Indian built/assembled classics

[john a milne]

Originally Posted by Cyrus43

well as far as i can see the car is in restoration but it is a very shoddy job...and it is infact paint on the bumpers....sad isnt it..and about your landmaster..why dont you start a new thread?

I've been reading this thread from the start and am enjoying all the information and photos plus getting to know you all.

The painted bumpers reminds me when I went to a garage here in Kolkata 5 years ago to see a Morris Minor that was up for sale, it had been modified so as he had to sell one of his cars I purchased his 66 Fiat, my first car here and one that I drove for 2 years until I had an encounter with a big military truck, nothing to serious but enough to scrap it and begin looking for an Italian Fiat which I found and am just finishing off restoring it.

i digress al little here but in the "works" a Pontiac had just been painted a dark blue... with out masking off any areas and there was someone scrapping off the paint from the glass, tires and chrome!. UNBELIEVABLE

However I did see last year a 70's fiat that had had been painted white including the bumpers and chrome on the head and tail lights that looked quite good.

The extremes of workman ship here are quite extreme unlike in N.A. and I must say a lot more interesting. The quality of some of the better restored cars here are on a par with the best i've seen back home.

Check out an article that was published on the Statesman Rally on google, it had a very good response. Google "hemmings motor news calcutta concours", you might enjoy it.

[siddartha]

there used to be a lot of "badals" used as taxis , havent seen one in god knows how many years.

anybody spotted any dolphins ? or any for sale?

[harit]

Originally Posted by siddartha

there used to be a lot of "badals" used as taxis , havent seen one in god knows how many years.

anybody spotted any dolphins ? or any for sale?

Yes Badals were used as taxi's, but they did not last long, did they? They always looked funny on the road. Does anyone know how many survive? Many many years ago, in Kurla (CST) scrapyard I saw a shell of a Badal lying on the roof of the shed, no metal to scrap and hoping for someone to
Dolphins are still available, you have to look around. But beware, correct tyres are no longer available. You can fit commercial tyres, I think Bajaj Minidor fit but the ride is bad. Dolphins were mechanically very good, fast and were even raced.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by john a milne

I purchased his 66 Fiat, my first car here and one that I drove for 2 years until I had an encounter with a big military truck, nothing to serious but enough to scrap it and begin looking for an Italian Fiat which I found and am just finishing off restoring it.

Hey john, I thought you'd earlier said it was a '64 Fiat?? Just curious.

i digress al little here but in the "works" a Pontiac had just been painted a dark blue... with out masking off any areas and there was someone scrapping off the paint from the glass, tires and chrome!. UNBELIEVABLE

Common! Thank God the guys who'd done up my Standard Pennant were far more professional in their approach, by masking all the glass/rubbers/chrome that they couldn't take off prior painting. They also didn't mind me poking my nose into their work for any "finishing touches" during the process either!

[karlosdeville]

Spotted this strange, possibly coachbuilt Jeep in Aurangabad.

Behram, you had mentioned to me about the MBW - Metal Bodied Wagonette, made by Mahindra. Is this is?

[john a milne]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Hey john, I thought you'd earlier said it was a '64 Fiat?? Just curious.


Common! Thank God the guys who'd done up my Standard Pennant were far more professional in their approach, by masking all the glass/rubbers/chrome that they couldn't take off prior painting. They also didn't mind me poking my nose into their work for any "finishing touches" during the process either!

1964 it is!

I must be getting old! or I could say I a checking to see just how astute you all are. Think it is a little of both.

Regards, John

[SuperSelect]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Spotted this strange, possibly coachbuilt Jeep in Aurangabad.

Behram, you had mentioned to me about the MBW - Metal Bodied Wagonette, made by Mahindra. Is this is?

About 20 years ago, they used to make what was called a "Super Deluxe Town and Country Wagonette". I think this is what it is. It was quite well appointed for the time, with a freezing AC, comfortable seats, et al.

