Team-BHP > Vintage Cars & Classics in India > Post-War
Register New Topics New Posts Top Thanked Team-BHP FAQ


Reply
  Search this Thread
263,262 views
Old 11th October 2009, 05:35   #1
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ann Arbor
Posts: 2,934
Thanked: 8,551 Times
Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic

We have long reviewed, debated, applauded and (sometimes) derided "Maharaja" cars. Here are some stunning images from the earlier years of our Nation / Republic. All pictures / links are courtesy of British Pathe. This site has lots more interesting stuff including Maharaja cars that will be posted soon! Let the parade begin!!!!

All pictures / links courtesy British Pathe
------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit of King Ibn Saud 1955

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-11.jpg



Documentary: British Pathe - WELCOME TO ARAB KING
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Visit of President Nasser 1960

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-21.jpg

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-22.jpg

Name:  23.jpg
Views: 12583
Size:  61.7 KB

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-24.jpg



Documentary: British Pathe - Selected originals - WELCOME NASSER
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit of Queen Elizabeth 1961

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-31.jpg

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-32.jpg

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-33.jpg


Documentary: British Pathe - HER MAJESTY ACCLAIMED
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Visit of Jackie Kennedy 1962:

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-41.jpg


Documentary: British Pathe - MRS KENNEDY MEETS NEHRU
---------------------------------------------------------------

Visit of the President of Iraq 1964

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-51.jpg



Documentary: British Pathe - PRESIDENT OF IRAQ IN INDIA aka IRAQI PRESIDENT IN INDIA

-------------------------------------------------------------

More to come soon to a theatre near you!!!!

Last edited by Dippy : 15th October 2009 at 09:17. Reason: Changing bmp images to jpg
travancore is offline   (9) Thanks
Old 11th October 2009, 05:57   #2
BHPian
 
JackSparrow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 96
Thanked: 4 Times

Nice pictures 'travancore'. Great find. Hope the cars are in good condition, probably with some collector.
JackSparrow is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 07:27   #3
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ann Arbor
Posts: 2,934
Thanked: 8,551 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by JackSparrow View Post
Nice pictures 'travancore'. Great find. Hope the cars are in good condition, probably with some collector.
Check out the movies too.....it is worth it
travancore is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 08:29   #4
Senior - BHPian
 
headers's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Greater Chennai
Posts: 4,667
Thanked: 559 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by JackSparrow View Post
Nice pictures 'travancore'. Great find. Hope the cars are in good condition, probably with some collector.
Maybe the cars have been scrapped or junked, because you hardly find such even with the collectors!

Last edited by headers : 11th October 2009 at 08:30.
headers is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 11:15   #5
Senior - BHPian
 
r_nairtvm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Dubai/TRV/BLR
Posts: 2,091
Thanked: 2,547 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by travancore View Post
We have long reviewed, debated, applauded and (sometimes) derided "Maharaja" cars. Here are some stunning images from the earlier years of our Nation / Republic. All pictures / links are courtesy of British Pathe. This site has lots more interesting stuff including Maharaja cars that will be posted soon! Let the parade begin!!!!
Hey P,

Excellent stuff! Keep it up.

Next time you go home may be you should look in to your family albums expecially of the more illustrious ones of your Grand parents and see what you can come up with relating to the vehicles they were associated with. I am sure there would be some rare ones there.

Best Regards and Drive/Ride Safe

Ram
r_nairtvm is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 11th October 2009, 12:07   #6
BHPian
 
JackSparrow's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 96
Thanked: 4 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by headers View Post
Maybe the cars have been scrapped or junked, because you hardly find such even with the collectors!
Quite a few cars are being restored these days and prices of vintage vehicles are going up too. Lets hope for the best. We can't do much about the scrapped cars but atleast junked cars could be restored to original beauty.
JackSparrow is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 18:08   #7
Senior - BHPian
 
the mole's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 2,189
Thanked: 825 Times

Nehru's preerence for Mercedes Benz in the 50's shows in the 300 series cabriolet. Any idea who has the car now?
the mole is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 18:38   #8
Senior - BHPian
 
MileCruncher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MH01
Posts: 4,235
Thanked: 592 Times

Amazing find travancore. Do you also have pictures of various limouzines that the President have had had over the years?
MileCruncher is offline  
Old 11th October 2009, 23:41   #9
Senior - BHPian
 
harit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 4,033
Thanked: 3,281 Times

Now let us figure out these cars.
The first Caddy may be the Jaipur car? I read somewhere that the Jaipur car was with the government for some time.

