[TorqueMonster]

I've always dreamed of owning a sports car. Playing Forza for the first time, made me decide that if I were to get a car, it would be a Red Ferrari 458 Italia. But with time, common sense and monetary constrains, I had to look into more humble suggestions, and nothing else could catch my eye more than a red VW Polo, specifically GT TSI.

Contrary to what I would have wanted, I now have a Grey CL500 Jeep lying around in my garage.

Why a Jeep? - My Jeep obsession would start only post my Team Bhp Membership. While I am a big fan of SUV's and Trucks, such as the Endeavor or the Izuzu V - Cross, my goal, was to always get a car, that I can tune, and modify, both visually and performance wise.

And this is until I stumble across the 4x4 and Off - Roading Section of Team Bhp. I went on an entire binge - reading session, of most ownership threads, restoration, and long term ownership threads. Something about the fact that such vehicles can go anywhere, and can be modified endlessly, stuck with me. If I were to ignore cars and bikes, travel would be my passion. I always have a plan to overland, to go over the most remotest of places, or travel across the country in my Vehicle, and explore it thoroughly.

And then comes a green MM540, as a temporary member of my Garage. My first real experience with owning a Jeep. It was certainly not in the best of conditions, as my first experience with the vehicle was with it breaking down halfway towards Rameshwaram. But the fact that I could take this vehicle up any hill, confortably cruise at 60 - 70, that too open top made all of this a fun experience.

Even more than this, I loved the attention it creates every time its parked. From compliments such as nice Jeep, or people already giving out offers for buying it, this vehicle, despite its utilitarian origins, screams looks and attention.

Enough reading of the 4x4 thread kick started the inner mechanic within me, determined with the fact that I could, with enough parts, assistance and brainstorming, can make a jeep that suits my needs. The MM540, despite all the positives I had mentioned, was a pain to drive, terribly built, and most importantly, was 2wd.

Now my motives were clear. I do need a Jeep. Once I need a Jeep, I needed to modify it, as per my requirements, both with comfort features, and that of looks. Lastly, while purely optional, I also required the vehicle to have alright perfomance, to cruise on the highway, and to tackle any off - road focus. Yes, I know that the ideal suggestion that anyone would give here would be that to get a New Thar. Or a Jimny if I'm not badge conscious.

Yes, these are lofty ambitions to keep in mind , for a Vehicle built for off - roading. But I was determined enough, armed with the knowledge obtained under every 4x4 thread, that it could be possible. If people couldn't dissuade me from bringing the KB100 back from the dead thrice, they certainly can't stop me from getting the Jeep.

So what car to get ? - I had multiple options to choose from, as there were Jeeps of all types, all shapes and sizes, multiple Engine options. They included -

1. Mahindra MM540/50- This was the primary choice of Vehicle, which was being searched. There are enough threads on this vehicle in this forum, and I was determined about the fact that this vehicle will clearly fit my needs.

My search for the MM540 almost led me to getting a red MM540, with a DI Engine. While negotiations were going fine, the travel distance, along with Fitness Renewal being pending, ensured that this vehicle went from top priority to that of out of consideration.

2. 1960's Jeep CJ - Looked good, but my biggest skepticism was that of owning a vehicle this old. For Context, Jawaharlal Nehru was the PM when this vehicle was bought, the first James Bond movie had just dropped, and it was still 7 years for US to put a man on the moon. Despite the appeal in owning a piece of history, I was still skeptical about the maintenance a moving musuem like this would have. Dropped.

3. Used Jeep Compass Trailhawk - Jeep? Yes, 4X4? Yes. While technically being correct for my requirements, the fact that I have to prepone the eventual upgrade to the Dzire I have (I already have plans for getting a better vehicle than the Compass in a couple of years) along with not so good reviews about Jeep Maintenance made me stay away from this purchase. Plus the fact that the only 2 vehicles of this in the used market were running cheaper than a top end Creta, also made me question the possibility of any reliability issues, or that of terrible depreciation on Jeep's.

4. A Mahindra Major, which had been slightly modified - I honestly don't know how old this vehicle is, but considering that the price was decent, and that it was on route to a trip I was going, I decided to give it a shot. While I got welcomed by a very nice owner, who explained in detail about the vehicle, the bodywork needed a lot of work, and as much as I could try fixing things, metallurgy is nothing something I want to put myself into. So despite nice owner, vehicle got rejected.

A sojourn to Palakkad, and how I brought Phantom back - With there being enough struggles with that of finding a Jeep, preponing the bigger car purchase for a Trailhawk was looming on the horizon. As I was prepared to uninstall Olx, I decide to give one more search, this time, expanding my search to the neighbouring state, as far as its in a 5 - 6hr radius.

And then she appears, Phantom. A Grey Mahindra CL500. In almost cinematic fashion, I cut my ongoing college lecture to give the owner a phone call. And I was sold. The vehicle looked excellent on paper, was a daily driver, and the owner gave a full rundown on the maintenance he does on the vehicle, just on the first call itself.

Hence, in a leap of faith, plans were made, a drive to Palakkad, on the trusted Dzire, on board to welcome a new member of the Garage.

Bringing along a trusted mechanic, a thorough analysis of every aspect of the Jeep was undertaken.

That first glimpse, irl.

The vehicle had everything that I would have wanted. A nice color scheme, open top, and most importantly, well maintained and well owned. It had its cons, like that of needing slight paint work, or that there was no spare tire on the vehicle to begin with. While the speedo and tachometer were working, the rest of the gauges were shot. The rear seats also had issues, as they would keep on sliding back, but I have no plans of keeping the rear seats in the first place so not a bother for me.

Never has there been a more quicker purchase, the Vehicle was in that good condition. Considering the age of the vehicle, and that the other issues were fixable by myself, it was a done deal. 6hrs later, the vehicle proudly sits at its new home in Madurai, with its garagemate being my trusty Super Meteor 650.

Positives -

1. The Stance - This Vehicle screams attention, this time, even more than the previous MM540 that I had. It has a very intimidating stance, owing to its Grey and Black Color Scheme, and the massive 31x10.50 r15 tyres. Ive had people give way, the same way they would for a Fortuner. Its a vehicle everyone will notice if they see it.

2. Torque - And by Torque there is a lot of it. The slope leading to my Garage is easy to tackle. Rough Roads, also easy to tackle. Slight off - road and travelling in hills, the midrange of this vehicle makes it the fastest vehicle in the hills. It is literally the car equivalent of my Thunderbird, looks good, and between the speeds of 40 - 60, it is in its true zone, will tackle any roads, any gradient or surface, any slopes, with zero hesitation.

3. Reliability - Yes, an older vehicle, especially bought used will not be the most reliable vehicle, as evidenced by the fact that most restoration or modification builts require a significant time invested in bringing the vehicle to a good condition, be it physically or mechanically. Not for this car. Unlike the Mahindra Major or the MM540 I was previously about to buy, this vehicle, had zero rust. some surface level rust was there, but there was nothing that could not be fixed. Its a jeep, so other than the bodywork, there was nothing else on the car which could break.

With regard to the Engine, the MDI engine has been bulletproof. This vehicle has run 50,000km on its present engine, and upon first inspection, done duly by the mechanic we had brought along with us while buying the vehicle, we were told that this vehicle is in perfect condition, and that this is the kind of engine that would fetch a good price, if people were wanting to swap it to their older jeeps.

Only issue, and if I were to nitpick, on this vehicle was that of brakes, with an issue where the front left drums were not engaging properly at times. Thankfully, that issue has also been duly taken care of.

4. Practicality - While on paper, this is nowhere close to a practical vehicle, but this is in terms of transport as a personal vehicle. Otherwise, this is the most practical vehicle out there. I can fit my entire KB100 inside the back of my vehicle, and the Vehicle being open top ensures that headroom is no issues. There is underseat storage, a dedicated metal box that can be locked, and the fact that everything from huge saplings to even a young tree, a motorcycle, people, and basically almost any luggage that can be taken can easily fit in the back of the vehicle says a lot about the practicality of the vehicle, and its durability.

