[historyman]

Farhan kidwai ...... Some info for you. Your excellent framed photo showing a Curved Dash Oldsmobile cannot have been shipped to India in 1898 as the typed script pasted on the reverse side states.

This is because the first Curved Dash was not produced until 1901 (prior to then only a prototype existed).

Between 1897 and 1901 R E Olds only made about 15 cars (some electric) and all but 2 or 3 were destroyed in a fire at his factory in March 1901. He did however save his only prototype Curved Dash and went on to manufacturer 425 of them between March and December 1901. There is a high possibility that he did export three to India in that year.

The later 1901 date also ties in with a report I had previously come across that stated that Jamsheti Tata owned his first car in 1901.

The only other explanation would be that the photo is not of an Oldsmobile, which seems unlikely.

[historyman]

Part 2 Section 9.1 of my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site covers "General Information" about cars in India. My planned update will include the following. Any comments, extra info will be much appreciated.

The Maharaja of Patiala (Punjab), imported the first motor car to India in 1892. It was a French De Dion Bouton steam powered two cylinder tricar.

In 1893 the American Ransom Eli Olds obtained his first export order, a 4 wheeled Olds steam car which was despatched by ship to India – but it didn’t arrive. The ship sank on the way there. It was the first car exported by the United States.

There is a report that the first car was driven in Calcutta in 1896. Which model?

Mr Foster owned a car in Bombay in 1897.

In 1898 a car was brought into India by H Hewitt (model not known).

In about 1901 three Curved Dash Oldsmobile models were brought into India and sold to Jamshedji Tata, founder of the Tata Group of Industries, Rustam Cama, an attorney and Kavasji Wadia of Bombay Garage.

There were reputed to have been 1,025 cars in Bombay in 1910.

Goodyear set up India’s first tyre plant in 1920 (followed by Firestone a few years later).

In 1930 the number of imported and cars assembled in kingdom exceed 30,000.

Hindustan Motors produced 26,263 automobiles in 1995.

India produced 500,301 cars in 2001 and 1,056,881 in 2005.

India exported 170,193 cars in 2005.

[historyman]

I need some help. I’m trying to identify the top car museums in India so I can link my web site and its history of cars in India to them.

[historyman]

With grateful thanks to Team-BHP I have just updated the section that covers the history of Indian cars in my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site.

It would not have been possible without the help I received from Karlosdeville, Vintagepoint5, 71 Convertible, Mpower, Farhan kidwai, Stanher, ajay99 and C S Ananth. Thanks guys.

I finally established that the first assembly plant in India was set up by Ford of Canada in 1926, possibly to build the Model T. The GM plant was set up two years later, in 1928. I wonder where in India Ford set up their plant in 1926 and was it to assemble the model T (the timing ties up)?

C S Ananth: I’ll update my entry with any “Standard” info you come up with.

The only info I never uncovered was the names of car museums in India. Are there any?

[SirAlec]

I havn't heard of any. but many people have decided to show their collection to general public like Pranlal Bhogilal, Udaipur Maharaj etc.

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

[the mole]

well the prime minister of Jodhpur the Maharaja's brother has a huge collection displayed at The Ajit Bhavan palace as well, I will post pics of that collection shortly.

[karlosdeville]

As for museums, an important name internationally is Pranlal Bhogilals setup in Ahmedabad. Then there is Diljeet Titus' museum in Delhi, Ramesh Thakkers setup in Pune (not exactly a museum but very close to one, and one can visit with prior appointment). Then there is the Dharamsthala collection of the Heggades. There is a large collection in Conoor as well. There are many more smaller collections scattered around, will post them as I remember them.

[historyman]

The “Landmaster” entry in my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site reads:

“Production of the Landmaster, a car based on the Morris Oxford, started in 1954”.


In the “Landmaster Travellers in India” thread I note JayD’s comment about the number produced. Does anyone know if the total was 250?
Between what dates it was made? Could the Landmaster have been produced prior to 1949?

[Rehaan]

The discussion on Model T Fords in India has been split to its own thread here : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vintag...rds-india.html

cya
R

[historyman]

A couple of months ago I was contacted by a relative of a Mr Pestonjee B Press who, between 1878 and about 1930, owned the Fort Coach Factory in Mumbai.

The company originally produced high quality carriages for horse drawn vehicles but in the early 1900 it started to construct bodies for car chassis.

I know that in 1905 Pestonjee’s son started to study motor manufacturing with companies such as the British Daimler Company and the French Brazier Motorcar Company and that by late 1906 the company was fitting bodies to Brazier cars imported into India.

I plan to add a write-up on the Fort Coach Factory in my Carhistory4u.com web site.

I know this is a long shot but does anyone have information on the car bodies made by the Fort Coach Company or information on imported Brazier or Daimler cars of that period?

[historyman]

I've just added a brief history of the Fort Coach Factory to the Indian section of my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by historyman

I've just added a brief history of the Fort Coach Factory to the Indian section of my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site.

Most interesting, I wonder how long they were in existance. Lovely photo too. Can the car be identified?

[harit]

Originally Posted by historyman

With grateful thanks to Team-BHP I have just updated the section that covers the history of Indian cars in my Car History 4U - History of the Automobile, History of the Motor Car, Car Clubs & Car Museums web site.

It would not have been possible without the help I received from Karlosdeville, Vintagepoint5, 71 Convertible, Mpower, Farhan kidwai, Stanher, ajay99 and C S Ananth. Thanks guys.

I finally established that the first assembly plant in India was set up by Ford of Canada in 1926, possibly to build the Model T. The GM plant was set up two years later, in 1928. I wonder where in India Ford set up their plant in 1926 and was it to assemble the model T (the timing ties up)?

I have just seen this post.
Ford had an establishment in Mumbai near Opera house. I am doubtful if 'T's were built there. But for sure they supplied Ford A engines in large numbers. What is not clear is whether these were used engines duly reconditioned or were they brand new. There were so many Ford A's in India that such a venture made sense.
I believe Ford also built commercial vehicles, the smaller panel vans.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by farhan_kidwai

I have an old photograph - reverse side stamped by Dept. of Public Relations, General Motors, N.Y. showing an Oldsmobile with Mr. Rustam Cama and his family seated on the vehicle.

As of now i cannot post the scan since the picture is framed.

Type written script pasted on the reverse mentions - "This automobile arrived with the first shipment of gasoline automobiles to reach India, In 1898 R.E. Olds exported three of his famous curved-dash models to Bombay. The first of these cars was sold to Jamsetji Tata, the great industrialist, and the second sale was made to Mr. Rustam Cama, a prominent solicitor. This photograph shows Mr. Cama and family viewing the new vehicle."

Hand written markings - 1890 - 1900, 1898

There is however no mention of the third vehicle or its owner.

This super photo from Farhan's enviable collection was on display at the Auto Expo, Im putting it up here for educational purposes. Thanks Farhan

Originally Posted by historyman

A couple of months ago I was contacted by a relative of a Mr Pestonjee B Press who, between 1878 and about 1930, owned the Fort Coach Factory in Mumbai.

Here is a period advertisement of the Fort Coach Factory, that was also on display at the Expo in January.

[karlosdeville]

Here is another piece of Indian auto history forgotten. Apparently the Tatas were negotiating to manufacture a DKW.



From the book 'Horizons - the Tata India Century - 1904 2004' by Aman Nath & Jay Vithalani with Tulsi Vatsal.