[Dussey]

Originally Posted by mohaan

I have driven a car like this 30 years back 1957 Bel Air V8 - left hand drive. Won't do it gain - not with today's traffic. There is a 1958 Bel Air 6 cylinder right hand drive with papers available. I have just completed fitting new brake linings and now rings are being changed on the engine. Body needs a lot of tinkering - since the car was standing open to sky for many years. Now it will be able to move on its own power. There are no trimmings - got to get them from abroad - quite few things available on the net. Anyone interested ? Mohaan

I am an enthusiast from Chennai. Please let me know more details.
What about meters etc. Extent of tinkering? and tax owings?
Where do I get to see it?

[JayD]

A VW Variant Squareback, Rusting Away...

[Cyrus43]

Isnt this the same car used in American Gangster?

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by JayD

Its become quite rare these days, but one can still spot landmaster diesels, the odd vanguard, and also, till about just 2 years back, some old american iron like dodges and plymouth savoys.

The landmasters and similar cars would run the matador engine, while bigger cars used the perkins 6 cyl engine!!

The one that takes the cake was a 1956 dodge kingsway i found last month with a Kirloskar engine!!!




Yes Ram, these were also used in Kerala in a big way in the 70's and the 80s's. Especially, the Perkins 6 cyl unit was a hot favourite for large american cars like the Dodge kingsway/ Fords, mercurys and so on.

I wonder what happened to the Kirloskar diesel engines. They were called the Kirloskar RET4 (and a RET6 too if I remember right) and there was even a Mercedes 110 retrofitted with a Kirloskar RET4 diesel plant in the '81 or '82 Himalayan Car Rally, probably entered by KOEL (Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd.) themselves. I remember it being a lot less-noisy and less-harsh than our '72 220D. But, reliability was a bit of an issue, I believe. Although, running the gauntlet through the Licence Raj might have been a bigger challenge, I suspect.

, maybe some of us here remember the rather commendable efforts of the Coimbatore-based All Tools Pvt. Ltd. with the Maura prototypes, that sadly never saw the light of day ultimately? They were displayed in the first two Auto Expos and although bearing a close resemblance to the VW Jetta and Daihatsu Charade, were exciting nonetheless. The company thereafter resigned itself to making the Jaya diesel engines only (maybe they did other stuff too, but I don't know about that), which were available as diesel retrofits for the Premier Padminis and Ambys even in the 90s.

[Sidman]

Originally Posted by brat001

Guys this car is in a torn down shed at the junction of Brigade Road.

Are you talking about the Brigade Road - Residency Road junction? Near Sullivan Police Grounds? Diagonally opposite St. Patricks complex? Will try and check it out and get more photos...

[Sidman]

Originally Posted by Ram

Can you get the VIN number of the 1957 Chevrolet Two-Ten model? The VIN tag should be on a stainless steel plate welded to the driver's side front door "B" pillar jamb. There should also be a tag on the firewall/cowl near the bonnet hinge.

Well, I looked for the stainless steel plates with the VIN number, couldn't find them. They might have been painted over, will check again in bright light. Could you post a pic of these two tags, if you have? As promised, photos of the engine and the fuel tank flap below:

[Sidman]

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

That on St Marks road, next to the petrol bunk? That i had a sneak peek on the car, its supposed to be Austin some model i dont know.
What eerie feeling that Bunglow gives once you step in there.

Have posted a few more photos of the 57 Chevy Two-Ten in Bangalore: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...tml#post858021.

Onto the real topic: from far, we thought the car was a Standard 10, on closer inspection, it turned out to be a Hillman. Managed to click a few photos. Anyone care to identify it more precisely?

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by Sidman

As promised, photos of the engine and the fuel tank flap below:

Hey nice pics. sidman! That air filter curiously looks like a fiat one though- or is it actually?!

Maybe some gurus could confirm?

[AMATMO]

yup looks like a hillman minx

[SirAlec]

surprisingly! the number plate light is still new!

[Stanher]

Thanks for the pics. finally sidman!
Gawwwwwddd!! This is absolutely.....I dont know what to say!! 'cant decide which to feel more sorry for, the car or the house! :(

This is a '51-52 Hillam Minx.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/iipcache/129379.jpg

When I first read that the car was parked in the compound itself I imagined it to be in a relatively better condition that what I see it as! It seems to be gone beyond repair- totally r***d!!

The house seems to be locked. Whatever must've happened to that last surviving owner?

Aside, MODS: I think the posts from #107 onwards would be better suited to the RUST IN PIECES thread.

[Cyrus43]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Hey nice pics. sidman! That air filter curiously looks like a fiat one though- or is it actually?!

Maybe some gurus could confirm?

Oye..I know we love fiats but i doubt it is a fiat air cleaner. If it is, i will eat my shoes!!!

[kanwargaurav]

hey guys im sorry to interrupt your conversation but im really keen on knowing a bit about the fiat 500 in the picture. i have been looking for one for 2 years now but no luck. i have a couple of cars like a 1967 pontiac gto a mercedes slc 450 a vw1971 beetle and a 1971 cooper s.
it would be great if i got get any help get a fiat 500 or a mustang with or without engine. thankx
cheers

[karlosdeville]

I suppose this is the same location? Came across it on a flickr album.

[Ram]

Hi friends:

Yesterday Ajinkya and I went to meet some friends at Aundh, Pune.
And we encountered this very rare peach-cream British sedan.

a 1947/48 Austin of England A40 Dorset two-door saloon, from the time of our independence!

She wore West Bengal plates and looked in good shape, except for having been unwashed for a month or so. She was missing a split-grille panel, right tail-light and a right door-handle but all tires were full of air, like she had gone out for a drive not too long ago.

The headlamps had Ambassador bezel rings and pre-1963 Fiat 1100 parking lamps. The original Dorset had no parking lamps (maybe a bulb inside the headlamp reflector?) although Devons had tiny parking lights.

Here are the pics.

The four-door Austin A40 Devon was much more common than the Dorset, but today in 2008 even that would be unusual.

A40 meant 40 bhp engine. She had a 1200 cc four-banger that put out a max of 40 bhp @ 4200 rpm, taking her to 110 km/h, yet returning an economy of 12 km/litre.

The rear drum brakes were mechanically operated like a Royal Enfield Bullet. However the front drums were operated hydraulically (with brake fluid).

According to the AUSTIN WORKS - Home of the 1947-1952 Austin of England Motor Cars website,
2,73,958 Austin Devons were produced, but only 15,939 Austin Dorsets were produced, which makes it rather rare. Also they know of only 179 Dorsets surviving world-wide (as of August 1, 2000)

Ram