The Automotive Chor Bazaar Of Mumbai - All in a days work - A Eulogy

karlosdeville · 8th October 2007, 20:26

My last trip to chor bazaar yesterday has been most lucrative yet painful. We've all heard stories of cars that turn up in the bazaar, mercilessly hacked to bits every day. Somehow I never saw any particularly interesting cars being scrapped personally, untill now.

I was just strolling around sniffing for any killer deals for classic car parts, and was about to return empty handed (sort of). On my way out I was shocked to see this very forlon yet regal looking 55 Fiat Millecento being wheeled in on a haathgaadi! You can tell till not too long ago this car must have been something very special indeed.

Further pronging and im told the car belonged to an elderly Parsee gent at Walkeshwar, and he bought it brand new. Doesnt that sound familiar? I was still gathering my wits trying to comprehend what was about to happen, till I see the @#$%^s pushing the car off the haathgaadi onto its side to unload the car! After yelling profanities (much to the amusement of the others around), I start negotiating to buy the car complete before it is damaged. Surprisingly, the push didnt even give the car a scratch. Im discouraged, and told the car is just too rotten and the papers have disintegrated to pieces. Im still keen, and trying to reason with the scrap dealer, till he silences me very cleverly. All he did was take a screwdriver and poke it gently on the bulkhead...through and through. Im convinced! Bombays notorious weather had taken its toll, the car was just beyond repair.

I still hung around to watch it being scrapped and grab the parts I wanted, which took a total of 2 hours precisely. It's really a sight to see the car crumble so easliy with just a chisel and hammer. Whatever part I wanted, was just chiseled around and handed over...noone bothers to unscrew nuts bolts and the like...you just cut the metal around it.

It was such an original car, Ive never seen one quite like it. Note the delicate bakelite surrounds, and that cool period tachometer. Very rarely does a 55 steering wheel and horn button last so long, they usually crumble to pieces after this long.

5 mins after they began, the front end was out, and carted away bit by bit.

15 mins later, the doors were gone, & the B pillars were hacked out.

Within the next hour (with a tea break), the roof was hacked off, and carted away by 4 people, who looked eerily like pall bearers carring the dead body on their shoulders to the towers of silence

Now it was down to the chassis after the seats were just yanked out by hand (yup, thats how rusty it was). I made sure the dash was carefully cut in one piece, to hang on my wall.

By the time it was all over, engine and axles were carted away, the remains were litterally just swept away with a broom.

The experience was quite surreal...What a way to spend my birthday!Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
RIP.

speedy · 8th October 2007, 20:41

welcome to the first encounter of seeing a car broken down. the bombay weather does take its toll on the cars and especially if the car is sea faceing. what a way to spend your birthday.

payam · 8th October 2007, 20:44

Nice write up man,so this is how chore bazzar is.
Karl dont tel me you spent your birthday in chore bazzar man.

mclarenracer · 8th October 2007, 21:43

wow, looked like something from national geographic, all the scavengers going through a whole car. 120 min from an old car to becaar. think of all the joys this car would have given to it's owners. love the suicide doors.

JayD · 8th October 2007, 21:54

God! that's sad! i can understand how u'd have felt! especially since its a fiat!(btw, did u get the fan along with the dash??

)

JayD · 8th October 2007, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

RIP.

Well.. look what we have here... Merc grills!!!123's and 115 i guess...Mumbai here i come. (no merc... have to be content with the grille!

)

Stanher · 8th October 2007, 22:06

Welcome to the club Karl (assuming this is the 1st time your a witness to a car break!)......this is something I've recently got quite used to seeing! Sad bout the car but all the same glad for all the parts you could get from it- and for giving you a memorable (in a way!) B'day!
'hope those guys didnt take advantage of your er, desperation & scr*w you with the prices for the parts though!
The rear bumper looks quite good.......did you take that as well?? And did it have the bootlid badge?

nitroxx · 8th October 2007, 23:42

chor bazaar is insane dude..theres so much that you can find and so much stuff thats just lying around ...nice way to spend your birthday time.

mclaren1885 · 8th October 2007, 23:46

I have seen the same happen with a baleno. They stripped the car into tiny bits in a matter of hours. It was sad to see nonetheless.

Nitin · 9th October 2007, 00:10

yikes!! thats really quick!
no car left..only a da-kaar after the car vanished into 4 different directions..

esteem_lover · 9th October 2007, 00:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

I have seen the same happen with a baleno. They stripped the car into tiny bits in a matter of hours. It was sad to see nonetheless.

I am damn surprised that you have just sat there & watched it (if you ever did). Balenos are worth their price even when they are condemned beyond recognition

turbolader · 9th October 2007, 01:52

yea, i last had seen an ambulance van come out there and within an hour it was into pieces.

Cyrus43 · 9th October 2007, 02:14

karl please tell me you got the small headlight rings and the small headlights....

my god...even the wheels are absolutely original...

moralfibre · 9th October 2007, 07:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by CYRUS43

karl please tell me you got the small headlight rings and the small headlights....

The entire car fittings are now in Pune barring the doors, bonnet, boot, roof, chassis, engine, flooring.

Congrats Karl.

hydrashok · 9th October 2007, 08:05

Ewwwwww... That was a creepy sensation, watching the car being stripped and hacked to nothing :(

At least, the car gave up its life to give life to a few others...

