[issigonis]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

very sad to see that Roller Armoured Car in such a sorry state.
If memory serves me right, the Armoured Rolls car gained fame first when it was used by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) in his Desert conflicts.

i dont know what it is about us but we dont seem to be able do the first thing to preserve these objects of beauty, which, whether we choose to accept/ like it or not, form an inherent, irrevocable and important part of our country's heritage.

the same goes for our Mysore Palace - to see Raja Ravi Varma's paintings in such condition as they are kept in the Mysore Palace gives the heart a pang.

Shankar,

This car in particular may not be the one used by friend Lawrence in the First World War in Syria, against the Turks. he is quoted to have said about his roller that " A Rolls Royce in the desert is above rubies".

His roller might have been a similar armoured car. I remember reading extracts from a book, Rolls -Royce : The Complete Works, which referred to Lawrence's pithy comment.

I guess the Rolls Royce will have archives which will provide info. on this armoured car.

Regards

[shankar.balan]

yes - agreed - I m not saying this particular car was used by Lawrence, merely that "the Armoured Rolls Car" as an entity, first gained fame in Lawrence's campaign against the Turks.

And the comment about the Roller and the Rubies is correct - it even appears in the book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom".

Originally Posted by issigonis

Shankar,

This car in particular may not be the one used by friend Lawrence in the First World War in Syria, against the Turks. he is quoted to have said about his roller that " A Rolls Royce in the desert is above rubies".

His roller might have been a similar armoured car. I remember reading extracts from a book, Rolls -Royce : The Complete Works, which referred to Lawrence's pithy comment.

I guess the Rolls Royce will have archives which will provide info. on this armoured car.

Regards

[karlosdeville]

Continuing the discussion on armoured cars doing was duty in India, apparently the Rolls Royces proved too expensive, and a large number of Crossleys were later ordered. Later these bodies were transfered to Chevy running gear too. Credit to forbe5 on flickr.

[park-ward]

Originally Posted by travancore

Attachment 14934
Henk:
This car (Khairpur) is actually a 1932 Phantom II (Chassis # 44MY) by Hooper

It is sometimes referred to as a "Continental" - because of some specifications. However, it is not listed as a Continental by Gentile in the "RR Phantom II Continental"

This car is very similar (ducktail) to the Jaipur PII that is shown in this thread (posting #2 , currently on page 21 - last page).

I am attacing an original photo from Rolls Royce

Attachment 14935

There are rumours that this car (44MY) is now in Qatar...

[Alvis]

Here is another shot of 44 MY ( garlanded like a local bridegroom) taken on 12th September, 1951 with the 18 year old Mir of Khairpur being welcomed by his subjects.

Qatar...... well that is where the new Maharajas are now !! May she find a loving and caring home is all I pray for.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by Alvis

Here is another shot of 44 MY ( garlanded like a local bridegroom) taken on 12th September, 1951 with the 18 year old Mir of Khairpur being welcomed by his subjects.

Qatar...... well that is where the new Maharajas are now !! May she find a loving and caring home is all I pray for.

Here is another period picture (probably pre-delivery in England)

[mbz180]

Originally Posted by travancore

Thought for a minute that I had hit the jackpot researching PakWheels - only to find out the Kalat RR reference / thread was by "Alvis"

Hi Alvis, I am going through the "Derby Phantoms" and not having much luck yet! The problem may be with the way the name is recorded (Khan of Kalat vs given name. Were they also referred to as Wali ?). Some that seem close / remotely possible are listed below:

Chassis / Year / Owner

Phantom I:

45-LC / 1926 / Hooper Open Touring / Bombay Stock
71DC / 1926 / Barker Open Touring / Nawab Wali Ud Dowla (this is more likely a Hyderadbad noble)
80TC / 1926 / Hooper Limo / Princess Farid es Sultaneh
66LF / 1927 / Hooper Cabriolet / V&S Motors
86RF / 1927 / Hooper Open Tourer / Chhaju Ram Chowdhury

Hello every one. I am a new member and I wanted to ask if anyone has any information on 86RF, originally owned by Lala Chhaju Ram Chowdhury of Rohtak. The owner's family was originally from Rohtak (in eithter Punjab or Haryana) but later settled in Calcutta. Lala Chhaju Ram was one of the wealthiest men in Calcutta till his death and the car was then passed on to his son Mahendra Chowdhury. My father was a very close firend of Mahendra Chowdhury's son, till his passing a few years ago. As a youngster, my father saw 86 RF several times at their residence in Calcutta, and still maintains that it was one of the most beautiful open Rollers he's ever seen. He remembers it had an ivory steering wheel, though there are no pictures to prove this. Any information on this car will be highly appreciated.

