[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Originally Posted by Bulldogji

Hi Mole, In the picture of your W110 do I see the good old Mahableshwar sticker which used to be pasted on the left hand corner of the front glass? Remember the guy would put four dabs of glue on the corners and stick it on the glass, normally never in straight alignment.

Dear Bulldogji and Amol - "Panchgani Hill Station Municipal Council" sticker! You have brought back nostalgia all over again. Thanks. We used to go to Panchgani. The "4 dab" sticker used to be 5 rupees if I am not mistaken, the color was pink, the paper quality was terrible and it was always stuck skewed. I had fitted a new half engine in my father's friend's super select MRW7203. For running-in, my teacher Anil Patel and I went to Mahabaleshwar via Mahad, got the sticker, purchased "chana" and came back. We listened to "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer on the cassette all the way. This was way back in 1980. I got a solid firing from my mother!

I had visited Panchgani last month via Pune. At the check naka, there is no sticker, there is a receipt for 50 rupees per car, a receipt for 10 rupees per person in the car. Unlike yesteryears, the "tapori" manning the post was downright rude! The bazaar has not changed much, although traffic has increased. I saw a Jeep station wagon still plying as a taxi. I picked up a pair of Kolhapuri chappals from the same shop where I had bought a pair from, way back in 1972. Back then, a strawberry jam bottle was 3 rupees. I paid 90 this time. Same bottle, same jam, same shop.

Next time I go to Panchgani, I'll take either my 1967 delight or my left hand drive fiat.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[KPS]

Originally Posted by srinand

Hi,
Here is a picture of a Chrysler town and country (?) that used to belong to a family friend in Hyderabad.
regards,
Srinand.

Any more pictures? Does your friend know what happened to the this wonderful car?

Cheers

[IQBAL VEERJI]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Bulldogji and Amol - "Panchgani Hill Station Municipal Council" sticker! You have brought back nostalgia all over again. Thanks. We used to go to Panchgani. The "4 dab" sticker used to be 5 rupees if I am not mistaken, the color was pink, the paper quality was terrible and it was always stuck skewed. I had fitted a new half engine in my father's friend's super select MRW7203. For running-in, my teacher Anil Patel and I went to Mahabaleshwar via Mahad, got the sticker, purchased "chana" and came back. We listened to "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer on the cassette all the way. This was way back in 1980. I got a solid firing from my mother!

I had visited Panchgani last month via Pune. At the check naka, there is no sticker, there is a receipt for 50 rupees per car, a receipt for 10 rupees per person in the car. Unlike yesteryears, the "tapori" manning the post was downright rude! The bazaar has not changed much, although traffic has increased. I saw a Jeep station wagon still plying as a taxi. I picked up a pair of Kolhapuri chappals from the same shop where I had bought a pair from, way back in 1972. Back then, a strawberry jam bottle was 3 rupees. I paid 90 this time. Same bottle, same jam, same shop.

Next time I go to Panchgani, I'll take either my 1967 delight or my left hand drive fiat.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Yes Dhabhar ji, you are right that Panchgani city entry tax (Yatri kar) as it was known in those days as well as today. Those days the slip was pink in colour and was pasted by one of the guys who was paid the money.He used to paste it as he liked and mostly they were pasted not in the corner of the wind sheild as it should have be.

[wasif]

Originally Posted by srinand

Hi,

Here is a picture of a Chrysler town and country (?) that used to belong to a family friend in Hyderabad.

regards,

Srinand.

Can you let us lnow who were the owners in Hyderabad and what was the color of the car.

I think this used to belong to th Paigah Family the Asmaan Jah branch.

Any idea where the car is now and where that picture was taken, doesnt look like its taken in Hyderabad

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by srinand

Here is a picture of a Chrysler town and country (?) that used to belong to a family friend in Hyderabad.

Originally Posted by wasif

Can you let us lnow who were the owners in Hyderabad and what was the color of the car.

I think this used to belong to th Paigah Family the Asmaan Jah branch.

Wasif you had posted a picture of the Paigah cars which included a Town and Country, but that was a hardtop. One cabrio is with Bhogilal, one more is in Bombay, one is rumoured to be in Pune.

[srinand]

Hi KPS,Wasif and Karl,

It may have belonged to a person by the name Raja Umapathy Rao who was a family friend. People who may have known more information about the car in my family are no more. Its a convertible is what i would say from the picture, not sure about the colour. There may be more pictures, will have to dig through the albums, will do so this evening and post if any.

regards,

Srinand.

Originally Posted by KPS

Any more pictures? Does your friend know what happened to the this wonderful car?

Cheers

Originally Posted by wasif

Can you let us lnow who were the owners in Hyderabad and what was the color of the car.

I think this used to belong to th Paigah Family the Asmaan Jah branch.

Any idea where the car is now and where that picture was taken, doesnt look like its taken in Hyderabad

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Wasif you had posted a picture of the Paigah cars which included a Town and Country, but that was a hardtop. One cabrio is with Bhogilal, one more is in Bombay, one is rumoured to be in Pune.

[Bulldogji]

Hi Behram, Actually I was talking about the blue coloured Mahableshwar label. Never having stayed in Panchgani I had no idea their labels were pink. Both places are now touristified, in short ruined, sadly , in the name of progress. Rampant construction without any thought of ecological conservation , no town planning etc. AND, all the old beauties replaced by japanese tin. Thanks to Kasli, I returned to the area this year after 25 years and was shocked at the extent of deforestation.

[harit]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Bulldogji and Amol - .....I had fitted a new half engine in my father's friend's super select MRW7203. For running-in, my teacher Anil Patel and I went to Mahabaleshwar via Mahad, got the sticker, purchased "chana" and came back. ....................... picked up a pair of Kolhapuri chappals from the same shop where I had bought a pair from, way back in 1972. Back then, a strawberry jam bottle was 3 rupees. I paid 90 this time. Same bottle, same jam, same shop.... Best regards, Behram Dhabhar

Originally Posted by IQBAL VEERJI

....He used to paste it as he liked and mostly they were pasted not in the corner of the wind sheild as it should have be.

Originally Posted by Bulldogji

....AND, all the old beauties replaced by japanese tin. Thanks to Kasli, I returned to the area this year after 25 years and was shocked at the extent of deforestation.

Not only Bulldog(Churchill)ji and the Mole have been to Mahableshwar, in our school days our family often used to go to Mahableshwar, and stay at a joint called Bharat Hotel, quite rustic.
The sticker used to be stuck in a skewed manner with gum which was difficult to remove, and messy. I don't recall us having to get fresh stickers for Panchgani when we visited that place, but I may be wrong.
There were two cars lying out there, an Erskine now with a collector in Bandra, and an Austin 7 hard top which apparently had been taken on a world trip as many countries were mentioned on the rear of the body work, similar to Zapp's car.
The first time my Amby engine was overhauled, we drove to Pune at night with the mechanic and came back in the morning. And then the engine was run in. Mr. Dhabhar awakened some memories. We used to buy Honey also.

The picture below is from a section of Bombay where a lot of transformation has taken place. The place is easy to recognise, notice the changes, surroundings etc. The car where I put a red dot is a XK 120.
Please have a look and comment.

Cheers harit

[IQBAL VEERJI]

Originally Posted by harit

Not only Bulldog(Churchill)ji and the Mole have been to Mahableshwar, in our school days our family often used to go to Mahableshwar, and stay at a joint called Bharat Hotel, quite rustic.
The sticker used to be stuck in a skewed manner with gum which was difficult to remove, and messy. I don't recall us having to get fresh stickers for Panchgani when we visited that place, but I may be wrong.
There were two cars lying out there, an Erskine now with a collector in Bandra, and an Austin 7 hard top which apparently had been taken on a world trip as many countries were mentioned on the rear of the body work, similar to Zapp's car.
The first time my Amby engine was overhauled, we drove to Pune at night with the mechanic and came back in the morning. And then the engine was run in. Mr. Dhabhar awakened some memories. We used to buy Honey also.

The picture below is from a section of Bombay where a lot of transformation has taken place. The place is easy to recognise, notice the changes, surroundings etc. The car where I put a red dot is a XK 120.
Please have a look and comment.

Cheers harit

Harit sir ji,You are right the sticker was meant for mahableshwar city only and not for panchgani. In fact we used to drive to panchgani without any tax to be paid.
We had just got our brand new Amby mark2 with valley green colour in March 1964 with regd no.MRZ 3129 from National Garage, Bhulabhai desai rd,and the whole family went to this hill station.Then after this visit we made a habit of going to Mahableshwar almost every six months.
Now about this pink sticker there is another thing to be told ,as in those days AC cars were very rare and AC had to be installed after delivery. Now during rainy season the place on the glass where this sticker was fixed used to get moist and the pink colour from the paper used to drip down ,and we used to dab it with that yellow cloth (gaadi ka kapda) to save it from getting spoilt,otherwise we would have to buy another one during our stay in the hill station.. My dad used to thank me for doing that part of service for him.
The petrol pump STILL exist today with same location of entry and exit points and even the ramps, it is opposite to the T.B.Zaveri shop at opera house. Nothing much has changed till today as of surrounding areas.

[kavesh55]

Originally Posted by harit

The picture below is from a section of Bombay where a lot of transformation has taken place. The place is easy to recognise, notice the changes, surroundings etc. The car where I put a red dot is a XK 120.
Please have a look and comment.

Cheers harit

Hi Harit- Is this JB Patel at Opera House. My guess.

[awini]

is that the lhd xk120 that was in primer a few years ago?

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by Stanher

Here are a couple of older pics. of the same car, with permission from my friend's aunt (whose father owned this car). Note the lovely period whitewalls!

Nice Beetleback Vanguard. Any Army, and Secunderabad connection? I remember a blue-coloured on in 1972, in Secunderabad in the bungalow opposite ours - RK Puram or Trimulgherry was the cantt locality called; have to ask my brother, he was older and smarter, even then!

Originally Posted by the mole

A picture from our photo album of our first mercedes in the mid 70's My dad, sister and me (at the bottom)

These 110s and 115s (all compacts for that matter, 114 too - or the Strich Achts) are so evocative. Especially with the ivory wheel. The MB-Tex, the vertical speedo in the 110, the horn-pad, the slim white-walled 115s, the lovely array of colours...am missing our midnight blue. Good to see some pics from the family albums, for a change.

Originally Posted by the mole

the other one was a (W115) RHD which unfortunately met its end in the Mumbai riots

What's the story?

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Nice Beetleback Vanguard. Any Army, and Secunderabad connection? I remember a blue-coloured on in 1972, in Secunderabad in the bungalow opposite ours - RK Puram or Trimulgherry was the cantt locality called; have to ask my brother, he was older and smarter, even then!

Secunderabad yes (Marredpally to be precise) but not Army. The gent who owned it was a lawyer.
And incidentally he & I both share the same first name!
Was the blue one the same model as this? Do you recollect the number??

Well I do remember you mentioning the area once as Tirumalgiri (a.k.a Trimulgherry by the Raj) but RK puram, which is close by, also is an Army locality and part of Sec. cantonment, with some ancient colonial buildings still used as Army staff quarters.

[v12]

Nice pic Harit! Really Nostalgic!

Going by the people standing around and behind the car - they seem to be police escort or bodyguards. Or maybe I am wrong and they are just the pump attendants.

[srinand]

Hi,

After searching through a lot of albums, managed to find just one other picture of the Chrysler. A few people in this picture are my aunts, rest may be from the owners' family.

regards,

Srinand.