[Stanher]

Tonrag, twas nice reading your write-up on your rides with 'Dev'!

I'm quite a novice when it comes to MGs (hence unable to comment much here! ) but drives always make an interesting read when it comes to classics.

One thing though, pardon my digression if any- you mention that the Vauxhall had been in Madras all her life but in that case the car would've had an MS series regn. as the whole state of TN was, as you know, known as Madras Presidency until the late 60s. The TMZ regn. would be from the early-mid 70s.

So this would surely mean the car was originally somewhere else until then.

[flyingkolors]

What a beautiful thread I stumbled upon. Pleasantly surprised to see the vintage being driven. Excellently maintained too.

Please keep writing and share your experiences driving in this wonderful weather in the beautiful machine.

[smashnerd]

@ Tonrag - Beautiful thread. Just loved it and the pics are awesome. The really do capture the beauty of that MG. Looking forward to herstory as sudev says.

[tonrag]

Thanks, friends, am busy scanning old pictures to post the stories of the restoration. Regarding the Vauxhall, I distinctly remember that the car was re-registered in Madras. The book had an MS registration number, before it was changed to a TN number. I also remember that the owner's name was the same, even though the number was changed. It might have been that there was some compelling reason for changing the registration number, maybe a change of location or so. It was a mystery to me too, then, though I confess I did not try to unravel it.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by tonrag

Regarding the Vauxhall, I distinctly remember that the car was re-registered in Madras. The book had an MS registration number, before it was changed to a TN number.

Maybe when it was with the MS* regn., the car was moved to another state for a brief period following which it came back to Madras post TN state renaming to be reassigned with the TMZ regn. As it couldnt have been done had the car remained in Madras all along, all MS/MD regns. continue even today, 40+ years after the state was renamed as TN.

PS: Apologies if I've been digressing here!

[tonrag]

No Stanher, no digressions at all! It is always interesting to explore these mysteries. As far as I remember, the book did not carry any registration of any other State between the MS and the TN registration. The mystery deepens! I bought the car from a gentleman whose mother still lives in Jayamahal and could still find out the details. However, I doubt if he would remember too.

[tonrag]

One's first car is always special. My wife and I had so much fun with the Vauxhall. We drove it diligently once a week to MG road at nights for ice cream at Lake view. It was built like a tank. Once we felt the car lurch forward at a traffic light and got down to check, to discover that a shame-faced chap in a Maruti had tapped the car's ample rear. His front end was crumpled, we did not even have a scratch on the chrome of the bumper!

It was in August 1987 when I opened the newspaper to see an advertisement for a vintage car rally, starting from the Westend Hotel. We were not members of the club, indeed, we did not know of its existence. Still we took a chance and drove to the hotel, where we were stopped by a stern gentleman (who later on became a good friend), our very own KPS's father, who asked us whether we were members of the club. We cured that infirmity instantly and without much ado, we drove in, to be the last participant amongst seventy or so cars.

After the pleasant and breezy drive through the city - it was a far cry from the congested times of today - one got a chance to be better acquainted with the Vintage car fraternity of Bangalore. I met K.S. Raman, a kindly and reclusive scientist from NAL, who made the most amazing scale models of cars. And the David Niven - like Ganesh Rao, an expert on MGs. The two MGs on display were both red. Ganesh Rao's TD was immaculate and I was transfixed by it. There was also CAN 234, then owned by Mr. Vinod Narain - before Dr. Raviprakash acquired it. And of course, John Curtiss's apple green TC. I hovered around these cars like a hawk, drinking in the lines, venturing to peep into the cozy cockpit.

Temptation is an insidious enemy. It infiltrates your consciousness and refuses to stop nagging you. I went around with a hang-dog expression for days. I wanted an MG badly. But there were two problems, very simple and straightforward ones. There were no cars and I did not have any money!

[EARTHed]

Raghu Sir,
What a beautiful thread. Hats off for your passion!

One sincere request: I know you are a busy person. Can you please support us in Bangalore Classic Drives idea. Where no one leads the show and no official formalities.

@KPS: What say!

