[vinay kamath]

" Ranjitsinhji's vintage Rolls-Royce to go on sale tomorrow "

A rare 1933 Rolls-Royce that once belonged to Ranjitsinhji, ruler of Nawanagar, will go on sale on June 20 in England. It's expected to fetch nearly $137,000.

As far as Rolls-Royces go, that's a veritable bargain. At a Bonhams sale in 2007, a 1904 Roll-Royce twoseat contraption fetched $7.25 million. And at a Sotheby's sale in 1993 a 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost took $1.7 million. (It's also, for that matter, a lot cheaper than any Phantom, Ghost, or Wraith you could buy today.) The owner intends to drive it to the auction.

Executives at H&H Classics, which is hosting the auction, said the topselling Rolls they have sold is a $190,000 Phantom II Continental that went in 2013. Rolls-Royces always do well on the auction block, says Damian Jones, sales director at H&H.

"Phantom IIs were expensive cars when new and were owned by the great, the good, and the seriously wealthy," Jones says. "Some bidders in June 20 will be drawn to the car's history, while others will appreciate its form.

Value also derives from this car's origin: Ranjitsinhji, after whom the Ranji Trophy is named, commissioned the car in 1932. Unfortunately, he died before he ever drove the thing. After his death, Rolls sold the car to Amy Davies, heiress to the Tate & Lyle sugar fortune. Davies then gave it to her daughter, arts patron and Noel Coward confidante Elsie Partington, to lift her spirits after a divorce.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/47730316.cms

[vinay kamath]

Jun 17 2015 : The Economic Times (Bangalore)

" Vintage Delight: City to House History on Four-wheels "

Divya Shekhar
Bengaluru:


PASSION'S FRUIT India's largest vintage car museum taking shape in namma city, ground-breaking ceremony in July.

Karnataka has an umbilical connect with vintage automobiles. Not only was the erstwhile Mysuru Maharaja Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV the first Indian prince to own a Rolls Royce, he was also famous for ordering it in batches of seven, thus coining the term `Doing a Mysore'. Bengalureans' affinity to these classic beauties is evident in the turnouts at car rallies and auto shows. A vintage car museum in the city, therefore, only seems like a logical progression.

The foundation stone for an auto history museum is being laid in Bengaluru end of July . The brainchild of Dr Ravi Prakash, a cardiothoracic surgeon-turned national racing champion and prolific car collector, the museum “will aim to create a sense of nostalgia about India's rich automobile history while telling people about personal histories associated with each vehicle“.

Though not the first of its kind (the Heritage Transport Museum in Gurgaon was inaugurated in August 2013), the blue-prints point that it could be the biggest. “Spread across 3.5 acres of land in Uttarahalli, it will have the capacity to hold 650-700 cars and automobiles from across the world,“ Prakash said, adding that of these, 225 cars, 60 motorcycles, 20 carriages and 40-odd cycles will be from his own collection.

Prakash, whose “obsession“ with vintage cars dates back in 1979 when he owned a 1937 Sunbeam-Talbot, said that exhibits will include 17,000 books, catalogues and manuals collected by him from around the world.

Most automobiles, ranging from Mercedes, Rolls Royce, Aston Martins and Mustangs to Lanchesters, Delages, Duesenbergs and Jaguars, have the distinction of having belonged to political leaders, kings, industrialists and thoughtleaders. “The history behind each vehicle will be explained by people wearing costumes of the particular era, thus offering a complete experience. It will take at least half-a-day to have a thorough walk,“ said Prakash, adding that content research is an ongoing process. In line with the character of the museum, the structure will have a Victorian facade and will also feature a hanging restaurant. The museum itself will be run by a trust comprising Prakash's family besides temporary trustees. “I plan to set up an endowment fund of `10-15 crore so the museum never suffers due to want of funds.“ Most proceeds will be directed towards charity for road accident victims.

