[karlosdeville]

An electric scooter named Bharti, supposedly 1970, to be confirmed. I haven't come across any other material so far.

[karlosdeville]

A SAL - Sunku Auto Limited - three wheeler

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Maruti Protoype
The biggest success story was of course the Maruti project - here is some insight into the origins, thankfully shared here. For further reading again I highly recommend Gautam Sen's book.
Attachment 1779008
Attachment 1779009
Attachment 1779010

A December 1975 article on the car, announcing production is underway. Wonder how many were actually built.

[karlosdeville]

Here is a real rarity - another 'Swadeshi' project, but this time from Delhi. This image dates to around 1937. The name seems to be 'GIM' which might be Great Indian Motors? As we can see '... Indian Motors' on the back.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

SAIL/Sipani
I believe that Sunrise Automobiles (SAIL) made the fibreglass 3 wheeler Badal in Bangalore, and then sold to Sipani. Engine was a 150/200cc Lambretta rickshaw engine? Subsequent models were the Dolphin (based on the Reliant Kitten) and Montana (4 door version) and Mondata D1 (diesel version). I do not know much about these products, they were probably more popular in the South. Over to the experts to shed more light.

Sipani Montana
Attachment 1773919
Attachment 1773922
Attachment 1773923

An ad for the Sipani Montana, offering both petrol and diesel engines

[karlosdeville]

Here's a new one, a Jeep 'convertible limousine' built by Lawly Sen & Co, Patna in 1966. Both bumpers seem to be the rear unit from an Ambassador, as also the wheels perhaps.


The car was used by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during her visit to the state, and post which the car was presented to her as an aid towards the Jawan Welfare fund.


Wonder what became of it.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

While going through this (Walk with History)thread I realised we missed an imported one - the small 3 wheeler built by Sona
Attachment 1858094

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Here are more photos of the car - can any one shed more light on the project please?

Here we see the same car with two different front grilles and colours. One grille is taken from a Fiat Delight. Headlights perhaps from a Vicky moped?
Attachment 2040848

Engine seems to have been Rajdoot.
Attachment 2040849

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

1960 Raghavaiah Electric

Attachment 1767990
We saw this car here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mrscharroo/7630374948/

Another mention of the Sona car, along with a more clear image of the Raghaviah electric car. It has the script 'Silent Rider' across the front.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

A December 1975 article on the car, announcing production is underway. Wonder how many were actually built.
Attachment 2318848

A rare shot of a bunch of Maruti prototypes seen here

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...oto/1318880721

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

The Bond motorcycle?

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

The BSA Bond - yes, I forgot about that. Was it a wholly Indian creation? Or built under license?

Here are another two obscure names, and to be honest I have heard of neither of them before - the Mascot MG and Spitfire, both bikes from Brooke Bond India Ltd's Automotive division. I can't seem to even google these machines. Can anyone tell us more?

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Here are another two obscure names, and to be honest I have heard of neither of them before - the Mascot MG and Spitfire, both bikes from Brooke Bond India Ltd's Automotive division. I can't seem to even google these machines. Can anyone tell us more?

To the best of my knowledge, these were license produced and did not succeed in the market.

More info: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...sa-falcon.html (BSA falcon)

[karlosdeville]

Here is another new one for me



Who remembers the Flash 330 Motorcycle? This ad dates to 1987.

[karlosdeville]

Another important one I forgot - the Sooraj motorcycle, a diesel engined Enfield Bullet design. Here are some leaflets with details. Does anyone know the timelines?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Another important one I forgot - the Sooraj motorcycle

We used to have one of these at home, sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990s. My dad never rode it, even though he rode the KB-4S for another 25 years. It was too damn heavy, took special effort to get it started and god-awful NVH (imagine share auto engine in a bullet).

The gears were on the right side.

I vaguely remember it being a red shade 1988 model, had a TN-xx style license plate. Enfield also sold diesel Bullets around the same timeframe.

[directinjection]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Another important one I forgot - the Sooraj motorcycle, a diesel engined Enfield Bullet design. Here are some leaflets with details. Does anyone know the timelines?

Sooraj belonged to the 1980s era. It used to be advertised regularly in "The Tribune", a north Indian newspaper published from Chandigarh. Its ad always appeared at a prominent place on page one of the paper. The bike came with a self-starter, the only Indian made two-wheeler with that feature in those days. However, I rarely saw it on the road. I once saw it in the countryside in Haryana.

[karlosdeville]

Another Sooraj product, this is one I haven't seen before, a diesel rickshaw branded Sitara.