And all of this is without a single drop in engine perfomance. The vehicle will take almost anything you put to it with zero hesitation. While a Hilux has always been on my bucket list (and it will be in my garage in a couple of years), removing the rear seats has made this practically a pick - up truck of sorts, and I am happy with the dual role it can perform, as a jack - of all trades vehicle of my garage.

Negatives -

1. Top - End Performance of the Engine - This vehicle struggles to go past 60. It is not meant for long highway drives, even then, considering the fact that I have to navigate the great highways of Tamil Nadu to eventually reach the hills, the most excrutiating part of any drive is the highway.

This leads to often awkward situations in highway, where despite the size of my vehicle, every vehicle, even something as small as an XL100 could gap my jeep with an entire buslenght to spare.

2. Brakes - There are some massive gripes I have with the brakes of the vehicle. Because its mostly ineffective. The pedal has a lot of travel, and there is a very fine line between normal braking, and putting your brakes suddently. The vehicle comes to an abrupt stop if I hit the brakes ever so slightly too much, Anything before that, the brakes don't engage, or are ineffective. Another issue with the brakes is that if I am to ever hit the brakes suddently, the vehicle has a tendency to try to steer itself to the left or the right, almost as if the vehicle is struggling to stop.

The only rectification for this is to put a set of disk brakes, but once again, the cost and overall time and effort needed for this are complex, so at least for now, it is not feasible.

3. Lack of Safety Features - I don't expect the vehicle to come with airbags or ABS, but at the very least, for an open vehicle with no doors, I'm sure seatbelts should have been a thing. Currently seatbelts are being fixed, taken from a Gypsy, but work is still in progress.

4. Handling - For tough roads, that would totally bottom out any other cars, even SUV's, this vehicle takes all of these roads head on like nothing had happened, the cost of that being that driving dynamics in the city are not idea. The lack of power steering is annoying, to the extent where I find the Dzire feel like a luxury car in terms of ease of driving. A power steering is possible, issue being that the entire power steering set - up is from an older non - specified Mercedes Benz, I'm assuming based on the age could be a W124. The availability, along with labour makes it not feasible at least for the time period.

The lack of power steering also ensures that it is almost impossible to go around the small roads of Madurai City, as taking turns is a total hassle in itself.

If I were to compare this vehicle to my bikes, I would say that it has the performance of my Thunderbird 350, the size and handling of my Super Meteor, and the feature list of my KB100.

[TorqueMonster]

So now that the vehicle is bought, the first thing that was done is to wash it, and put it for a photoshoot.

The vehicle, sitting next day morning, at the garage, after successfuly driving across the highway to Madurai, its new Home.

Once the vehicle was put through a bit more usage, especially mechanical, a table discussion was undertaken. On what to do with the Jeep. Like I had stated earlier, this Vehicle was certainly not going to stay stock.

There were 3 options before us -

1. Off - Road Build - The most possible out of all the options, as the tyres and engine related work has already been done to the vehicle by the previous owner, who also used to regularly take it offroad, or if not put it through usage at an estate. The only things required were a bit of bodywork, along with a couple of performance mods.

Only issue is that both me and my dad have very different views on what counts as performance. While changing the gear ratio's is enough performance to my dad, my inner tuner is not satisfied. What I want was a 2.6 Crde, from the 1st Gen Scorpio. 10 mins into researcing the possibility, I managed to find out that while possible, such an Engine Swap is not feasible. As stated by Behram Dhabar Sir in a thread, the engine mounts and the overall weight of the 2.6 is too much for the Jeep.

While it is possible, I don't think there is any mechanic I can trust to undertake this. Hence, this has been paused. Going through all the Engine Swap threads, for now, all forms of Engine Swaps have been vetoed. Maybe, if required, might consider a DI Turbo. But not for now.

Only issue was that, despite buying a Jeep, I can't off - road (I will get to this part soon, I would love to participate in the next possible Off - Road event if it happens anywhere nearby), owing to the fact that the previous MM540 I had used was merely 2wd and also was not in the best of conditions.

