Fiat Car - My Beloved

Fiat Car-My Beloved

In the Seventies there were only two major cars that could be bought.the Fiat or the Ambassador.There was not much choice.It was either this or that.And anyone owning either,could be considered rich,because in those days we did not have the financing of cars,and they had to be bought on cash.Do u know, that Fiat cammanded a waiting period of 7 years, or a 40,000 premium or something to that effect ?So having a Fiat,made u a Seth immediately.


My dad bought a second hand Fiat in the early seventies in mumbai,when i used to stay there.It used to be fun driving it.But i was very forgetful of the keys,and used to misplace them very often.One day we were to go somewhere,and the keys could not be found.So out of desperation I put in the 5 paise coin in the keyhole,as it was the only square coin with four edges,and lo, the car started.After that i used to stock the 5 paise coins from the panwallah and keep them here and there in the car and at home.Goodbye keys !


I learnt a lot of repairing of cars from Fiat.Sometimes the horn used to blare away and it was very embarassing,till a friendly mistry/mechanic taught me to bend down below the front wheel,and move my hand around, as boys do with their dates,till it hits a wire,and just yank it off,and the horn will die a natural death.There were 7 or 8 fuses right in the front of the steering wheel,and i used to buy and keep the fust wire in the car.sometimes the front light will go off or the back luight or the wiper,and u just check the fuse, and replace it and lo the part starts to work.And if I did not have a coin, i could join the two wires under the steering wheel and the car would start.No such luck with the new cars.

And if your keys were left inside the car,no problem.Borrow a scale,and push it down between the glass and the rubbers of the front window,and lo the lock would open and u would be inside the car.This still works for Maruti models like Esteem and Van.I dont know about the others.
In the Winters, the car just woul'nt start,and the battery would conk off.My mechanic,God bless him told me to pour one mug of hot boiling water in the radiator,and let the cold water inside flow out,so the water becomes warm,and then start the car,and lo, the car would start smoothly.I miss all that with these new cars.


Im Jaipur too I bought the second hand fiat,and life was good.I used to feel like the presidentof India in my now deceased Fiat.A frend of mine came running suddenly to my showroom,and requested me for my car,as he had to take his pregnant wife for delivery.He was a cronic borrower,and to put him off, I said I took my wife for delivery in this car,and both times she delivered a baby girl,well take it but dont curse me if u get a daughter.

He was desperate for a Car and a Son,but having no choice,he took my car,and sure enough he gave birth ,sorry his wife gave birth to a daughter.Till this day, his mother reminds me that they wished they had not borrowed my car ! It was not my fault was it ?

I never bothered to keep it in good condition,just like myself,andmy friends used to tell me lock the car at night.I used to tell them if a theif comes to steal my car, he will leave a 100 ruppee note in my car,looking at its state,thinking i need money more than him.Swear no one ever cast an evil eye on my car,for which i am always grateful.Even the street dogs never ran after mycar.

I still dont know how to change the tyre,and before i started the car,then and the ones i have now,I pat the cars and talk to them,telling them i am lucky to have them,and pat the top of the car,and then start the engine.And i swear, whenver my tyre punctured,its just near the puncture guy's shop,or whenver ive run out of petrol its near a petrol pump.

The Fiat served me in good stead,but just as everyone has to leave the world and break the bond,I too had to let go of my beloved fiat,and the person i gave it to ,promised me he will look after it just like his wife,sorry,son,and today too the guy still drives it,and i feel very happy that my Fiat is alive and kicking and in very good hands.

Fiat i loved very much,because i used to meet the mechanic many a times,but the new cars well i dont get to see the guy so much.So i consider the new cars anti-social in that sense.Anyone Agree ?

KAMAL MAHTANI

Dear Kamalji
From money you have now another beloved............Good one day we all have to make a list of all the thinks who u love the most with that the whole blog will be filled with......hahahahaha........just kidding............You are not the only one so emotional with your car I too have one Maasi who is still preserving her FIL's Ambassador. I think it is of 60's can't remember her sons tell her to sell it off but she doesn't want to she still want to use that car when she is going within the city. Even thou she is having another 4 cars at home. She gets that washed, serviced and takes care of it like a kid.
Leaving the key inside the car it has happened to me once when I was in Australia. It was afternoon time thot of washing my car( it was not fiat) it was feistiva I got the car out of the garage I left the keys inside locked the door and was busy cleaning after i finished it was time for me to pick my son and lol no keysI had to call a friend and in the same manner u have mentioned he did it and removed the keys. From that day never lock the door of the car and get out of it.........
Atleast your tyre gets punchtured near the puncture guy once for me it got punctured right in the middle of the signal what an embarassing thing it was and you know something like this happening in these countries the policeman had to come and help me out pushing the car to the side had to call my DH to go and pick up my son from school and I had to call the RACQ guy and get it changed...............hahahaha
While reading this post many such incidents came to mind.

