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Old 8th October 2019, 23:58   #16
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar View Post
Congrats on owning yet another legend here! Is this too inherited, as I can see the registration, KLC, dating back to 1950s-60s Kannur...?
Thanks Vipin .This is not an inherited car. I bought it from last owner in pretty bad shape and restored her to this condition .You are right about the registration KLC is 50’s-60’s Kannur registration. This car is from end of 60’s .
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Old 9th October 2019, 03:35   #17
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

Really amazing write-up of an equally amazing car vsrivatsa. I cannot imagine the efforts and dedication required to maintain the car in running condition after so many years. Hats off to you sir.
Your thread brought back memories of the Fiat 137D (Blue in colour) we had in the late 90s. It was the one with the floor gears and bucket seats in front. I still remember the AC was a after market fitting and it was chiller. It was a company car for my father and was replaced by the 118NE later.

Last edited by adi.mariner : 9th October 2019 at 03:39.
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Old 9th October 2019, 07:28   #18
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A great read. I am sure Fiat was a car that was a dream for many in that era. The rear bench comfort is still envied today. Had a great read and interesting collection of other great classics too.

I believe that now these cars must be registered as classics.
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Old 9th October 2019, 08:40   #19
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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Originally Posted by justin.das View Post
Nicely written vsrivatsa , this one feels like a review from the period. Hearty congratulations to you and your family for having maintained this classic all these years.
Here is mine:
Compliments on the noteworthy job you have done on both restoration and maintaining it in good form. That steering mounted gear lever was so unique to that era of 1950s design so that three could sit abreast in the front or you could pull your girl closer to you! Though in reality I found it quite un-ergonomic compared to floor shift. Your colours look neat.
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Old 9th October 2019, 09:37   #20
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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A great read. I am sure Fiat was a car that was a dream for many in that era. The rear bench comfort is still envied today. Had a great read and interesting collection of other great classics too.
I believe that now these cars must be registered as classics.
You are correct after all these years this car is very comfortable even now . My father felt very comfortable in traveling in this Fiat . As he was fighting bone cancer the lower seating of my 2017 Honda City was very uncomfortable for him especially the ingress and egress. Fiat with sofa like seating is very comfortable to get in and out and seats are so well cushioned that in normal speed we won't feel any potholes .
Quote:
Originally Posted by V.Narayan View Post
Compliments on the noteworthy job you have done on both restoration and maintaining it in good form. That steering mounted gear lever was so unique to that era of 1950s design so that three could sit abreast in the front or you could pull your girl closer to you! Though in reality I found it quite un-ergonomic compared to floor shift. Your colours look neat.
Thank you . I really enjoyed the restoration , slowly getting the car to proper shape is pleasure without equal .During the process I have sourced many original aluminium parts and some documents like delight owners manual ,Fiat 1100D workshop manual and Padmini parts catalogue as well .
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Old 9th October 2019, 11:07   #21
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

Thank you for sharing this. Brings back glory days back to life through this and Hats off to you guys for maintaining this gem in such great condition
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Old 9th October 2019, 11:14   #22
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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Originally Posted by justin.das View Post
Thank you . I really enjoyed the restoration , slowly getting the car to proper shape is pleasure without equal .During the process I have sourced many original aluminium parts and some documents like delight owners manual ,Fiat 1100D workshop manual and Padmini parts catalogue as well .
Nice job Justin.

Just to go , what happened to the CB350 Honda?.
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Old 9th October 2019, 11:42   #23
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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Originally Posted by vsrivatsa View Post
There are cars and then there are legends. This is the story of one such legend. This is the story of a car owned by my Late Grandfather. The car was purchased in January 1973 when I was not yet born. The car has remained with us ever since then for the last 46 years maintained by my grandfather for the first 10 years and then by my father for the remaining 36 years........
Thank you for the wonderful write up and recreating the history of ownership. Buying a new car was always a major event in every Indian household, where even the extended family celebrated.

Breaking in a new car was such a process. Cars came with speed governors, which you could overcome downhill! The crisp sound of the starter solenoid was something I can still remember.

Such a write up makes the ownership of the car much more pleasurable. Something you can revisit time and again. Facts are lost over time, but your son will see the importance of this Thread, as the car ages gracefully in the family.

On the flip side, I do notice that the car is running on gas.

The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!-13..jpg

Considering the age and overall usage, probably this is avoidable going forward.


