[MCW]

msabbasi, thank you for your comprehensive explanation earlier of the initials 'AA'.

If any photographs exist of B94KM in the Nawab's archives I would be very interested to see them.

Incidentally, HH is usually referred to as 'the Nawab', sometimes as 'the Ameer' (and in the Tatler article above as 'the Maharajah', but I assume that's a mistake). Is one more 'correct' than the other?

[msabbasi]

A good question. Certainly Maharajah is not correct. However both Nawab and Amir are used in correspondence and literature relating to His Highness.

In 1740 The correct title was Nawab Amir (http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Pakist...tml#Bahawalpur). The grandfather (1866 - 1899) of His Highness was titled Nawab Amir Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi IV Bahadur. While His Highness's father (1899 - 1907) had the title, Al-Haj Nawab Muhammad Bahawal Khan Abbasi V Bahadur. His Highness (1907 - 1966) had the title, Al-Haj Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi V Bahadur. The dates mentioned are the years of rule.

In real terms we find that His Highness is addressed as both Amir and Nawab in various places. I would say that both are correct. I would lean towards Nawab to be more correct.

With regards to a picture of B49KM, perhaps others can help.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by MCW

If any photographs exist of B94KM in the Nawab's archives I would be very interested to see them.

Not from the Bahwalpur Archives. B94KM but ca 1966.

[MCW]

travancore, thank you for posting the classified ad for B94KM. I would be very interested to know when this was published, and in which publication.

msabbasi, thank you too for your further explanation regarding His Highness's title.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by MCW

travancore, thank you for posting the classified ad for B94KM. I would be very interested to know when this was published, and in which publication.

The advertisement is from March, 1966. Unfortunately do not know the publication.

[MCW]

Originally Posted by travancore

The advertisement is from March, 1966. Unfortunately do not know the publication.

I found it, thank you. it was from Frank Dale's advertisement in the March 1966 issue of Motorsport Magazine. Helpfully, the Motorsport archive is available online:

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a.../march-1966/94

[shyml]

The Cadillac V-16 # 702298 Sports Sedan Vanden Plas Belgium is now almost restored with only a French grey waist line with maroon pinstripe remaining and to finally nail the roof material in place and .......

Here is a picture of it on one of the weekly runs, driven by my son Oosman Bashir, with another one showing the now complete Tete de Paon Lalique mascot on Brevis galleries illuminated mount. (A thanks to Travencore for supplying the details etc.)

I think it must be the easiest car to drive in the Motorkhana Nij as it has synchro equipped 2nd and 3rd gears which work better than modern cars, and you almost always start in 2nd gear and then quite soon shift to 3rd and remain there for the rest of the journey (literally).

It seldom,if ever, needs a choke to start and you don't have to retard the ignition to engage the starter, (only when hand cranking do you need to pull out the timing knob on the dash. I don't know of a living soul who has done that yet.)

The only faux pas you can make is using the foot starter pedal without switching on the ignition.

For the technically inclined, there are no fuses in the electrical system of the V-16, every thing being handled by an automatic circuit breaker . However in this Chassis Vanden Plas installed an additional European fuse box on the firewall under a chrome cover for the body wiring (interior lights, intercom, cigar lighter, Lalique mascot. etc. The Grebel spot lamp is battery direct.)

The car idles at 320 rpm and you check by opening the oil cap on either of the valve covers, placing a finger on the valve stem and counting valve openings for fifteen seconds (should be 40). How quaint is that.

It does not need routine valve gap adjustments as the concentric cam on the valve gear keeps the valve stem pressed against the lifter under oil pressure and results in zero ticking noise. If it starts ticking that means the oil filter is clogged and the concentric cam is not pressing the valve gear : time to change the filter! as valve gear is being deprived of oil.

Also in case you have nothing better to do and feel extra inclined to mess with the valve gaps, these are adjusted with the engine idling!
This is one of few cars where tyre pressure is higher in front (45 psi) than rear (40 psi).

As school boys we grew up hearing about the massive chassis frame of the mighty Bentley 4 1/2 & 6 litre, blamed on the Railways engineering background of W.O Bentley. On a recent visit to Bentley heaven (and haven) (Stanley Mann, UK) I crawled under one and it was literally half the size of the V-16's.

I could go on exaggerating (part of my creative charm) ad infinitum.. but I stop as maybe people are not interested in oily rag narratives.

P.S
Oh did I tell you about the Visionall wipers on the Nawab Sahib's Packard 740 ? ...

[shyml]

Photographs of HH nawab Sadiq Abbasi V Cadillac V-16 as in 2019

[travancore]

Originally Posted by shyml

The Cadillac V-16 # 702298 Sports Sedan Vanden Plas Belgium
The now complete Tete de Paon Lalique mascot on Brevis galleries illuminated mount.

I could go on exaggerating (part of my creative charm) ad infinitum.. but I stop as maybe people are not interested in oily rag narratives.
P.S
Oh did I tell you about the Visionall wipers on the Nawab Sahib's Packard 740 ? ...

That peacock does look pretty and proud!