8th October 2007, 20:26	#1
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 11,976 Thanked: 18,295 Times View My Garage	The Automotive Chor Bazaar Of Mumbai - All in a days work - A Eulogy My last trip to chor bazaar yesterday has been most lucrative yet painful. We've all heard stories of cars that turn up in the bazaar, mercilessly hacked to bits every day. Somehow I never saw any particularly interesting cars being scrapped personally, untill now. I was just strolling around sniffing for any killer deals for classic car parts, and was about to return empty handed (sort of). On my way out I was shocked to see this very forlon yet regal looking 55 Fiat Millecento being wheeled in on a haathgaadi! You can tell till not too long ago this car must have been something very special indeed. Further pronging and im told the car belonged to an elderly Parsee gent at Walkeshwar, and he bought it brand new. Doesnt that sound familiar? I was still gathering my wits trying to comprehend what was about to happen, till I see the @#$%^s pushing the car off the haathgaadi onto its side to unload the car! After yelling profanities (much to the amusement of the others around), I start negotiating to buy the car complete before it is damaged. Surprisingly, the push didnt even give the car a scratch. Im discouraged, and told the car is just too rotten and the papers have disintegrated to pieces. Im still keen, and trying to reason with the scrap dealer, till he silences me very cleverly. All he did was take a screwdriver and poke it gently on the bulkhead...through and through. Im convinced! Bombays notorious weather had taken its toll, the car was just beyond repair. I still hung around to watch it being scrapped and grab the parts I wanted, which took a total of 2 hours precisely. It's really a sight to see the car crumble so easliy with just a chisel and hammer. Whatever part I wanted, was just chiseled around and handed over...noone bothers to unscrew nuts bolts and the like...you just cut the metal around it. It was such an original car, Ive never seen one quite like it. Note the delicate bakelite surrounds, and that cool period tachometer. Very rarely does a 55 steering wheel and horn button last so long, they usually crumble to pieces after this long. 5 mins after they began, the front end was out, and carted away bit by bit. 15 mins later, the doors were gone, & the B pillars were hacked out. Within the next hour (with a tea break), the roof was hacked off, and carted away by 4 people, who looked eerily like pall bearers carring the dead body on their shoulders to the towers of silence Now it was down to the chassis after the seats were just yanked out by hand (yup, thats how rusty it was). I made sure the dash was carefully cut in one piece, to hang on my wall. By the time it was all over, engine and axles were carted away, the remains were litterally just swept away with a broom. The experience was quite surreal...What a way to spend my birthday!Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. RIP.
	(3) Thanks

8th October 2007, 20:41	#2
speedy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Mumbai Meri Jaan Posts: 6,197 Thanked: 1,023 Times View My Garage	welcome to the first encounter of seeing a car broken down. the bombay weather does take its toll on the cars and especially if the car is sea faceing. what a way to spend your birthday.
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 20:44	#3
payam BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: pune Posts: 924 Thanked: 2 Times View My Garage	Nice write up man,so this is how chore bazzar is. Karl dont tel me you spent your birthday in chore bazzar man.
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 21:43	#4
mclarenracer BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 115 Thanked: 11 Times	wow, looked like something from national geographic, all the scavengers going through a whole car. 120 min from an old car to becaar. think of all the joys this car would have given to it's owners. love the suicide doors.
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 21:54	#5
JayD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cochin! At last Posts: 3,236 Thanked: 2,569 Times View My Garage	God! that's sad! i can understand how u'd have felt! especially since its a fiat!(btw, did u get the fan along with the dash??) Last edited by JayD : 8th October 2007 at 21:56.
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 22:06	#7
Stanher Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hyderabad, AP Posts: 6,491 Thanked: 2,087 Times View My Garage	Welcome to the club Karl (assuming this is the 1st time your a witness to a car break!)......this is something I've recently got quite used to seeing! Sad bout the car but all the same glad for all the parts you could get from it- and for giving you a memorable (in a way!) B'day! 'hope those guys didnt take advantage of your er, desperation & scr*w you with the prices for the parts though! The rear bumper looks quite good.......did you take that as well?? And did it have the bootlid badge?
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 23:42	#8
nitroxx Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: DXB Posts: 816 Thanked: 31 Times View My Garage	chor bazaar is insane dude..theres so much that you can find and so much stuff thats just lying around ...nice way to spend your birthday time.
	() Thanks

8th October 2007, 23:46	#9
mclaren1885 BANNED Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bangalore (the city of modded cars) !! Posts: 4,820 Thanked: 45 Times View My Garage Infractions: 0/1 (10)	I have seen the same happen with a baleno. They stripped the car into tiny bits in a matter of hours. It was sad to see nonetheless.
	() Thanks

9th October 2007, 00:10	#10
Nitin Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 3,294 Thanked: 20 Times View My Garage	yikes!! thats really quick! no car left..only a da-kaar after the car vanished into 4 different directions..
	() Thanks

9th October 2007, 01:52	#12
turbolader BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: andheri Posts: 138 Thanked: 0 Times	yea, i last had seen an ambulance van come out there and within an hour it was into pieces.
	() Thanks

9th October 2007, 02:14	#13
Cyrus43 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London Posts: 5,019 Thanked: 221 Times View My Garage	karl please tell me you got the small headlight rings and the small headlights.... my god...even the wheels are absolutely original...
	() Thanks

9th October 2007, 08:05	#15
hydrashok Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In my Office Posts: 2,528 Thanked: 17 Times View My Garage	Ewwwwww... That was a creepy sensation, watching the car being stripped and hacked to nothing :( At least, the car gave up its life to give life to a few others...
	() Thanks