The
14 Saloon in regular use in the Bombay streets
My
correspondent in the Indian sub-continent, Karl Bhote has
sent me this feature:
Mr Gautam Ashra owns
this 1947 Standard 14 in Bombay This is what he had to
say:
"I bought this car in
2001. this car was a barter against the goods not recived
from a client. I just got fed up of approaching him for my
dues and than settled with him for this car. the car was
not used for a long time and was lying in his garage for
many years.
i got the car moved to my garage and and got the basics
spruced up, wiring was checked and corrected and with a
new battery and change of all oils started the car. The
car was working fine but for the play in the steering and
the brakes which are mechanical.
Having used the car for a while , I decided to get the
bodywork and the steering done. I approached Mr Anant
Swadi of Swadi Automobiles for the restoring of the Flying
14. Special thanks are due to Mr Swadi and his team for
thier tremendous efforts in restoring the car to its
present immaculate condition.
Whilst the bodywork and the painting was not so difficult.
The steering anomaly just could not be corrected. Great
efforts have gone in restoring the instrument panels
herein all the meters except the watch were restored to
its original condition .
A good year was lost to get the steering fixed. Whilst the
car was ready, the same could not be used due to the
excessive play of the steering. Various permutations and
combinations were tired but in vain. Even our efforts to
get info or parts from the Standard Club were futile.
Its was eventually the equinity of one of the mechanics at
the garage that solved the steering play and today the car
is on the road in perfect mechanical and body condition.
The only thing not working / missing are the left and
right signal indicators (trafficators) The original clock
was missing when the car came to me, i have found a
similar one and hope to install the same very soon.
I use the car at least once a week and its a pleasure to
drive on Sundays and Holidays .
I will be glad if u could use your offices to get me the
trafficators and rear view mirrors ( the one i have is not
original) to complete the car
This is all i know of the car. If there is anything
specific you would like to know, do let me know."
Gautam Ashra
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any of these thumbnails to see a larger version:
