[speedy]

Hot stuff nice write up and great pictures, just a few things i would like to get to your notice. No offense meant but i thought these points needed attention.

There are a few threads that already exist regarding the museum so a quick search would have helped.

The other thing is the Museum is known as Auto World. I would request the mods to alter the title as the Name of the Museum is not Mr Pranlal Bhogilal Vintage car museum. There are also no "Boys" on display there, so that can be removed too. Thank you.


@ Deky
1) there are 300 plus cars in the collection. He is the 7th largest collector in the world. All cars displayed at Auto World belong solely to him and to no other person.

2) No valueation has been carried out by him as these cars in his lifetime and hopefully even after will never be sold. People can speculate as they want. Do not believe what the guide told you as he is talking off his hat and it is not the right value of the car. The cars for the owner are priceless so even your estimation of Rs 250 crores would be peanuts.

3) A few of them are working the others are just for show purpose for the display.

4) The cars are jacked up as the tyres get hard from standing in one place. Jacking the car up ensures that the suspension does not take the full load of the car as well. Sort of easing the load of sorts.

[agspins]

Thanks Hotstuff.. that was really Hot Stuff.I heard there are few more classics stored at PB's Ahmedabad home/Palace. I Missed the trip to Autoworld during my stay in Ahmedabad, but will surely plan one sometime later.

[PAVAN KADAM]

Droooooooolllll maaal

What a great pictorial travelogue, Wonderful, Just wonderful.

Thanks guys for sharing it here.

[abhijeetsng]

Below are some of the his classiest collection.

1906 Moris


1927 Hispano-Suiza H6C


1927 Rolls-Royce Phantom I


1934 Chrysler


1937 Maybach SW38


1937 Riley Sprite Sports


1947 Lincoln Continental


BUICK 1947


Cadillac 1958


Chevrolet 1929


Fiat 1909


Ford Model A


Ford Model T 1910


Ford



Hispano Suiza Hunting Car 1927


Mercedes Benz 1937


Minerva 1906 Kuwait


Rolls Royce 1923


Rolls Royce 1926


Sholay


Ambulance


Austin 1928


Bentley 1934

[Raja]

Is the collection still open to the public?
I read the other thread regarding Mr Bhogilal passing away earlier this year.

Is there a website or contact telephone number to enquire about opening times this Diwali?

Thanks

[harit]

I visited Auto World last weekend for the first time. Still open to public. Lovely place, the cars are known, the setting is superb and well maintained, neat and clean, nice landscaping. Even the tickets are souvenir worthy.

The cars are more or less placed in the same position as the previous pictures show, they say that there are 105 cars and I did not count them.
They have an added feature in that you can go for a spin in a car against payment.

They have also put up some posters on the walls, I don't know if these were there earlier. Maybe some more automobilia can be put.
I also understand that some restoration work is being planned for some cars. That is a gigantic task just looking at the sheer numbers.

There is also a small amusement park, and this being near Ahmedabad Peacocks are plenty and one fella showed us his plume.

The restaurant called Vintage Village now does not serve snacks, only lunch and dinner. Beverages and cold drinks are availbale.
I am putting this up so that folks know that the place is being looked after and is being run well, worthy of a visit.

Cheers harit

[rdcm1985]

Originally Posted by harit

I visited Auto World last weekend for the first time. Still open to public.
========
I am putting this up so that folks know that the place is being looked after and is being run well, worthy of a visit.

Cheers harit

Thanks for the info Harit, 'pilgrimage' to this 'temple' of cars is a must for every car enthusiast in India. I certainly intend to do this yatra !.

[DKG]

My experience was very different Harit. I was highly disappointed by the condition of the cars on display and felt the museum was a disgrace to the marques it represents. One may give a hundred reasons as justification for the shoddy displays but in my opinion a museum should do justice to a marque when it has a display of one of it's machines. The entire collection actually detracts from the glory of the marques it represents.

Look at the picture of the Hispano on this page. It's revolting !!!

Rajesh Bhai they say God is in details. By that score even with a magnifying glass you won't spot God in this supposed temple of cars

[rdcm1985]

Originally Posted by DKG

My experience was very different Harit. I was highly disappointed by the condition of the cars on display and felt the museum was a disgrace to the marques it represents. One may give a hundred reasons as justification for the shoddy displays but in my opinion a museum should do justice to a marque when it has a display of one of it's machines. The entire collection actually detracts from the glory of the marques it represents.

Look at the picture of the Hispano on this page. It's revolting !!!

Rajesh Bhai they say God is in details. By that score even with a magnifying glass you won't spot God in this supposed temple of cars

Deepak bhai, 'beauty, they say, lies in the eye of the beholder'. What you say is one way of looking at it & you are perhaps right from your view point. But please remember, Mr.Bhogilal collected these gems at a time when they were being taken out of the country & there was hardly any interest here. A lesser man would have exported them & made a fortune & we would not had even these cars to look at & admire !. Let's be thankful to Mr.Bhogilal for preserving these cars for us.

