[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by iraghava

No and No!!

As I thought.

When were you here? And anyways it's nothing to be scared out, it doesn't bite!!!!

January 2006. My elder brother got married to a girl from there.

[himanshugoswami]

these phatphatiyas in Delhi were based on a sawed off Indian Chief (and in some cases Harley davidson) chasis, welded to two wheels and an axle at the rear and powered by a 6.5 HP greaves Lobmardini diesel engine- the same engine found in the diesel taurus and sooraj bikes. these trikes had a charm of their own and it was a sad day when they went off Delhi roads-ostensibly in the name of pollution control- but do you know what they were replaced with?-Maroon coloured Mahindra Marshal jeeps!!!! Damn politicians!!!!

[Ram]

Originally Posted by ram

Does anybody remember the old Delhi Phatphatiyas (फटफटिया)
They were three wheeled passenger vehicles, a sort of tonga powered by a powerful motorcycle engine. The front half of the motorcycle was bolted to a strong tubular chassis and the engine powered a garishly decorated wagon that would seat upto twelve passengers.

It was like a baby version of the Willys MB and CJ3B Jeep based Manila Jeepney from the Republic of the Philippines.

The Indian Motorcycle Mfg. Co. is USA's oldest motorcycle brand. Back in those days they were the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles.

Some of these found their way into (the real) India and became phatphatiyas in Delhi, Raipur, etc.

A very popular model was the 1922-1953 Chief.
They had a 1000 cc engine. Some very rare ones had a 1300 cc V-twin.

There was also a model called Indian Scout. The British brought this to India as a pre-independence time military motorcycle. This had a 500 cc engine.

The motorcycle platforms in Delhi of the sixties and seventies were Indian Chief and Indian Scout motorcycles.

I remember some had a floor-shift gear lever like a car or Jeep.

Here is a Kutchhi phatphatiya roofless cargo truck based on the Royal-Enfield Bullet.

Does anybody have old photographs and memories of the Old Delhi phatphatiya to share? I understand you can still see some in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Ram

Well friends, I managed to find a pic from circa. 1986 of a Delhi Phatphatiya at Connaught Place. Seems to have a Greaves-Lombardini diesel powering a rear axle driving 15" car wheels.

Here it is...

Ram

[1100D]

Amitabh Bachchan can be seen driving a Jugad kind of thing in Satte pe Satta.

[srh]

Originally Posted by V-16

40-50 kph

I read this as KPL by mistake and was thinking if I could plonk that engine into a car

[gd1418]

These smoke belching three wheeled contraptions of yore based on Indian & Harley engines used to roam on the Delhi roads many many years ago.

I for one, whenever had to go to Chandni Chowk, parked my car at the Palika underground parking and took one of the phatphatiyas that used to leave me at the Jain Temple in Chandni Chowk. After completing my work, used take one to come back to Palika parking. Was fun going that way as it reduced driving and parking hassles.

Miss those rides...

[BurningHeart]

Originally Posted by iraghava

This is what a "Jugaad" looks like:

We're all stupid! If that is all that's needed to carry millions, why pay millions? Btw, where is everything gone in that CAR? Wind erosion?

Originally Posted by iraghava

What's the 'lotta' in the picture for? Must be quite fuel-efficient (driver or the CAR either being the user)!!!

Originally Posted by manikjeet

One question
and next time i will go to my pind i would drive one of these and write a review on them

Drive one of those? If you have done it, Manikjeet, can your hands still operate the keyboard? Would like to hear what happened.

Originally Posted by gd1418

Was fun going that way as it reduced driving and parking hassles.

Miss those rides...

Do you really?

[fx45]

nice topic.. soon we may see these gettin replaced by nano's

you never know!

[roopgill]

The Phat Phaties were decommissioned by the Gov. I would love to know what happened to them, did they get auctioned or destroyed. It is a part of history for Delhi, and some pristine examples need to be kept.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by Ram

Does anybody remember the old Delhi Phatphatiyas (फटफटिया)
They were three wheeled passenger vehicles, a sort of tonga powered by a powerful motorcycle engine. .......

Oh yes, very much. Have traveled a lot in them. One route, I remember very clearly used to go from old delhi railway station/Jama Masjid to Connaught Place. The noise they made was unbelievable and these used to be started with a rope (I think I remember correctly.. have some memories of the drivers starting this using ropes)

I think I have heard somewhere that these 3 wheelers were based on Harley Davidson. (not sure). With the pollution control laws, they were removed in the early 2000's.

Here are some pics I found on net.

This is connaught place. See the autorick besides the phat phati.


Another picture


Source: 1, 2

[abhinav.gupta88]

I've seen many Jugaad's myself.
Love their look

[dadu]

I was their frequent user from CP to Golcha cinema to Chandni Chowk(fountain).

Infact I used to prefer them over other public mode of transport, IIRC I used to paid between Re1.50p to Rs2.25p for my one-way fare.

[aerohit]

So, can i import one Ariel Atom Kit and call it a "jugaad?" (by definition - yes)

Will the Govt allow me to drive it?

No

Pathetic

[IQBAL VEERJI]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Amitabh Bachchan can be seen driving a Jugad kind of thing in Satte pe Satta.

Dear brother the Jugaad you are mentioning about was actually a IMPALA probably 1962 with roof and other portions chopped off and extended floor bed to carry all seven brothers togather,later also with their wives.

[tsk13]

Weren't these phatphatiyas Harleys? Pradon my ignorance, but I remember my dad telling me the same and also a newspaper article on how World War II Harleys were turned into these Phatphatiyas.