[karlosdeville]

Enjoying the documentation, thank you. Looking forward to details on the VW Beetle - I think the oldest VW known in India.

Originally Posted by KPS

28. 1947 Studebaker Champion ( 6 Cyl., MYB 7066)

Attachment 337248

I remember reading elsewhere on the forum that this car belonged to C V Raman at one time?

[KPS]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Enjoying the documentation, thank you. Looking forward to details on the VW Beetle - I think the oldest VW known in India.

Karl, I am going to disappoint you as the Bettle was being repainted to yellow and was not in display. It was next to the great Daimler hence I did not spend too much time on it.

I remember reading elsewhere on the forum that this car belonged to C V Raman at one time?

The Museum has not quoted this any where hence I cannot authenticate this.

Cheers

[KPS]

29. 1947 Frazer Manhattan (6 Cyl., 3.7 Litre, MYL 273)

Henry Kaizer and Joe Frazer started Kaizer-Frazer Corporation in 1945. In 1947 the Frazer Manhattan was released to one of the safest cars with low centre of gravity, great driving view and low bumpers.







30. 1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster (6 Cyl., 3.5 Litre, MYB 9018)



31. 1947 Citroen Traction Avant (4 Cyl., PYP 362)



32. 1948 Morris Minor (4 Cyl., 8 HP, CKK 2266)

Nothing special on this car. It is a common sedan

33. 1948 Mercedes Diesel (4 Cyl., MYX 761)

I am no Merc expert hence I am unable to give much info on this car. This is a diesel car.



Cheers

KPS

[KPS]

34. 1947 Daimler Type DE-36 ( 8 Cyl., 5460 CC, MEC 1)

We have read time and again that the number of gun salutes indicated the importance of the Ruler. For example the King Emporer of the British Empire was given 101 salutes, The Viceroy of India 31 Gun Salutes and the highest honour amongst the India Maharaja's were 21 gun salutes. In the 1911 Delhi Durbar, only three kings were accorded the 21 gun salutes, namely H H The Nizam of Hyderabad; H H The Maharaja (Gaekwar) of Baroda; H H the Maharaja of Mysore.

See the full details here Salute state - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So imagine a car built for a 101 Gun Salute Emporer and bought be a 21 Gun Salute Maharaja. Well the next car is exactly that.

The Daimler Type DE 36 at the museum is one of the 6 cars built for the Royal Tour of Australia 1953/54 of King George VI whose tour was cancelled due the his health. A total of 6 cars were built for the royal tour, 2 All Weather, 3 Landaulette and 1 Limousine all bodied by Hooper. Since the tour got cancelled, one All Weather (Chassis # 51703) and one Landaulette (Chassis # 51708) was bought by Maharaja of Mysore. The All Weather is in the Bhogilal Museum and the Landaulette in the Manjusha Museum.

This car was bought by the Museum in 1985 from the current Maharaja of Mysore. Initially it was in a open shed near to temple open of public view. Encouraged by the public reaction, the Trust decided to start the Manjusha Museum for cars.

I would rate this as the top car of the Museum.

This snap was posted earlier and is of the car before taken a few years back



The car is currently being refurbished and hence not in display. Really majestic looking even at this stage



The engine of a DE 36 is 8 cylinder, 5460 CC



The quality of this vehicle is just amazing. Every nut and bolt reflects the highest standards. See the bonnet rod in the picture, just amazing quality



The Dash being refurbished and note the partition glass.



Finally the confirmation of the model and chassis #



Cheers

KPS

[arun1100]

Good to see some interesting information coming about these classic beauties. Keep them coming!

[ajmat]

I remember they had the first merc w126 in Bangalore. Wonder where that is ?

[KPS]

35. 1950 VW Beetle (4 Cyl., 12 HP, MAJ 5945)

This car was being repainted to yellow and hence the picture from the booklet. Karl says that this is one of the oldest beetles in the country. This is an oval window VW



36. 1950 Plymouth Special Sedan ( 6 Cyl., MYB 1424)

This is a very beautiful car


37. 1951 Jaguar Mark V (6 Cyl., 3.5 litre, MEX 7595)

The production of Mark V started in 1948 till 1951. This car outsold the XK120 which was launched along the same time. There were 2.5 litre and 3.5 litre engine options



38. 1951 Ford Custom Victoria Coupe ( V8, MYO 3569)

This car is Ford's first hard top. Two door and pillar less is definitely one of the desirable cars for any collector. This car has the overdrive option.



39. 1952 Pontiac Silver Streak (6 Cyl., MDR 2255)



40. 1953 Austin A40

This is a common car.

