[Steve Stuckey]

Julian, I assume that 3AZ47 went to Hooper & Co 'for the chop' (1950s) and then straight back to India. Perhaps it was the second owner who arranged this?
Re the PII/PIII book, there are no plans for a second edition (unfortunately), but I am looking at the possibility of a publisher for a big PIII book.
And, for 3AZ178 - wait just 24 hours!
DKG - which Darbhanga car are you referring to (owned by Mr Sanghi)? - I assume you mean the Thrupp & Maberly landaulette, 3BU50

[Julian UK]

Originally Posted by DKG

Ha! that's relatively speaking Sir Julian. To me it looks ugly pre and post chop.

The PIII that looked impressive was the Darbhanga car now with Mr. Sanghi. To me it looked more impressive than even the Baroda car also in his collection. Does anyone have side profile pictures of the Darbhanga PIII?

Nawab Ji I only said better....... it is a bit too formal don't you think?
I only have this photo of
3BU50 - Thrupp & Maberly landaulette, Darbhanga
Has anyone got anything clearer?



Does anyone possessing photos from Mr Pranlal Bhogilal's wonderful collection at Autoworld have any other photos of this PIII from different angles?


Photos courtesy of Park Ward.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Steve Stuckey

DKG - which Darbhanga car are you referring to (owned by Mr Sanghi)? - I assume you mean the Thrupp & Maberly landaulette, 3BU50

Yes Steve the black one in Mr. Sanghi's collection. When you are standing in a garage with half a dozen stunning RR's its a bit difficult to focus on details. I honestly didn't notice it was a landaulette. Which end of the top opens? the front or the rear? Do excuse my ignorance. It was an imposing beast all the same and I was awestruck by the fabulous condition of the grill chrome. The car is in such original condition it would be a restorer's delight to refinish it. The car remains in its original paint albeit chipped badly with the aluminium exposed.

BTW May I request we take each of the cars you listed and post details of each with pictures and full history/special features. It would make a fantastic record. Later perhaps we could similarly document the other RR's?

Originally Posted by Julian UK

I only have this photo of
3BU50 - Thrupp & Maberly landaulette, Darbhanga
Has anyone got anything clearer?

Julian I did have a front end shot but seem to have lost the picture. I still don't remember why but the Darbhanga car looked so much nicer than the Baroda PIII Perhaps its the sidemounts?

PS Karl some 30 odd years ago I had seen a dark blue PIII at a petrol bunk in Pune. It was a saloon. Are you aware of any other surviving PIII's in Pune apart from the Poonawala choptop (hope this is not the car that suffered the saw)

I remember seeing a silver PIII at Mr. Bhogilal's residence. If I recall correctly it was a Town Car (landaulette?), How many PIII does he have?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by DKG

PS Karl some 30 odd years ago I had seen a dark blue PIII at a petrol bunk in Pune. It was a saloon. Are you aware of any other surviving PIII's in Pune apart from the Poonawala choptop (hope this is not the car that suffered the saw)

As far as I know the Poonawala chop top car came to Pune after he purchased it from Calcutta or something like that. Regarding another PIII in Pune 30 years back, Im afraid I wasnt around back then. Haven't heard of it either.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

As far as I know the Poonawala chop top car came to Pune after he purchased it from Calcutta or something like that. Regarding another PIII in Pune 30 years back, Im afraid I wasnt around back then. Haven't heard of it either.

Ah I'm sure you'll reach further back in time should you desire to research. The car was stationed at the pump. Not sure if it belonged to the pump owner or parked there for sale or just parked there. Do please find out if possible if the car remains in Pune?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by DKG

Ah I'm sure you'll reach further back in time should you desire to research. The car was stationed at the pump. Not sure if it belonged to the pump owner or parked there for sale or just parked there. Do please find out if possible if the car remains in Pune?

Would you remember approximately where this pump was? Ive noticed that over the years pumps too have either dissapeared or sprung up relatively recently.

[travancore]

Originally Posted by DKG

I remember seeing a silver PIII at Mr. Bhogilal's residence. If I recall correctly it was a Town Car (landaulette?), How many PIII does he have?

I believe the Silver (originally black ?) PIII with Mr. Bhogilal is 3BU82 ex- Maharani of Nabha Sedanca de Ville. There is a picture in this thread (Post 96 by Karlos)

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Would you remember approximately where this pump was? Ive noticed that over the years pumps too have either dissapeared or sprung up relatively recently.

Not that familiar with Pune, perhaps some of the oldies you know would remember seeing the car? It was on one of our drives to Bombay and back that we saw this as we passed through Pune. To your knowledge is the Poonawala car the only PIII remaining in Pune?

Originally Posted by travancore

I believe the Silver (originally black ?) PIII with Mr. Bhogilal is 3BU82 ex- Maharani of Nabha Sedanca de Ville. There is a picture in this thread (Post 96 by Karlos)

Thanks. Would you know of other PIII's in his collection?

[karlosdeville]

DKG, I did some asking around and someone does recall the PIII at the pump in Pune, he claims its alive and accounted for in Bombay. Expect more concrete details shortly.