The 16-acre plot, where the museum will come up, will have an auto mall, a star hotel and residential apartments. “We needed to have commercially-viable ventures for sustaining the museum,“ Prakash said. “The museum will cost `80 crore and we are also on the lookout for donations from the government.“

the link:
http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com//...17062015002022

[vinay kamath]

"Ooty, India: back in time to the birthplace of snooker"

Martin Hughes-Games heads to Ooty, India, and finds a relic of the Raj – a colonial club where snooker was invented


It all started with a visit to my optician in Bristol. While Mr Shah shone lights into my eyes, I said, by way of polite conversation, that I was intending to visit the lovely Nilgiri Hills in southern India.

“Ah,” said Mr Shah, “will you visit Ooty”?

“Yes I could, why?”

“Well,” he said, “I was having a drink in the Ooty colonial club with a couple of friends when we were asked to leave because we were improperly dressed – despite the fact,” he laughed, “we were literally the only people in the whole place. If you go you simply have to visit the Ooty colonial club, it’s like stepping back in time.”

And so a scheme was hatched. I would go to the Nilgiri, hire an old-fashioned Bullet motorcycle and ride to Ooty. I would find the club and go for a drink in the bar – in correct attire of course.

Ooty is one of 65 hill stations set up across India by the British. Being up a hill allowed relief from the searing Indian summer. Ooty was known as “the queen of the hill stations”. It lies among luxuriant forests and, at over 7,000ft above sea level, it’s deliciously cool.
On January 2 1819, John Sullivan, a junior official with the British East India company, set out to explore the Nilgiris (Nil is Hindi for blue, so Nilgiri roughly translates as the blue hills) after obtaining an order charging him to investigate the “origin of the fabulous tales that are circulated concerning the Blue Mountains to verify their authenticity and to send a report to the authorities”.

The Nilgiri Hills in southern India (Photo: Alamy)

Sullivan discovered a natural wonderland and in 1822, having bought a parcel of land from the local Toda people for one rupee, built his wife and himself a house. John Sullivan’s “Stone House” still stands and is the oldest building in the town he founded at “Ootacamund” – now usually shortened to Ooty. Initially this was a place soldiers came to convalesce but fairly soon it became a home away from home for the British. Bungalows sprang up with neat gardens, two churches, a golf club, gymkhanas and, inevitably, a club for the great and good, the Ootacamund Club, founded in 1841.
I kicked the borrowed Bullet to life and set off. It was hot where I was staying down on the plains. I rode through bamboo forest and swerved around monkeys and suicidal spotted deer. I was serenaded by the enthusiastic horn blowing of every passing truck driver, all of whom appeared hugely amused to see a pink-faced foreigner in cream linen jacket, shirt and tie thudding along on a Bullet. Then it was time to tackle the 36 hairpin bends on the way up to Ooty, each apex adorned with encouraging slogans, “For free ambulance call…”, “Hospital ceilings are boring, avoid accident, drive safe!”. I stopped on the way for a refreshing spicy masala chai.

Having found my way to the club, I was immediately barred from entering by a security guard. Eventually, mollified by an intense charm offensive and perhaps my impressive-looking university tie, the guard relented and I was permitted to ride up to the imposing frontage of the colonial club.

The club house was built in 1836 by Sir William Rumbold, a wealthy merchant who died almost as soon as it was finished. It was then rented as the summer residence of the governor-general, before the club took it over in 1842.

I met the club secretary, Jimmy Kamdin, who showed me around.

Set among an abundance of teak and polished rosewood, it turned out every room had a tale to tell.

Our first stop was the ballroom, empty when I visited, but not always. “We roll up the carpets and get in a band for a club dance four times a year,” said Jimmy.

The array of animal remains adorning the walls was fascinating. Along with the tigers and leopards you might expect was a lion’s head. Was it one of the vanishingly rare Asiatic lions, now only found in one small forest in Gujarat on the other side of India? How did it get here? Jimmy did not know. There was a large bear – and there, too, the skin and head of an Indian wild dog, a dhole, an animal that, despite my best efforts, I have never seen.
A maze of corridors took us to the billiard room. “This is where snooker was invented,” said Jimmy. I laughed politely. “No, really it was…” And it’s true. A framed letter from the inventor of snooker, Sir Neville Chamberlain (not the PM, another Sir Neville) outlines how it happened. Snooker, now a worldwide phenomenon, was invented right here, in this very room on this very billiards table (made by Burroughes and Watts, 19 Soho Square, brought over by boat).

