Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Post-War (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/)

-   -   A strange story (A 1955 Landmaster) (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/79688-strange-story-1955-landmaster.html)

Hi I realy dont know where to put this ! Well this is the story of BML9999 a 1955 born land master (which I currently own ) this cars first owner was guess who State of Bombay . According to its last owner (sadly not with us anymore) ,this particular car was givn to the state by the HM company. It was in CM fleet (may be thats why the no is).after 5 years of use it was given back . Then a senior officer owned it for a year.

In 1961 Mr Patankar (mentioned above as the last owner before me ) purchased it . This car was with him till he died in 2006 april.
Mr. Patankar had a workshop (fuel injection pumps service ). He was a Master in that .During the cource of business I came to know him in 1999.
He was a through professional,a gentleman. So many times he gave me valuable advice .

Now Mr. Patankar (who owned this car for 45 years in total ) ,loved this car very much .He used this car extencively. Some body told me that it has travelled the whole India (not litererly). He maintained it exceptionally well. But strangely he didnt care much about orginality !
I saw this car in 2003, when he was thinking of selling it .I badly wanted the car but when I saw his love for the car & his attachment towards it I somehow didnt make a move .(It was adstress sell for him - because of his health).

Years passed by, one day I came to know that Mr. Patankar was no more.After hearing that I contacted his famialy, & subsiquently acquired the car.

The car was there lying in open ,untouched for months,It tested me for half an hour ,before I was able to start her.
Shortly after that I had huge financial problames. Un willingly I had to take the sad decision.

Now the weird chain of events starts from here.
Unfortunately there were no buyers & I had to sell it in SCRAP. It was a shock for me ,I was also attached to the car.Then for some reason I held the papers with me ,& the original carb ,battery etc(.parts which go first in scrap ) With a heavy heart I parted with the car.

This story would have ended there only. but it was not to happen.
Five months passed I made a financial recovery,and one day I met the scrap dealer to whom I had sold her. Much to my ammusement the car was not scraped ! It was in a scrapyard standing among the heaps of scrap.I finnaly endedup reacquiring it.This dealer Loaded it in a truck & delivered it to my place.I put on the No plate & all other parts (thhose I had kept with me. To my surprise the car started on months old petrol (that was there when I left her), I still cant believe that. Will anyone believe this ? Now for more than 2 years this car is with me .

Fantastic Story. Can we have some pictures please.

Heyy. That is a sweet and touching story. Do post pics. Congrats on the buy(re-buy?) :)

I have been wondering the whole of last week how I can trace down BML 9999 - and I'm not bluffing!

I would regularly see her in Kothrud area on Karve road, a very light green/grey, original bumpers, I think Amby taillights and a Mk2 grille. I think she was dieselised right?

Glad to know she is alive and well. Wish you good luck with the restoration.

Well Karlos.., You are spot on , She is now at deccan, Vivekanand Hall building.( hotel vaishali lane).
I have just came in after giving her a good bath, & then I saw your reply.
you must have seen her 4 years back. Its good that you still remember all those details .
Except one thing she is NOT dieselised, & I havent changed a thing except putting on NEW tyres. I have serviced every thing .She is mechanically as fit as Mr. Patankar would have desired.
I am not superstisus but I feel there are certain things about destiny, which are not in our hands.
I will do my best to maintain her . Do visit Mo. 9822888642,9421961047.
Yours sincerly- Sudarshan

Yes, I must have last seen her around 4-5 years back. Glad to know she still runs on petrol. The side valve engine is intact?

Will drop you a line sometime - I would regularly see your green Land Rover MHZ 182 as well - and also once an MHH(?) regd grey and white Lambretta.

Regarding destiny - well - go through these threads.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-1...alda-13-a.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...n-veldeep.html

Cheers,
Karl

Hey, are you spying on me?:)
Now the lambretta has gone (sadly in that same phase) but its in good hands though.
A CZ 250 (plunger) has taken its place . I had 2 lambrettas one was totally intact,with clear papers . another was officially non used (papers surrendered). It was kept for spares for the first one .First one the MHP you saw, was actually my dads. I had so many fond memories,it was the first auto in our family. I had purchased it from my father ( for some famialy reasons as I did not wanted to have further dispute , It was TWICE the market price I paid him) Strange isent it ?
If god willing I may still buy It back.

Wow, lovely story. I've always believed cars have hearts. And minds, and heads. Show them a bit of TLC, and they're yours for life.

Good luck with BML 9999 my friend, here's hoping you have a long and enjoyable innings with her :).

Some photographs please !

Loved reading the 1955 Landmaster saga.It has an happy ending though! please post pictures. And since you are well versed with vintages do try and get back BML 9999 to its original shape.

Lovely reading through the post. Some pictures of the restoration?

I managed to take few pictures of BML9999,post re aqisition (roll camera), scanned them & here they are (I dont have a digi cam yet)

Sudarshan, I came across this post I had put up about a year ago - FYI:)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/1405496-post32.html

Hey Carl ,I thought I am the only one who is so obsessed with cars ,but you seem to overtake me , just like a new Merc. overtakes an old truck on expressway:D
We ,sorry I must see you .Where can I ?

>>> Sudarshan,

This is one tale which has a fairy tale ending. Congrats.
Hope you'll bring her back to original.

Karl, Sudarshan,

I seem to temember that the Landmaster used to have two thick slats in the radiator grille-two horizontal slats which would droop down on both sides. And that in Ambassador Mark I, the radiator grille had a 'rectangular' mesh, much like a chicken mesh.

The BML 9999 seems to have a different grille- is this original or has it been modified?

Also, what type of meters are there in the dash? I seem to remember that the Landmaster had two large circles ( by Smiths, one a speedo with odo, the other a temp and battery gauge) right in front of the driver. The meters were shifted to the centre of the entire console later, in the Ambassador Mark I probably. Am I correct?

There used to be a mascot like 'handle' on the Ambassador Mark I on the bonnet cowl - did the Landmaster not have it?
Regards

I dont think so, as the Lando's bonnet cowl edge was a rather 'flatter' and curved shape, unlike the Ambys so it only came with this curving strip on the cowl.