[Julian UK]

Travencore has kindly provided a better photo of the Delhi Railway Museum's 1914 Morris Belsize (ex-Nizam of Hyderabad's) fire engine, I am just sorry that the interest level of indigenous enthusiasts has necessitated others abroad to provide images of an obviously valued historic National treasure which doubtlessly saved many Indian lives in its fire fighting career.... Those in India with more photos of this significant vehicle or any other Veteran/Edwardian vehicles please do add your photos, your contributions will be appreciated by many...
I'm not too sure about the custom paint job but its still a magnificent vehicle....

[karlosdeville]

Here are a couple from my side I had taken from an Orkut profile some time back.

Plus theres the remains of one in Baroda.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/705420-post892.html

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

the Delhi Railway Museum's 1914 Morris Belsize (ex-Nizam of Hyderabad's) fire engine

This very engine was on display at a recent rally held by the Railways in Hyderabad and it was such a delight to see her fire up and actually drive on roads.

[Prabal]

Not the best of scans, but a few more angles nonetheless. All are at various Statesman rallies.

The first one shows the Belsize backing up, at Modern School, Barakhamba Road, in early 2000, if I remember right.

The second one at Surajkund, probably in 1994, shows how John Morris' fire-fighter also kills mosquitoes!

The third gives a closer (could be much closer still!) look at the solid tyre. The only other one existing, as believed, is a 1912 model at the Enfield and District Veteran Vehicle Trust, London and long converted to run on pneumatic tyres. So this one is more genuine, even on the pain-quotient!!!

The last pic, in the late 90s, was at Malibu Towne, from where the younger vehicles would proceed up the hill to Sohna, braving stone-pelters and monogramme-breakers in the process! The Rajputana Rifles band is in attendance in the frame as well.

OT maybe, but of interest especially for those not from Delhi and the yet-to-visit, the National Rail Museum other than all the interesting displays for the railheads, also has a very interesting Dodge Bros truck converted to run on rail tracks as a loco (no psychiatric allusions here,), steering wheel and all intact.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Here are two beautiful photographs of a 1913ish Darracq which, once restored by the late Rashid mechanic of Delhi, (engine reconditioned by Fine Auto Boring, Kotla Murbarakpur Market, New Delhi) completed several Delhi Statesman rallies in the late 90s. Someone please post better photos, the car was a open tourer and a maroon colour. It resides in a Delhi collection.

The body is in the background, (the car's body I mean.....)

Attachment 25045


Attachment 25046
Unfortunately, despite the massive evidence of camera flashes during the rallies in Delhi in the 80s and 90s at the time, there seems to be a total absence of available photographs of many cars that were present in these rallies. Can anyone help? Ask your friends and relatives? There must be rally photographs around. Those photographers used to take pictures of every car and try and sell them to you at the end of the rally each year. Some must still be around.

Ca va, monsieur? Darracq went to Rootes, right? So, will these do? BTW, regarding the pics, nobody sold them to me, and I to none either!

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Prabal

Ca va, monsieur? Darracq went to Rootes, right? So, will these do? BTW, regarding the pics, nobody sold them to me, and I to none either!

Great Prabal, Im glad you are warming up the scanner. I know you have plenty more, I look forward to more and more contributions from you.

[Julian UK]

Thanks Prabal for coming up with the Darracq photos. Do you have any of a white Standard Coventry of a similar year? Or the green 1905 Rover 6hp?

[Ceylon]

Does anyone have any further information on the following cars mentioned in an article on an ex-India, Gorden Bennett racer by Manvendra Singh Barwani?

"Apart from a few early Model T fords, there were early Fiats (one from 1909), a 1919 buick, a very early dodge brothers, a 1914 Berliet deluxe tourer, a 1910 De dion Buton seven passenger tourer, and one of the first examples of the Steyr Type I tourer....."

The full article can be found @
In search of a lost Star - Lost and found 1905 Star Racing

[Julian UK]

Sorry Ceylon I can't help. I hope someone can....