Finally we arrived at the object of my quest, the mixed bar, the place from which my optician and his friends had been ejected. A strict dress code still endures, as do the rules about who may enter. I ordered and looked around. It was an astonishing sight. Wooden boards with lists of names embossed in gold lined the walls. I assumed these might be presidents of the club but no, the snarling heads at the apex of each board should have given me a clue. Here were the names of the masters of the Ooty fox hounds, stretching back to 1845. Ooty was to be a little bit of England, a home away from home, so what could be more British than a hunt?

They imported the hounds but, of course, there were no foxes. This inconvenience was swiftly overcome by substituting the local jackals, and it was their small but fierce-looking heads that adorned each “honour board”. The hunt was executed with as much pomp and ceremony as any back home. It was discontinued in 1996 as jackals and the space to gallop were, by then, in short supply. Recently the Ooty Hunt has been revived by Indian military horsemen – now as a drag hunt but with just as much ceremony as before.
The Ooty club is a time capsule, a relic of Raj that refuses to roll over and die. The clipped voices of long dead military men continue to whisper in the ballroom and their laughter can be faintly heard in billiard room and bar.

But scratch the surface here in the Nilgiri and the past is everywhere. All those years ago the founder, John Sullivan (who got into trouble with his bosses fighting for the rights of local people), introduced “English vegetables” potatoes, cauliflower, beetroot, carrots and many others to the area. Along with English fruits, these are still grown and traded in profusion. Then there is the famous narrow-gauge railway, built by the British, which continues to run (like clockwork). Enormous dams built by British civil engineers ensure the water supply for the area year round. And my favourite: in 1906 a fish expert, Henry C Wilson, introduced trout into the streams around Ooty. The descendants of Wilson’s trout still dart and shimmer in the waters of the Nilgiri.

It turned out I hadn’t really needed to go to the club to find history and legacy. If I looked, it was all around.

Martin Hughes-Games is a presenter of the BBC 'Springwatch’ programme

click on the link below to see majestic Bullet pics!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...f-snooker.html

[vinay kamath]

" Standing tall with the passage of time "
Prajna GR June 30, 2015, DHNS

She looks like a toy car. Yet, she is just like the present-day automobiles. The ‘queen’ who once graced the French roads, she remained a competitive car for a long time because of her front wheel drive and fuel efficiency. The 1973 Citroen Dyane 6, she is the prized possession and a ‘member’ of Steven Rebello’s family.

“She is a second generation car in our family. It all started with my dad Ronald Rebello, who was a car afficionado. I lost my parents early in life but I have terrific memories associated with them. The same holds true for the car. Whatever was close to my father is very precious to me,” says Steven.

His passion is an inherited one as “the only talk in his house would be about cars, gear boxes and power steering.”

A small but strong car, she came all the way from Delhi to Bengaluru. “It was in 1975 that my dad learnt about this car, which was in Delhi then. An adventurer, he took my mother and my infant brother to Delhi. He bought this little car and started his journey to Bengaluru. It took him three days in that sweltering heat to reach but the car did not give any problem,” he explains.

It was after this journey that Ronald fell in love with Citroen and from here began Steven’s passion for these unmatched machines as well.

“This car looked very funny when we saw it the first time. But then, they were far ahead in terms of technology. She has travelled the rough terrains of Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga and she is perfect till date,” he says.

A 600 cc air-cooled engine, this car has a canvas roof, radial tyres, high clearance, synchromesh gearbox and is one of the first cars to have a front wheel drive. While it is the mechanism of these cars that holds great value to Steven, it is also the priceless memories attached to it that makes it a part of his family. “We have spent our childhood popping our heads out from its roof and waving at people. It has a bouncy suspension, which is why the villagers would start shouting ‘kappe car’ (froggy car), whenever they saw her on the estate roads,” he reminisces and laughs.