41. 1954 Cadillac (V8 OHV, P1452)

America's luxury car with all the trims one sees in mordern day cars like power windows.



Cheers

KPS

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by KPS

35. 1950 VW Beetle (4 Cyl., 12 HP, MAJ 5945)

This car was being repainted to yellow and hence the picture from the booklet. Karl says that this is one of the oldest beetles in the country. This is an oval window VW

The Oval window was available from I think Oct 53 to Sept 57, which is where this car would fit in. Twin tail pipes came in 56, I think this car had a single pipe which would place it between late 53 to 55. That would still make it one of the oldest VWs around that we are aware of, after the split window reportedly in Goa.

[67Bug]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

The Oval window was available from I think Oct 53 to Sept 57, which is where this car would fit in. Twin tail pipes came in 56, I think this car had a single pipe which would place it between late 53 to 55. That would still make it one of the oldest VWs around that we are aware of, after the split window reportedly in Goa.

KPS any possibility of you finding the Chassis no for this bug? We would be able to find out the precise year and conclude on the year. But, I tend to agree with Karl, this could be a late 53 to early 55 bug as it has a single tail pipe.

[KPS]

42. 1954 Dodge Kingsway Convertible (6 Cyl., 3 litre, MYB 3)

The Dodge Kingsway was the export model and in the US the car was called Coronet and Canada it was called the Regent.

This particular has some history as this was imported by the Government of Karnataka as the official State Car. The car has carried many a VVIP's over the years and was bought by the Museum in 1993 when the State auctioned this car.

MYB - 3 in its current condition



Some of the VVIPS who have graced this car



43. 1955 Studebaker Conestoga Champion Wagon (6 Cyl., MYV 475)

This is an all steel station wagon produced from 1954 to 1955 hence this is relatively a rare car amongst the Studebaker Champions and in India I do not think many survive. Indian's have not fancied station wagons in particular. The Conestoga name was a homage to the wagon business that the company operated in its early years.




44. 1955 Dodge Kingway Custom(6 Cyl., BML 2925)



45. 1962 Chevrolet Impala (6 Cyl., CTU 9769)

This car was donated to the Museum in 1999 and is in very original condition



46. 1964 Austin Princess Mark IV(6 Cyl., 4 litre, MEC 1799)



47. 1991 Lincoln Town Car Limo (8 Cyl., 4.6 Litre)




With this I end this thread on the curent cars in the museum. They have many other cars/trucks awaiting restoration. The only car which caught my attention in that lot was a Haflinger which is in restorable condition.

I do not know when my next trip to Dharmasthala will be but next time round I will try and get all the details on the Rolls Royce, the chassis # of the VW Bug and the establish the Stude and Gandhiji Connections.

I do hope that all of you enjoyed this Thread.

Cheers

KPS

[arun1100]

Thank you KPS for all the pics and information you gave us. Do keep updating this thread as and when you get some more information about the museum cars.

[the mole]

Dear KPS , you have done a great job documenting the contents of the museum for posterity. Efforts of individuals such as yourself make this forum so informative, and a place of great research for all those who choose to conduct it today and tomorrow. Again great job.

[KPS]

Originally Posted by arun1100

Thank you KPS for all the pics and information you gave us. Do keep updating this thread as and when you get some more information about the museum cars.

Originally Posted by the mole

Dear KPS , you have done a great job documenting the contents of the museum for posterity. Efforts of individuals such as yourself make this forum so informative, and a place of great research for all those who choose to conduct it today and tomorrow. Again great job.

Thank you very much and I enjoyed this Thread as it help me learn about cars too. Working on such projects helps you improve your knowledge on cars. For us in the South we do not have the exposure like you get in Mumbai and Calcutta. Collectors in South are more recent ones.

Thanks again

[KPS]

I wanted to update that the Great Daimler has been completed and I would like to share the recent pictures of the car.

The Side shows the side mounts beautifully enclosed


The Dash is not that spectacular.


The view from the rear seat showing the partition glass. There are 10 glasses on the car. Windscreen, 3 windows on each side, rear glass, sunroof and the partition glass.


Heater switch below the partition glass


The sun roof


The rear seat.


The door panels. Note that the car had power windows and the buttons below the ashtray on the armrest are for the partition glass


There are 4 roof lights. Here is one of them. See the quality


Cheers

KPS

[wasif]

Looks pretty neat, do put up more pics of the exterior and the rengine bay.

Are those sidemount covers original ? Is that a blind on the rear of th passenger seat ?

Any idea if these are the original shades of colour and interior that came originally on this car. Also the woodwork looks like it has been polished, what this how the car came ?