Nostalgic automotive pictures including our family's cars

sabinesnubbing · 15th June 2009, 17:48

Harit,
I am amazed the photo turned out to be so interesting! When I saw it on Ebay, I thought the letters might have been ADN for Aden (which was under the same system - British India - in those days). Can I take it that from the 'original' you have it is definately BOM?

Iqbal Veerji,
I have seen several photos of black on white (commercial) plates from the 1939 series all taken in Calcutta in the early to late 1940s, all on buses and taxis and with registrations BLP xxxx, BLS xxxx and BLT xxxx.
It was some small series for 'public transport' I believe. Maybe there were BLQ and BLR also - who knows?
Does anyone know anything more about it?
The attached is a photo I found on Team-BHP somewhere of one of them.
Team-BHP is so great for old plates!
Thanks to everyone for posting.

Sunilgee,
Lovely old photos of your family cars! Is there any chance I could get to see them with their reg. numbers as I am doing research on the old numbers in India? I can guarantee they won't be used anywhere - only for research.

Cheers all
Cedric
sabinesnubbing@hotmail.com

harit · 16th June 2009, 01:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabinesnubbing

Harit,
I am amazed the photo turned out to be so interesting! When I saw it on Ebay, I thought the letters might have been ADN for Aden (which was under the same system - British India - in those days). Can I take it that from the 'original' you have it is definately BOM?

Iqbal Veerji,
I have seen several photos of black on white (commercial) plates from the 1939 series all taken in Calcutta in the early to late 1940s, all on buses and taxis and with registrations BLP xxxx, BLS xxxx and BLT xxxx.
It was some small series for 'public transport' I believe. Maybe there were BLQ and BLR also - who knows?
Does anyone know anything more about it?
The attached is a photo I found on Team-BHP somewhere of one of them.
Team-BHP is so great for old plates!
Thanks to everyone for posting.

Sunilgee,
Lovely old photos of your family cars! Is there any chance I could get to see them with their reg. numbers as I am doing research on the old numbers in India? I can guarantee they won't be used anywhere - only for research.

Cheers all
Cedric
sabinesnubbing@hotmail.com

Hi Cedric, Yes, the registration is definitely BOM. As I have said, there are two photos of the same car with me.

About the Bengal numbers with B??, there is also on this forum a SS100 racing, carrying such a registration plate. Perhaps Karl can dig out that photo? And the SS100 was certainly not a commercial vehicle. Calcutta also has an Auburn with such a number.

These Dodge busses, do you notice that this picture is probably from war time? One headlight has the wartime cover, and the mudguard have a white strip of paint to help the bus being noticed at night time. I have a picture of a Morris with these white lines.

Just what is that fellow doing squatting near the bus? Just resting, I hope

Cheers harit

harit · 18th June 2009, 10:38

Attached is a photo recently aquired. A good look and a few deductions ala Sherlok

Car is a Ford A, chewed out and really well used in the country side like a jeep. Headlights altered because no longer available and they wer for using, not decoration. This may be a post independance picture, one person is wearing glares.
Setting is in the country side, I dare say that this Ford was being used off road like a jeep.

karlosdeville · 18th June 2009, 12:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

Attached is a photo recently aquired. A good look and a few deductions ala Sherlok

Car is a Ford A, chewed out and really well used in the country side like a jeep. Headlights altered because no longer available and they wer for using, not decoration. This may be a post independance picture, one person is wearing glares.
Setting is in the country side, I dare say that this Ford was being used off road like a jeep.

Harit I can't tell the regn. in this scan. Can you read it from the original and put it up please? Lovely picture, thanks.

karlosdeville · 18th June 2009, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

Attached is another picture of a landmark in Mumbai, with a car near it. The car is a Wolsley, BMZ 5500 this car today belongs to Nitin Dossa. Earlier she belonged to a Parsi family on Nepean Sea road, next to the Hotel Residency.
But can you make out where this picture was taken? The building in the background may provide a clue.

My geographical knowledge on Bombay is very poor, but is that JJ Hospital, and the car is where the JJ Flyover now stands, with statue sticking out in the centre of the flyover, looking totally lost?

harit · 18th June 2009, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Harit I can't tell the regn. in this scan. Can you read it from the original and put it up please? Lovely picture, thanks.

The registration no is BYJ 300X, last digit not visible as the plate is slightly bent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

My geographical knowledge on Bombay is very poor, but is that JJ Hospital, and the car is where the JJ Flyover now stands, with statue sticking out in the centre of the flyover, looking totally lost?

Not JJ hospital, would any Mumbaikars like to take a guess? It is in a very very prominent place, yet somehow always overlooked.

Cheers harit

Rehaan · 18th June 2009, 14:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

....But can you make out where this picture was taken? The building in the background may provide a clue....

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

....would any Mumbaikars like to take a guess? It is in a very very prominent place, yet somehow always overlooked....

