Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) here has been maintaining one of the rare vintage cars known as Humber Super Snipe that was used by General K M Cariappa who later became the Field Marshal.
The Super Snipe was introduced in October 1941 by combining a four-litre inline six-cylinder engine from the larger Humber Pullman with the chassis and body of the Humber Snipe. The result was a car of superior performance and a top speed of 79 mph.
The model with MCEME is of 1941 vintage, which was initially assigned AB-11 and later changed to AP-10 F 4566 post its decommissioning from military service. The vintage car was packed by the British army and ferried to India in 1943 and ultimately assigned to ‘A’ Pl of Army HQ Transport Company, according to a press note. The car was declared unserviceable in 1958.
On 29 December 1964, the vintage car was taken by 515 Army Base Workshop, Bangalore, which carried out extensive repairs. In 1977, it was brought to Secunderabad and the Mechanical Engineering Department of MCEME took charge and has been maintaining the car since then. The car has been entered in vintage car rallies with great success.
