[ritayan]

Thats a cool ambv i wouldnt mind owning...

[1100D]

Wow, that was very quick!! But you missed something, the beacon light in the front, or the Taxi board on top. But please dont add this to your drawing and spoin the lovely sketch (if you can do it electronically then fine)

[anjan_c2007]

The good old Ambassador first drove out of the assembly line in the
Hindusthan Motors Uttarpara plant in Dist. Hooghly, West Bengal in 1958
with the 1489 cc,BMC side valve engine and the SU carburettor.The next to follow was the 1489 cc, BMC overhead valve (OHV) and later in 1992 the Isuzu 1817cc petrol and the 1998 cc diesel.The 1489 cc BMC diesel was introduced in the late 1970's to mainly power taxis and this is still used fulfilling the BS III norms. Also, it may come as a surprise to many, but the Ambassador also came with a BMC 1750 cc petrol engine option in the late 1970's and due to low demand the option was discontinued.
In 2008,the car has turned 50 and is now into its 51st year of
production from the very same assembly line. That outwits the
Volkswagen Beetle (24 million plus produced incl the Mexican and Brazil
plants after 1974) which was produced between 1937 to 1974 in the VW's
Wolfsburg plant, in the then West Germany, but with an intermittent break
during WW II,when it was producing UV's and the factory was bombarded
by the Allied powers and almost destroyed.
Interestingly, I was reading the May 2007 issue of Classics Monthly,
Leicestershire, UK, which features the Indian Ambassador on one of its
cover story. The story heading is "That's Not British! But which one is
being made abroad."
The great Ambassador is talked about with another similar pick-up
Austin 1800 Utility, a load lugger, that was produced in Australia,till
1971, mainly for rural use as a mini pick-up truck (the Austin 1800 car
on this platform was Britain's 1965 "Car of the Year").This had the
BMC 1798 cc/84 bhp@ 5300 rpm/99 lb.ft @ 2100 rpm engine. Australians term
light pick-up trucks as utility.
It says that the BMC was the world's fourth largest car manufacturer in
the 1950's, when their cars were lined up at the Southampton port for
export to Commonwealth countries.
Ambassador is described as a motoring expat and the only survivor from
this era of British motoring.The Isuzu engine is discussed and it says
that the servo front discs were a welcome change in the 1990's.
The Ambassador it says has outlasted Morris,the classic Mini,Rover Group and virtually the entire British motor industry.
Hats off to our Great Ambassador! Hope it survives many, many more years and gets several add-ons and goodies all over.

[madhokritesh]

Wow Long live Amby, will surely buy 1 sometime in the future, Makes me very nostalgic.

The Amby Turns 50 and we're celebrating this because.....
The brits will laugh at us for still using this contraption that claims to be a car. It is typical of their view about our country. They think everything british is what we crave for even if it is outdated and downright useless.

How did the amby survive this long? Endless protectionism, and plenty of patronage from babudom who lack imagination and knowledge.

I'll be glad when this thing dies out completely. Clogging roads, 50 years after it was introduced, and we're still celebrating it?

[adheesh]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

The Amby Turns 50 and we're celebrating this because.....
The brits will laugh at us for still using this contraption that claims to be a car. It is typical of their view about our country. They think everything british is what we crave for even if it is outdated and downright useless.

How did the amby survive this long? Endless protectionism, and plenty of patronage from babudom who lack imagination and knowledge.

I'll be glad when this thing dies out completely. Clogging roads, 50 years after it was introduced, and we're still celebrating it?

The patronage from babudom who lack imagination and knowledge may keep the the amby in production but it cant force people to buy it.

For general information the Amby sells more than the all the vehicles from Hindustan Motors put together (Yes, even more than the Lancer, Cedia and Pajero) and there must be some reason for those figures. I agree that the amby may not meet the future safety norms due to its conservative design however in terms like ride comfort its the best vehicle one can buy (if not the most practicle one).

In most of the parts in India except Mumbai, the Amby is still used as a tourist taxi for its balance between economy and comfort.

As as for what the Brits say or laugh at, I suppose we are all mature and independant enough to decide whats good for us and ignore the rest.

Best Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar

[Raccoon]

Blimey!! I swear I thot this contraption went extinct long ago...

[salilpawar1]

There is already a thread called "Amby turns golden" in the 'Indian Car Scene'.

MODS, merge threads, please!

[kavesh55]

God Please give me space to park and de congest Mumbai roads. What am i going to do then ? Buy an Ambassador

[Stanher]

I've never been a hug fan of Ambys so far......but incidentally, I saw this really immaculate (honestly!) and 100% original mk1 parked by a road just yesterday. It was a parrot green (phew! so refreshingly different from the common-as-dirt bland, white ambys!)
The guy had just started the car and was taking a turn......and the horn too sounded absoultely period- the heavy "honk" sound that came from most old huge cars! Too bad I couldn't take pics.

I might buy one of those (mk1) only) in future someday, when I have more space for more cars!