[Steve Stuckey]

3AZ178 was the second Phantom III sent to India. The chassis left the factory on 14 September 1936, fitted with engine H34S. It had been set up for use in the UK for town work and touring. The chassis was ordered by the coachbuilder Barker and Co., and was sent to them on 18 September.
Barker built a 7-passenger limousine on the chassis (body no. 7137); it was finished in dark green and black, and had black painted headlamps.
The chassis had been ordered from Barker by Arthur Joseph Coppinger (1856 - 9 November 1939) of 57 Eaton Place, London SW1. He was a wealthy businessman and had already owned Phantom I 15LC, and Phantom IIs 53XJ and 107SK. 3AZ178 was completed on 21 November 1936.
Coppinger sold the car within a year, and in 1937 the chassis was owned by the Maharaja of Darbhanga (who had ordered 3BU50 in 1935 and got it in 1937). The chassis was sent to Thrupp & Maberly, who built a drophead coupe body on the chassis, with a fully disappearing hood. The car cost 30,000 rupees (2270 pounds) and was sent to India in February 1938.
In September 1968 the car arrived back in England, in a fairly bad state. It was bought by Hugh Boucher of Kent, who had it restored by coachbuilder James Young, including re painting, new upholstery and a new hood. The car was registered CS2.
By January 2000 the car was in the USA, where it was for sale for $750,000. By 2006 it was with a new owner in the state of New Hampshire.

The photo of the car with its Barker body is care of Martin Cannell in England, and the second photo is from the 1970s, sent to me by Mr Boucher in 1992.

[karlosdeville]

Regarding the PIII DKG saw at a pump in Pune, here is what Harit has to say.

The last 4 to 5 post of this thread are interesting. Pranlal has 2 PIII, another is a dark blue limo.
Indore has 4 of them. One is this PIII which DKG saw on the pump in Pune. Perhaps he got the colour wrong, my memory said maroon but I may be wrong. That was in around 1980.
This belonged to a brewery owner, not THE one, then it came to Bombay with his other Rolls. There was a bank auction, a fiasco took place and the bidder did not get the cars as the owner made a deal with another collector. He shifted the cars around as he settled abroad, at one time they were even lying in Chennai! Nobody remembers that over there
These cars were ultimately shifted to Indore and subsequently ownership also changed. In this lot there 4 RR's.

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Steve Stuckey

in 1937 the chassis was owned by the Maharaja of Darbhanga (who had ordered 3BU50 in 1935 and got it in 1937)

Steve cannot thank you enough for so clearly listing out the history of 3AZ178. This is just what we need more of to educate all who visit this site. This is fantastic. With pictures this makes for such wonderful reading. Thanks once again.

Its interesting that more often than not some of these Maharajahs were buying cars used and upgrading them. Surely HH Darbhanga could have ordered a new chassis and had the coupe built? The Duesenberg coupe in Hyderabad was also acquired used.

Seeing what 3AZ178 went through I think its just so obvious that so much of the aura that surrounds RR's owes its credit to the coachbuilders. But for these ingenious designers RR at best would have dished out dowdy looking top hat saloons for boring old gentlemen

That coupe is stunning. Wow

BTW This car looks so much in profile like the Gurney Nutting four door 25/30's like BRG1 etc. Possibly the coachbuilder was asked to copy the Gurney shape in coupe guise? Darbhanga owned the 25/30. So many of the design elements are similar to the smaller RR, the fenders, even the way the fender front meets ahead of the grill

The Jodhpur Windovers Continental is similar too. Wonder who was inspired by whom

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Regarding the PIII DKG saw at a pump in Pune, here is what Harit has to say.

Thanks for clearing that up. Its wonderful that Harit is now aware of this site albeit participating through proxy. May I urge him to join in as he obviously has loads to share! He has some stunning Packards.

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by DKG

Thanks for clearing that up. Its wonderful that Harit is now aware of this site albeit participating through proxy. May I urge him to join in as he obviously has loads to share! He has some stunning Packards.

We have more and more knowledgable enthusiasts joining in day by day. May their tribe increase. Harit is keenly following the going-ons, just still getting a feel of what these forums are like. I expect him to start posting himself soon as well, though in the mean time Im more than happy to be a go between.

Harit are you listening?

[DKG]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

We have more and more knowledgable enthusiasts joining in day by day. May their tribe increase.

I've tried on several occasions to get Manvendra bhai to contribute too but understandably he is working on his next book and it makes sense to not "print" his extensive knowledge and research here. But he as always graciously offers to clear up any puzzles should his expertise be required.

[V-16]

Attached is the pic of a Rolls Royce in India taken probably in the early 1970's, still languishing in the countryside somewhere.
It is confirmed that the car is still alive as I am told by a very reliable but tight lipped source, that this car still exists. Where, he would not say, though in what condition it would be in today, would be interesting.
There Body seems to be modified.Can anyone identify the year and type of Rolls this is or where this car is today? Any info would be welcome.


Welcome Harit.
Great to hear that Harit is now going to be active on the forum Karl. (how active, remains to be seen) It was good of him to attend the meet.
Its collectors like him and others who should be taking active part in threads such as these to share the wealth of knowledge they possess.
One will truly learn from such welcome inclusions to the Team-Bhp family.