[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by wasif

So let me get this straight.

Of the four knobs to be found under the ignition key are
1. Vent open/close
2. Choke
3. Mechanical Cruise control
4. Pull starter.

This is apart from the central pump action thinh that operates the w/screen wash.

Now the question is why would you want to use the pull starter when you could twist the ignition key and achieve the same result.

Did the early cars not have the ignition key activated starting facility ?

Also where did the pull starter cable attach on the starter. Was the system similar in principal to that on say a Ford Model A. Please advice on how this actually worked.

On these models (54-56) there were 3 ivory knobs mounted on the switch plate, with 2 toggle switches in between them. 2 more toggle switches were mounted above, on either side of the ignition switch. Off the top of my head I can't tell you which switch did what and in what order, I have it scanned at home shall give you next week when I get there. But you are largely correct about the functionalities. There was no windscreen washer in this model, that appeared in centre light, 56-57. Centre light models used a glass bottle as fluid reservoir, 58 onwards used a plastic bag up till Padmini.

Pull-starters were prevalent technology on many European cars of the time, especially British. Twist the key once to switch on ignition, pull the knob to actuate the starter. Then things progressed in 58 to twist the key second time to start the car, the cable system was discontinued. Why do I want to revert to the original system in my car? I find it neat, thats all. Plus OH-REE-GI-NAL

I am not technically inclined to answer your questions on the starter mechanism, plus I have not seen a Model A starter up close. I hope spme of the Gurus on the forum shall do the needful. Loosely I know that pulling the cable actuates a solenoid switch mounted over the starter body, turning the starter.

[IQBAL VEERJI]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

I've been seeing this car for many years. I clicked this photo last year.
Sometimes wonder who the owner is and will they sell.
Nigel

Dear Iam from Mumbai can I get exact location in Santacruz pls iwant to have a look at it.From looks it seems it has not moved a inch since ages.

[boeuff]

Originally Posted by wasif

Also where did the pull starter cable attach on the starter. Was the system similar in principal to that on say a Ford Model A. Please advice on how this actually worked.

I believe the cable was connected to the starter motor and engaged the contacts similar to what a solenoid does.

[the mole]

There you go this is the switch layout for a 56-57 centre light fiat.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by Ram

1961-1965 Chevrolet Greenbrier Sportswagon. a.k.a. Corvan! Mounted in the rear was the aircooled 2.4 litre 80 bhp horizontally-opposed flat-six "boxer?" engine from the quixotic Corvair!

Ram, even the headlight is from the Corvair, right? Just as the Taunus in question got to share with the early Ford Econoline Van - atleast in the basic shape of the bezel.

Btw Ram, I have always liked the Gold/Copper with dark Vinyl-top colour combo in cars ever since I first saw them on the Cortinas/Taunuses as your 1977 (although they appeared from the earlier models). Was she a Ghia spec?

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Ram, even the headlight is from the Corvair, right? Just as the Taunus in question got to share with the early Ford Econoline Van - atleast in the basic shape of the bezel.

Yes Prabal, the headlamps and bezels of the are identical.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Btw Ram, I have always liked the Gold/Copper with dark Vinyl-top colour combo in cars ever since I first saw them on the Cortinas/Taunuses as your 1977 (although they appeared from the earlier models). Was she a Ghia spec?

Prabal, you tugged at my heartstrings there. I really loved that car.
-- a man's love and nostalgia for one of the cars of his youth. Been playing on my mind all day.

Yes, my 1977 Ford Taunus was a 2.0 Ghia two-door coupe.

She was Oyster Gold Metallic with black Everflex stitched vinyl top.

Ghia spec meant:

• red and blue Ghia emblems on the front quarter panels and glove compartment door,
• 16-hole Ford cast aluminium-alloy, wide wheels.
• black Everflex stitched vinyl top
• matt-black gravel-protection coating below the belt-line and on the wheel arches.
• towing ball-hook with electrical receptacle for the trailer
• headlamp pressure wash nozzles in the front bumper over-riders.
• wider slatted grille (The Taunus Ghia grille was different from that of lower Taunus GL and Taunus S models, and more like that in the Ford Granada)
• halogen driving spotlamps,
• remote-control chrome flag mirrors,
• four-spoke Ghia steering wheel,
• three speed wipers with variable-delay interval,
• courtesy interior lights even in the footwells,
• red mahogany real-wood veneer on the dashboard, doors and rear quarter panels,
• black crushed-velvet velour upholstery, black woolen carpet,
• leather-covered center console with analog clock, cigarette lighter and courtesy compartment,

One German feature this car had, that I have not seen in other cars is the boulevard parking lights:
With the car shut off, one could turn the turn-signal lever to one side or the other and the parking lights (in the front headlamp, and rear tail-light, not the amber flasher) would light-up on just that side of the car.
It enhanced the car's visibility when leaving her parked in the darkness, on the side of a deserted rural road.

Many of the above features are found in modern Asian sedans but this was a carbureted European sedan of the 1970s, that I owned in Rotterdam, twenty-three years ago.

[ajmat]

Originally Posted by Ram

One German feature this car had, that I have not seen in other cars is the boulevard parking lights:
With the car shut off, one could turn the turn-signal lever to one side or the other and the parking lights (in the front headlamp, and rear tail-light, not the amber flasher) would light-up on just that side of the car.
It enhanced the car's visibility when leaving her parked in the darkness, on the side of a deserted rural road.

Many of the above features are found in modern Asian sedans but this was a carbureted European sedan of the 1970s, that I owned in Rotterdam, twenty-three years ago.