As the saying goes, ‘history repeats itself’, Steven’s daughters, Keya and Fiona, treasure the beautiful car. “It has been great having this car,” says Keya. The story does not end here.

“I have always been a lover of Citroens. As a teenager, I had seen another Citroen in Shivamogga that was owned by two Catholic nuns and was used as an ambulance. I admired it back then and moved on. But after 20 years, when I had the money, I went looking for this van.” He made a sketch of the van, which was a 1974 Citroen AK 400, and went to all the garages of Shivamogga.

“The nuns still had it and one of the mechanics told me the rank of the nuns and where it was available. It wasn’t an easy task as I had to beg them for it,” he explains. As the van needed restoration, Steven restored it with a touch of creativity by combining two of his passions — Citroen and coffee. “I am into the coffee business, so I converted the Citroen van into a mobile cafe,” he says. As the coffee was brewed and cookies were baked, the van surely “steered up all his five senses” and his love for the Citroen grew multifold. His wife Anjali too has a soft corner for it.

“While dating her, I used to pick her up in this car and it has been a part of our lives. These cars have a mind and soul,” he says.

The pictures of the Citoen Dyane 6 & the Citroen AK 600 can be seen in the PDF file below:

[vinay kamath]

"A Bundle of Charm"

Deccan Herald July 7, 2015

They got her an imported 'body cream' and she is massaged to sparkle her pista green colour every Sunday. A 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, she is the "happiness" of GB Ravichandra's family. The best-selling car for the longest time, she has a unique body shape with fins, a rear engine, and a huge boot space at the front.

A classic beauty, she was the childhood dream of Ravichandra who says, "I watched the Beetle rallies as a kid. It was after 20 years that I am able to own one."

He adds that his dream would not have been fulfilled if it was not for his wife Bharathi. "Although I wanted to own a Beetle, I was skeptical about spending money on it, as it is an expensive hobby. My wife's support was and is still the biggest boost to my passion."

It is not just the Beetle that takes him back to his childhood. He also owns a Bajaj scooter. He explains, "It belonged to my dad Bhaskarayya. A family of four - my father, mother, sister and I - have travelled all around in this scooter. With the four of us, there would be some extra luggage too. My father was very passionate and cared more for his scooter than his wife!" A layman's mode of transport, it is in good running condition and has a humble charm.

His passionate collection of many antique and classic things has led his daughters - Aishwarya and Aashika - to follow his footsteps.

"The passion is completely passed on as we, at the beginning, did not understand the so-called antique charm. But we are a part of it now and have emotions attached to our Beetle," they say in unison. They call it a package of love and happiness and Aashika says, "I love the rallies that happen in the City and it is exciting to see many colourful Beetles moving in a single lane. We have made so many friends who share the same passion because of this car."

Bharathi is equally passionate about this small car and she has made it a point to include the car in every family celebration. "During birthdays or anniversary celebrations, we make sure to deck the car with flowers and placards and take her for a drive with all family members. She is a part of every special occasion."

There is a story behind the car's arrival which he summerises, "I saw an advertisement and she was in Cochin. Hesitant, but later encouraged by my wife, I flew to Cochin. She was in a bad condition and it was an expensive affair. However, I picked her up and got her to Bengaluru in a truck." She was restored and it took him a year to find the right mechanics and get her back in shape. "Some parts were not original and I had to source them from abroad. It took me a year to get everything fixed - all to her original charm," he adds.

A left hand drive car, she is a showstopper in the busy traffic and Bharathi says, "While taking her for a drive, people first tend to look at the driving seat, which is usually on the right and jovially think that a lady is driving. Sometimes, we even pretend to hold a rod in the front trying to fool them and this is a fun process." She adds that the car is a bit tougher to drive because of the left hand steering.

