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Old 24th July 2009, 17:24   #1
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1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special

Is this really So very Extinct that there are just two specimen of this kind the world over. watch out for my story on this beauty From Mangalore within the next 24 Hours.

PS: Mods if you feel this teaser is against the rules you may please delete it.
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1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon-1.jpg  

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Old 24th July 2009, 17:45   #2
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Well hello, Anil's car is well restored and a nice car too.
There are so far 4 Standard Avon cars known to me in India, one each in Mumbai, Jaipur? but certainly in Rajasthan, Pune and Anil's in Mangalore. He had brought this car to Bombay for a rally a few years ago.
The cars may vary in engine capacity.

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Old 24th July 2009, 17:49   #3
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Hi Harit!

yes this is indeed Anils Car and i have done a feature on it for TOI. trying to locate the files and the pics of this beauty so the benefit of the Community at Large
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Old 24th July 2009, 20:23   #4
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This was My story in TOI: reprodcued for the benefit of All enthusiasts

What Makes George and Anil Soans Stand Apart from Fellow Mangaloreans ? well its their Prized Possession on Wheels, the Avon bodied Standard 1934 10/12 Special Tourer one of the only two surviving race beauties of the bygone era! While Anil and George own one of the beauties, the other is owned by Nicholas and Joy Thorne from Oxfordshire, U.K.
Says Anil “ we do not have a clue as to how and when this car touched the Terra Firma of Mangalore, but when we found it, it was a piece of scrap, rusting in an old shed in Jeppu untouched and uncared for, probably for decades. Everyone who saw it laughed at us when we said we wanted to restore it for it was in such a bad state and required a total body job.”
Once in their possession, it was George’s turn to get down to work. The windscreen frame, the plethora of gauges and dials were missing and he had to fabricate them. The tyres and the head lights which were not available in India had to be got from abroad. George Says” it took us a whole one year and 3000 man hours to get it back to its pristine glory.
The car has four wheels of 5-5.25x17 and the spare wheel is of 5-5.25x16 specification. It has a 10 HP Engine and the chassis No is 170430AS. The maximum speed that the car can reach is 100MPH and it has mechanical Brakes. They took apart the entire car to replace and rebuild the wooden frame and the wooden floor that had decimated . The tyres had to be imported from USA and Anil says it lightened his purse by 60K. But as Anil Puts it, the flame of passion towards this beauty was so very much that the pinch was not felt.
George a qualified Automobile engineer and Anil A Bcom Graduate have a passion for restoring old cars. Anil has in his possession a Ford Mustang with a 7.3 Litre V6 Engine which is being readied. Both are well versed with Vehicles and this was an added advantage as they rebuilt the car to be just like its twin in distant shores and that too with all original Spares.
Their father Edward Soans made Mangalore his workstation and set up repair and service centre for imported vehicles in 1996. Now situated in Yeyyadi, the workshop has advanced machines including the Italian mandrel pipe bending machine and even an aircraft welding machine.
Says George “ Hundreds of persons from various countries including the Canadian High Commissioner Tom Roach have contacted us asking us to sell the Avon to them”. But as things stand now nothing can make the Soans brothers part with the vehicle which has become a member of their family and on which they have spent nearly 6 lakhs!
Innovation has been their second name. The duo had earlier modified a Maruti 800 to suit the needs of a handicapped person making it totally hand operated . Its said that A computer engineer who had lost his leg found his saviours in the Duo who provided for a hand operated clutch.
A member of the Vintage and Classic Club of India, the Soans duo won the Vintage Car Rally in February 2007 are the only ones in India to make stainless steel exhaust systems. They also are much sort after for their expertise in turbocharger manifolds recently having Turbo Charged a Honda City so much so that the top speed is attained in 8.72 seconds as against 10.3 seconds in a stock car.
Also on Hand for restoration are a Morris Woody 1956, a Ferrari 308 GTS 1978 and Porsche 911, 1972 which are coming all the way from Mumbai. Recently they have restored a Morris 8, 1936 Belonging to Mr. Ganesh Rao which had not been used for more than 15 years for it was non motorable. The Soans Brothers also Own a Morris Mini Better known to us mangaloreans as The car used by Mr. Bean during his Misadventures!

