Old Charm
I was accustomed to driving an old amby from age of 20.
Initially smitten by auto magazines, I used to drive like a rally driver.
The rally car was a 1968 model BMC petrol amby with so called High compression engine.
We bought it as a second hand one my dad spent his 10 years’ worth savings on it.
Initially he gave that rusty old amby to a garage to restore it.
The garage owner restored the outer shell completely and the car was painted a sweet shade of metallic platinum black and polished to glass finish.
It took at least 4 months to completely restore the car.
And one sweet day the car was at home.
I was a newbee to driving and driving the amby put shivers through my spine.
Every time a vehicle pass by and I will get goosebumps.
I test drove the spankingly restored car thru street and heard a grinding noise from floor.
We took it to nearby workshop and while reversing, it brushed with a rusty tempo and one side was ruined which had to be painted again. The gearbox was opened up and found to be fit to be replaced.
Routine visits to workshops was like a habit to me. I visited a lot of workshops and what I heard was the under side of car and engine is total rubbish now and only the body looks good.
We had Apollo Amazer radials on all the four wheels(Reccomened by car&bike magazine and Auto India #1 at that time) and my biceps were growing every time I steer the car. Now I know lot of people had warned me against radials on an AMby front wheel.
But God’s grace , those radials were not there till 2 year and next time we put two cross ply tyres in front and a pir of bridgestone radials at back. Now the car was fine.
One day while taking my mom to her school the ride height of car was reduced to sports car proportions. The torsion bar of car was broken in to two pieces. When we went to workshop(we found a trusty workshopman by that time. I had seen he simply ties pieces by a cotton thread).
He adviced to change chasis and door bottom.We coughed up Rs.30000 for those and changed those parts. now the car was painted Casablanc White on which it looked great.
Then came the great automobile revolution by the way of gas kit and we got one on our car.
Hence forth the car was a super and willing performer and there was absolutely no flat spots et al. I started loving the car. One day the car refused to start and I had bought a new Amaron battery in her hood and thereafter she never had a starting complaint for next three years.
I am very sorry to conclude that when state govt. imposed a law that post 1991 cars only can use LPG as authorized fuel, I had to sell off that prized possession. Now by that time I had grown up and had atleast ferried five times my family and all the goods including beds, stove, gas cylinder, utensils, etc etc whenever we had to move from one rented house to one.
I still love that car for one reason. It taught me one great thing that you had to learn to forgive everything which had a great impact on my life and character. I request all people to at least own an old ambassador for at least one year and learn what I say.
Now looking for a new car I am in a state still not able to overcome Ambassador Effect. ie: Now I Love tall cars like santro, Wagon R etc rather than sports car. Now I also had learnt to ride sensibly and respect age of automobiles.