Regards
mbz180

[karlosdeville]

Here is one car that I don't think we have discussed till now - subject to correction of course.

Here she is at this year's Tolly show in Calcutta.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...-2010-a-2.html











Can the experts tell us more?

[S.B.Jatti]

[quote=karlosdeville;1700438]Here is one car that I don't think we have discussed till now - subject to correction of course.

Sorry I am a little off the topic, but I was wondering if there is a comprehensive list of all the Vintage & Classic Rolls in India and with details of the present owner etc ?

[mbz180]

Hello everyone,


Here are a couple of pictures of our former Rolls Royce, which belonged to my great grandfather, Raja Prafulla Nath Tagore. I've been wanting to find out whether this particular car survives either in India or anywhere else in the world. This is all the information I have currently: It was ordered my great grand pop some time in the early 1920s, and am certain is a late Silver Ghost. I have had a few experts who look after the Rolls Royce archives in France tell me that it's a 20 hp but by looking at and studying the picture with a magnifying glass, I am quite certain that it's a Ghost. Unfortunately, the 2 pictures here are taken by me with my camera of the original picture, so the detailing is not very good. The original picture is framed and will not fit into my scanner. What I know is that it is pre 1924 or 1923 since there are no front brakes. The grille does not have any vertical or horizontal slats, just the radiator honeycomb, which pre-dates the grille slats. Also, the length of the bonnet from the picture is too long for a 20 hp. All 20 hp I have seen have the head lamps mounted much lower. What is a dead give away that the car is not a 20 hp is that the front chassis cantilever spring have diagonal braces, something only the larger engined RR's had, never on the smaller 20 hp. Also, the fender flow of a 20 hp is more curved downwards as the shorter chassis did not allow for the more flowing wings of the larger cars. I don't have any records of the chassis no., all I know that it was registered as WB...8489. The car was in the family till the early 60s and was sold to a gentleman in Kolkata named Coco Macertich, a famous stock broker or so in Kolkata. Thereafter my father remembers seeing the car for one last time at a Statesman Rally in the mid 60s. After that the car disappeared. Rumour has it that Coco sent it out of the country thereafter via Nepal and kept it with him when he shifted back to the UK. Coco was Scottish I believe. My grandfather always told me that his father bought the car new from the UK and spent a substantial amout of money in customs duty, though the Silver Ghost archives so far have not turned out any owner by Raja P. N. Tagore's name. I think it may have been bought by him from its original owner in England. I know it's a long shot, but does any one have any information at all about this car? I would love to know whether she still survives or not.

[wasif]

Nice pics and I hope you find some clues to the cars present whereabouts soon.

I lover that mansion in the second picture, was it your family house and does it still exist ?

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by wasif

Nice pics and I hope you find some clues to the cars present whereabouts soon.

I lover that mansion in the second picture, was it your family house and does it still exist ?

Yes that is his family house and it does still exist and he still lives in a part of that house.He happens to be a family friend of ours.His Grandfather and my grandfather were good friends, his dad and my dad are good friends ,him and me are also good friends.

[mbz180]

Originally Posted by wasif

Nice pics and I hope you find some clues to the cars present whereabouts soon.

I lover that mansion in the second picture, was it your family house and does it still exist ?

Wasif@ Yes that used to be our sub-urban house or country house, just a little outside Calcutta, called "Tagore Villa". It was originally an indigo planters bungalow and was bought by my ancestor in the early 1800s and redone as a pleasure home as it had its own boating lake and is right on the banks of the Ganges. My grandad used to tell me that it was one of the finest homes in or around town, with the most tasteful and best objects d' art money could buy. Unfortunately, after the abolition of "Zamindari", our family fell on hard times and the property was sold for a pittance to the Border Security Force (BSF), and it is still their current HQ. At least they still maintain the house to fair standards.

Indrojit@ You're absolutely right about 3 generations of both our families being good friends, but I don't live in a part of the house you see in the photo. That house was sold, as mentioned above.

[the mole]

Originally Posted by mbz180

Unfortunately, after the abolition of "Zamindari", our family fell on hard times and the property was sold for a pittance to the Border Security Force (BSF), and it is still their current HQ. At least they still maintain the house to fair standards.

What a pity! I was going to volunteer to restore it for you. A beautiful house indeed. Do you have any more pics of the house, I can use it for reference for my conservation projects.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by mbz180

Indrojit@ You're absolutely right about 3 generations of both our families being good friends, but I don't live in a part of the house you see in the photo. That house was sold, as mentioned above.

Thankx for that clarification.I got confused between this house and the present house you are in now.