In Pictures: Found & bought myself a rare 1974 Premier President

The car was custom ordered in the shade of Crimson which it still sports to this day.

BHPian Babyhindusthan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Throwback to a Sunday in April, around 7 in the morning, I get a call from one of my contacts in the local scrapyard known to all as Mullickbazar. Still, sleepy I contemplated whether to answer the phone or not and thankfully I did. The person on the other end asks me, “Ektho Fiat aya hai lijiyega? Paper sab chalu hai”, ask him to send me the photos.

On receiving the photos first thing I notice is a new series number plate, an instant turn off thinking it to be a newer model Padmini. However I start to closely inspect the photos, had only received a back view and a shot of the interior from the driver’s door, and I notice the meter to be of white dial and the horn button similar to that of the President. A bit closer look and I saw that the badging whatever was visible from being left uncovered by the number plate seemed to read as president and also the body beading seemed to be of President.

Told the person I am coming in an hour to see the car, made a quick call to my friend Deepanjan Sarkar, yes the famous photographer amongst the vintage circle in Kolkata notifying him about the car and asking him to come over to see it and went off to see the car. The car had been parked under a Bogunvelia, unfortunately, wasn’t blooming much else it would have made a great picture. Inspected the car and found it to be very clean and very original, sent pictures to Karl who confirmed that this car is very original. The deal was closed and it came home that day with me.

A month later managed to meet the owner’s family, they were quite happy to see that the car has survived and not been junked and filled us in about some history of the President in their ownership, it was bought in Agra and it had travelled cross country to Mumbai, Shilong and lastly settled down at Kolkata.

The owner is 98 years young but not able to move on his own, managed to meet him and on being explained I bought the car he was pleased. Later on, his grandson who we had exchanged numbers sent us the original allocation letter of the car which was thankfully preserved. A quick photo was taken also with the owner!

The car was purchased in Agra and delivered by “Ramchandra Brijnandan”, the erstwhile dealer there and was custom ordered in a shade of crimson which the car still sports now.

The owner was in the Armies Medical Battalion, so very likely the car was allotted to him in Army Quota.

Fast forward to 20th August I receive a message from the owner’s family that they have found some old photographs of the car from their family album and one of them shows the original registration number.

Photos taken in a hill station might even be somewhere in the ghats as the owner’s family can recall the car went to Mumbai from Mathura in the 80s.

Check out more of BHPian Babyhindusthan’s Premier President pictures for more insights and information.

Source: Read Full Article