I think these two vehicles belong in this thread. Both in safe in Delhi.
A 1903 Riley Forecar and a 1880ish Singer Challenge No 1 tricycle.

[Prabal]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Thanks Prabal for coming up with the Darracq photos. Do you have any of a white Standard Coventry of a similar year? Or the green 1905 Rover 6hp?

Julian, I should have the pics somewhere; would need some time to look up though. Shifting 10 houses in 20 years doesn't do much for good storage!

[Julian UK]

I hope you can find them as they will be of considerable interest. There is a major shortage of available photos of many cars that appeared in those 80s/90s rallies despite the profusion of camera flashes at the time.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Julian UK

Here is the picture of the early Daimler transaxle somewhere in UP, there is not much left of the car, I think there is a chassis, I will be getting another photo of whats left soon. I know the large Daimlers were chain drive and poppet valve until 1908 then they switched to bevel final drive and sleeve valves until 1912 then they used worm drive. This I think is a small hp car and maybe between 1908 and 1912.

Incidentally I met the owner of the car, and he seems to think the car is much earlier, around 1904/5 going by the numbers. This is what he had to say

The Daimler story is long, but briefly this chassis is now with me after travelling to Calcutta.
The previous owner had done some R&D. There is correspondence that a 1905 Daimler exists which has a serial number later than this. So we can deduce 1904/05, this makes a difference only in UK because of the Brighton run.
This chassis is in bad condition but we want to restore it. So far the steering wheel has been made, one wheel has been successfully made and the three remaining are under fabrication. I got 2 tyres and will get 2 more soon. We also got the Magnetto, a Bosch unit purchased in America. Next we will make the gearbox cover. After that the steering and brake system will be tackled.

[Julian UK]

Lovely update Karl, I think I'm waiting on the same photo..
Somehow, I think it might take just a tiny bit more than a gearbox cover to get this transaxle to function again, not to mention the engine..we're talking lakhs.. its slightly beyond WD40 and I bet the chassis will fall apart on the first speed bump.

Tell me its a different car which will mean there's 2
Your photo looks like its got some sort of cover.
Er..This is a "transaxle" not a "gearbox".

[Julian UK]

This car looks like it may be a 4 cylinder with separate blocks of 2 cylinders and it has poppet valves (and maybe an exposed camshaft 04 on) and a flitch plate chassis (upto 06/07 though no sign of the wood maybe rotted away). So it may well be as early as he says. But has it got 1 or 2 gear levers? One is visible... It would be interesting to know the numbers. He should consult Daimler specialists in the club in UK or the VCC . They would be interested to help though you have to pay for a VCC dating certificate and provide quite a few photographs.
Here’s what I managed to extract from the Daimler Century
1904
poppet valves, chain drive, first fluted radiator.
7hp 1773cc light car, vertical twin engine
18/22hp
16/20hp 3300cc
28/36hp 5700cc finned top tank, exposed camshaft, and engine in a sub frame within a flitch plate/wooden chassis frame. Push pedals replace “organ” pedals
1905/06
Poppet valves chain drive
“TH” = 6ft 6in wheelbase
“TJ”= 7ft 6in wheelbase.
9 different chassis available .
28/36hp 6787cc
30/40hp 7247cc
35/45hp 8462cc Lord Montague customer
35/50hp 10500cc King Edward VII customer (owned many Daimlers)
4cyl first monobloc.(prior to this 2 separate 2 cylinder blocks) First model with pressed steel chassis, Roller bearing crankshaft, combined throttle/adv/ret lever on steering wheel. 3 speed First year of single gear lever (previously 2 levers, one for reverse). Push pedals
1907
17/21hp 4 speed first shaft drive car 25 built
De Luca Daimlers (Italian built under licence)
16/24hp 3308cc Shaft drive, pressed steel channel chassis.

Chain drive up to 1908, Sleeve valves 1909 onwards.

[karlosdeville]

Here is the radiator grille of the Daimler (nope, not to be fitted on the Morris). Does this give us any more clues?