Fun & Interesting Trivia on the Indian Car Scene

[figo_mba]

Originally Posted by da_lowrider

I think it was only a Hitachi ECU that they used not an entire engine!

True that. I wanted to write ECU and I wrote engine. Thanks for the correction.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by TheTeacher

SST, I do remember some of our Ambys (we had several from the '60s and '70s) had sealed beam headlamps. Whether these came as such from the factory or were replaced by us I am not sure. I'd suspect though that we wouldn't replace a standard non-sealed headlamp with sealed units just because a bulb blew.

Would go with SST on this.

Regards
Sutripta

[anjan_c2007]

The 1950's, age-old links between Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company Ltd (TELCO) and Mercedes Benz continued even after the collaboration to manufacture truck chassis ended in the late 1960's.

TELCO was the official importer of Mercedes Benz cars in the 1980's and soon after in the 1990's, the German automaker set foot into the Indian soil, to make its entry with its quite successful offering of the E 220 (W 124) in the mid 1990's, TELCO was a JV partner.

The two parted ways after a few years, with the investment norms getting liberalised, allowing 100% equity investment by foreign firms to make automobiles in India..





(the image above: Source Auto India)

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Before Maruti introduced the concept of car carriers, all cars were driven down.

+1 to your views!

I can vouch for this. My grandpa had a service center at Berhampur, Orissa, which was mid-way from Kolkata to Chennai. He struck a deal with HM to get their convoys water-washed and re-fuelled, and in the process had a thriving business.

I remember the cars being lifted on hydraulic jacks and water being jet-sprayed on the dusty, though new, cars. And boy, what fun it was to play with those jet sprays when mechanics were not looking.

[terra85]

My grandfather worked for PAL in the 60's, they used to get a free ride to Bangalore and would time it with a convoy leaving for Bangalore. The only thing was the new cars used to have a governor so they couldn't cross 50km\hr. So used to take two days to reach

[InControl]

Originally Posted by carheadbanger

Yezdi Roadking's kick start lever doubled up as its gear stick.

I think even the Rajdoot had the same setup

[KiloAlpha]

Originally Posted by InControl

I think even the Rajdoot had the same setup

No. The Rajdoot 175 had the kick-start lever on the left side (just like the Yezdi), but the gear lever and kick-start lever were separate.

In the Yezdi, it was the same lever. You pushed it "in" with your ankle and flipped it upwards before kicking. Once started, let the lever fall back to its position and it was a gear lever.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by InControl

I think even the Rajdoot had the same setup

With the faint memories of my best friend's old Rajdoot, I recall that there was a short foot operated lever just beside the kick starter for changing gears.
The trivia associated with Rajdoot may be one that it could be started with another rajdoot's key. I think the keys were identical for all RDs(& strange too)

[Roomy]

Originally Posted by figo_mba

Suzuki shaolin was the first bike with 5gears in India.

Correct me if I am wrong, but what about the RD 350 initially launched with a six speed (HT) followed by the detuned LT with a five speed. Also, the Enfield Fury.

Originally Posted by deetjohn

Even the RD 350 had two silencers. Two carburetors too!

Twin cylinders too!!
The RD 350 were twin carbureted with two Mikuni's while the Y 350 twins were powered by a single Jikov.

Originally Posted by saket77

With the faint memories of my best friend's old Rajdoot, I recall that there was a short foot operated lever just beside the kick starter for changing gears.

The kick start lever and gear lever are indeed separate. I remember seeing a snap of a Yezdi during one of the Y/J day celebrations where the same was done on a Roadking too.
I Remember people talking about how the Rajdoot 175 is the younger brother of the RD 350!! Poles apart in terms of looks and performance.

The trivia associated with Rajdoot may be one that it could be started with another rajdoot's key. I think the keys were identical for all RDs(& strange too)

Speaking of keys, my 82 Yezdi Classic had a key resembling a long nail. I don't know what those are called.

[saket77]

The Premier Padmini/ FIAT 1100D had a relay switch under the bonnet. The other side of the positive terminal apart from which was clamped on the battery's +ve, was hooked to this switch directly. Pressing a point on the relay manually by hand would engage the starter motor! So, if the ignition was set to on, pressing this relay would start the car!

