[DicKy]

Seeing the title i hoped to see the cars used from the '50s to the present and know more about the present cars on the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
though the posts were informative,hoping to see more.
(are the indian home grown companies sleeping?)

[simply_sunny001]

magnificent reading and some timeless pics, thanks for sharing Karl and thanks to Moralfibre too

[karlosdeville]

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in Delhi during a state visit to India, 21st January 1961. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected



The car is probably the 300S Mercedes of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

[karlosdeville]

Here is a nice video on the queens visit in 1961 in Delhi featuring a late Dodge and in Jaipur in the Maharaja's Rolls (can someone identify which one?). The site also some other nice images of interest

Old Indian Photos

[mbz180]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in Delhi during a state visit to India, 21st January 1961. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected

Attachment 402636

The car is probably the 300S Mercedes of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Not quite a 300S, those were always 2 doors. This is a 300C Adenauer Cabriolet.

Regards
Prithvi

[karlosdeville]

Another shot of the Queen in a choptop Dodge Kingsway during her 1961 visit to India. Photograph taken by Homai Vyawawalla, currently on display (with other terrific shots) in Bombay at National Gallery of Modern Art.

[mbz180]

Originally Posted by mbz180

Not quite a 300S, those were always 2 doors. This is a 300C Adenauer Cabriolet.

Regards
Prithvi

Sorry, wrong info; its a 300D Adenauer Cabriolet, the last on the 300 Limousine chassis.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Another shot of the Queen in a choptop Dodge Kingsway during her 1961 visit to India.

Huh! That is one strange chop job- not just the top but the bootlid as well! Or could it be a chopped station-wagon?

[harit]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Another shot of the Queen in a choptop Dodge Kingsway during her 1961 visit to India. Photograph taken by Homai Vyawawalla, currently on display (with other terrific shots) in Bombay at National Gallery of Modern Art.

I feel that this not an ordinary chop-top, it appears more to have been coach built, see the extra seating in the boot. Also, a convertible top seems to have been fitted. Where is this car now?
The Merc should be with Mallya.

The Dodge, is a 1957/58 and a similar car had landed up in Lucknow and sold to Jaipur, where supposedly scrapped. That car had belonged to a govt. undertaking.

Cheers harit

[priyo]

This story reminds me of King Saud's visit to the New Delhi YMCA during his state visit to Delhi. I was a lad of about 13 and was spending a few days with my brother who was a secretary at the YMCA. The King donated some money for the Y's work around Delhi's slums.
Times were different and security for the head of a statewas nothing compared to today. He came in the Cadillac convertable that is shown in the next photo ( President Nassar's motorcade), only a Delhi police jeep and a motor Cycle (Bullet, of course) outrider.
I remember rashtrapati bhavan fleet had at least two 1955 Cadillacs- one deep green convertible and one black four door sedan. The photos of the motorcades going around Connaught Place show these Caddies, although by 1961 or so the fleet included the Mercedes Benzs' also. The stretch 600 came later. These photos show the 300 convertible with Jackie riding (surprise! an Ambassador following). Notice also the beauty of Connaught Place. All dignitaries were driven along this route.
Thank you for sharing these photos and the story about our own President's stable of fine cars.

[karlosdeville]

Anjan posted a lovely image here



https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vinta...ml#post2347782 (Media Matter Related to Vintage and Classic Cars)

We can see a 1960s Rolls (Silver Cloud?) and a large American limo (can't identify - Cadillac?) - both cars bear the Ashoka Lions - does anyone remember these cars? There is a similar Rolls with Bhogilal, but I believe that was a consulate car.

The caption reads Nixon in Delhi - so I assume the American car was his, but strange to see it bear the lions. Or is that protocol?

[invinci]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Another shot of the Queen in a choptop Dodge Kingsway during her 1961 visit to India. Photograph taken by Homai Vyawawalla, currently on display (with other terrific shots) in Bombay at National Gallery of Modern Art.

Attachment 508702

I Think, it is a Choptop Dodge Suburban Custom.

regards
-invinci

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

does anyone remember these cars?

I remember seeing this Rolls in Hyderabad during Sanjiva Reddy's annual visit to the city

The caption reads Nixon so I assume the American car was his, but strange to see it bear the lions

It looks like a Lincoln and surely its a President of India car for the Ashoka emblem to be on it. It would be sacrilege for India to expect a US President's personal car to adorn the Ashoka during a visit to India.

[karlosdeville]

Recently in Delhi I saw a huge 1955 (ish) Chrysler Imperial limo. The owner tells me that the car was a State gift from King Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to India, and that the car was seen in many period photos with the Nehru Gandhi family - does anybody have period photos to share?

A similar car (also Delhi registered, unless it was the same car) is visible in the movie Amar Akbar Anthony.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Recently in Delhi I saw a huge 1955 (ish) Chrysler Imperial limo. The owner tells me that the car was a State gift from King Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to India, and that the car was seen in many period photos with the Nehru Gandhi family - does anybody have period photos to share?

A similar car (also Delhi registered, unless it was the same car) is visible in the movie Amar Akbar Anthony.

AFAI remember, Chrysler spun off the Imperial as a stand-alone luxury marque sometime in the mid 1950s, in fact with the very model that you saw (I'm assuming the sighting was at Lalajis!). So, technically it should be an Imperial, even if they've added the Chrysler badge and that would be incorrect! Regarding the Imperial in the movie AA, again just an Imperial, it appeared in a few other films too, like Anurodh for instance. Whether the two are the same car, or not, I'll tell ya if ya buy me...an unmentionable!!