[IndrojitSircar]

The Tollygunge Club Car & Pet Show is scheduled on the 22nd Of January this year. Every year this show has cars that doesn't come for the Statesman Rally. This is an event where people show case their Supercars aswell as Vintage and Classic cars. The cars are showcased by invite in this event but then you can call up the organsier and tell him you want to show case your car and he will send you an invite. No prizes or anything in this event.

[john a milne]

It was a Great Day at the "Tolly" for Car & Pet Lovers!

Didn't get to see much of the Pets, but the Cars were Awesome.
Don't think there was as many cars this year but a number of new ones that had been at the Statesman Rally.

I almost have the hang of sizing the photos but have had to crop a good number of them to up load. Lots of people so good shots were a little difficult.

Enjoy!

[john a milne]

The Tollygunge Club is one of the oldest clubs in india here in "Calcutta" or now known as Kolkata.

Cars started to arrive around 9am with them all in-place by 11am.
I'll try an post them in groupings.

[MercLover]

Originally Posted by john a milne

The Tollygunge Club is one of the oldest clubs in india here in "Calcutta" or now known as Kolkata.

Cars started to arrive around 9am with them all in-place by 11am.
I'll try an post them in groupings.

The cars look cool, meanwhile john could you please enlighten me is it the same renault featured as the 2nd oldest in India; the one with the label 1906?

[john a milne]

This event was open to the public and they didn't charge any admission fee.
Great day out for all the Family.

This is a 1919 Citron Torpedo

[john a milne]

These are two very nice Baby Austins, 1922 & 1926.
The magnificent 1929 Buick - 49X was new this year and had just completed
a Concours restoration by Sanjay Gosh after three long years. I had opened a thread on this car a few years back.

[john a milne]

I thought you would be interested in seeing a few photos of the 29 Buick before Sanjay started the restoration. What a journey!

I had hoped to take more photos of the Buick but it arrived late and I wasn't able to.

Hopefully I can take more detailed photos over at Sanjay's before it is delivered and will post them on the Buick - 49X Thread.

[kasli]

Originally Posted by john a milne

I thought you would be interested in seeing a few photos of the 29 Buick before Sanjay started the restoration. What a journey!

I had hoped to take more photos of the Buick but it arrived late and I wasn't able to.

Hopefully I can take more detailed photos over at Sanjay's before it is delivered and will post them on the Buick - 49X Thread.

What's the History of this car . It bears a BMX registration if not mistaken

[awini]

OK, the Buick could have been much better with little more effort. apart from the original clock the rest of the meters seem to be there, why replace those? not difficult to source a period American clock, though the Jaeger on it is much nicer, even if it belongs on a F.I.A.T., why put those ugly wing nuts on the windscreen frame when you have perfectly good original hardware to begin with?
It seems a largely complete car to start with, correct tilt ray lenses are a dime a dozen online, and the radiator could really do without the Ford model A mascot, a simple motometer would have been better (Buick branded versions come up on ebay very regularly) and the badge bar made out of square section tube is really really out of place!
Similarly, just look at the steering wheel on the blue citroen, which is a much later car than the claimed 1919, since it has front wheel brakes, apart from other detail differences from the earlier cars. A little detail goes a long way in the final outcome. but then, i'm not an easy person to please..

[john a milne]

Yes, you are Quite Difficult to Please.

I was quite taken aback at your negative tone and comments about the restoration of the 29 Buick and find them inappropriate on this Forum that was created to encourage and promote the preservation of India's Automotive History.

Every restoration has it's own challenges and the budget set by the client.

It is this judgemental attitude that dampens the enthusiasm of many Kolkata
collectors and restorers to post their projects on Team BHP.

For me personally, it has taken a great deal of my time to manipulate the size of my photos and post them for the benefit of the members and your comments have dampened my enthusiasm to continue.

I'd like some feedback by other members on this issue.

[awini]

i simply expressed my opinion and stand by it, anyone is free to agree or disagree. i observed some points that can make a good car great, i don't see how it discourages preservation or restoration.
if you are going to make the effort to fabricate those wing nuts, at least don't replace the original part which is present.(and its missing wing nuts on the pillar where they are required) i also see that the broken mazak surround around the instrument panel is beautifully replaced, there is no doubt about the effort involved in getting this car on road again. but it lacks in small details,in things which are easily available and would probably cost less to do right. let me also point out that the auto-reel-lite is not mounted right.
and i also maintain that the steering wheel in the Citroen ruins an otherwise very nice car.

i also would like to point out that i don't know who restored this car or who owns it, so I'm not prejudiced against anyone.

[mbz180]

Originally Posted by john a milne

Yes, you are Quite Difficult to Please.