Happy motoring

Cheers

KPS
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Old 9th October 2019, 12:31   #24
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

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Originally Posted by V.Narayan View Post
That steering mounted gear lever was so unique to that era of 1950s design so that three could sit abreast in the front or you could pull your girl closer to you!
You are right. Driving this car with my wife to beach or an early morning drive in non traffic roads is very calm ,blissful and romantic. From my experience what I felt very different is that the co-Passenger in the front seat can turn back and keep a leg on the seat and talk to the passengers in the rear like what we do in the school days in class room. This car for me is classic motoring at its very best. Where ever I takes this car out lot of people comes and talk to me about the car and they admires it as well.

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Originally Posted by srini1785 View Post
Nice job Justin.
Just to go , what happened to the CB350 Honda?.
Thank you Srini. Honda is dismantled now. chassis is cleaned and repainted. Wiring kit is getting re-checked. Now i need to find a good mechanic and sort out the engine next.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vipin Kumar View Post
Do you still take it out of the city, as you speak of the Premier President's highway stability?
I took my car recently for drive from trivandrum to ernakulam in a constant speed of 60km/hr and occasionally to a top speed of 100km/hr as seen in the speedo for a total of 238 kms.

Last edited by justin.das : 9th October 2019 at 12:51.
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Old 9th October 2019, 12:45   #25
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

1991 - My dad and myself with our trusted Padmini. My dad bought this from Delhi in 1988 and drove all the way to Asansol (250kms west of Kolkata) and it stayed with us till late 1997 when we upgraded to M800. Its had the same steering gear and i used to love the vehicle. Learned driving in this vehicle. It was just wonderful. Still miss that vehicle.
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Old 9th October 2019, 15:58   #26
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

Thanks for the write up vsrivatsa..!! Its always nostalgic for me whenever I read about fiat premier padmini in Team-BHP !! We owned a white colored premier padmini way back in 1998 for an year which was a used but superbly maintained car from my uncle for 50000/-. Don't remember the exact year of make but it also had the same steering mounted gear system. Like many of us here, it was my first love for a car.
I may not own a premier padmini now or in future but as the saying goes - first love stays in heart forever, whenever I see one, I watch until the beauty goes out of my view.
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Originally Posted by vsrivatsa View Post
The car by today's definition can be called a Sub 4 m Compact Sedan at 3930 mm in length, 1468 mm tall and a width of 1460 mm. Wheelbase is 2340 mm.
After reading this, I was in awe that the designers of this car were able to accommodate huge boot space, spacious sofa like seats and a huge bonnet which is always visible to the driver in a sub 4 meter sedan. Now-a-days, probably due to big dashboards, driver/passenger leg room comforts, the sub 4 meter sedans/SUVs days may not have the same boot space as a premier padmini.

Note: Below is the youtube link of a Tamil move in which premier padmini was a major point.
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Old 9th October 2019, 21:22   #27
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

A great review of one of the bygone beauties. The pictures do a lot of talking too. The itch to know these honest and robust companions get immense boost from posts like this.
Wishing you strength and spirit to keep the beauty happy and sprightly forever.
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Old 10th October 2019, 08:13   #28
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

People cramming into the cars was reflective of how communal ( as in community oriented) the society was . No concept of personal/private space. In this era of digital loneliness, one yearns for those old times.
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Old 18th October 2019, 15:20   #29
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

Quote:
Originally Posted by sankhadeepb View Post
1991 - My dad and myself with our trusted Padmini.
Beautiful Picture!

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Originally Posted by bvasista View Post
Thanks for the write up vsrivatsa..!! Its always nostalgic for me whenever I read about fiat premier padmini in Team-BHP !!
Thanks!

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Originally Posted by bvasista View Post
Note: Below is the Youtube link of a Tamil move in which premier padmini was a major point.
I think it was re-made in other languages as well.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kuldeep31 View Post
A great review of one of the bygone beauties. The pictures do a lot of talking too.
Thanks so much!

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Originally Posted by fhdowntheline View Post
No concept of personal/private space. In this era of digital loneliness, one yearns for those old times.
Fully Agree.

Here is a video of the President:
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Old 2nd November 2019, 22:03   #30
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Re: The Legendary Premier President (1973) - In our family since 46 years!

My Uncle used to have an Ambassador & Fiat -loved the bench seats of Premier Padmini AKA Fiat 4 in the front and 4 in the back with dickey full of trunks & suitcases
HandGears was the best leaving the space on floor free for super legspace
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