[V-16]

Originally Posted by harit

Here is another filmy family picture, can anyone identify the hero, villian, joker?

Cheers harit

The man with the brief case is Satyen Kapu and the gentleman he is talking to is Utpal Dutt. The others i cannot recognize.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Alvis

Well to be part of the flavour of the month, here are me and my mom, taken I guess in June 1955.

Wow lovely. that looks like a Packard. Do you still have this car in your family ?

[DKG]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Wow lovely. that looks like a Packard. Do you still have this car in your family ?

That looks like two cars parked together ! The one to the right as you say looks like a Packard and the one to the left looks a smaller car and not a Packard.

[harit]

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Wow lovely. that looks like a Packard. Do you still have this car in your family ?

Originally Posted by DKG

That looks like two cars parked together ! The one to the right as you say looks like a Packard and the one to the left looks a smaller car and not a Packard.

I believe that the car pictured is a 1937/38 Buick tourer, maybe even a Roadmaster. Alvis has posted other pictures of that car before.

Cheers harit

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Alvis

Just managed to get these scanned from a huge bundle of old family photographs which I keep on promising to organise.

The first photograph is my grandfathers 1937/8 Buick Special Convertible. Thios was the ultra rare model with no boot. Photographed in Peshawar around 1944/45. He had the car from new, and it was part of my mothers "jahez" when she got married in 1954. My father kept it for another six years and then sold it in 1960. Never knew what happened to it.
It was used extensively on the Peshawar - New Delhi, and Rawalpindi -Srinager route covering the run about four to five times a year. Never broke down or disgraced itself.

The second photopraph was taken in what used to be the Punjab Club, in Lahore in 1947 January, just before the partition of India.

Originally Posted by Alvis

Karl,

I think it was a Series 80, as far as I know you could not get sidemounts with the 40 series. Externally the 80 series had additional chrome strips on the rear fender and chip guards on the doors. Very minor differences to front fender also. I am straining memory of articles read many moons ago so any further information or correction from any source will be welcome.

Also I have been told that this was the only Buick convertible in what was then western India. It also had the honour of being used by Mr Jinnah during his visit to the Frontier province during 1946, and it transported him all the way to the then India-Afgan border at Torkham and back to Peshawar.
The Nawab of Dir still have a hardtop 40 series from 1938, plus one other 1938 40 series hardtop has come out of the Bahawalpur state auctions. This car is for sale in Karachi.

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Well you mentioned Special and that picture was the closest match. Would this be closer? She is a Roadmaster though, and the only 80 series bootless convertible in the line up I have. Or perhaps yours was special order. Note that this is the 38 lineup, I couldn't find a close match in the 37 lineup.

Originally Posted by DKG

That looks like two cars parked together ! The one to the right as you say looks like a Packard and the one to the left looks a smaller car and not a Packard.

Originally Posted by harit

I believe that the car pictured is a 1937/38 Buick tourer, maybe even a Roadmaster. Alvis has posted other pictures of that car before.

Cheers harit

Sir ,

Thank you for clarifying & correcting this. It is a Roadmaster Series 80 What made me think that it is a packard was the front Grill and also the shape of the right side rear fendor. The thing that was confuseing me was the chrome strip running along the side of the bosy on the upper portion. But then it was just a side view and the pic wasn't really clear.

Here are those pics -

[DKG]

Thanks for clarifying Harit. That's an unusually long bonnet (as the picture is not clear it led me to feel its two cars!! )

[Alvis]

Dear All,

Apologies for the late response, and thanks to IndrojitSircar and harit for the timely and prompt response.

Sadly this Buick was sold off to some family friends by my father in 1960 and though I tried very hard to track it down in the 80's but was always left at a dead end.

When it passed on in my mothers "Jahez" in 1954 it was replaced by the Bentley R type. My grandfather always told me that the build quality on the Buick was better than on the Bentley. I find that very very hard to believe but then you do develop a soft spot for a car which you have owned for 17 years from new!

[harit]

Originally Posted by Alvis

Dear All,........My grandfather always told me that the build quality on the Buick was better than on the Bentley. I find that very very hard to believe but then you do develop a soft spot for a car which you have owned for 17 years from new!

Why do you feel that your grandfather was wrong? American cars were well built, strong, the Bentley would at least have had an aluminium head which you would be replacing by now if you still had the car. As far as restorations go, American cars are easier and cheaaper to restore.

