Team-BHP - The Premier Automobiles Ltd - The Remembrances Thread

Fiat and Premier Automobiles have a special place in my life. My first car was a Premier Padmini. It did not have AC, and I never fitted a stereo in it. But I simply loved this car.

Okay, it has its minus points (who doesn't?). For instance, in monsoon, I had to keep my feet in a small pool of water. Water would seep in through the door gaskets, windshield beading and through many more places which I could never find out!

Every three years, the car would show spots of rust in the usual places - lower part of the door panels, the edge of the dicky cover, the floorboards, the pockets in the dicky which normaly held the jack etc. I think the bonnet and the top were the only two parts that did not rust.

There was a mass of wires under the dashboard. some of these wires had male-female connectors with a loose fitting rubber sleeve (insulation) on them. The fit was so loose, that the sleeves would shift and the bare connector would touch the body, blowing a few fuses! I then learned to use an insulating tape to hold these sleeves in place.

The exhaust silencer had to be replaced every three years and the propeller shaft couplings once in a while. I had to get the suspension worked once or twice.

The third gear was noisy. I never crossed 100 kph in this car.

Inspite of all this, I loved the car.

It never let me down, even on long drives. It was so simple to maintain! All you had to do was carry a few spares. I used to carry a full set of radiator hoses and hose clips, a condenser and the distributor point, a few bulbs. The car was so simple that I could replace all these parts myself, even in darkness at night. I could also open and clean its carburettor and more important, assemble it back! There was plenty of space under the hood. I think this car taught me a lot of things. I always thought of his car as a reliable car, inspite of all the problems that I faced.

It was spacious. I often used to carry seven people in it, including me, without too much of inconvenience to anybody.

I used this car for 9 years and till the last day, it returned me a mileage of 12 kpl. I never had to get any work done on the engine or the gearbox.

When I decided to finally opt for a new car, one of my friends bought it from me - I didnt have to look for customers!

Yes, I loved this car.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gendarmee (Post 991469)

118NE : Does the continuous blinking of the hand Brake light in the dash suggest something?

( the problem isn't with the wiring at the hand brake )

HI Gendarmee - I remember we had a similar problem on my dad's 118. It was a problem with the handbrake switch below the lever.

A blinking light normally means the handbrake is still on. So if you push it down and it still blinks, the switch needs to be aligned/ assemby raised to be pressed down properly when the handbrake is lowered/off. Hope this helps.

Very informative thread about PAL vehicles..loved reading it....Mr Dhabar behram sir,
since you had mentioned in your posts about buying 118NE i would like to inform you of one PAL 118NE which is rotting in our neighbourhood area of sion...Its belongs to owner who is refusing to sell for less amount...
To be precise its lying in IMS coaching centre at sion...

Also one query does it make sense to buy used Premier padmini being used by cab driver..

Though my family doen't own one...have travelled quite frequently courtesy mumbai taxis..Also they do have good pcikup as compared to modern cars...

Hello guys,

Have you ever noticed, that sometimes you tend to remember some of your childhood memories clearly but not something that happened to you some days back?
Well I can remember a couple of them still clearly like it happened to me yesterday. Being a auto forum, only memories pertaining to auto experiences are being posted below.

We owned a Fiat when I was 15 (23 now), not that I am proud of, but something that still makes me fall on the floor laughing. Every night, it was my responsibility to keep the car in the running condition just by starting it for 5 mins. so that it would start again the next day. So this was one of those next days. Dad started the car in the fourth go. Family outing. Dad was driving.I was sitting besides dad. Mom was in the backseat. Now it being a Fiat it wouldnt hit 60 kmph. It was a city outing. Everything was going well with the car (atleast thats what we said to ourselves everytime we drove it), when all of a sudden there was this cracking sound & pop!!! the bornet of the car pop'ed up & stood against the windshield. Unable to comprehend what just happened my dad was panic struck & lucky for us he went for the brakes. Then the realization dawned as to what had happened. We got out of the car to get the bornet down still a bit shaky. People who had seen this happen were laughing their heads off.
Well now when I look back upon this, I do the same thing.

This is why I think everyone should own this car atleast once in their lifetime.

Not that I am done here but there are more fond memories of this beauty of a car. Will post them in the following posts.

Cheers.

Girish K

Quote:

Originally Posted by aakash69 (Post 1212971)

Now it being a Fiat it wouldnt hit 60 kmph.

Can you please explain this. Why should something being a Fiat would refrain itself from hitting 60kmph?

Quote:

Originally Posted by aakash69 (Post 1212971)

when all of a sudden there was this cracking sound & pop!!! the bornet of the car pop'ed up & stood against the windshield.

Very interesting. However such experiences are not rare, and mostly attributed to a lot of things other than anything relating to the car itself.

However since this is a PAL rememberences thread, please carry on! Since you are speaking relating to something 8 yrs in the past, 2001 to be precise. What year model was the car of yours?

Dear senior,
I own a 89 model 118NE in original shape.
I would like to ask some questions-

1. What is this vapour lock you mentioned? I have a 89 model and i have note faced any such thing till now.
2. Why did the post 95 model 118 had the exhaust pipe shifted to the left?
3. Also the master car had chrome beading on the front and rear windshield. Where can i get that?
4. The other thing missing in my car compared to the master car is the chrome 'Patti' running on the channel from the A pillar to the C pillar. Can i retrofit a chromeplated Padmini 'Patti' ? But the lenght would be an issue?

I want to show you the pics of my car but cant upload them.
I can surely forward them to you by email.
you can contact me at kanhaiv@yahoo.com