My skoda has this. I use it regularly

[siddartha]

Originally Posted by ajmat

My skoda has this. I use it regularly

when i used it once , i was told that one of my parking lights werent working. LOL

[hillman30]

HELLO VINTAGEMAN my web site www.hillmancar.com all about the 1929-30 hillman straight 8&14. my grandfathers car from new. HAVE plenty of info & photos on these cars. DO you have anymore photos of the hillman straight 8 ?? can add one to my web site if you like. tony taylor AUSTRALIA. email atft@optusnet.com.au

Originally Posted by vintageman

The idea of the quiz was a squib and a bore so putting the photograph where it deserved to be in the "graveyard" thread -

A 1932 Hillman Straight 8

It was abandoned when the previous owner decided to shift to UK when we became an independent country - believe it or not the car is registered as "lawaris" and awaits the day it can be sold as scrap by the Government.

This can only happen in Lucknow !!!

[harit]

Originally Posted by Edsel Rulez!

I chanced upon this funny orange car on a recent trip to Panjim (Goa). It was parked in the basement of an apartment complex and seemed to have been abandoned for years. It sported Ford emblems, but the front looked as if it had been modified -- the bonnet, grill and headlights all look decidedly odd. The rear looks much better, in contrast. What model is this likely to be? Is it indeed a Ford?

I have been away since almost 2 weeks, have just been able to see a few posts. This Taunus was interesting, I have also read the subsequent posts. A few days ago I was in the Taunus area, a smaller range of mountains close to Frankfurt, very scenic, lovely when the weather is good which it was while I was here.
Today there would be hardly any Taunus cars left in India, so this is a rare survivor. They were built from the 1950's upto perhaps the late 1980's, the last models being almost equivalent to the Ford Cortina. Ford generally built cars in Germany even before WW II, these were very similar to the American cars. I have gone around quite a bit, in a small collection in Koeln I saw a Ford V8 2 door Coupe unrestored. Could get a pic, but not very clear.
In the 1950's Ford Germany started with the Taunus, this was more of a German design and was called 'Buckel Taunus' because the body shape was near to our so called Ballon bodies. Of this I am not aware of any having come to India.
The next Taunus was a smaller sedan, had a light in the center like the Tatra, subsequently this light was removed. Theis looked similar to the Ford Consul, but was different. One such early Taunus was there in Mumbai, could have been Parsi owned. Taunus then had different models, 12M, 17M etc. of which there were few and far between, some cars in Mumbai. In Borivali there were two, one a parts car, on Altamount road there was a station wagon. There was a early 1960's Taunus in Mumbai which is even rare today in Germany, it had lots of chrome. This car met with an accident and landed up with a garage in Vikroli. Must have been scrapped.
Later a lot of Taunus cars were seen in the 1970's, these were related to the Cortina. Very good cars, but they all rusted away. I remember a coupe, copper colour with a vinyl roof belonging to a Sardar, but all these are now lost.
In my family in Germany they only drove Taunus, my grandad and uncle till this model disappeared. After Taunus came the Escort, Capri and Granada. In India we still see Escort and Capri sometimes, Granada seems to have all disappeared.
This particular model had a nickname 'Badewanne', bathtub because of its shape. The British Ford Corsair had some similarities, but they were not the same. There were about 4 such cars in Mumbai, one was a station waggon which had the tailights built on the roof frame to have a real wide opening rear for luggauge. One car, red & white belonged to the Polish consulate, went to STC and then remained on Nepean Sea Road till she went to Chor bazar.
A brief note on Taunus, pics when I return.
This car should now be saved as it is a rare survivor.

Cheers harit

[wasif]

Originally Posted by ajmat

My skoda has this. I use it regularly

Is that what it is. Sometimes when I park my wife's Golf and switch the car off with the idicator engaged the light is on as you said.

Never thought it was ment to be like that, always thought its some kind of a defect.

[Ram]

Originally Posted by harit

After Taunus came the Escort, Capri and Granada.

In the year 1972, one could buy a
1972 Ford Escort Mk 1,
1972 Ford Capri Mk 1,
1972 Ford Taunus TC (which stood for Taunus-Cortina) and
1972 Ford Granada Mk 1
And from then on until 1982, Ford's Escort, Capri, Taunus and Granada were all simultaneously available, showroom new.

Ford of Germany discontinued the boxy Taunus in 1982 and replaced it with the aero-style, indep. rear suspension, Sierra from 1983 (actually Diwali '82) onwards.

The Sierra was replaced by the Mondeo in 1993 from Genk, Belgium

The Granada, Ford(Europe's) top-of-the-line car was discontinued in 1985 when it was replaced by the aero-style Scorpio (which in the UK still used the Granada name).

The Capri was discontinued in 1986.

[harit]

Originally Posted by wasif

Is that what it is. Sometimes when I park my wife's Golf and switch the car off with the idicator engaged the light is on as you said.

Never thought it was ment to be like that, always thought its some kind of a defect.

This feature is also found on the 124 Merc's sold in India 1996. The headlight knob; if one turns it in the left direction, there are two possibilities, for the sidelights left or right.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by harit

This feature is also found on the 124 Merc's sold in India 1996. The headlight knob; if one turns it in the left direction, there are two possibilities, for the sidelights left or right.

Hi Harit

Nice to hear from you after a good bit. Hope you had fun on your travells.

Now lets see pictures of your Adlers as promised by you long ago.

Cheers.

PS Any idea whats up with our venerable DKG. Not a peep out of him in all this time. Very strange.