They own another unusual car - 2004 Ambassador Avigo - that has a body shape of a classic ambassador, but a power steering with all the modern amenities. "There are about only hundred cars produced in India and this is made to look like a 1960 model," he says. He comments on the technology of the classic cars and says, "They are very superior and reliable. The engine parts of this Beetle are rugged and the car does not topple." With a dream to own many cars including the Citroen 1970 and a classic Mercedes Benz, he concludes, "It has taken me twenty years to own a Beetle and I will never let go of her."

Prajna GR

[anjan_c2007]

Originally Posted by vinay kamath

"A Bundle of Charm"

Deccan Herald July 7, 2015

They own another unusual car - 2004 Ambassador Avigo - that has a body shape of a classic ambassador, but a power steering with all the modern amenities. "There are about only hundred cars produced in India and this is made to look like a 1960 model," he says. He comments on the technology of the classic cars and says, "They are very superior and reliable. The engine parts of this Beetle are rugged and the car does not topple." With a dream to own many cars including the Citroen 1970 and a classic Mercedes Benz, he concludes, "It has taken me twenty years to own a Beetle and I will never let go of her."

Prajna GR

The Avigo production figure of 100 is not true. Though exact figures are not available, at least a few thousand could have been produced. I was incidentally in Bangalore that very day and read about it in the Deccan Herald Metro Life page 1.

[vinay kamath]

Deccan Herald 14.07.2015

"A crowd-puller all the way"

Right from his childhood, he was 'crazy about cars'. President and CEO of Ramakrishna Group of Hospitals, PS Premnath is also the vice- president of Karnataka Vintage and Classic Car Club (KVCC). One of the founding members of the club, he is the proud owner of vintage and classic beauties - a 1937 Morris 8 and a 1960 Morris Minor.

"The Morris 8 belonged to my grandfather Major Narayanaswamy Chetty and it has been with us for five generations now," Premnath says. His passion for the classic and vintage machines goes back in time and he recalls, "My grandfather bought this car for Rs 2,000 and I still have the invoice and the manuals." A British economy car, inspired by the similar looking Ford Model Y, she has travelled to Tirupati and Mysuru. "I remember that eight of us could fit in with a little bit of adjustment. I was a ten-year-old boy then and we used to go to Nandi Hills in this car with my grandparents. There was space for the luggage too on the carriage near the rear wheel. Our trip was adventurous and it was a total different feel to drive in this beautiful vehicle." A sturdy machine with all her Englishness, it was 15 years back that she was restored. But without a shadow of doubt, she is still in her youth and top-notch condition. She can even be a competition to the modern-day cars in terms of her strength. "I used to help my grandfather maintain this car then. He saw the passion in me and handed over the car's complete responsibility to me," he says.

While his childhood was spent in this small car, his growing passion made him buy a beauty of his own, which is the 1960 Morris Minor (Morris 1000). "This car was restored by a Goan

the complete article may be enjoyed at the link below:

the link:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...r-all-way.html

"The lorry drivers, bus drivers... everyone gives these cars a second look and people look forward to clicking pictures with them."

Premnath

[kasli]

Here is an article on the motorman Mr Tata with some vintage cars in the back ground. Appears to be taken at the Delhi Auto show a few years back as some of the cars have changed hands and Color. The article speaks more of his investments in the IT sector than cars

Cheers

[vinay kamath]

Deccan Herald Metro Life 21-07-2015

"Floored by the Ford"

A love for vintage cars and bikes runs in K Naveen's blood. He fondly recalls how he grew up watching his father and grandfather get their hands on these beauties. "My father had a 1933 Austin 7 while my grandfather had the 1952 BSA Banthom bike. Slowly, my love for these machines just grew and I also got into the automobile line," says the businessman. Today, he owns a number of beautiful vintage cars like 1947 Ford V8 Super Deluxe and 1936 Morris Twodoor apart from the Austin that he cherishes in his late father's memory. "It belonged to the Maharaja of Mysore, who gifted it to his family doctor on Govindappa Road near Basavanagudi and my father got it from him," he recalls. The dark green beauty shines resplendantly till date.