[KPS]

Originally Posted by tonrag

like Ganesh Rao, an expert on MGs. The two MGs on display were both red. Ganesh Rao's TD was immaculate and I was transfixed by it.

The Late Ganesh Rao was a great friend of Dad and he still fondly remembers him. Even now we talk of the MG TD and how original that car was, nice to see the pictures again. Curtis family has two MG's now owned by the sons John and Harry. There is one more MG owned by a relative of mine. I can count 5 cars still in Bangalore which unfortunately does not include the TD

Cheers

[tonrag]

Dear Earthed and KPS,
I will be with you anytime for classic drives. Any Sunday in June and July, as I will not be traveling. What I do on a regular basis is go for a blast down the NICE road to Bidadi and have thatte idli for breakfast and come back. The Nandi drive was great, but for me, it means driving down through the city, which is a hateful experience. The other roads around Bangalore that can be explored are Kanakpura road, or through the NICE road to Hosur Road and then to take the Sarjapur road to Whitefield. The road from Whitefield to the Devanahalli airport is also a very pleasant drive. The only problem are the impossible speedbreakers, which are Karnataka's gift to the world. Nowhere else have I seen such awful speedbreakers. Some of then have ghat sections on them to climb up and descend. And of course, the more potholed the road, the more frequent the speedbreakers. My wife does not like to travel with me when we hit those speedbreakers. She does not approve of foul language.

Shall we go out this Sunday? Could we also do a longer drive, say, from here to Pune? Two days to go and two to return. If our Pune friends have a monsoon rally sometime now, we could join them. I am getting ready for a really long drive next year, but from where to where, is not going to be revealed yet!!

Yes, KPS, I have photos of both of Curtiss's cars. The one rarely seen is the powder blue one.

[srinand]

Raghu Sir,

You have captured the perfect sentiment of how someone would feel when you describe the impatience and temptation of wanting to own a car when you see one around. This is truly a worm that constantly wiggles inside ones head and makes one restless and have sleepless nights or dream about it when one does get sleep!. The cure to this obsession for me lies in appreciating what is around and from others who are willing to showcase their cars and experiences.

I thank each and everyone such as yourself and several others on the forum who share the joys of motoring, owning, restoring and driving such timeless wonders for the benefit of those who aspire to experience the same as you all have.

Thank you,

Srinand.

p.s - The picture of your Vauxhall has a trophy on the roof, was it from the Vintage rally ?? Just curious.

[Dry Ice]

What an amazing way to start a restoration thread! Keenly following this one, keep posting sir!

[gurudutt]

tonrag Sir, a great thread i must say. Please keep us updated on the Classic drive you guys are planning and if you wont mind a few modern cars meeting their grand daddy's

[tonrag]

Not all drives in classics are great, as anybody bitten by the old car bug will testify. That was the case when we set out to participate in the Dussehra rally of October 2004. It was the first time that I intended to enter three cars in the rally. Apart from Dev, there was Swami the Austin and Margaret, the Morris Minor. We started late - that was the first mistake - and got caught in a bad traffic snarl on the old Airport road. And then, Margaret started coughing, sputtered and died. Dev, driven by a friend was parked alongside, and when we started to pull out again, He refused to move. The engine raced, but no forward movement at all. It was not the clutch, but the rear axle half shaft had snapped. We returned home, downcast at having had to miss the ceremonial flag-off from Bangalore. Margaret and Dev were towed back home, an experience that frayed everybody's nerves. Swami was well behaved and we drove him to Mysore, to park him at the palace grounds for display over the ten days of the festival.

I did not give up, though, and set to work on the axle. A new one was fashioned from a stronger Lorry axle and fitted into the hub with a key.

[tonrag]

A couple of days later, Dev was refitted with the new axle. My friend Anand and I set off early in the morning and enjoyed the twisty drive to Mysore. The weather was lovely and the clouds above set off the cupolas of the Indo-saracenic palace well. The car was surrounded by curious onlookers, as we posed Dev in front of the palace. The car had stood up to the drive well. He looked good, even though the bulbous ADV tyres detracted from his slim lines.