Cheers harit

[harit]

Something for the Fiat enthusiasts.
This picture is dated 17.12.56.
Shows the interior of what should have been a brand new Fiat at that time. Just look at the horn button, it says "FIAT". Good reference for those who are restoring.
Picture taken at the race course, the stands can be seen in the background.
Hope it is liked. No idea who the person is, he is not family
There is one more picture of same position but showing the persons face from the front, in case anyone thinks that he may know this person.

Cheers harit

[SuperSelect]

Originally Posted by harit

Something for the Fiat enthusiasts.
This picture is dated 17.12.56.
Cheers harit

Neat snap !
Guys, check out the position of the inner door lock - something I've always wondered - why is this in standing position (12 o'clock) in the '56 models, while most later Fiats seem to have it in sleeping position (3 o'clock).
Can someone throw light please ?

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Neat snap !
Guys, check out the position of the inner door lock - something I've always wondered - why is this in standing position (12 o'clock) in the '56 models, while most later Fiats seem to have it in sleeping position (3 o'clock).
Can someone throw light please ?

Also Also look at the Inside rear view mirror?? the Gear knob and the Stalk on the combination switch?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by harit

Something for the Fiat enthusiasts.
This picture is dated 17.12.56.

This model was introduced in around 54, and available till mid 56. It is a stellar picture, and so clear. Wish there were more from the set. We see many new details with a guaratee of accuracy. For example the few screws in the door pads. I have seen one car with original door pads with identically placed and sized screws, I always thought they would be added later. I have seen a couple of cars with such dash switches (most others have a different design), I was not sure if they were original, now confirmed. The cloth wrapped door beadings are also confirmed. I'm surprised to see the oval head on the ignition key, I have seen only 2 originals, both had a trapezoidal head. Ovals were original from 57 onwards for sure. So obviously there was more than one design, as in many other cases too.
The rear view mirror is original, an early example without the light. Finally the colour of the steering wheel and meter surrounds seems to be a tad darker than the cream ones we have seen, must be the brown colour I have seen on home market cars.

Originally Posted by SuperSelect

Neat snap !
Guys, check out the position of the inner door lock - something I've always wondered - why is this in standing position (12 o'clock) in the '56 models, while most later Fiats seem to have it in sleeping position (3 o'clock).

Well caught. Possibly in these earlier cars they were offered like this, as that is how they are illustrated in the manual. I think it looks silly, I prefer the conventional position.

Originally Posted by manishalive

Also Also look at the Inside rear view mirror?? the Gear knob and the Stalk on the combination switch?

The gear knob is original, I have seen a couple in the past. But, like many other things, most probably 2 or 3 designs may have been originally offered as time passed. The light control stalk seems to have a protective soft over or someting over the headlight lever, as the indicator lever has the conventional design.

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Well caught. Possibly in these earlier cars they were offered like this, as that is how they are illustrated in the manual. I think it looks silly, I prefer the conventional position.

Karlos,

Its not as silly as it looks.

This car has a so called "suicide door". So in the conventional position, the pointed end of the handle would have been pointed towrds the rear. This acted like a Clothes peg and had a tendency to tear ones clothes. Especilly the "coat like shirt" with two lower pockets, which many drivers wore in 1950s and early 1960s. This happens when the driver tries to get out of the car in a hurry or in confined parking where to doors can not be opened sufficiently

So many of them resorted to the practice of putting the handle in the vertical position. Facing forward would be cumbersome with the steering etc. Pointing it down could mean that the drive can accidently injure his thighs.

All this had been explained to me in early 1960s by a very nice "driver uncle" who was patient enough to answer the continuous barrage of auto related questions of a 5 yaer old. May be true or a story. But it has some logic in it.

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

[SuperSelect]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

This car has a so called "suicide door". So in the conventional position, the pointed end of the handle would have been pointed towrds the rear. This acted like a Clothes peg and had a tendency to tear ones clothes.

Hey that's a very nice explanation - spot on.. Never thought of it.
Thanks Ram !

[manishalive]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

For example the few screws in the door pads. I have seen one car with original door pads with identically placed and sized screws, I always thought they would be added later.

If we can have picture of the car you speak of, .

The cloth wrapped door beadings are also confirmed.

Do you mean the beadin on door apertures, I too had the same cloth one on my car.

I have seen a couple of cars with such dash switches (most others have a different design), I was not sure if they were original, now confirmed.

Do you mean the switch between the ignition key and meter? or Do you mean the pull knobs.

The gear knob is original, I have seen a couple in the past. But, like many other things, most probably 2 or 3 designs may have been originally offered as time passed.

Strangely (or is it looking only to me) the color of steering wheel, the gear knob and the indicator stalk is all different.