Tekanpur, 24 January 2015: Still riding fast and steady is the convertible 1930 Ford Model A owned and maintained Border Security Force Academy of Tekanpur. The Car (Registration number MBC 1149 new is MP-07-W-2233) was acquired by the erstwhile Provincial Government of Madhya Bharat around in 1930.
Ford Model A was manufactured between 1928 to 1931. It is also called as A-Model Ford, A or A-bone. Globally around 50 lakh As were sold. That time it was priced from Rs. 23,637 (Today Rs. 3.35 lakh) to Rs. 85,954 (Today Rs. 12.18 lakh).
It was also driven by Brigadier (Dr.) B.K. Khanna, Deputy Director, BSF Academy, Tekanpur in 35th Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally which was flagged off by the Chief of Indian Navy Admiral Sushil Kumar in New Delhi on 4 March 2001.
The car was also driven by the then British Governor of the Province & on earning Independence by the State Police Chief. Apart from, preceding British Governors of the Province, multiple British Viceroys in addition to Lord Wavell and Lord Louis Mountbatten were the passengers of this Model A. India’s strong Freedom Fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr Rajendra Prasad experienced this car to connect with the Governor of Madhya Bharat admist 1933 and 1935. Khusro Faramurz Rustamji, IPS (only police officer to have been awarded Padma Vibhushan), last customarily rode it when he was Police Chief of Madhya Pradesh. In the year 1971, it was presented to Central School of Motor Transport at Sagar, Madhya Pradesh for training objectives. In 1971, when Border Security Force, which was nurtured by Khusro Faramurz Rustamji, embraced the Central School of Motor Transport from Madhya Pradesh Police at Sagar, the car arrived as a contribution to the BSF.
Ever since 1971, Model A was owned by Central School of Motor Transport (CSMT), Border Security Force (BSF) positioned at Tekanpur, near Gwalior (MP). The School imparts automobile training to BSF, other Central Police Organizations and State Police personnel. The CSMT is also privileged to start the first Automobile Engineering College in Northern India and this precious Ford Car is being used in teaching the developments in automobiles in last many decades.
Specifications: 201 CID (3.3 L) L-head-4 I4 engine | 40HP power | 105 kmph top speed | conventional 3-speed sliding gear manual unsynchronised transmission | 4-wheel mechanical drum brakes | 1027 kerb weight | 4191 mm length | 1702 mm width | 2629 mm wheelbase | Ford Model B was its successor