And exaggerating, you failed to mention the full moon sized (and rather rare) Willocq-Bottin headlamps

[shyml]

Here is a picture of HH the Nawab in his 1934 Lincoln K, serial No. 45 on my list of HH's cars. Photo courtesy Sahibzada Sulaiman Abbasi and from the Mantle piece display in Sahibzada Talal Abbasi's residence in Dera Nawab.

It is among the few photos hitherto collected in which the Nawab is himself seen in driving seat. ( the other being in the Mercedes SSK in front of the Mosque within Sadiq Garh Palace.)

Incidentally the Nawab sahib was not known for his driving finesse or prowess and the Motorkhana staff was kept busy with making repairs to the cars dinged by HH. The Motorkhana workshops were kept organised and added in facility to almost resemble a small factory rather than a workshop or a repair garage.

That is why we saw the body of the SSK lying around in one of the garages, having been taken off before shipping the chassis to Barker in U.K for a new body. The Motorkhana paint shop was par excellence too.

[KartikeyaL]

Shared by Habi-the-traveler on Instagram

Hajj van

[travancore]

Originally Posted by KartikeyaL

Shared by Habi-the-traveler on Instagram

Hajj van

The internet seems to indicate a Fordson, ca 1938.
Very much in the same vein as the Crossley Six Wheeler bodied by Barker.

[shyml]

Originally Posted by travancore

The internet seems to indicate a Fordson, ca 1938.
Very much in the same vein as the Crossley Six Wheeler bodied by Barker.

Attachment 1939530

Originally Posted by travancore

The internet seems to indicate a Fordson, ca 1938.
Very much in the same vein as the Crossley Six Wheeler bodied by Barker.

Attachment 1939530

This is a very curious vehicle. It was trusted over to me about six years ago for restoration and I engaged Mohsin Ikram to get it done. He did a good job.
The vehicle was sold to a collector in Rawalpindi and is in good hands.

This vehicle was always referred to as the Hajj wagon in the motorkhana Bahawalpur. Fact is that it was part of the fleet of vehicles that the Nawab Sahib took with him to the Hijaz ( modern Saudi Arabia) to carry his entourage. For his personal use he took the RR Silver Ghost Tourer which was gifted to the ruling family before his return to Bahawalpur.

Luckily there are quite a few pictures of this trip which was subject of a book by an accompanying courtier, called quite intelligently "Hajj e Sadiq" playing on the name of the Nawab and its meaning as " The true Hajj" .

To be noted that Hajj in those days was an adventure, beset with dangers ranging from starvation and thirst, to decease and robbers, and camels were the mode of transport. The book recalls incidents of sick and hunger stricken pilgrims languishing on the road left behind by caravans who could not take the sick for fear of it spreading. The Bahawalpur contingent had a qualified doctor (Dr Haqi) and dispensary with it and treated such abandoned pilgrims and transported them to the next way station.

There was an armed contingent of HH Body guards supplemented by hired Arabs as well as escort supplied by the Governor of Hijaz.

The vehicles were fitted with steel mesh for protection again robbers etc. as seen on the Crossley also. It can be assumed that the other vehicles were altered similarly in the Motorkhana.

However the Crossley had a more leisurely purpose when built by Barker.
The Nawab had acquired a new passion of photography and is often seen with his cine camera in photos. He wanted to photograph animals and nature etc. and for this purpose a very comfortable yet rugged transport cum camper van was required able to transverse sandy Cholistan dessert with abundant game to be photographed.

The Nawab was not a hunter and all the fine guns and rifles in the Palaces belonged to his ancestor The Nawab Sadiq IV and Nawab Bahawal V.


The Crossley was the answer, with a single central lamp, small Stephan Grebel spot lights at each corner . The windows have the wide mesh so that the Nawab could sleep with windows down and yet be protected from any animal entering the cabin. In fact more for personal protection against assassins as already there were incidents.

I have not come across the photos he took from this vehicle but I have heard these exist as an amateur National Geographic type attempt, albeit in short bursts.

The Crossly was well appointed with cigar lighters on the side walls and very well lit interior with sleeping for two.

More interesting is the very low geared drive train with abundant torque but not enough speed. I think it had a tough time to catch up with the rest of the convoy and definitely slowest of the lot.

The rings on both side of the scuttle are for storing unmounted tyres. The Crossley was a fine well engineered vehicle and for a while it was the vehicle of choice ( Car and Truck) of the colonial hierarchy.
Will locate pics of interior and post.

Amer Ahmad
Lahore, Pakistan

[shyml]

Here is a new picture of the Austin Ruby ( S.No.37 in my list), a vast improvement from original condition, albeit needing much more tender loving and meticulous care. The ubiquitous central spot lamp ever present on HH cars.
This is among the cars reputed to be used by the Nawab Sahib to "escape" from the confines of the Sadiq Garh Palace through the secret passage ( about five to six feet below ground level, paved and protected by retaining walls, leading from the main Palace building to a special gate in the twenty foot high surrounding walls of the Palace compound, or to the smallish Harem. One can drive or walk through it unnoticed. Unnoticed is important as this effectively bypassed the villa used by the English wife(s) who always kept a keen eye out on his seductions.
Amer Ahmad

[KartikeyaL]

Here is an article about the Bahawalpur motorkhana

LINK