2. Confortable Build - Yes, a ladder on frame Jeep, and comfort/luxury are 2 things that do not go hand in hand at all. But still, the idea of new bucket seats, a roof, and a retrofitted AC, especially in the dry and dusty Madurai seemed like luxuries that are good to have. Idea eventually rejected as if I wanted creature comforts, I could walk 5 steps to the right where my Dzire is, which will take me anywhere with zero issues.

3. Fix the vehicle one at a time - After thoroughly analyzing both time and finances available, the sole practical decision was made. Firstly, to ensure that the Vehicle is in 100 percent condition, both with respect to looks, and performance (as much as the Engine would allow for).

To ensure this, firstly, there needs to be electrical works undertaken, in the form of wiring being fixed, LED Lights, and taillamps.

Before all of this, its best to show photos of the Vehicle, before it eventually goes into the transformation phase -

The front of the Vehicle. The Timeless Jeep Looks, updated with a new bullbar (welded on as an extension to the stock bumper), along with aftermaket Auxiliary Lamps. Only slight eyesore being that of the blank indicators on the grill of the vehicle, and that long pole which I jokingly refer to as a flagpole. Considering that the vehicle is open top and comes inbuilt with a flagpole, can be a good side hustle in the current election season

The side profile of the Vehicle, clearly shows 2 things. Its open top, and has no rear seats. On a much detailed glance, you will also observe that its just a Vehicle and 2 seats. Simple, but also elegant. Once again, there is badge, that says 4wd, despite the Vehicle not being 4wd.

To correct this, the other side of the Vehicle has a badge that says 4x4, which is much more correct. Needless to say, both badges would be eventually removed.

The rear left and right quarter of the Vehicle, showing the otherwhise plain rear of the vehicle. Owing to the fact that this vehicle has aftermarket wheels, the rims, aling with the tyre are too heavy to mount on the rear door, with the vehicle being used without a spare tyre.

There is also a sign that says stop. Its fun to see warning signs meant for other motorists on vehicles, because I can guarantee one thing, with 4 drum brakes and this much weight, Stopping is not something I can do, so might as well warn others to do so.

The next Section should have been photos of electrical and mechanical work being undertaken, but unfortunately my phone decided to reach its Samadhi just hours before writing this, so I'll just give a slight rundown on what works had happened.

The first change which was made was that of adding old Willys Style Taillamps to the Vehicle, the main theme of the vehicle being Retro Modern. So a lot of retro elements are to be added, matching with the Grey and Black theme this vehicle is following. Along with this, LED Headlamps, and other electrical works were also undertaken for this Vehicle.

With close to a 1000km of driving, and all changes that have been made to the Phantom, I think now, a true review can be made.

1. Engine - Like you would expect from a Jeep, the Engine is torquey, and is totally at home driving around nearby hills, slopes and rough surfaces.

Where it is totally inadequate is in the highway. On the highway, it truly feels like a fish out of water. And its not the vehicle's fault. I cannot push a vehicle to perform at something it is not meant for. Hence, modus operadi for Highways is to stay under or around 60, and slowly cruise around on the slow lane.

0 - 50 - Roughly 9 - 10 seconds
0 - 80 - Yes
0 - 100 - Maybe, never reached these speeds ever to vouch for this.

2. Comfort - Creature comforts on the vehicle include sophisticated systems such as wind, fron seats taken from a Ford Fiesta Classic, and that's about it.

In terms of aestheticness, there is the Mahindra Jeep Steering, a timeless design, and pink color replica Sparco Gear Shifter Knob. The dials have been replaced, with most of the dials either taken from other jeeps, or if not, from a Piaggio Autorikshaw.

3. Off - Roading - This is something which unfortunately has been put on hold due to the work that is currently being done on the Vehicle. But I guarantee, the moment the Vehicle is out from all the TLC and necessary work it requires, it will be present at the next OTR.

4. Handling - Like most big vehicles, especially Jeep's, a heavy steering is a given. The lack of power steering was initially tough for me to get a grasp of, but now I am used to the same. Yet, due to my sheer inexperience in driving vehicles, let alone a behemoth like the Jeep, it is best to drive defensively, and take turns carefully. The bigger tyres, while being useful for off - road, are not clearly the best for road.

