[Stanher]

Originally Posted by wasif

APC 1 at the scrappers. Thats unbeleveable. How could they do this to the car. The Tahers were always fanatical in keeping it in good nick.
Are you sure its the same car. Where are the pictures.IT was deep green in colour.

Yes wasif, it (unfortunately!) HAS to be the same car- can't be another one with the same no./description you gave! And I regret to say that it was scrapped....! Maybe just a day or 2 after I'd taken these pics. of it at the local scrappers (Suraj talkies road, Yakutpura) around 1 year ago.






The rest of the pics. I'm afraid are too big in size so couldn't upload them here now! But I did post them all in the "classics available" thread, when I'd posted hoping that someone would come forward to save her:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/673602-post240.html

I'd made an attempt myself, my mech. and me had actually gone to take a look at an Austin Cambridge that had come there, and came across this car. It was definitely still original and restorable enough, even if not in as good nick as when you would've seen it...I don't know how and why it had deteriorated eventually.

It was still worth picking up for the number alone! And my guy had decided to make the scrapguy an offer of 18k (you can even see him writing the figure on the glass!) and the latter was stuck at 24 or 25k!
Knowing the scrapwalahs, we figured out that if I acted too keen, he'd be stuck at his price, so just played casual enough and left.
Later the next day, I told my mech. that I'd be ready to pick it up at 20k also. And he decided to talk to the scrapguy. But unfortunately couldn't find his number then!
And tried calling another guy in that area we knew, but he gave us the wrong no.!

Then on going there, we found the car gone! I feared the worst, but initially one of the breakers told my mech. that the car was bought by somebody else. They even said that the previous owner had stopped using it because he had an accident with the car knocking down a child, killing her in the process. They had settled it out of court, but he stopped using the car after that, eventually selling it to the scrapwalas.
BUT I don't know how far this is true........maybe you could find out, having known the (ex) owners.

Anyways, I was glad that atleast the car was saved.....until one fine day I met the same scrapguy who had bought the car, and while asking him for parts, he mentioned to me- much to my shock- that he had some parts from the green car APC 1!!

I at first didn't believe him, quoting the story that the other guy had told about the car being saved.......until he showed me some of the parts from the car like the speedometer, steering wheel + horn button and indicator stalk assembly!! Plus the front grille as well (I think he still has it in his shop, last I saw it was buried under a sack of other spares carelessly dumped over it, bending it slightly!)
To be honest, I felt like I was falling in a deep bottomless pit then!

I regretted having delayed on buying the car when I had the chance!

Nevertheless, I still bought the above parts from him (he claimed he had none other from the car, apart from the glasses, which means he must've scrapped all those original stuff!!)......but to add insult to injury, somebody knocked off those from my scooter when I'd parked somewhere that day, except for the steering wheel ('still have it at home) and horn-button, which I was luckily carrying with me!

BTW, going by the no. this car isn't an original HYderabad one (C =Chitoor if I'm not mistaken, so was that where your friend's family was from? And was it a one-owner car?)

[BolBolero]

Brilliant going SuperSelect. The choice of colours is very nice. Would love to have a look at it one of these days if possible.

[john a milne]

Tomorrow when I get into my WBF-1, we will say a silent prayer for APC-1.
So close but "no cigar' as they say back home.

Shouldn't get choked but what can I say. Would love to transplant the locking door handle if it is working. Please email if it is available.

We leave on monday for Toronto and i've got one of Sanjay's men coming over to put her into moth-balls till we return this Nov. Going to miss our daily drives, what Great Cars these Fiats are!

[SuperSelect]

John, JayD, BolBolero (Gautam) thanks a huge bunch for your good words. Hugely inspiring.
Sad to hear about APC-1. R.I.P.
Meanwhile on MRX 6839, the first coat of paint is done. ("Undercoat" as they call it.). I'm very very excited !
Brass bolts spot-welded to tiny brass washers are being fabricated for installing the side trims - another of Soli Mistry's (Big chief keen-eye-for-detail) details, so that there is no chance of rust lines seen, as they are with iron clips.
Still a long way to go, lots to be done. Will post more later. Take a look at these..

[Jaggu]

Looking good. is this the final color (combination) decided?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Meanwhile on MRX 6839, the first coat of paint is done. ("Undercoat" as they call it.). I'm very very excited !
Brass bolts spot-welded to tiny brass washers are being fabricated for installing the side trims - another of Soli Mistry's (Big chief keen-eye-for-detail) details, so that there is no chance of rust lines seen, as they are with iron clips.

Great stuff Ravi, the line level and finishing of holes etc. looks terrific in these pics. Those little details Soli is putting in will make all the difference.

Buy yourself brand new Sweet Trade brand taillight assemblies, they are the best quality and lenses are closest to original. They will look great on a newly restored car. When you get aluminium stuff, well and good. Is the 'casting' number plate made?

[Stanher]

Wow, ravi! Your car seems to be coming out great yaar! The body finish looks purrrrrfect! I don't quite recall when was the last time I saw a freshly done up Fiat with such great bodywork!

