[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Hi Harit,

See the full thread. There are quite a few pictures from the period you mention, including Mallya's F1 car on the track etc.
(I'm 90% sure they are in the rally.co.in thread i linked to, if not then perhaps some other thread on TBHP )

cya
R

PS - for example (image as saved on my comp - so not sure which thread. Posted by Niaz)

Attachment 488382

Have spoken to him and given the link of this page, so hopefully he would be writing in sometime soon.

There is an old gentleman whom i had met for the first time, told me that he had seen Ms. Mini Pan racing this Citroen 15/6 in the barrackpore races. There was this particular race he told me about also in which she had raced with a 56 Studebaker Commander and in the initial and the straight part of the circuit the Stude used to be really fast but around the bends and the corners the Citroen would very smoothly over take the stude because of its lighter weight and its size.

[V-16]

Definately a 55 Vauxhall Wyvern Stanher and the car in the background looks like a 58 Dodge Kingsway or a Plymouth Savoy

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by V-16

Definately a 55 Vauxhall Wyvern Stanher and the car in the background looks like a 58 Dodge Kingsway or a Plymouth Savoy

Gogi, you mean a '56 Dodge Kingsway, right?

If you mean the later model with the sharper fins?

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by harit

Hi Rehaan, thanks for the link. I had heard about it, somehow not managed to visit. Had a quick glance, will go through in detail soon.
BUT, the period Niaz basically focuses on is the Amby and Fiat era, about 1970 onwards. The picture I put up is from before. I believe that Calcuta racing scene started sometime in 1949 or so. They started with sports cars. There were Lagonda, Bentley, Allard, Alfa Romeo, Lancia, SS100 etc. As years went by, such cars were first modified, then came home built creations with names I have mentioned in my post, and then there was hardly any choice but use Ambys and Fiats because of stupid Government import regulations. My pictures come from the home built specials era, and am looking to some info here, on the cars and drivers. I was expecting some feedback from Kolkata guys, but apparently not much history is available. This thread should also run with feedback and more contributions. Cameras were not so rare that more photos cannot come up.
BTW, our racing scene was quite sad. In Juhu I saw one of the last races, the high light was a race between Maserati, Fiat 125, Gondal special and some more. Completely unmatched cars, yet excitement was there.
Over to Kolkata, please add here.

Cheers harit

This is what Mr. Niaz Ali has to say about this page -

Mmm very interesting I know a driver who actually raced at this track , in fact the car with which I won in sholavarm started life here in the hands of Peter Adams.... How's that for history I've been to these meets myself. My pic of the jag is from before this track .... At the moment I'm in the middle of nowhere reading this on my fone going wow wow

Originally Posted by mbz180

Hello Harit,

I'm quite certain the venue is the famous "Barrackpore" racing grounds in Kolkata. Though I haven't heard of any of the car's or driver's you have mentioned, I would like to share some other stories that I know. The lovely Citroen 15-6 which was restored by Bumpu couple of years back and won a few trophies at the Statesman, was earlier owned by a Chinese lady, Mini Pan, who used to race the car on these grounds extensively. Also, there is a home built car, called the "Delila" a very famous car in those days, with a Riley twin cam engine in it, that is lying unused with Saloo Chaudhri. It's a pity that this particular car got into an accident or caught fire or some thing like that and is missing most of it's body work. It's chassis is very advanced, and is a tubular space frame construction, similar to 300SL Gullwing Mercs. I have seen this car, and am told that Saloo and his son's are trying to get the car back into shape again. In the 70s, when the Barrackpore circuit was hugely popular especially on Sundays, Mithil Chatterjee, Niaz Ali, Vijay Mallya etc, all raced on this track. The pic is probably from the mid-70s.


Regards
Prithvi

This is a reply that is for you -

also someone says the "Delilah" has a twin cam motor.... just to get the facts right....its a 1.5 riley, with a twin over head rockers, dome pistons with a centeral sparkplug, it had 4 Amal carbies, and a 3 speed 'crash" gearb...ox (non syncro), fiat diff, morris minor front suspension, and bias braking, and a chrono tach...it also had a magnito, ive actually raced 3 cars from this era.. the Delilah, the Chervon (lying at adams motorworks), and the qmarri... when i raced the chervon, i got hit by the 'Godfather'..gondals old car, with the Jag engine, and spun backwords over the Haybales in Barrackpore...great memories, great racing

[Rehaan]

@IndrojitSircar,

Why don't you ask Niaz to contribute directly on the forum, since he does have an active account on Team-BHP : LINK

Thanks,
R

[arvindmanju]

Some of the pictures of Car and Bikes owned by my great grandfather. I have no information of the make and year

[KPS]

MY 2052X (Mangalore Registration) is a 1946-47 Packard Clipper. Very nice car, any idea what happened to it?

MYH 510 is a 1950's Matchless

Any more pictures of MYZ (Coorg Registration) bike with side car?

The MYS bike is a 1920's bike

Cheers

KPS

[IndrojitSircar]

The Packard seems to be in really pristine condition in these pictures. Any idea which year the pics were taken of the this car?

[chanu]

Amazing pictures Arvind for a moment I was carried to that time. I used to love Vijayadasami when mom used to do poojas to the dad's vehicles I used to put the turmeric and sindhoor with lot of enthusiasm, thanks for the picutes shared, please do share more if you have any.

[IndrojitSircar]

Originally Posted by arvindmanju

Some of the pictures of Car and Bikes owned by my great grandfather. I have no information of the make and year

I just noticed that in the first few pictures of the Packard, There is a kind of a rectangular speaker/light on the roof and in the pictures towards the end there is a Round light probably a police siren? Was your father in the police or something to do with the civil services?

[karlosdeville]

Originally Posted by arvindmanju

Some of the pictures of Car and Bikes owned by my great grandfather. I have no information of the make and year

Those are excellent pictures, thanks for sharing. Are there any more?

Judging by the age of the photo, the MYS registration is probably the older MYS series (it was repeated later on I think).

[deutscheafrikar]

Arvind Manjunath, Nice pictures and thanks for sharing. Which part of the country is this located in.

[KPS]

Originally Posted by deutscheafrikar

Arvind Manjunath, Nice pictures and thanks for sharing. Which part of the country is this located in.

This place would be in Hassan or Shimoga District in Karnataka

Cheers

KPS

[harit]

Hi,
Got this picture in my last lot. Thought COUNSEL may like this, though spelling is different.
Ford Consul was relatively popular in India. I have even seen them as taxis in Goa.

Cheers harit

[harit]

A Fiat, and a young boy. The Fiat appears to be well used.

Cheers Harit