Oh, that's a BIG clue! It's probably a chop job on a Hindustan
Ambassador, the ubiquitous Indian-built Morris! (I think it's based on a
Morris, maybe an Austin?). Or one of the earlier Hindustans...
BTW, it only looks like a Fiat Topolino from the rear, the front doesn't
resemble one in the slightest. The Fiat grill and bonnet are very
rounded, and the grille slopes back, with no heavy chrome surround.
Don't know where one would find a reference on the cars of India in order
to settle this. I guess the web...
Sam Perera had this to say:
>Max
>
>Interesting analysis. My first impression was that
>indeed was a chop job from a previous known car -
>perhaps even from a morris minor. From the remaining
>posts on the list I can see why it looks like a VW
>especially from the back. I send it to a Riley guy on
>the list also. Yet the way the spare wheel is situated
>and the design of the wheel seems so original to me.
>
>The pictures were taken in Sri Lanka, a little island
>in the Indian ocean where the British ruled and my
>guess still is some sort of British car.
>
>My only other guess may be some sort of Fiat
>500/Topolino as another post suggested. But the sapre
>wheel being so high and the right hand drive ??
>
>Does anyone know any other list we can send it to ?
>
>Thanks
>
>Sam
>
>
>
>--- Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com> wrote:
>> The radiator shell design doesn't match the photos
>> of Singers, Rileys,
>> Alvises, Lea-Francises, Lanchesters, or Hillmans in
>> my Catalog of
>> Imported Cars, 1946-1990, although it doesn't cover
>> these marques very
>> thoroughly. It might possibly be a Humber, though
>> none of the ones shown
>> are quite that archaic. The peaked bonnet is very
>> un-MG-like, at any
>> rate. From the clumsy way the wings join the front
>> valance, either it has
>> been bodged or the coachwork is some kind of amateur
>> "one-off". Looking
>> closely, one can see that is has in all likelihood
>> been cut down from a
>> coupe, and was not originally a drophead. The raised
>> section of the boot
>> with the spare tire well also looks suspicious. Add
>> to that the
>> abnormally large headlights, and I am tempted to
>> conclude that, whatever
>> it began life as, it has been severely modified. The
>> only authentic
>> pieces would seem to be the rear wings, doors, and
>> running boards.
>>
>> But I could be wrong, and it merely shows the signs
>> of age and poor
>> repair work. But then, what is it? Maybe we're
>> barking up the wrong tree
>> and it's some kind of French or Czechoslovakian
>> marque...
>>
>> Sam Perera had this to say:
>>
>> >can anyone tell me what this car may be ? Is this
>> some
>> >funky MG derivavtive or something entirely
>> different ?
>> >
>> >
>>
>>http://members.tripod.com/sperera/car/what_is_this_car.htm
>> >
>> >thanks
>> >
>> >Sam
>> >
>> >
>> >=====
>> >Sam Perera,
>> >Houston, USA
>> >http://members.tripod.com/sperera/
>> >Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
>> >http://messenger.yahoo.com
>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Max Heim
>> '66 MGB GHN3L76149
>> If you're near Mountain View, CA,
>> it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
>>
>>
>
>
>=====
>Sam Perera,
>Houston, USA
>http://members.tripod.com/sperera/
>Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
>http://messenger.yahoo.com
>
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
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