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

[travancore]

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
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Visit of King Ibn Saud 1955





Documentary: British Pathe - WELCOME TO ARAB KING
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Visit of President Nasser 1960











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








Documentary: British Pathe - HER MAJESTY ACCLAIMED
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Visit of Jackie Kennedy 1962:




Documentary: British Pathe - MRS KENNEDY MEETS NEHRU
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Visit of the President of Iraq 1964





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

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

[JackSparrow]

Nice pictures 'travancore'. Great find. Hope the cars are in good condition, probably with some collector.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by JackSparrow

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

[headers]

Originally Posted by JackSparrow

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!

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by travancore

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

[JackSparrow]

Originally Posted by headers

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.

[the mole]

Nehru's preerence for Mercedes Benz in the 50's shows in the 300 series cabriolet. Any idea who has the car now?

[MileCruncher]

Amazing find travancore. Do you also have pictures of various limouzines that the President have had had over the years?

[harit]

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

[travancore]

Originally Posted by harit

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)

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by harit

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.

Originally Posted by travancore

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!

[Abbas]

The orange text on the images is annoying man. Anywayz the cars looks good.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by travancore

Visit of the President of Iraq 1964

Attachment 207304

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

Is this Silver Wraith (?) accounted for? Lines look similar to a Bhogilal car.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

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?








Whichever it may be - both vehicles look stunning!

[wasif]

It would have been the black one as HM is not very much into white