Lang's electric car and boat trip to india

By the way, one Morris enthusiast, not me, has imported an Ambassador. I expect to see it at Easter.

Why?

But to each his own. At least he can say it is more exclusive in Australia than a Dino Ferrari.

Lang

I reckon they should've left the Puegout Diesel Motor in It, Lang...
Hope they Make the Front adjustable for you,,, they would have have the most uncomfortable Driving position imaginable...
have Fun,As for the Food carts on the Street, Just pick the Busiest one It'll have the freshest Food.. (But you already knew that)

If anyone is interested, Bev is in the process of getting random stuff laying around the house onto our web site. Still a work in progress with lots of photos and stories still to go. Mainly for our grandkids.

Anyone wanting an Indian driving story will find a bit of fun on the home page in the box titled Indian Expedition or some such thing. More Asian driving tales under the Short Story link at the top. A lot of these you will have seen over the years on the forum.

www.next-horizon.org

Lang

Lang asked:- Why did a Morris enthusiast import an Ambassador from India?

I suppose it was to compare it with genuine 1956 Morris Oxfords. (The Ambassador he imported was new)
Yes, it would be the only one in Aus.
Maybe he is the patron saint of lost causes.

I also know a man who imported a diesel powered motorbike from India.

As a former prime Minister of New Zealand said:- If men were all the same, we would all want the same woman as our wife!

Once, and it was in a drunken moment of stuper, I thoguht about buying a diesel motorbike just to be different. The next day I kicked my own arse and thought 'you idiot'.

from memory the man with the diesel motorbike wasn't allowed to drive it until not only did he have a motorbike licence but was off his P plates as it was 'too powerful" so he brought a smaller petrol bike to ride around on and it was faster and more powerful than the diesel but approved for learners

We have one of those diesel bikes here in town and the guy loves it. To each their own I guess.

Damn, this topic is igniting sparks again.

Well, India has turned into the totally expected farce.

Just before commenting, a word about Air Asia (Malaysian Airlines cheap carrier)

Great price but flying out of the Gold Coast so the cook drives Terry and I down from Brisbane.

Oh, you want to take a bag on an international flight. Our ticket only includes carry-on 7kg. Another $90 please.

Take a seat. No screens. No headset plugs. If you pay $40 you can get a cheap bluetooth monitor to put on your tray to watch a movie. They are all subtitled so you do not need a headset unless you bring your own.

Can I have a glass of water please? We only have bottled water, $3 thank you.

Here is our menue of TV dinners. $14 each. No, we do not serve snacks or alcohol but a coke for $6.

My opinion of Air Asia has can be described as rodent's excreta.

Anyhow.

Arrived in a freezing cold Delhi. Visibility down to 100 metres and pollution level beyond the highest "extreme" rating. Still the people are great with a calmness, even in a crowd situation, better than any western mob scene.

My contact has two Hindustan Industries Ambassadors to look at. First one is in a junk yard with flat tyres, ripped upholstery and rusted out. No Thankyou.

Second one belonged to The President's personal fleet (some time in the last century). It was absolutely immaculate. I lifted the bonnet and saw............the ground! No problem we can have another engine in by tomorrow. Where is the engine coming from. Oh that Ambassador laying stripped and upside down at the back of the yard.

We can't stuff around here for a week so I will just buy a little Hyundai or Maruti Suzuki so we can get on the road. This was a cunning ploy to get our man to do something to save face. He is a well known businessman. The result was better than I thought. We now have his Toyota Innova (a two wheel drive wagon/SUV type of thing) to use for free. I have already got my friend in Kolkata to organise a driver to take the car back to Delhi in 3 weeks time.

I did actually buy the Ambassador without the engine for $200 and the electric car mob are picking it up for their conversion but I won't get to drive it. This is very disappointing as the Ambassador drive was the main reason for the fun side of the trip.

The main reason is to survey the bridges for the electric boat so business before pleasure.

Lots of interesting stuff ahead including widespread national riots over new immigration laws. I will update with story and photos along the way.

Lang

After a few false starts Terry and I are underway checking bridges along the Yamuna and Ganges River.

Getting into the Indian driving again was easy. It really is like playing a video game. Pass on the right, pass on the left, vehicle coming head on along a divided freeway, horses, donkeys, cows, dogs, bike riders and millions of motorbikes

Last night we did two hours in the dark. 90% of trucks either have limited but mostly no lights, either head or tail. Shadows coming from left and right seemed to be people, bikes and even unlit trucks suddenly appearing.

It is actually a lot of fun and I am getting right into it ducking and weaving.

This is our Toyota, a good car but not a classic.


The bridges we are looking at to find a way around for the electric boat.


Vicious guard dogs at Delhi hotel (1 degree temperature)


Two old farts at lunch.