Team-BHP - Pics: Vintage & Classic cars in India

From the looks of the cranky boy in the pictures (who hated being in the pictures as part of the car was covered), these were taken atleast 15 years back in Hyderabad.:)

There were at least a dozen cars lined up in a row, rented out for weddings and such. All were chop top, and I assume dieselised too. I wonder if any of them survive. They almost look decent enough!

Another rarity from Harit's archives. I do hope its still around and intact, it looks remarkably good in this photo.

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This was a water tender belonging to the turf club in Mumbai. It was of around 1929. This pic was taken at a vintage car exhibition where they had displayed this. It was complete and working. These Fiat trucks were extremely common in India, I have an old picture taken in the Mumbai commercial areas where about 15 of almost only these trucks are to be seen. I will show you when we meet. But this was a rare survivor. One fine day the RWITC decided to sell this and put an advertisement. This was around 1980. All the Chor Bazar and scrap guys must have quoted and if I remember rightly the highest bid was around 30K. I wish it had gone there because then I could have at least bought a hub cap. Its fate was worse. The RWITC generously decided to donate this truck to VCCCI. At that time Pranlal was the active chairman of VCCCI and it was given to them. Today, I believe the truck is barely around if at all, having been neglected and fallen to pieces. How irresposible! I hope that this truck has been saved and would like to hear from someone the latest. At around the same time VCCCI received a gift of an early balck Dodge Brothers tourer. This was lying in Pune in 3, Napier Road along with a Austin 7 sedan. It belonged to A Poonwalla family, not THE. They advertised it for sale, expected more than 1.25L again around 1980 and when no facy offer (for that time) came generously donated to VCCCI. I heard that this has also fallen to bits.
Hope you like.

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Originally Posted by karlosdeville (Post 898606)

Wow, karl, you lucky devil you!! :D :jealous:

And to think, I never got to take pics. with them even though they were right here in my city!!! :sob:

You sure have understanding parents! This was opp. Nizam college at Abids, if I'm not mistaken?

They used to have loads of old chevys and heralds lined up there for hire on weddings. They still do have an early 60s chevy and recently acquired Austin Cambridge A60 among their fleet, rest of them all being contessas now!
The last yank car I saw was this '59 Bel-air in 2005:

Superb pictures! Enjoyed the old ones very much. Interesting how the U.S. imported 1950's models, like the '57 or 58' Dodge, by taking the less expensive body of the Plymouth and putting a Dodge grill and emblems on it, then selling them as the higher priced Dodges. This one may have been constructed in Canada as we saw Chrysler corp, General Motors corp, and Ford all doing the same thing; Pontiacs were Chevrolets, Mercurys were Fords. By the way, the Buick convertible is a 1939 model 40 or 50.

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Originally Posted by speedy (Post 949725)

the fiat truck and the dodge brothers are in bad shape in Mr.Dossa's collection now.

Are they in his personal collection or part of the VCCCI as they were donated to the organisation right?

Here is a rare Chrysler Airflow that used to belong to Dossa at one point.

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Originally Posted by Stanher (Post 954365)

Karl, isnt the olds in the background the popular "kissing car" used in Munnabhai-2?

Also manvendra singh had compiled an article in an auto mag. once about an identical car (inc. the same colour) that he had owned.

Yup, its the same Olds, and I HATE that name.

There are 2 Air Flows that I know existing, one is this and the other is Bhogilal's psychadelic example.

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Originally Posted by karlosdeville (Post 954331)

Are they in his personal collection or part of the VCCCI as they were donated to the organisation right?

Here is a rare Chrysler Airflow that used to belong to Dossa at one point.

they are in his personal collection right now as there was no one to ask him, or take stock for the cars donated to the organisation. the cars are in bad shape none the less.

this Chrysler Airflow was standing with us for years till she got picked up by R. bhai. we did not take her as the price quoted was high.

here is a picture of Mr.Bhogilals airflow. Psycadelic???

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Originally Posted by speedy (Post 954563)

they are in his personal collection right now as there was no one to ask him, or take stock for the cars donated to the organisation. the cars are in bad shape none the less.

here is a picture of Mr.Bhogilals airflow. Psycadelic???

That's really sad if the cars have been taken away for a personal collection. Even sadder since they have apparently fallen apart.

Here is why I call the Chrysler psychadelic. Your picture is a little old!:)

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Originally Posted by karlosdeville (Post 954682)

This car is popularly called as "Tootyfruity" car based on the variety of colours the car has.

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Originally Posted by 67Bug (Post 954784)

This car is popularly called as "Tootyfruity" car based on the variety of colours the car has.

Strangely enough Im sure the car was given this name earlier itself. Even in its earlier more sober colour scheme the name plate is visible. Unless the name too was changed along with the colour. I can stand neither the name nor the paint!