Duesenbergs in India (Incl. Cord & Auburn)

[tdf]

My original document indicated that Prince K. SHUMSCHERE JUNG BAHADUR
RANA of Nepal provided the invoice August 9, 1963.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by tdf

My original document indicated that Prince K. SHUMSCHERE JUNG BAHADUR
RANA of Nepal provided the invoice August 9, 1963.

That woul be correct.

Please refer to post no 68 on this thread which details the lineage of J 499.

if the timelines mentioned are accurate this car was with your family for around 20 years. What was its condition in this time, was it in regular use ?? restored ?

Would it be possible for you to post a scan of the invoice you mentioned. It would mean much to us

Please do post more on this and see if you can source some pictures of it that I am sure you will have. We would love to see them.

You must be Dr. John Fischer son ? Is this accurate ?

Were your dad and grandad in the car business, specifically importing exotics to teh USA ?

[tdf]

Correct. John Fischer (dec) was my father. Duesenberg 499 was imported
into New Orleans in 1963. It was restored by Joe Kaufmann in Manitowac
Wisconsin. It was always right hand drive while they owned it until my father sold it to Mr. Carrol. I heard that he may have converted it to left hand
drive.
My grandfather also owned a Murphy Speedster and another chassis. The chassis was used to build a Phaeton Convertible. I do not know then
nos.of these cars.
My father owned two Phantom III Rolls Royces. One (Freestone-Webb)
was engineered with a center gear shift lever to satisfy the purchaser
who had previously owned only Packards.
I will post a few pictures of 499 in the near future.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by tdf

Correct. John Fischer (dec) was my father. Duesenberg 499 was imported
into New Orleans in 1963. It was restored by Joe Kaufmann in Manitowac
Wisconsin. It was always right hand drive while they owned it until my father sold it to Mr. Carrol. I heard that he may have converted it to left hand
drive.
My grandfather also owned a Murphy Speedster and another chassis. The chassis was used to build a Phaeton Convertible. I do not know then
nos.of these cars.
My father owned two Phantom III Rolls Royces. One (Freestone-Webb)
was engineered with a center gear shift lever to satisfy the purchaser
who had previously owned only Packards.
I will post a few pictures of 499 in the near future.

Great to hear from you on this and look forward to the pictures.Sorry to hear about your father's demise.

I wuld love to see current pics of 499 from Gen Lyons car collection where it is today.

When was the last time you heard about the car ?

[travancore]

Originally Posted by tdf

Correct. John Fischer (dec) was my father. Duesenberg 499 was imported
into New Orleans in 1963. It was restored by Joe Kaufmann in Manitowac
Wisconsin. It was always right hand drive while they owned it until my father sold it to Mr. Carrol. I heard that he may have converted it to left hand
drive.

I will post a few pictures of 499 in the near future.

Thanks for the update TDF. You have one of my questions already answered (Right Hand Drive)! Any idea what color the car was originally / when imported from India ? Would love to see some period pictures. Cheers

[tdf]

First photo was made by my father most recently after restoration of 499.
So I estimate the date 1965.
The next photo of 499 was made in my grandfather's farm shed,about the
same time. He is standing to the right, wearing a hat. I do not know
the other gentlemen.
I do not have any knowledge of the car's paint color prior to entry into
the U.S. The only photograph I possess of the car's embarkation is a
B/W newspaper page. I will post this when I get it scanned.
TdF

[DKG]

What a spectacular car !! Must have been such an awesome sight to see Princess Niloufer in this one

[kasli]

[
Does anyone notice a very indian registration number in the background. CPS 116 ?

Spectacular undoubtedly !



QUOTE=tdf;2186157]First photo was made by my father most recently after restoration of 499.
So I estimate the date 1965.
The next photo of 499 was made in my grandfather's farm shed,about the
same time. He is standing to the right, wearing a hat. I do not know
the other gentlemen.
I do not have any knowledge of the car's paint color prior to entry into
the U.S. The only photograph I possess of the car's embarkation is a
B/W newspaper page. I will post this when I get it scanned.
TdF[/quote]

[wasif]

WOW....amazing pictures indeed and finally we are able to see what 499 looked like.

A car truly fitting the status of its royal Hyderabadi owners.

Would be interesting to know who actually drove this car when it was n Hyderabad as it would have had to be driven by the owner and not a driver going by its body style.

Below are the four pics of the 499, two from Tdf one from the net and the B&W old snap of the car in Hyderabad

It has apparently been thru some changes, most notable is the loss of those neat "vision" notches on the sides of the canvas roof that are seen on the original picture

For comparison sake of comparisonthe blue "twin" (Garbo) car is also pictured here

[DKG]

Originally Posted by wasif

Would be interesting to know who actually drove this car when it was n Hyderabad as it would have had to be driven by the owner and not a driver going by its body style.

Well not really Wasif. The car was a victoria with five if not four seats. Princess Niloufer would have sat in the back, with the chauffeur and ADC up front. The picture of her and Mauzamjah in the back seat of the car with a chauffeur is posted here on this thread

Yadgar Chenoy who is no more remembered this car and told me he travelled in it once. Don't remember if he did so when the princess was in the car

Even Azamjah's SS was chauffeur driven. There is a picture posted somewhere here with him and princess Durrehshevar and baby Mukkaramjah in her arms in the back seat of the SS

[travancore]

Found this interesting data on Cord 810/812 cars exported to India. All were Right Hand Drive with convertible phaeton bodies.

source: Cord 810/812 The Timeless Classic by Josh B. Malks

Serial # 810 2198 H ; Engine # FB 597

Serial # 810 2203 H ; Engine # FB 1041

Serial # 810 2262 H ; Engine # FB 1044

Serial # 812 32246 H ; Engine # FC 3020

There are quite a few other RHD cars listed - not India specific. Unfortunately did not find any India pictures!

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by travancore

Found this interesting data on Cord 810/812 cars exported to India. All were Right Hand Drive with convertible phaeton bodies.
Unfortunately did not find any India pictures!

I distinctly recollect seeing a Cord 810/812 in an old Hindi (Bollywood, if you please) movie of the 50s/60s, being driven by the heroine - can't remember the name of the movie; will update if I do. The colour of the car was a very deep brown/maroon/purple - along those lines - and the car looked in immaculate shape. It was also a convertible coupe, and not a phaeton body, from what I seem to recollect.

[DKG]

Sharad Sanghi has one, I had seen it during my visit in 2001. I think its a 810

[harit]

Originally Posted by travancore

Found this interesting data on Cord 810/812 cars exported to India.

I have a strong feeling that this data is not upto date, because there were certainly more Cords.
There are three known (to me) Cords in India, Sharad Sanghi car which is a superchrged one, so 810, and Pranlal has two, one open and apparently one closed car.
Maybe some cars came in via London, so not listed.
I know that there was a Cord in the Adenwala bungalow, that belonged to a Parsi gentleman who is looking for photos. That car was scrapped with some parts finding their way to Australia.
I had also heard, but never seen, of two Cords which were in Madras. At the IARC office which used to run vintage rallies, Mr. Pandit had shown me pictures of a Statesman event which had a white (or light coloured) open top Cord participating. No idea where that went. I do know some history of Sanghi Cord, and it is none of these others.

Cheers harit

[KPS]

On page 46 of Mr. Gautam Sen's book on Maharaja's car there is picture of Mr. Protap Roy in front of a Cord 810. What happen to this car? Is this the Sanghi car?