Last edited by ajmat : 24th July 2009 at 22:14.
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Old 24th July 2009, 21:40   #5
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@Sunilrj - Hi that was nice history about this car.It would be great if we could see some more pics of this especialy the dash board,Engine interiors.It would also be great if we could get some pics of before, during and after restoration pics.Looking forward to it .

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Old 24th July 2009, 22:17   #6
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thanks!

thanks Mod for the edit. it struck me once i had posted that the formatting would go awry if copied and pasted using MS word!
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Old 25th July 2009, 03:24   #7
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Some clarifications please

1. That Avon doing 100 MPH ?? Maybe 100 KMPH but that too is debatable.

2. Mustang with a 7.2 V6 ???
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Old 25th July 2009, 09:20   #8
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You can read more about the Avon here

10/12 Avon Restoration Progress

I shot these pictures of the car at a 2007 event in Bombay.

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon02.jpg
1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon03.jpg
1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon05.jpg
1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon07.jpg

For interest, here are the 3 other known Avons in the country.

Car no. 1 (In Rajashtan?)

Indian Avon 16 Sports

Car no. 2 in Bombay (last when I saw it in April)

16Hp Avon in India

The above car is now restored

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon1.jpg

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon2.jpg

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon3.jpg

Car no. 3 in Pune. This picture was shot in the 90s, now the car is red and black.

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-avon4.jpg
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Old 25th July 2009, 09:29   #9
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Thanks a lot karlos for the pics! Wish i could own one for that occassional sunday drive.. the CD which contained the shots from a Piece of Scrap to the fully restored beauty is not reading in my machine will try to post pics soon!!
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Old 25th July 2009, 14:49   #10
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Lets do a count

1. MYX 1589 Cream / Green 1934 10/12 4cyl ?
2. BMY 9381 1936 also Cream / Green was Red/ Black 16HP 6 cyl
3. MRW 5580 Red/ Black now ? Was White/Red earlier no idea of engine size
4. RJL 2704 Blue/Black 1932/3 16HP 6cyl. Where is this car now.

Any more?
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Old 25th July 2009, 15:24   #11
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Slight addl. info on Indian Avons:
1. MYX 1589 Cream / Green 1934 10/12 4cyl ?
Anil's car, story published.

2. BMY 9381 1936 also Cream / Green was Red/ Black 16HP 6 cyl
Present owner Nitin Dossa. When I started taking interest in Vintage cars mid 1970's, this car was owned by a Sardar who regularly participated with his family. She was off-white at that time, he lived somewhere in Cuffe Parade. Then she landed up in a garage in Hinduja College lane where she was picked up by Choksi. Then mysteriously she was in Delhi, supposed to be on the verge of being exported, saved and now with Nitin.

3. MRW 5580 Red/ Black now ? Was White/Red earlier no idea of engine size. This car was lying in a workshop garage in Pune, fully red in colour but pushed against the corner. Saw her for the first time in 1979. But was not for sale. Then the family took interest and made her red/white with new tyres.

4. RJL 2704 Blue/Black 1932/3 16HP 6cyl. Where is this car now. This car I believe was in Jaipur and got sold to Jodhpur. Hopefully still there.

No more Avons known in India, but they can always surface.

Last edited by harit : 25th July 2009 at 15:39.
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Old 25th July 2009, 16:30   #12
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The first car i.e. the green and white one looks the best of the lot by looking at the pcitures.Could we have some pictures of the engine.
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Old 30th July 2009, 15:39   #13
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Here are a Few Pics!

a few pics of the AVON. One of the Pics is of the Avon Twin on based on which this was restored
Attached Thumbnails
1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a2.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a3.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a4.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a5.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a6.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a7.jpg  

1934 model 10 hp Standard Avon Special-a8.jpg  

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Old 30th July 2009, 21:58   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunilrj View Post
a few pics of the AVON. One of the Pics is of the Avon Twin on based on which this was restored

Well i must say hell lot of work has been done on this car to make it the way it is.Hope i could see this car some day.
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Old 30th July 2009, 21:59   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar View Post
Well i must say hell lot of work has been done on this car to make it the way it is.Hope i could see this car some day.
Indrojit Ofcourse you can see this car. make a trip to Mangalore and i will ensure that you get to drive this car
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