very different from what we have today, but thinking back can reveal how much of a bhpian our dads were.
My dad was a bhpian to the core. He always believed in driving safe, used to drive fast more often than not, and he used to talk for hours about how important it is to "be in control" of the vehicle. Looking back, his taste in vehicles has been superb, and I must say better than mine today.
So I would like to share which vehicles my dad chose in his lifetime, with some pictures taken from google image search. Unfortunately my dad passed away before I bought my first bike, but I remember in detail every vehicle he drove.
1. Standard Herald:
This was my father's first car! Now known as "kalyaana car" (marriage procession car), this car was old even then. This was the car he used to go around in before marriage just after finishing college, and he always had fond memories of it. My mom has some very fond memories of this car too. Dad sold it soon after he got married. (I dont know why! but he kept selling vehicles and buying other vehicles)
A pic of Herald:
2. Landmaster
After selling the Herald, appa was car-less for some time, and then after a few years he bought an old n-th hand Landmaster. Mom says this was about the time my elder sister was born. Again for mysterious reasons, he sold the car. He had a way of suddenly appearing and saying that "I bought a car" just like that without any warning, and another day he would equally suddenly say "I sold the car!".
I remember dad recalling incidents of wading through flooded streets, in the Landmaster.
3. Enfield Mini Bullet
This was the only bike my father ever owned. He did own a Lambretta scooter for a few weeks before that, and he used to ride my chittappa's (his brother's) Yezdi Classic a lot, but this was the only bike he really owned over a period of time. I still(!) remember its distinctive 2-stroke note. Something like a Yezdi note but not quite. Appa used to drop us in school, and I would ride sitting on the petrol tank pretending that I am riding it!
4. Ambassador
I CANNOT FORGET THIS DAY! I think I was 5 or 6 years old then. It was a Sunday, I got up and found dad and mom sitting in the kitchen talking very excited. I thought, what are they up to? Any outing planned? I asked mom whats happening. She said, go to the balcony and look. I peeped out from the balcony and quickly understood! Appa had bought that white Ambassador standing outside. I dont know how I understood. Our own car, my dad's own car, for the first time I knew of! I was ecstatic. I dont remember what we did that day, we went out for sure but it was pure joy and I dont remember much else.
This car (I think a Mark 2 or Mark 3) had that horizontal steering-mounted gear shift lever. The steering wheel had a smaller metal ring inside, and this was the horn "ring". Powerful horn. Dad took us out on innumerable drives in this car, including a trip to Ooty.
I think this Ambassador is the car my dad loved the most in his life. He later had to sell it due to financial reasons.
5. Hindustan
I know this is wierd, but dad bought an old Hindustan (it was old even then), after the Ambassador! It used to look like a vintage car even back then. It was black and lovely, very comfortable, and I dont remember much else about this car. A few trips to school and back, beach, shopping and stuff. Dad didnt keep this car vey long. But the whole family loved it. I remember I kept trying to climb on the "dicky" but kept falling off as it didnt protrude so much as the Ambassador.
As usual, he suddenly sold the car. Again, financial reasons.
Then for a long time my dad did not have a vehicle of his own. Commutes by bus became the norm in the family, autorickshaws a luxury. Then much later, when I was about 11 years old Appa did it again - only, this time he bought two cars on the same day! A Sipani Dolphin and a Mahindra Commander!
6. Dolphin
I kept thinking this car is a Maruti, but appa would correct me every time and say it is a Dolphin. He loved the fiber glass body and boy would he drive it fast! He would chuck it around the city as if it were a bike. I remember my mom sitting next to him and saying "slow down slow down" but my sister and me sitting behind and saying "faster appa faster!",
The end of this car came about when one of his employees crashed it!
7. Mahindra Commander
At the same time he also had a Mahindra "jeep" Commander. This was more for business purpose and wasnt around the house so much, but he did take us on a few highway trips on it. Eventually it turned out to be too expensive to maintain, so he sold it. The biggest vehicle anyone has had in our family so far, and my chittappas used to call it "the bus".
8. Premier 118 NE
Again an n-th hand car, dad got a chocolate-brown Premier 118NE more for office work than for home. He liked it very much, but this car like the Dolphin lived a very short life. Again, one of his employees crashed the car completely swerving from a bridge, luckily everyone escaped safe. Two people had fractures. The car was totally gone.
9. Maruti Gypsy softtop
When I first saw this vehicle standing outside our home (dad's office actually), I thought it is some kind of foreign car. Was wondering what it is. Then later found out that dad's office had acquired this car. Curiously peeped inside, and was surprised to find two wierd benches at the rear - but the best part, you can roll the rear flap and peep outside directly! What joy! I had never seen this "feature" in any car.
Boy, how dad ripped this car in both the city and the highways! No car could overtake him. Looking back maybe he was driving too fast. I'm not sure. But he was totally taken over by the charm of Gypsy. I do remember he used to take us to the beach in the Gypsy. At that time I didnt understand why other cars never used to drive all the way to the waterfront.
10. Maruti Zen MH410
This was dad's last car, and probably the best and most advanced. He used to go ga-ga over this car, and even every short drive used to be very fast. I remember him doing 140kmph on the highways. He used to say its the best car he had ever driven. At that time, Zen was a flop. I used to keep telling him he should have bought an Esteem instead. But he was 100% convinced Zen was better. A few times he allowed me to sit in his lap and drive! Not only handle the steering, but everything - and I went up to 3rd gear! I think I was 11 or 12 at that time.
Looking back, my dad was one true car enthusiast. He has never had a single accident - minor or major - in his driving career at all. He used to drive from Madras to Bombay even back in those days when there was no GQ. Trips to Ooty were regular. But ironically, he had all these vehicles only in short stretches and most of his daily commute was by bus and autorickshaws.
Vehicles he always *wanted* to buy, but never did: Enfield Bullet, Daewoo Cielo, Tata Sumo(!
)
Oh and he also held a valid glider pilot's licence. But he never got a car or bike driving license ever
So what were your father's favorite vehicles?