Convertible Merc 300 is most probably with Mallya.

Why is the 1950's convertible Caddy LHD? Americans did make these cars right hand drive in those years.

The Packard convertible may not be a Presidential car, maybe used for the news cameras.

Just like there were Presidents cars, there were also govenors car. The governor of Maharashtra had a Buick convertible, I think 1953 in which dignitaries were transported. In fact, my cousin gave me pictures of Queeen Elisabeth sitting on the rear part where the convertible hood would fold down. The 3 photos which he gave me about 5 years ago became a collection of now over 2000 pictures. I got more photos of the Queen in that car, as well as the Russians Bulganin? (spelling? too lazy to google) & Nehru. That car survives in a collection in Pune.

Nice find Prem.

Cheers harit
harit is offline  
Old 12th October 2009, 02:38   #10
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Ann Arbor
Posts: 2,934
Thanked: 8,551 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by harit View Post
Now let us figure out these cars.
The first Caddy may be the Jaipur car? I read somewhere that the Jaipur car was with the government for some time.

Convertible Merc 300 is most probably with Mallya.

Why is the 1950's convertible Caddy LHD? Americans did make these cars right hand drive in those years.

The Packard convertible may not be a Presidential car, maybe used for the news cameras.

Just like there were Presidents cars, there were also govenors car. The governor of Maharashtra had a Buick convertible, I think 1953 in which dignitaries were transported. In fact, my cousin gave me pictures of Queeen Elisabeth sitting on the rear part where the convertible hood would fold down. The 3 photos which he gave me about 5 years ago became a collection of now over 2000 pictures. I got more photos of the Queen in that car, as well as the Russians Bulganin? (spelling? too lazy to google) & Nehru. That car survives in a collection in Pune.

Nice find Prem.

Cheers harit
This might be the car Harit (same source as others - British Pathe)
Name:  Queen Bombay Buick small.bmp
Views: 12078
Size:  983.4 KB
travancore is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 12th October 2009, 13:00   #11
Distinguished - BHPian
 
karlosdeville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pune
Posts: 11,976
Thanked: 18,277 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by harit View Post
Just like there were Presidents cars, there were also govenors car. The governor of Maharashtra had a Buick convertible, I think 1953 in which dignitaries were transported. In fact, my cousin gave me pictures of Queeen Elisabeth sitting on the rear part where the convertible hood would fold down. The 3 photos which he gave me about 5 years ago became a collection of now over 2000 pictures. I got more photos of the Queen in that car, as well as the Russians Bulganin? (spelling? too lazy to google) & Nehru. That car survives in a collection in Pune.
Quote:
Originally Posted by travancore View Post
This might be the car Harit (same source as others - British Pathe)
There were/are 2 similar Buick convertibles in this Pune collection, one black and one white. Both were around 52-53. If my memory serves be correct, the black car was BMU 1333, and the white car BMU 4040. Pics of both should be on the forum. A friend of mine tells me he himself took some photos of the queen in this Buick when she visited. Must get him to dig them out!
karlosdeville is offline  
Old 12th October 2009, 13:06   #12
BHPian
 
Abbas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Visakhapatnam
Posts: 465
Thanked: 544 Times

The orange text on the images is annoying man. Anywayz the cars looks good.
Abbas is offline  
Old 14th October 2009, 11:04   #13
Distinguished - BHPian
 
karlosdeville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pune
Posts: 11,976
Thanked: 18,277 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by travancore View Post
Is this Silver Wraith (?) accounted for? Lines look similar to a Bhogilal car.
karlosdeville is offline  
Old 18th October 2009, 12:20   #14
Distinguished - BHPian
 
karlosdeville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Pune
Posts: 11,976
Thanked: 18,277 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by karlosdeville View Post
There were/are 2 similar Buick convertibles in this Pune collection, one black and one white. Both were around 52-53. If my memory serves be correct, the black car was BMU 1333, and the white car BMU 4040.
Here are the 2 cars I spoke of. Now can someone identify which one was used by the queen during her visit?

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-buick02.jpg

Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-buick04.jpg
Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-buick05.jpg
Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-buick06.jpg
Cars of Rashtrapathi Bhavan - wheels for a nascent Nation / Republic-buick07.jpg

Whichever it may be - both vehicles look stunning!
karlosdeville is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 18th October 2009, 17:40   #15
Senior - BHPian
 
wasif's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Abu Dhabi (for now)
Posts: 2,957
Thanked: 414 Times

It would have been the black one as HM is not very much into white
wasif is offline   (1) Thanks
Reply

Most Viewed


Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks