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-   -   The Classic Commercial Vehicles (Bus, Trucks etc) Thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintage-cars-classics-india/31848-classic-commercial-vehicles-bus-trucks-etc-thread-42.html)

Spotted this FARGO bus owned by Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai in their college premises. This was running till last year. Now it is parked in their garage. Can someone help me in identifying the specifications for this and the year of make. I spotted similar buses with TVS in Madurai. I'll try to get them.



Moderators: Hope this pic that i have posted here is suitable to this thread, else kindly move it to the appropriate thread

MDA would suggest an older registration, which could mean that this bus has been built on an old chassis as it looks more modern, an old bus has been rebodied. Try to check what engine it has, but again that could have been replced.

Cheers harit

still looks quite an antique that Fargo bus.. nice find!

I don't have exact details, but we can safely say the MDA series was in issue in the mid to late 60s, looking at some reference numbers I have, seen on Mk 2 Ambys and Lambrettas.

This MDA registration could be from 70s. After M series we had TXX series for RTOs in TN. Below one is a Vintage class Truck which is being used by Madurai Corporation. I'm not able to spot the manufacturer name and other details.

That is a Dodge-Fargo truck made by Premier Automobiles.

Cheers harit

Wow, nice to see an old FARGO bus again after ages!! Nostalgic indeed!
My old school had one like this (identical front end atleast) when I'd studied there back in the 90s. I distinctly remember the split windscreen, the attractive front grille (which was possibly the only part of the bus still in good shape!) with all the horizontal chrome bars that surprisingly were always neat and shiny, considering the condition the bus was otherwise in! And of course the FARGO monogram atop it. Probably due to this, I developed a special liking for this bus. I often used to watch out for it as it would be parked in our school compound alongwith the other 2 buses, just before school was out at 3:30pm! And once we were out, I would stand and admire that bus from front as students and teachers who travelled in our school buses would start hurrying inside it and possibly no other student in our entire school gave it a second notice, not even the ones who travelled in it everyday! :)

I remember even talking about this particular bus to a few of my classmates, who also eventually got mildly interested in it. One guy even commented on the FARGO name "It will go very far everyday...thats why this name!"
It was originally painted a dull bluish grey, as were all our school buses. Then sometime in the mid 90s, they were all repainted a navy blue, but the red colour of the FARGO monogram and chrome grille on this bus were thankfully retained. Then a few years later, (by which time I'd left the school post 10th Std.) it was repainted yellow. I last saw it around 2002 or so, when it was given away to another branch of our school that was then opened. It looked kind of like this bus and was running but sadly not in very good condition, although the familiar grille and monogram were still intact. 'never seen it anymore, our school eventually got all newer buses.

MDA regn. has to be much before the 70s, as the Madras State was renamed as TN post 1970 if I'm not wrong, courtesy Annadurai the then CM.
As Karl suggested, it could be from the 60s or even before. It would be a Coimbatore regn., again if I'm not wrong.

Yes the parrot-beak Dodge. a.k.a Premier Roadmaster, again IIRC?
Plenty of these still running around here.

I see a lot of these premier trucks running around in chennai carrying bricks, rubbish etc

Madras state was divided and TN came into being soon after independence in 1947. MDA is a 1970's Madurai Regn. It was MS series here in chennai at that time until the early 80s/late 70s when it changed to TM series and then in the mid 80s TS series.

Here is the RTO wise series in TN

I think there is some mix-up with the old registration series mentioned in the list. “TDL” and “TLS” does not belong to Coimbatore RTO.

Interesting. So that explains how my 1962 Standard Companion's RC (still has the original Madras one) has "Tamil Nadu" on it, albeit its mentioned as a "duplicate" issued in the late 60s.
BUT, (sorry if I'm going :OT), now the question is if it was named as TN in 1947 itself, how come the MS (Madras State) and MD (Madras Dist.) series regns. continued on the vehicles until as late as the 70s?! And I reckon the TM series came out in early 70s itself as I've seen them on cars like Gazels/Presidents etc.

Again off topic.During British times it was Madras Presidency and since Independence and was renamed as Madras State. It was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1969.
Tamil Nadu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So all registrations prior to 1969 were MD,MS and so on and thereafter TN, TM.

When this Dodge-Fargo truck was last made? I'm not seeing much of these trucks now a days.

Below one is a Hindustan make truck of BBMP(Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Pallike- Greater Bangalore Municipal Body). My friend spotted this in Bangalore. I'm seeing this Hindustan truck for first time. Seems that it is not in use now.

Copyright: R.Subramaniam

Hi Dhandapani,
This picture brings back my memories. I did my BE there. And this bus was used for transportation between the Ladies hostel and the college, and any of the TCE Alumini would be aware of the wierd name this bus bus has got. :)

I remember seeing this or similar Trucks in end 80s and 90s. distinctively remember one used by KSEB(Kerala State Electricity Board) . It was written "BEDFORD" IINM.

Hindustan Motors had a collaboration with GM for Bedford trucks and buses. They were renamed as HINDUSTAN after the collaboration expired. They had a horrible reputation for quality & reliability and everyone avoided them except a few govt. deptts. (not the STUs since they also avoided them).