I was quite taken aback at your negative tone and comments about the restoration of the 29 Buick and find them inappropriate on this Forum that was created to encourage and promote the preservation of India's Automotive History.

Every restoration has it's own challenges and the budget set by the client.

It is this judgemental attitude that dampens the enthusiasm of many Kolkata
collectors and restorers to post their projects on Team BHP.

For me personally, it has taken a great deal of my time to manipulate the size of my photos and post them for the benefit of the members and your comments have dampened my enthusiasm to continue.

I'd like some feedback by other members on this issue.

John,


I agree with your views, without any disrespect to awini. These cars are after all being saved from almost scrap condition, just because parts look intact, who knows what the condition of the suspension, engine, drive train etc. were before the restoration? Maybe the original meters are not in working order and are being fixed. And as you said, few people have an unlimited budget, in a few cases the owners don't know what is a correct fitting and what is incorrect etc. But as I have said before, it's the quality of the restoration and the workmanship which should be kept in focus and not always 100% originality.

I have seen others on this forum who have posted restorations on clients cars or their cars etc. and a lot of members show much praise for their work whereas to me, a lot of the work really looks shoddy, sub-standard, some works done are really glaring due to the poor methods used. I just keep my comments to myself as I don't want to discourage anyone, after all they have put effort into the project. In fact, I often do the opposite and give positive comments on the better aspects of the work and ignore the poorer parts.

I too see this trend, that when it comes to restos done in Kolkata, nobody looks at the positives, most of them including this Buick's is of a better standard than those done by most others, but still, some people (and again I am talking in general and not to awini's response) focus only on the bad parts and completely disregard the good parts of the resto.

In the past, 2 Kolkata members of this forum who carry out a continuous stream of good quality restos have stopped sharing anything on this forum. I know others of my age who could contribute and share a lot with their works but they all tell me, what's the point if we only get critisized, so they keep away.

As for me, I consider my self quite fortunate that the small works on adkol's Citroen actually brought out some positive critisism which is actually helpful, and I would be more than happy to get some more helpful suggestions and advise. Also, my Merc 180A resto being done by Rahul Sircar has not evoked any harsh criticism but the opposite and in this case too I would be most happy if member's actually help me with bettering the work as the work progresses. So I have no issues. I just speak for others in my city and for them, I feel there is some intangible sense of negativity towards their work. Member's may think that I'm completely wrong in what I say and I hope I am, but then this is what I feel.

Even my Merc will not turn out exactly as it left the factory. I have the Webasto roof installed which is already a big change. Then there are other accessories etc. which have been procured but none of them are unoriginal options for the car, except for one thing which has been done locally because I like it and I want my car to be done to my satisfaction, so I have taken a few liberties.

And John, put up more pics; there were I am sure some really nice cars. I didn't go to Tolly coz I was a little sad that adkol's Citroen couldn't make it. It blew it's head gasket on Saturday afternoon and we couldn't get a replacement made in time


Best Regards
mbz180

[harit]

Originally Posted by kasli

What's the History of this car . It bears a BMX registration if not mistaken

How can you be mistaken when it is BMX. This was a Parsi owned car from Gwalior Tank in Mumbai, went to Pune and then to the present owner.

Originally Posted by awini

OK, the Buick could have been much better with little more effort...

I like the result of this Buick restoration, can we please see a picture of the restored dash?
Awini may sound a bit harsh, but a little more detailing may help to raise the standard of restorarion a notch higher, it is already very high. Even if the mascot is Ford A like, the bling factor is not overdone as can be seen on many cars these days. Awini has a point, but still this car turned out great. BTW, this car was used as an informal taxi in the 1960's, as told to me by the owner at that time.
And thanks John for taking trouble to post these pictures, I often wondered how this Buick turned out as three similar cars have been moving around lately

Cheers harit

[wasif]

I think what is being offered is constructive criticism not to be taken in an negative way.

Majority of the times the cars from calcutta sport awsome restorations. The quality of the paint, upholstry and chrome is second to none.

It is only in the details that it has been noticed the cars suffer and also the owners desire to adorn the cars with multiple badges is by far more popular in Cal tha nin any other city.

The Buick really turned out well, there is no doubt about it. Why then place something like a Ford Model A radiator cap and detract from the restoration. It certainly was never an option on the Buicks ?

The Citroen alao looks very nice, the color is nice deep and glossy and the chrome is superb. If only the steering could be looked at and that "restored"by badge at the rear could be made more discreet it would come a long way.

I don't think anyone has a grudge agains cars restored in calcutta but are just pointing out the obvious.

[MercLover]

Originally Posted by MercLover

The cars look cool, meanwhile john could you please enlighten me is it the same renault featured as the 2nd oldest in India; the one with the label 1906?

Thought somebody would reply to this no-brainer :(