On Chowpatty beach?
The building in the background being Wilson College?

cya
R

EDIT : Nevermind, that was a stupid guess

However, Harit, please call me - we need to teach you how to scan and upload images bigger and w/o the white part!

911987 · 18th June 2009, 20:21

Gateway of India with the Yacht Club in the background?

SirAlec · 18th June 2009, 21:03

Is that dude taking a piss beside the BLS 397.

harit · 19th June 2009, 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

On Chowpatty beach?
The building in the background being Wilson College?

cya
R

EDIT : Nevermind, that was a stupid guess

However, Harit, please call me - we need to teach you how to scan and upload images bigger and w/o the white part!

Yes, very soon. I agree the white patches look bad. And no, not Chowpatty. See below.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 911987

Gateway of India with the Yacht Club in the background?

You are absolutely right. But I never noticed this monument even though I have been many times over there. I wanted to check this weekend and then give it out. There is another picture with Gateway in the background, so it was easy for me. And yes, that is the yacht club in the background.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirAlec

Is that dude taking a piss beside the BLS 397.

Maybe, maybe, but he sure would leave it there, not take.

harit · 21st June 2009, 13:31

Please see prewarcar.com and identify the Baroda car in the nostalgic pic.

Use magnification and other tools.

Cheers harit

karlosdeville · 21st June 2009, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

Please see prewarcar.com and identify the Baroda car in the nostalgic pic.

Use magnification and other tools.

Cheers harit

For benefit of all, here is the picture from prewarcar.com. Has been tentatively identified as a Dodge Brothers. Radiator badge adds up, though I have not seen that style of hubcap logo on a Dodge before.

As posted on prewarcar (link)

Nostalgic automotive pictures including our family's cars-baroda_mystery_500rb.jpg

Name: Baroda_mystery_502RB.jpg
Views: 2069
Size: 57.3 KB

wasif · 21st June 2009, 16:14

Looks more like a Buick to me

harit · 21st June 2009, 18:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasif

Looks more like a Buick to me

Then try to explain those hubcaps!

Would you believe that there were 2 or 3 such cars in Gujrat? My friend went to buy one for me and when he could not get it he got me an Adler Trumpf which resulted in me buying more Adlers!

I think those guys are right.

wasif · 21st June 2009, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by harit

Then try to explain those hubcaps!

Would you believe that there were 2 or 3 such cars in Gujrat? My friend went to buy one for me and when he could not get it he got me an Adler Trumpf which resulted in me buying more Adlers!

I think those guys are right.

Is this the Dodge Straight Eight you had mentioned ? I am not trying to dispute what you say but the grille and the ornate bumper makes me think it is an expensive car. However i am open to correction.

The other thing is that Dodge cars of this period usually had disc wheels and drum type headlights.

Is the Dodge script legible on the wheel caps ? I couldn't read it.

15th June 2009, 17:48	#406
sabinesnubbing BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 343 Thanked: 293 Times	Harit, I am amazed the photo turned out to be so interesting! When I saw it on Ebay, I thought the letters might have been ADN for Aden (which was under the same system - British India - in those days). Can I take it that from the 'original' you have it is definately BOM? Iqbal Veerji, I have seen several photos of black on white (commercial) plates from the 1939 series all taken in Calcutta in the early to late 1940s, all on buses and taxis and with registrations BLP xxxx, BLS xxxx and BLT xxxx. It was some small series for 'public transport' I believe. Maybe there were BLQ and BLR also - who knows? Does anyone know anything more about it? The attached is a photo I found on Team-BHP somewhere of one of them. Team-BHP is so great for old plates! Thanks to everyone for posting. Sunilgee, Lovely old photos of your family cars! Is there any chance I could get to see them with their reg. numbers as I am doing research on the old numbers in India? I can guarantee they won't be used anywhere - only for research. Cheers all Cedric sabinesnubbing@hotmail.com Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

18th June 2009, 10:38	#408
harit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,033 Thanked: 3,281 Times	Attached is a photo recently aquired. A good look and a few deductions ala Sherlok Car is a Ford A, chewed out and really well used in the country side like a jeep. Headlights altered because no longer available and they wer for using, not decoration. This may be a post independance picture, one person is wearing glares. Setting is in the country side, I dare say that this Ford was being used off road like a jeep. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

18th June 2009, 20:21	#413
911987 BHPian Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 138 Thanked: 32 Times	Gateway of India with the Yacht Club in the background?
	() Thanks

18th June 2009, 21:03	#414
SirAlec Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: zxc Posts: 3,393 Thanked: 726 Times	Is that dude taking a piss beside the BLS 397.
	() Thanks

21st June 2009, 13:31	#416
harit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,033 Thanked: 3,281 Times	Please see prewarcar.com and identify the Baroda car in the nostalgic pic. Use magnification and other tools. Cheers harit
	() Thanks

21st June 2009, 16:14	#418
wasif Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Abu Dhabi (for now) Posts: 2,957 Thanked: 414 Times	Looks more like a Buick to me
	() Thanks