Prewar Jaguars in India

[terry mcgrath]

there is a write up in the latest jaguar driver on the above car, it notes that the original owner as Mr DS Majithia and that the ownership has been transerred to Mrs Mira Singh Akoi and must also be involved with the Imperial Hotel Dehli
regards

[iraghava]

Terry - The Akhoi family are owners of the Imperial hotel.

[terry mcgrath]

A beast on the road

Ruqshad Dadabhoy has three pets - two Doberman Pinschers and a Jaguar




WILD PASSION Ruqshad with his immaculate 1947 Jaguar Mark IV
After World War II, no one could hope to live in Britain and use the initials `SS' and still walk with his head held high. Because the acronym put in mind the dreaded schutz-staffel (SS for short), a Nazi militant unit, which was so self-contained it had a code of conduct independent of the Nazi party. So, the British motor company Swallow Sidecar (SS), which had produced the SS100, a humdinger of a sports car that has been numbered among the 200 greatest cars of the twentieth century, was forced to look for a new name. Although willing to leave its old name behind, it wasn't prepared to sever all links with the historic SS100. So, SS was replaced by Jaguar, an SS100 model.
After the war, the company's financial position was so precarious it was rumoured it could go belly-up anytime. It would have, but for a last-ditch no-sinews-spared effort to stay afloat. It realised that to survive, it had to produce the kind of cars most likely to go beyond the British shores. It rolled out saloons, which were later known as Mark IV.
In terms of elegance, these cars were no patch on the pre-War SS cars. Nor could they match the performance of the XK and XJ models that came in 1950s and 1960s. But these cars marked Jaguar's fighting spirit, its determination to hold on despite great odds.
This symbol of resilience stands at Ruqshad Dadabhoy's house near College Road. One of the reasons why Jaguar could take on big motor companies in the post-WWII automobile market is visible on Ruqshad's 1947 Jaguar Mark IV. The car reflects a structural rigidity that would not allow a line to jut out awkwardly. The front and back fenders and the running board seem to rise and fall like wayward waves, but look closely and you'll notice a flowing unitary whole. Low-slung to the extent that Ruqshad's Doberman Spike gets trapped under it whenever fear of disciplinary action drives him there, the car resembles a crouching Jaguar. Perhaps because the Jaguar has been with the Dadabhoys since 1947, it has not received much battering. You can probably put this down to the quintessential Parsi nature that detests any sloppiness in maintaining cars and houses. However, Ruqshad's friend Ajit is the reason why the 1947 Jaguar is very much 1947 Jaguar. A Jag owner himself, Ajit has been generous with his time while searching for 1947 Jaguar spares. The car still retains the carburettor supplied by Skinners Union and clutch by Borg & Beck. Time has not chewed off the wood that forms the dashboard and door frames.
This Jaguar is big. It can carry five hefty adults; and also luggage that weighs as much as they do, because of a spacious locker at the duck-tail rear and also because the luggage doesn't have to fight with the spare wheel for space. The spare wheel is lodged in a compartment below the locker.
No wonder the Dadabhoys call the Jaguar their family car.


PRINCE FREDERICK

[karlosdeville]

These pics of an apparent SS based racer were shared by fellow member Hell Kuul, who having raced back in the day in India always has the most interesting pictures and stories to tell. Probably shot at a Sholavaram race. The car was apparently registered BLB 5773 originally in Bengal, before the name changed to West Bengal and the regn changed to WBB 5773.

[terry mcgrath]

thanks for posting these wonderul pics, given that Sholavaram presumably started in 1953 it would be safe to assume pics date after 1953.
My "registration plates of the world" book doesn't note when Bengal changed it name/registration plates to West Bengal do you have any idea of this date as it will help date pics further
regards terry

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by terry mcgrath

thanks for posting these wonderul pics, given that Sholavaram presumably started in 1953 it would be safe to assume pics date after 1953.

please note, I am assuming it is Sholavaram, it isnt confirmed. Member Hell Kuul may be able to shed some light on it.

[Hell Kuul]

mmm those pics are from the racing track at Kanchrapara.... long ..long before sholavaram

[terry mcgrath]

here is another shot of the same car from [COLOR=#0000ff]http://www.rally.co.in/forum[/COLOR] from
Hell Kuul pages
This other web site is very interesting

[terry mcgrath]

the attached picture was taken in India early 2005 but I have no idea where or whose car it is
any clues

[Ceylon]

Thought I’d contribute a recent photograph of the Ex- Nehru SS1 Airline. The car was imported to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) sometime in 1937.

[FONT=Arial]SS100 – and several dozen “classic” Jaguars (1.5 litre, XK 120, E-type, MK V, MK1/2, MK7 etc etc)

[MustangMan]

The races were at Alipore

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by Ceylon

Thought I’d contribute a recent photograph of the Ex- Nehru SS1 Airline. The car was imported to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) sometime in 1937.

SS100 – and several dozen “classic” Jaguars (1.5 litre, XK 120, E-type, MK V, MK1/2, MK7 etc etc)

Welcome to the forum Ceylon,
Nice photo, was this owned by Nehru?
There is an active Jaguar section here who will doubtless be greeting you shortly...
I believe there is a MK V in one of the Sri Lankan Hotel advertisements (I can't find it now...)
Do you know anything about this Jaguar SS100 in Sri Lanka?

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by MustangMan

The races were at Alipore

Barrackpore is about 24 kms from Calcutta and Kanchrapara another 30-35 Kms further into 24 Parganas North. The action used to be mostly in these two places from my memory, pics in the album and a recurring cough!

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by Ceylon

Thought I’d contribute a recent photograph of.........

I see you have a MK I, is it 2.4 or 3.4?
Also do you have any knowledge of a 1922 Rolls-Royce 20hp chassis no. 40 G9 which was a trials car but went to a H G Gosling in Ceylon?

[terry mcgrath]

The restoration of this car in Ceylon is a major acheivement and a credit to those involved.
The full history of this car is covered in our boof "the Forerunners of Jaguar" see Paul Skilleter Books - PJ Publishing Ltd - Jaguar related books and magazines - PayPal enabled for full details of this book and other interesting jaguar books

terry


Thought I’d contribute a recent photograph of the Ex- Nehru SS1 Airline. The car was imported to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) sometime in 1937.