[fx45]

I dont think the Mahindra in picture ever had a/cs and it was a after market body as far as i know.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Karl - ref your PM regarding post 260 of this thread, this is NOT an MBW. It is an NC665DP with locally built body. MBW was built on a 101" wheel base CL whereas this is a 105.5" wheel base. You can also see the fully floating rear axle on this vehicle as well as the original NC exhaust with the tail pipe discharging in front of the rear right wheel. MBW had CL axle which was semi floating. MBW had pointed door glass frames. Coming to NC (normal control), there were 2 types of vehicles, the first one which came was the NC665DP with XDP4.90, 3 speed, 5.38:1 and platform placed quite high on the chassis. The first vehicle was rolled down in Nasik plant in February 1983 amongst much fanfare and I tested it for cooling system performance from Nasik to Chandwad and back. It was light green in colour and it was so unstable in GVW condition (gross vehicle weight) that the tyre pressure was 22/45 psi front/back. Yes, you can laugh. The brakes were extremely ineffective (what do you expect with 22/45 psi). The next NC was known as NC640DP, the main difference was that the platform was lowered. The one in the picture seems to be a "Nicholas Desouza" body built vehicle. The garage was in Vasai. I think it is still there.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Karl - ref your PM regarding post 260 of this thread, this is NOT an MBW. It is an NC665DP with locally built body. MBW was built on a 101" wheel base CL whereas this is a 105.5" wheel base. You can also see the fully floating rear axle on this vehicle as well as the original NC exhaust with the tail pipe discharging in front of the rear right wheel. MBW had CL axle which was semi floating. MBW had pointed door glass frames. Coming to NC (normal control), there were 2 types of vehicles, the first one which came was the NC665DP with XDP4.90, 3 speed, 5.38:1 and platform placed quite high on the chassis. The first vehicle was rolled down in Nasik plant in February 1983 amongst much fanfare and I tested it for cooling system performance from Nasik to Chandwad and back. It was light green in colour and it was so unstable in GVW condition (gross vehicle weight) that the tyre pressure was 22/45 psi front/back. Yes, you can laugh. The brakes were extremely ineffective (what do you expect with 22/45 psi). The next NC was known as NC640DP, the main difference was that the platform was lowered. The one in the picture seems to be a "Nicholas Desouza" body built vehicle. The garage was in Vasai. I think it is still there.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Nicholas also built the tata mobile 207 sedan version. A weird looking car, some even put the mercedes logo and wheel caps. A fair number were used to make bulletproof govt. vehicles, remember seeing Manohar Joshi in it once. Dont know if they are still in service.

[SuperSelect]

Originally Posted by fx45

I dont think the Mahindra in picture ever had a/cs and it was a after market body as far as i know.

The body is certainly after market, probably from Nicholas, as Behram has rightly mentioned. But I can vouch for the fact that these had ACs, as I have sat in one !!

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Karl - if you want to see an MBW, there is one standing on the Pune Nasik highway for donkey's years with half tyres inside the ground. It is in Manchar or Narayangaon, on the right side of the road as you go towards Nasik. It is completely corroded. I will take a photograph the next time I pass from there.

By the way, there used to be a nice CJ3B standing on the highway in Chakan in unused but very restorable condition. I asked the garage guy. He told me that there were no papers. So I just let it go. It was not there the last time I passed from there.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

The body is certainly after market, probably from Nicholas, as Behram has rightly mentioned. But I can vouch for the fact that these had ACs, as I have sat in one !!

Necessity is the mother of invention, that all i can say Ravi. Remember seeing one during my early school days probably when i was in sr. KG or 1st std. There was a family who had three kids and the jeep would drop them every day. The vehicle was high and as any curious kid would down and over the vehicle to know about it. I believe there were no factory built muv or suvs then. The Mahindra Commander with only two doors 750dp ( as I recollect) also came much later, albeit without an A/c.
So, people had to do with what was available modify and use it ineffecienty.
I used to also wonder why is the vehicle peeing when the A/c is on. Didnt know about it then.

[karlosdeville]

A most interesting thread with priceless pictures, some not seen before.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...k-history.html (Walk with History)

Do keep your comments coming if you can shed light on some of the rarer cars.

[karlosdeville]

A story on a family's love for their Hindustans can be read here

The Hindu : Metro Plus Chennai / Wheels : The Amby family