Hello Kamalji,
Another classic from you....
I enjoyed your Fiat car and your love towards it.
Even I used to dream and wanted to buy a Fiat car when I was small...
I think now there are lot more new modern cars.
Your incidents of having daughter and blaming it on your car is funny.


Regards.

Dear Kamalji,
your topic brought me to this thread. My husband bought a second hand Fiat in 97', our first car. The drive from the shop was something to remember- first was that hubby could not drive well then. So I had asked one of my friends' to help us bring the car home. But on that day, he caught cold and could not move out of bed as he was sneezing continuosly. That too at the last momtnt.
Hubby came to the shop straight from office at around 4 in the evening an myself and son went to the shop from home. After completing the formalities, we were lucky to get a driver from that shop who agreed to bring the car over home. We had another purchase to do on the way home, my cousin had wanted the Veena (musical instrument) and I had purchased one thro the yellow pages. So we were to pick that too on the way. Just as we came out of the shop, it started to rain heavily. Then only we found out that the wiper is not working, the horn is not loud enough and the head light had a fuse. But we managed to finish our trip and reached home safely. We had it till 3 years back, we bought a Maruti 800 then.
But Fiat is a Fiat- nothing can come near it. Our car had carried 10 people most of the time and also lots of luggage. In the Maruti, I cannot even think of that, only 5 people can travel in that.
It was very comfortable to even sleep in the back seat while we had to travel a long distance. It ws convenient as our son was a kid then and sick most of the time.
wonder of wonders, when we sold it and the buyer came to take it away, it started immediately- we had been keeping it idle for nearly a year, not even start up daily was done.
I can very well understand your thinking of your car fondly. I too think about our Fiat many times.

Dear Kamalji,

FIAT (Fabrica Italiana Automobile Torino).The car that started my interest in cars....

Your post got back memories of my school & College days.The white Fiat car was my dad's pride & joy...No one was allowed to touch it.

He had it for a long time & sold it when I entered college....

He got another Blue car yep another Fiat.

It was a very senti car for him as he had helped transport the Utsav Murtis Belonging to the "Shri Shringeri Sharada Mutt" from a devotee's house to the temple. That also got his Jamai ( my DH) from the airport to my house in Mumbai.

Sunday (later Saturday afternoons when Rajiv Gandhi gave Sat off to Govt. Servants)afternoons were spent in cleaning the car. He practically lived in the Garage on the W/E with Mom going nuts.

Sadly he had to sell the car a few years ago. Even now he loves a Fiat...

The other day OZ media adviced Fiats would be available in OZ shortly. Yes, you guessed it, Dad was on the phone all excited. Did not have the hear to tell him I have lost my heart to FORD.

Well that's my story of the Fiat.Still senti.....

Regards,

Corallux

Aruna,

You are always the first to comment on my blogs, how can i thank u dear.I appreciate it.You are a lucky mascot for me and my blogs.

Regarding yr massi i dont blame her for not selling her Ambi.I have a friend with a 68 model Ambi.He still retains it, though it is lying idle most of the time.He says it is like a truck, and very safe.Yes a truck it may be,but who the hell wants to drive a truck these days.

Just imagine Aruna, if today u were to buy a new Ambassador and tell yr friends about it.Do u know wht they will tell u ? that u should be in a lunatic asylum.HAHA.Times have changed and we better move forward.

REg the key the same thing happened to u eh ? I have always told my daughters to lock the door with the key when they come out.But they dont listen even today, and leave the key in.So i still use the ruler to open the door.Ah ! when will the kids learn.

The policeman pushing yr car, must be very embarassing.I have really been lucky that way.I always talk to my cars, like talking to a buddy, and telling them not to let me down ever, and they listen to dear Kamalji.that is why i am very fond of my old cars and loathe to change them.

Thanks and regards.kamal

Puni,

Yes today dont ever buy a Fiat or an Ambassador.The society building will throw u out for defiling their parking space, and on the people will look at u, from which planet have u come.That incident did happen, swear, and his mother still tells me kamal why did i not listen to u.For their next delivery they did not borrow mine, and they got a son.HAHA.Regards.kamal

Good for them, they got son and your Car was spared

Originally Posted by Kamalji

Puni,

Yes today dont ever buy a Fiat or an Ambassador.The society building will throw u out for defiling their parking space, and on the people will look at u, from which planet have u come.That incident did happen, swear, and his mother still tells me kamal why did i not listen to u.For their next delivery they did not borrow mine, and they got a son.HAHA.Regards.kamal

Puni,

HAHA. Moral of the story If u want a son, dont borrow Kamalji's car.Regards.kamal