Tyre in itself is another issue, owing to the tyre brand in itself. Unfortunately, due to the tyre size, a whopping 31x10.50 r15, actual tyres from reputed brands are tough to get. There is JK, and then there is BF Goodrich, whose 5 tyres will cost almost half of what I paid for this vehicle in the first place. My vehicle, currently runs on a tyre called "Linglong". Google tells me that they are Chinese, and that they have a drift team. Google also tells me that there tyres in a study stopped 20ft after the rest of the Competition, and that there is no real grip. Probably explains the drift team then. I have sought suggestions from the 4x4 Thread regarding tyres, and am going to soon replace them with possibly new pair of rims and tyres.

Till then, ending this thread with a sneak peak of the work that is being done on the Vehicle as of now. Next updates would be that of the True Use, review and some proper off - roading with the vehicle.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the 4x4 section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage tomorrow . Big congratulations, your Jeep looks absolutely wicked.

[sirjokhi]

Congratulations on the wonderful jeep! Wish you many happy miles with it! Reading your thread makes me want to buy a jeep again! I sold both that I owned. Also, from the thread I understand you are a college student. Please know the limited capabilities of the vehicle on the road and refrain from doing anything stupid! This vehicle is not meant to be driven like a normal sedan or any other car for that matter. Take it off road and you will know what it is purpose is. You will have just as much fun in this vehicle at 50-60 kmph as you would have at higher speeds in other vehicles. Wish you a safe and stress free ownership. Also it's a JEEP! Be prepared for mouth watering mods and unlimited niggles ��. It's fun to work on it. Get your hands dirty and enjoy the ownership!

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

Once again, there is badge, that says 4wd, despite the Vehicle not being 4wd.

To correct this, the other side of the Vehicle has a badge that says 4x4, which is much more correct. Needless to say, both badges would be eventually removed.

Could you please elaborate as to why you say your Jeep is not 4WD but 4*4?

As far as I know, 4WD & 4*4 may be used for any vehicle with a low range transfer case, whereas AWD is used for soft roaders with no 4L mode.

[TorqueMonster]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

Could you please elaborate as to why you say your Jeep is not 4WD but 4*4?

As far as I know, 4WD & 4*4 may be used for any vehicle with a low range transfer case, whereas AWD is used for soft roaders with no 4L mode.

Thank you for correcting me Sir, I have confused myself with 4wd and AWD while writing that part of the thread

[TorqueMonster]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the 4x4 section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage tomorrow . Big congratulations, your Jeep looks absolutely wicked.

Thank you sir for your kind words. Your Mahindra Classic ownership review is one of the reasons I decided to stick with an older jeep itself. As you had mentioned in your thread, the fun that is there in cruising around in an open top Jeep is unmatched. It's the reason why I have not yet bought a soft - top for the Jeep.

Originally Posted by sirjokhi

Congratulations on the wonderful jeep! Wish you many happy miles with it! Reading your thread makes me want to buy a jeep again! I sold both that I owned. Also, from the thread I understand you are a college student. Please know the limited capabilities of the vehicle on the road and refrain from doing anything stupid! This vehicle is not meant to be driven like a normal sedan or any other car for that matter. Take it off road and you will know what it is purpose is. You will have just as much fun in this vehicle at 50-60 kmph as you would have at higher speeds in other vehicles. Wish you a safe and stress free ownership. Also it's a JEEP! Be prepared for mouth watering mods and unlimited niggles ��. It's fun to work on it. Get your hands dirty and enjoy the ownership!

Thank you sir. I understand the limited capabilities of the vehicle, so at least when the vehicle was first bought, it was mostly reserved for evening cruising at 60 across Madurai. I plan on continuing the same, now that I know the limits of the vehicle. And yes, I do plan on taking it off - road when the vehicle will be finished with paintwork and a bit of rust related repair which is currently going on.

As for reliability, I have surprisingly got an very reliable Jeep so far, no niggles as of now and I hope it stays the same.