And yeah, oops! sorry about digressing in your thread, but we got carried away I guess! Yes, R.I.P APC- 1 (but not the guys who broke her and who stole my stuff that came from her! )

[adheesh]

The finishing is excellent! Please do take care to get the polyester putty (lambi) removed from unwanted lines and niches like the one marked below. Although the place marked in the picture would be covered by the bumper, there are several such place in Fiats which are visible. Such touches would add to the overall aesthetic appeal of the car.

Also sweet trade tailamps and available in plastic as well as metal casting. Please use the metal casting ones. They need to be specially ordered from the company and cost about Rs.560 per set.

Regards,
Adheesh Parelkar

[SuperSelect]

Thanks a ton guys !
@Jaggu - Yes, this is the final colour combination. Wanted a blue and white Fiat since childhood !
@Karl - Thanks buddy, just inquired about the 'casting' number plate. Will order on saturday, the guy will deliver in a week. Btw my whitewalls are also ready.
@Shyam - Thanks machAn ! Can vividly recall the story of how your stuff got whacked at the scrap guy's (and also how you got back by whacking theirs )
@Adheesh - Yep, will take care of that detail, thanks for the valuable feedback. I've already bought a pair of plastic tail lights from ST, didn't know about the metal ones. Will order asap, thanks once again.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Yes wasif, it (unfortunately!) HAS to be the same car...

BTW, going by the no. this car isn't an original HYderabad one (C =Chitoor if I'm not mistaken, so was that where your friend's family was from? And was it a one-owner car?)

Stanher.

What a shame, I knew this car from the time I was born Its sad to hear what happened to her.

The car used to belong to my dads friend Siraj Ahmed Taher. It was his father who had originally bought it. The was a HCS officer, the pre Police Action IAS and he was posted in Chitoor or somewhere similar hense the APC regestration.

They owned a house on Road No 1.It nae was Silvercurve or curb Our house was the first on Road No 10, around three houses down the road on the opposite side.

These people were close family friends and I grew up with his son Humayun Taher and have many good memories of riding in their car.

Siraj Uncle was an avid bird watcher and I think he was secretary of the Hyd Birdwatchers Society. He was also close to Fayaz / Shouki Khader and Ashis Pittie.

The car was their pride and joy lovingly looked after. Their house was a vertual Zoo, all sorts of animals as pets, at times there even were a couple of pet monkies there.

The also had a couple of sheds with chickens and sold the eggs. Later they put up an apartment building called Saaz Apartments where the chicken sheds used to be.

The house was sold in the early nineties to the Yusuf & Co guys and Masood had his Dodge stored ther for a while.

The Tahers also owned this old packaged food company called Salchar. The office was near the road 3 / road 1 fork. They were famous for the i Pickles which were exportes.

They later moved to an apartment block on road no 10 and bought a Maruti. APC 1 was from then on used sparingly. It is sad to hear about the accident you mentioned.. Havent been in touch with then in 8 years.

The have had a rough life.They had another son, Irfaan, who was younger to Humayun who died at the age of 5 due to a brain tumour.

They also had an uncle who lived off Road No 10 who had a forties Vauxhall 10 or 12 sedan in Black colour. I remember this car well and it had a sunroof which was very unusual for that time. Wonder what happened to it.

Sorry about going off topic but i couldn't help myself after reading your post.

[the mole]

Beautiful just to think that our area is becoming such a concourse fiat area, maybe we can drive the cars around together every weekend What say? Beautiful keep going, any interior ideas, you being a interior designer.

[President]

Great going Ravi. Car is looking really good. Especially the bodyline.
Don't forget to buff all the aluminium Khajana you have procured before fitting.
And since you have chosen the two tone colour scheme, I would suggest you add on the S. steel / Aluminium trim that comes under the front and rear glasses on SELECTS.

[SuperSelect]

@ amol - thanks for your words ! Hey I really like this idea of two classic fiats going out together each sunday morning - emerging from the same lane, and going back home into the same lane !!
@ rony - thanks rony for your comments. Would you not consider it sacrilege to fit select trim on a super select ?!?
Btw you were spotted at mahim AND khar today, in your elegant. Hamaare aadmi chaaron tarf phaile hue hai !!

[President]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

@ rony - thanks rony for your comments. Would you not consider it sacrilege to fit select trim on a super select ?!?

Hey Ravi, I suggested the trim because you chose a two tone shade which was more prominent on SELECTS. However, I suppose that you have definately visualised the end result and I am with you for non-drilling of any unoriginal holes on the flawless body.

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Btw you were spotted at mahim AND khar today, in your elegant. Hamaare aadmi chaaron tarf phaile hue hai !!

By now, I guess we gotta rename you Mr. BEANSPY!
Yes, these days I'm enjoying my baby very much.

[michael schume]

Hw about Mr. Spybean

and yes Ravi the car's head turner already would love to see it in person once.