We used to use this technique to start the car when the ignition switch went bad on our 1100D.

[SidBanerjee]

Excellent read! 5* all the way! Quite a lot of R&D has gone into this post, and thanks to GTO for such an eye opener!

Originally Posted by GTO

• The Tata Sumo was developed in a record 18 months! It was the best-selling utility vehicle in India for the longest time. Tata Motors' car division then was fast & aggressive.

Also, the Sumo is said to have got its name from Mr Sumant Moolgaonkar, (Su-Mo) who was instrumental in a number of revolutionary changes in TELCO and bringing about significant progress.

[Napo]

What a wonderful thread!

TATA Sierra would be my pick of the lot. Wiki mentions that it was the first automobile to be designed and produced in India. It featured some firsts for Indian cars, such as the adjustable steering.

Who can forget the rough and smooth advertisement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ogh44v6BeQ

[zenren]

Originally Posted by saket77

With the faint memories of my best friend's old Rajdoot, I recall that there was a short foot operated lever just beside the kick starter for changing gears.
The trivia associated with Rajdoot may be one that it could be started with another rajdoot's key. I think the keys were identical for all RDs(& strange too)

OK, here are some Rajdoot 175 trivia from my side. My dad has a 1984 Rajdoot Super D175 which is still there in my hometown. He has covered more than 200000 km in it and still doesn't have any body ache of any sort which speaks in favour of its ergonomics.

• Rajdoot 175 had a 1-down, 2-up gearshift pattern. I think CBZ was the first of the modern bikes to switch back to the international 1-down/4-up pattern after most bikes in India used all-up or all-down patterns with the see-saw gear levers. First generation Pulsar 150s had all down pattern I think.
• 3-speed gearbox ensured that it would be like an automatic above the 10 km/h in 3rd gear.
• Top speed was 85-90 km/h though the 2 stroke engine wouldn't tolerate anything above 70 for more than a few minutes.
• Kick starter being on the left side was one of the big differences compared to the other bikes.
• It had a choke lever that is attached to the carburettor that you need keep pressing while you kick start the bike in the cold start.
• Another unusual thing was the handle lock which was located in the fork on the left side. You could only lock it with the front tyre pointing towards the right.
• Regarding the keys, you needed different keys for ignition, petrol tank and handle lock.
• In the centre-stand, the bike used to rest with the front tyre in the air and rear tyre on the ground. Most of the newer bikes have the front tyre on the ground and rear in the air.

Originally Posted by Roomy

I Remember people talking about how the Rajdoot 175 is the younger brother of the RD 350!! Poles apart in terms of looks and performance.

The original Rajdoot was followed by a model called Super D175 which borrowed a lot of exterior parts from the RD350 including the head lights, tail lights, indicators, petrol tank, mud guards etc. It looks similar to the 350, though the performance is nothing to write about.

I would call it the same relation as what we would say between a Polo 1.2L and a Vento 1.6L.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by zenren

OK, here are some Rajdoot 175 trivia from my side. My dad has a 1984 Rajdoot Super D175 which is still there in my hometown. He has covered more than 200000 km in it and still doesn't have any body ache of any sort which speaks in favour of its ergonomics.

Wow! 200000 kms, thats simply awesome.

I met a farmer in Haldwani (now in Uttarkhand) who used Rajdoot as his daily commute. He once told me that he use kerosene to run his bike and has even used the same engine to run his tube wells at the farm

[ku69rd]

Originally Posted by zenren

[*]Rajdoot 175 had a 1-down, 2-up gearshift pattern. I think CBZ was the first of the modern bikes to switch back to the international 1-down/4-up pattern after most bikes in India used all-up or all-down patterns with the see-saw gear levers.

Yamaha RD 350 & Yamaha RX 100 had the 1 Down/All Up philosophy in all their bike ranges. Yes the CBZ was the first from Honda Stable to get that format. Shaolin for the Suzuki and Pulsar 180 came with those formats.