[Earthroamer]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

Tyre in itself is another issue, owing to the tyre brand in itself. Unfortunately, due to the tyre size, a whopping 31x10.50 r15, actual tyres from reputed brands are tough to get. There is JK, and then there is BF Goodrich, whose 5 tyres will cost almost half of what I paid for this vehicle in the first place. My vehicle, currently runs on a tyre called "Linglong". Google tells me that they are Chinese, and that they have a drift team. Google also tells me that there tyres in a study stopped 20ft after the rest of the Competition, and that there is no real grip. Probably explains the drift team then. I have sought suggestions from the 4x4 Thread regarding tyres, and am going to soon replace them with possibly new pair of rims and tyres.

The single most fundamental thing required in 4 wheeling is traction. All the mods are there just to accentuate it. So invest in good tyres (no need for wider ones. Just make sure to have longer sidewalls), preferably with steels, if you are really into offroading. Especially if you are going to take it through mud and soft sand conditions. But its a Jeep, you should be taking it to rock crawling. You have already got solid axles with higher fender, just lifting couple of inches and disconnecting the front sway bar(while wheeling off road,ofcourse) will give you the best articulation possible and the subsequent traction.

You can potentially drive your new rig like this (if you could find trails like these ofcourse )

https://youtube.com/watch?v=4penn5Dl...EFGvg7kBFycEJ9

https://youtu.be/5Cmxh7P6bkM?si=5mEToov7mpYd980Z

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

4. Handling - Like most big vehicles, especially Jeep's, a heavy steering is a given. The lack of power steering was initially tough for me to get a grasp of, but now I am used to the same. Yet, due to my sheer inexperience in driving vehicles, let alone a behemoth like the Jeep, it is best to drive defensively, and take turns carefully. The bigger tyres, while being useful for off - road, are not clearly the best for road.
.

It was supposed to be the opposite - this would feel like a small vehicle even without power steering, once there is heavy aftermarket wheels and then very large tyres - it's going to be quite a work out and with that steering ratio it's difficult to change directions once the vehicle reaches a certain speed - the wheel and tire will have its own gravity

But then those wheels and tyres give it the cool looks, I suggest swapping them over to aluminium alloy wheels and HT tires - altogether it should be a lighter set up. Around hills there are usually good Jeep rocket scientists who can retrofit the entire drive train including the steering engine etc to that of a Major, it's a good investment, performance , safety , ease of use etc - You can do 100+ with that set up.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

...my goal, was to always get a car, that I can tune, and modify, both visually and performance wise.

A Jeep offers you unlimited opportunities.

2. 1960's Jeep CJ - Looked good, but my biggest skepticism was that of owning a vehicle this old. For Context

You should have got this, anyways...

I was still skeptical about the maintenance a moving musuem like this would have. Dropped.

All jeeps since 1945 till 2010 (Last Major) have same maintenance.

3. Used Jeep Compass Trailhawk - Jeep? Yes,

Noooo, you did not just say that!

4. A Mahindra Major, ...bodywork needed a lot of work vehicle got rejected.

Could have been a better choice but I understand if Tinkering is not something you want to try.

With regard to the Engine, the MDI engine has been bulletproof.

Can I see the engine bay pic?

This vehicle has run 50,000km on its present engine

How do you know that? Usually Jeeps and their speedo are Placebos only.

Only issue, and if I were to nitpick, on this vehicle was that of brakes, with an issue where the front left drums were not engaging properly at times.

Did you see how it was taken care of?

1. Top - End Performance of the Engine - This vehicle struggles to go past 60.

If you are interested you can make it go faster.

2. Brakes - There are some massive gripes I have with the brakes of the vehicle. Because its mostly ineffective. ...............

Please sit with the mechanic and see what is wrong with the brakes. Open all drums and post some pictures for us to see. Again, few pics of the engine bay will be nice. Especially the brake booster (or lack of booster) part. Also kneel down below the driver side and see if there is a Brake Master Cylinder there. A pic would be nice.

The only rectification for this is to put a set of disk brakes,

Umm... How did you derive that? And how is it going to rectify the problem?

A power steering is possible

Please avoid at all costs.

Originally Posted by TorqueMonster

While changing the gear ratio's is enough performance to my dad,

Glad : ) this answers your query above to increase the top end. What is the current ratio?