[wasif]

LOL...I dont agree with DKG on this ......I'd rather go and see the cars in whatever state they are displayed than have them locked uop or worse still sold abroad or to the breakers.

The Vintage and Classic Car community in India should acknowledge the passion and the commitment of the late owner without which most if not all these cars would have been lost !

In an ideal world where money is no object you could expect a museum up to the standards of the Schlumpf Collection but that is not the case here so enjoy what is available to see without complaining !

[DKG]

Originally Posted by rdcm1985

Let's be thankful to Mr.Bhogilal for preserving these cars for us.

I always used to feel so Bhai, but after seeing the collection I was really disappointed both in the man and his cars. They are a poor excuse !

Mr. Bhogilal had considerable means to acquire such a massive collection, surely he could have done better to restore the cars or at least leave them unrestored than mutilate them with his horrific taste.

[rdcm1985]

Originally Posted by DKG

I always used to feel so Bhai, but after seeing the collection I was really disappointed both in the man and his cars. They are a poor excuse !

Mr. Bhogilal had considerable means to acquire such a massive collection, surely he could have done better to restore the cars or at least leave them unrestored than mutilate them with his horrific taste.

Bhai, we are not aware of the circumstances or the constraints Mr.Bhogilal may have faced in restoring the cars. You will nevertheless agree the collection is better than being left with photographic memories of the cars that were exported / smuggled out of India.

I had met Mr.Bhogilal late 70s on his invitation as he had also bid for the R-R Silver Wraith WGC31 which I ended up buying & he was particularly concerned that many cars had left India. Sadly, I sold the car after enjoying it for 30 years. The car is still in India but I am left with only the photographs

[kasli]

I would just like to say that times are different today a RR in scrap costs an arm and a leg and that time when his collection was built it was in pittens. He acquired and saved the cars . Important.

Secondly they are kept as is and refurbished a bit for presentation and if anyone has actually read the Schlumpf Collection book titled "Schlumpf Obsession" is that they acquired in the same style and stashed it away in a mill till the workers revolted with the Government of France to take over their collection for want of their dues. It was given a facelift as per the book and opened to public and the cost was paid by the Government of France its called the french national motor museum mulhouse. The entire museum if you have gone is done up by the government and not the brothers at all
All what you see and read otherwise the cars were collected , docketed and kept in sections of the mill.

Here its privately held which is feat also to be admired and they are kept good enough in respect to qty. Today the cost of things are ten times and remember he used his cars till the last days. Its the same as you and me so lets not criticize and appreciate whats the end result which is good for the community.

Cheers

Originally Posted by DKG

I always used to feel so Bhai, but after seeing the collection I was really disappointed both in the man and his cars. They are a poor excuse !

Mr. Bhogilal had considerable means to acquire such a massive collection, surely he could have done better to restore the cars or at least leave them unrestored than mutilate them with his horrific taste.

[wasif]

Actually Kasli ......the Schlumpf brothers were going to open their own museum.

You should read further about teh display halls they had created with thousands of pillars and ornate wrought iron lamps ....you can see teh pictures in the book you mentioned.

There were three seperate resturants also ready...all in a huge mill that was dedicated to thsi purpose.

They paid top dollar in thier times for all the cars and each one of them was restored to like new condition.

Around 150 cars were yet to be restored when the workers broke in and the brothers fled to Switzerland.

At one time Fritz Schlumpf had send offer letters to all owners of Bugatti cars that were regestered with the Bugattio Owners Club and many actually accepted and sold their cars to them at amazing prices.

Thats a different story but the Bhogilal cars are also great and the owner should be respected for collecting them and opening them up to the public in whatever condition they may be

[kasli]

Originally Posted by wasif

Actually Kasli ......the Schlumpf brothers were going to open their own museum.

You should read further about teh display halls they had created with thousands of pillars and ornate wrought iron lamps ....you can see teh pictures in the book you mentioned.

There were three seperate resturants also ready...all in a huge mill that was dedicated to thsi purpose.

They paid top dollar in thier times for all the cars and each one of them was restored to like new condition.

Around 150 cars were yet to be restored when the workers broke in and the brothers fled to Switzerland.

At one time Fritz Schlumpf had send offer letters to all owners of Bugatti cars that were regestered with the Bugattio Owners Club and many actually accepted and sold their cars to them at amazing prices.

Thats a different story but the Bhogilal cars are also great and the owner should be respected for collecting them and opening them up to the public in whatever condition they may be

Thanks Wasif,

The museum writes a different picture . Yes structures were made not completed. The pictures show pillars on the floor and To be erected, they paid top dollar which is the pittens price today I mention same as the bhogilal collection cars for the time.

Cheers