[karlosdeville]

Of late I have been looking to find details on the amusingly named 'Baby Hindusthan'. I have intentionally misspelled the title to assist searches. Here is what I could come up with so far. I am really looking forward to clarifications from those who remember the car

The 'Baby Hindusthan' was essentially a badge engineered Morris Minor, assembled (manufactured?) by Hindustan Motors alongside the larger saloons like the Hindustan 14, Landmaster and Ambassador. I used to be under the impression that they were always based on the last Morris Minor 1000 'Tiger' with the larger front and rear windscreens, but apparently I am mistaken. I do believe however that they were always OHV engines. Can anyone substantiate this?

From my (limited!) understanding, there were 3 main types of Babys (or should it be Babies)

1 - similar to the Morris Minor Series II - i.e. checquered grille, split front screen and small rear screen. Dash unknown, but probably identical to equivalent Minor





2 - 'Tiger' front grille but still split front glass and small rear glass.
Dash with central speedo, like 'Tiger' (thanks to wbd8779 for family pictures)





3 - Same as 2, but with larger one piece front rear windscreens. These seem to be the most common survivors







I found these images as literature, showing 'Type 2'







Could there have been a model like 'Type 3' but with the smaller rear windscreen? I have seen pictures of one such car, but maybe the front screen was altered to one piece

Can we also hazard a guess when the car was introduced? I know for a fact that they were available till atleast 1958 (looking at the RC book of a late car)

All images have been sourced from TBHP's fantastic archives

[ajay99]

All baby Hindustans came with OHV engines only. From 1953 to 1956 - 803cc OHV (austinA30) engine and from 1956 the 948cc OHV engine.

The horizontal grill bars must have been introduced from end 1954 models.

They were available in INDIA till 1958.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by ajay99

From 1953 to1956 -803ccOHV (austinA30) engine andfrom 1956 the 948cc OHV engine

So say in 1955 there would be a Baby Hindustan with OHV engine, and a Morris Minor with sidevalve engine being sold side by side? Interesting. Was this confirguration (803cc OHV engine) available on the Minor anywhere else in the world?

[wbd8779]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

So say in 1955 there would be a Baby Hindustan with OHV engine, and a Morris Minor with sidevalve engine being sold side by side? Interesting. Was this confirguration (803cc OHV engine) available on the Minor anywhere else in the world?

Hi

Thanks Karlos.

WBD8775 always brings a smile to my face , let me check if i have some interior pics , however as i remember it had the Central Smiths speedo in MPH (at least in wbd8775).

I remember my grandpa pushing it to 55mph on red road (circa 1985).

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

So say in 1955 there would be a Baby Hindustan with OHV engine, and a Morris Minor with sidevalve engine being sold side by side? Interesting. Was this confirguration (803cc OHV engine) available on the Minor anywhere else in the world?

NO, all Morris minors built till August 1952 (chassis no160001) had the old Morris eight side valve engine. Then the export models (4 door sedan) were fitted with OHV engine (called A series engine). The 2 door saloon and tourer still had the sidevalve engine till 23rd february 1953 when the last MM Series minor was built.

This A series engine continued till october 1956 when the 948cc OHV engine was fitted to minors worldwide.

[thebulletboy]

Originally Posted by wbd8779

Hi
WBD8775 always brings a smile to my face , let me check if i have some interior pics , however as i remember it had the Central Smiths speedo in MPH (at least in wbd8775).

Yes, one can make out the slight hump of the centre speedo in one of the pics posted by Karl in this thread. If you have any clearer pics of the dash, pls do share.

This is very interesting ! At least in the Morris world, the centre speedo was always accompanied by the curved one piece windshield. I have not seen any exception to this rule on a Morris Minor.

WBD8775 clearly has a split front screen and a centre speedo !
Did WBD8775 come off the factory line with this combo? If yes, then perhaps Hindustan mixed-and-matched parts in transition years to clear off excess stock of older panels?

Do you happen to remember the model year of WBD8775 ? And was the car with your family since new?

[wbd8779]

Originally Posted by thebulletboy

Yes, one can make out the slight hump of the centre speedo in one of the pics posted by Karl in this thread. If you have any clearer pics of the dash, pls do share.

This is very interesting ! At least in the Morris world, the centre speedo was always accompanied by the curved one piece windshield. I have not seen any exception to this rule on a Morris Minor.

WBD8775 clearly has a split front screen and a centre speedo !
Did WBD8775 come off the factory line with this combo? If yes, then perhaps Hindustan mixed-and-matched parts in transition years to clear off excess stock of older panels?

Do you happen to remember the model year of WBD8775 ? And was the car with your family since new?

In the first pic ypu can also see the trafficators

Yes WBD8775 was with the split windscreen and the central speedo since new. I will have to check the model year , it was bought as a gift to the family by my grandpa on the birth of his second son (my uncle ) , so the model year corresponds to his year of birth! will update after confirming.

It was bought new and sold as a one owner car to the scrappers in 92 or 93 in immaculate condition . I remember grandpa telling me that it had been delivered to him packed in a big wooden crate.

[ajay99]

Originally Posted by thebulletboy

Yes, one can make out the slight hump of the centre speedo in one of the pics posted by Karl in this thread. If you have any clearer pics of the dash, pls do share.

This is very interesting ! At least in the Morris world, the centre speedo was always accompanied by the curved one piece windshield. I have not seen any exception to this rule on a Morris Minor.

WBD8775 clearly has a split front screen and a centre speedo !
Did WBD8775 come off the factory line with this combo? If yes, then perhaps Hindustan mixed-and-matched parts in transition years to clear off excess stock of older panels?

Do you happen to remember the model year of WBD8775 ? And was the car with your family since new?

Even in the "'morris minor world'' centre speedo meter and split windscreen did exist
The Single instrument cluster at the centre flanked by open glove boxes on either side was introduced in October 1954 chassis number.286441.The curved single piece windscreen came only in October 1956 when the Minor 1000 was introduced.
So Hindustan motors never did any mix and match as infered in the quoted post.

[karlosdeville]

A couple of nice examples - one in Delhi and one in Jaipur

[KartikeyaL]

Another picture of the Jaipur car

[karlosdeville]

A 57/58 Baby Hindustan spotted in Pune by a friend

[karlosdeville]

I have a question regarding the engine bay - on the home market Minor 1000 there were two plates on the tappet cover reading MORRIS and probably the other one gave valve clearances or some other instruction.





Did the Baby Hindustan have something similar?

Also who can help me with a scan of the owner's manual?

[pgcars]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Of late I have been looking to find details on the amusingly named 'Baby Hindusthan'.
==============
All images have been sourced from TBHP's fantastic archives

Thanks for commencing this extremely interesting post .... Karlosdeville

One of the interesting points to note is the "Hindusthan" spelling.. It has an extra "h" between the letters "t and a". In the later generations, as we all know it was spelt as "Hindustan" ..

I presume this was because of the company Hindustan Motors Ltd. undergoing this official edit in its company nomenclature..

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

I have a question regarding the engine bay - on the home market Minor 1000 there were two plates on the tappet cover reading MORRIS and probably the other one gave valve clearances or some other instruction.

Attachment 1269001

Attachment 1269002

Did the Baby Hindustan have something similar?

Also who can help me with a scan of the owner's manual?

At the recent vintage car rally in Delhi I got to see a nice original Baby Hindustan that is still with the first Doctor owner. After cross checking with 3 other cars (including this one owner car) I think it is safe to say that the tappet covers still stuck with the MORRIS lettering as seen here

[karlosdeville]

A rather rare brochure for the early model of the Baby Hindusthan - this is the first time I am seeing it.