As stated by Behram Dhabar Sir ...Maybe, if required, might consider a DI Turbo.

Both engines have same end result - the poor CJ500 C-Section cannot take all that.

Only issue was that, despite buying a Jeep, I can't off - road

Elaborate why. How is the TCase, front axle/diff working condition.

...a retrofitted AC

Possible, but not a great addition to a 50hp engine. The Major may have been a better choice, because some Boleros had the same engine with factory AC. Would have been a easier mod.

...To ensure this, firstly, there needs to be electrical works undertaken

Bring it to stock, or get someone to rewire the jeep in totality. It is a 1 week job and totally worth it. How is the starter, alternator, plugs (if any, what engine I need to see).

The bigger tyres, while being useful for off - road, are not clearly the best for road.

See if you can eventually go for the original Jeep tyres, you will thank me later.

How is the mechanicals of the jeep? Have you personally checked the cooling system, engine, gearbox, TCase, shafts, diffs, brakes, starter and alternator, chassis condition, fuel system, suspension, shackles, grease points, steering rack & pinion, wheel hubs and bearings to begin with?

[TorqueMonster]

Originally Posted by svsantosh

A Jeep offers you unlimited opportunities.

You should have got this, anyways...

All jeeps since 1945 till 2010 (Last Major) have same maintenance.

Noooo, you did not just say that!

Could have been a better choice but I understand if Tinkering is not something you want to try.

Can I see the engine bay pic?

How do you know that? Usually Jeeps and their speedo are Placebos only.

Did you see how it was taken care of?

If you are interested you can make it go faster.

Please sit with the mechanic and see what is wrong with the brakes. Open all drums and post some pictures for us to see. Again, few pics of the engine bay will be nice. Especially the brake booster (or lack of booster) part. Also kneel down below the driver side and see if there is a Brake Master Cylinder there. A pic would be nice.

Umm... How did you derive that? And how is it going to rectify the problem?

Please avoid at all costs.

Glad : ) this answers your query above to increase the top end. What is the current ratio?

Both engines have same end result - the poor CJ500 C-Section cannot take all that.

Elaborate why. How is the TCase, front axle/diff working condition.

Possible, but not a great addition to a 50hp engine. The Major may have been a better choice, because some Boleros had the same engine with factory AC. Would have been a easier mod.

Bring it to stock, or get someone to rewire the jeep in totality. It is a 1 week job and totally worth it. How is the starter, alternator, plugs (if any, what engine I need to see).

How is the mechanicals of the jeep? Have you personally checked the cooling system, engine, gearbox, TCase, shafts, diffs, brakes, starter and alternator, chassis condition, fuel system, suspension, shackles, grease points, steering rack & pinion, wheel hubs and bearings to begin with?

Yes, sir, all the mechanicals on then vehicle are in good condition, personally checked by my mechanic I had brought with me, and only after his approval was the vehicle even bought. Even post buying, I had the vehicle checked here at Madurai from Head to Toe, and there has been nothing of fault that has been found except for the brakes.

Regarding the brakes, the issue was identified that there needed to be new brake lines, and some issue with the right brake not fitted property in place, owing to which braking was predominantly only on one side, causing the vehicle to pull unnecessarily to one side. But that has been resolved now. Engine and other mechanicals wise, the vehicle is in top condition.

And when I meant that I cannot off - road, it is not in reference to the vehicle. I have never taken a vehicle off - road before, but I surely intend to. As of now, the vehicle has finished painting, which I shall update soon, along with photos, including that of the Engine Bay. I have to learn to off - road, by going to an OTR Session, which I certainly intend on doing during my vacations

[TorqueMonster]

Part 2 - Small Setbacks leading to Eventual Mess Ups

Shortly after the paintjob, the Vehicle swiftly became my daily driver. The Dzire still being the family car meant that I had total control over the Vehicle.

But even before I could properly take any photos of the Jeep, and the New Paintjob and Roof it has, catastrophy of massive proportions had struck.

I had forgot to mention, in midst of the Enthusiasm of being a new owner, about a small noise, that used to come up every time I was driving the Jeep. What started off as a small rattle I ignored, over a few days become this insufferable noise, of metal screeching and crashing against something. The vehicle seemed mechanically fine, but I could not pinpoint a single reason on why or where the sound has been originating.