To enjoy the complete article, please proceed to the link below:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...ored-ford.html

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by vinay kamath

" Ranjitsinhji's vintage Rolls-Royce to go on sale ...................arts patron and Noel Coward confidante Elsie Partington, to lift her spirits after a divorce.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/47730316.cms

Indeed ! What a splendid way to lift one's spirits - wonder if the bouquet still lingers!

[vinay kamath]

"The Charm Of Junk Cars"

The Hindu 22-07-2015

"Balraj Vasudevan, collector of antique cars and president of Madras Heritage Motoring Club, recalls an encounter he had a few years ago with two non-running cars, one vintage and the other classic. He had chanced upon these machines at a shipping warehouse close to the Chennai Port. Weather-beaten and rust-ridden, they however looked captivating. When Balraj checked with the owners if he could buy these cars, they refused point-blank and shut the door decisively on the possibility of negotiations in the future.

The funniest part of it: the owners had no intention of restoring the cars. Nor did they have any intention of ever selling it. The cars would stay on at the warehouse, as curios. In various parts of the world, there have been cases of such cars being used as showpieces. Shells of these cars make for an arresting display in gardens. Balraj has a friend in the United States who has turned a shell of an old Rolls Royce into a bar.

Here in Chennai, C.S. Ananth, collector and restorer of antique cars, has met people who have expressed an interest in having such shells displayed at their homes and offices. However, the shells of these cars can be prohibitively priced and Ananth is yet to come across a person who actually carried intention through to action. A cost-effective alternative would be using.."

to enjoy the complete article and photos, please access the link below:

http://www.thehindu.com/features/met...cle7452063.ece

[vinay kamath]

" 8 Best biking groups that burn rubber on the city roads "

By Nandini Kumar, Bangalore Mirror Bureau | Jul 24, 2015, 04.00 AM

"Bengalureans love their bikes so much, the city has over 37 registered biking clubs/groups - from exclusive all-women bike clubs to the retro machine owners clubs

'India Bull Riders'

An exclusive Royal Enfield motorcycle riding club formed in November 2007 by Sajeesh Nair, they have a presence across six Indian cities including Bengaluru (formed in 2012). Their motto was to promote group riding activities. To maintain the passion for classic motorcycles they have opened up the membership to those who own vintage bikes such as Norton, BSA, Jawa, Harley and India Chief. Their most popular rides include Rann of Kutch, Rann of Ecstasy, Spiti, Dandeli and more.

'Fifty + Bulleteers Club'

Formed in 2012 by Prem Menon and Ajit S, the club is home to over 250 active members who hover around the ages of 50 and 60. Most members of the club own the Royal Enfield/ Bullet, hence the name. Not wanting to get bogged down by the monotony of life was one of the primary reasons they started the club and set out on rides into Nilgiris, Ooty, Coorg and on weekly breakfast rides. This club does not allow anyone who is below 40 and does not own a Bullet.


'Bangalore RD350 Club'

This group is for Yamaha RD owners and organises meet-ups every first Sunday of the month at Airlines Hotel, from where they go for an early morning ride for two-five hours. Started by Vishal Agarwal in 2009, this club with 13,000 members is specifically for those with a passion for the classic machine - not for buying or selling bikes or their body parts. One of the most popular riders with this club is 84-year-old R Chakravarty. He held a top position at HAL in his prime years but after retirement, took to riding his 70s model classic RD 350 and even goes on in frequent 100-150 km rides with the members of this club."

to enjoy the complete article and photos, & to know more about another five biker groups, please access:

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/banga...w/48193084.cms

[kasli]

Could our southern team bhpians translate this article.

Cheers

[KartikeyaL]

This appeared in DNA Jaipur edition featuring the beloved Morris of the Dadachanji family.

The article can be found here
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/epapermai...ate=2015-07-26

[travancore]

Originally Posted by kasli

Could our southern team bhpians translate this article.

Unfortuntaley, I cannot read Tamil.




The car looks very much like the Dharbanga R-R PIII - Chassis 3BU50.