[naturaldisaster]

Thank you for sharing this. Loved the pictures and the story. My hat goes off to the team's dedication. Never seen such a restoration job being done in India before this.

Reminded me of something from the past. There used to be a junked 1950s Dodge (Royal Lance i think it was) near my childhood home i used to walk past when my dropped me off to nursery school! It disappeared later and i spotted it years later at a car show in Pune (the very same car.) I was nearly in tears when i got to sit in it. Old cars really do leave you dumbstruck sometimes.

Cheers.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

As if that wasn't enough, another period photo was found, even older than the ones we saw, showing the car in a dark blue colour as bought, and bearing registration number MBK 2406, which I assumed was assigned during the ownership of Holkar. Cedric has kindly confirmed it to be a Madhya Bharat registration number.

It has been pointed out to me, rightly so, that if the car was owned directly by Yeshwantrao Holkar, it would have definitely had a red plate, HSC regn. Being a regular black plate number, it could possibly someone else in the family.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

It has been pointed out to me, rightly so, that if the car was owned directly by Yeshwantrao Holkar, it would have definitely had a red plate, HSC regn. Being a regular black plate number, it could possibly someone else in the family.

Being "post-independence" ownership by H.H.Indore, it is likely that the car had civilian plates.

I believe erstwhile rulers lost the privilege of displaying Princely State / red plates and flags (even above their homes) sometime in the early fifties. Historians can correct me.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by travancore

Being "post-independence" ownership by H.H.Indore, it is likely that the car had civilian plates.

I believe erstwhile rulers lost the privilege of displaying Princely State / red plates and flags (even above their homes) sometime in the early fifties. Historians can correct me.

I would think that the red plates went out of favour around the time of privy purse abolishment? We have seen the Dharampur Heralds with red plates (and number endorsed in the book) as late as 1965, and re-registered with private numbers in the 1970s.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

I would think that the red plates went out of favour around the time of privy purse abolishment? We have seen the Dharampur Heralds with red plates (and number endorsed in the book) as late as 1965, and re-registered with private numbers in the 1970s.

I should have said "only" princely plates. Many states did have a little red strip with the State name above the regular plate - have seen it on the Jaipur RR PII (22GX) etc.

You are right about the Dharampur car - still a mystery to me.

The Jaipur Cadillac also had large JAIPUR-1 plates during the Jackie Kennedy visit, ca 1962. So the question continues.

So did the Gwalior Mustang:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/pre-wa...ml#post2400889

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by travancore

I should have said "only" princely plates. Many states did have a little red strip with the State name above the regular plate - have seen it on the Jaipur RR PII (22GX) etc.

This is not what I am referring to. I am referring to full princely states, and their cars. With full red plates and white or gold letters.

Originally Posted by travancore

You are right about the Dharampur car - still a mystery to me.

No mystery. I own one, and the registration book clearly shows the first registration number as DHARAMPUR 2 (in red ink). In the 70s a new number was assigned and added manually to the book.

Having said that, I am sure many liberties were taken in this regard, and many violations overlooked.

[QuickLink]

Thanks for sharing karlosdeville. The last picture is truly phenomenal. You have done a great work. I am sure that this will remain etched in the memory of that father-daughter duo forever.

Thanks once again.

[Speedshift]

Well..!! The pics, especially the recreated picture of the father daughter duo, clearly confirm what all of us here at TEAM-BHP know but other don't really understand. Cars aren't just a piece of machinery but a part of family who have their own personal space in memories.

Couldn't have been a better conclusion to the restoration. The pics bring the car and its history back to life.

[dinesh6481]

If there is one post on team BHP which has moved me to tears then this is it. This is one extraordinary journey of human perseverance and dedication. This is beyond words or mechanics. This is pure magic. As rightly brought out in first post that this was no restoration. It was ‘Resurrection’. They should name this car Phoenix now.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

This is not what I am referring to. I am referring to full princely states, and their cars. With full red plates and white or gold letters.
No mystery. I own one, and the registration book clearly shows the first registration number as DHARAMPUR 2 (in red ink). In the 70s a new number was assigned and added manually to the book.
Having said that, I am sure many liberties were taken in this regard, and many violations overlooked.

Karlos, first off, as someone said in an earlier post, I too am left speechless. Having been brought up & schooled in UP (Allahabad & Lucknow) seeing treasures rusting away in housing compounds & even on the roadside was par for the course for us as (all budding car buffs!) we cycled to school in the fifties & sixties. But looking at the before and after photos is truly stupefying. What an achievement and what a sense of fulfillment it must be for you all. Moments like this makes one wish that one had an Aladdin's lamp hidden in the closet!

And as for the number plates of the princely states, I remember as late as 1968 (I was doing Inter Science at Christ Church, Lucknow) seeing the cars from Rewa & Nagod with their red plates. Their was even a BMW R60 flat twin with a red plate, often parked at the Loreto Convent gates - lucky bloke!

[karlosdeville]

A couple of months back a number of Indian cars participated in the Pebble Beach Concours. Jay Leno has been associated with the event for ages, and spent a lot of time with the Indian cars. He was presented a copy of the Bristol book which I am sure he will enjoy.




The book is now available for sale, and retails at Rs. 2,100. It is not available in bookstores, and to get a copy you can email Amit at sapreassociates@gmail.com

[shankar.balan]

Someone said “Rising like a Phoenix” from the Ashes and Decay....

My God. What a lovely lovely story about this beautiful automobile with those elegant sweeping lines!

Cannot believe the transformation from the rusty pile of parts to this gorgeous Concours participant!

Thank you for sharing.

What a real pleasure it is when someone cares enough about heritage!

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

You'd think all surprises were over, but nope, there was much more in store

Again, when you least expect it...

Kaizad just shared these factory service records that the club dug out! The people involved have been so very helpful. It shows Daga as the first owners, and the subsequent owner Soli Captain added. It corroborates the fact that he took the car to England in his days at Cambridge, as well as the carburettor conversion. We see the Madhya Bharat registration added, and what I assume was the first English registration scratched out - LHT 434



And the previous owners dug out the Redex badge that used to be fitted on the Bristol decades ago

I wonder what's next!

[//M]

The gorgeous 1948 Bristol 400 has been featured in a Bollywood song !

Here's a screenshot of actor Ranveer Singh dancing along side the Bristol 400 in the song "Sun Zara" from the movie "Cirkus".