In between of all this, the new academic year meant that I had to shift back to Uni, and I decided to take the Jeep back with me. While I enjoyed my time at the University, and the attention that such a vehicle brings towards people, I found myself to be stuck.

One fine Sunday, 3 days after I have started dailying the Jeep. One breakfast later, I am driving the vehicle. I take a turn, slow down, and change gear. The vehicle is not moving. It is accelarating. But the vehicle is not moving at all. I stopped the Jeep, and prayed with all might in my body, for the vehicle to at least move till my parking, so that I could park it safely. I start the vehicle again, and thankfully it starts moving at odd numbered gears. Running the Jeep on 1st and 3rd, I somehow managed to get the vehicle to the Parking, where the gear doesn't engage again, and I ram into the Tree in front of me. The Jeep, with its solid build quality, withstood the small speed impact, with no damage, but the sheer torque of the vehicle almost made it climb the tree. End result was the Jeep with its front bumper perched on the middle of the tree, but due to the low speed of the impact, the Jeep was fine.

2 hours later, the culprit was identified. The gears of the Transfer case were absolutely torn through. This was just the tip of the iceberg. The reason why the teeth were torn in this is also because of vehicle being stuck on 4wd, an issue with the levers not engaging properly. In the middle of rural TN, I somehow did not have the courage to fix it in person, but rather, to take it to the nearest big town, and have it fixed and brought back, purely for the sake of assembly.

Part 3 - Probably the Longest Auto Ride Ever

In Uni, for any issue associated with pick up and drop, we have an auto driver Anna for contact. As much as I wanted to carry the transfer case by bus, the fact that 5 people, including myself were required to lift it, meant that there is need for other transportation. So I make a call, asking for Taxi cost, till Madurai.

Here's how the Conversation went -

Me - Anna, I wanted to know how much would a Taxi cost till Madurai, my vehicle has some repair work for which I have to carry the entire gearbox assembly with me.

Anna - For that we have auto no, I can take that on Auto.

Me, but this time a bit confused - An Auto, till Madurai ? (For context, this is about a 100km one way)

Anna - I do this route often, don't worry.

Having being assured that the auto is feasible, one fine Wednesday, I decided to cut classes, and take an auto back to Madurai. I don't think I've had a more confused drive or ride anywhere, like I've had at this moment. 20 km into the actual journey, and I was still confused on whether what was going on was real. But then the sun, and the intense windnoise which kept on testing the limits of ANC Earphones proved that it is real. After a whopping 3 hours later, the Gearbox finally reached Madurai, secured with the trusted mechanic.

After thoroughly opening the gearbox and the transfer case, the teeth of the transfer case needed to be replaced, which thankfully is possible, owing to the entire assembly available for sale from the nearby Mahindra Genuine Parts Seller. 24 hours later, and the Vehicle was back to being assembled.

[TorqueMonster]

Part 4 - The Jeep Finally being Ready

Once the gearbox was fixed in Total, next step was to bring back the gearbox to the workshop, for which the Trusted Dzire, along with its Immense Bootspace meant that I could easily take this back with me.

Once the gearbox was inserted back, the next issue was with the Gear Levers. The gear lever assembly, which included washers, and a brass spring, had all disintegrated, with the washer warped, and the spring broken. Next in line was to fix the gear lever assembly. For this, a new gear lever assembly was brought, onc again available as an official accessory from Mahindra, containing the big rubber washer which you see in the photo above, and below it, a metal washer, and a brass spring.

The reason for the entire assembly to be overhauled is because of the accident risk owing to lack of handbrake. This Vehicle lacks a handbrake, and I'm solely reliant on putting the Vehicle on first and shutting it down. The broken gear lever system meant that if I put the Vehicle in first, it would not stay in first, but rather go back to Neutral. The last thing I wanted was the vehicle to slip into Neutral and roll off somewhere. So while this was a simple 400rs fix, it was necessary, for both mine, and the safety of the people around this Vehicle.

Next issue was regarding Tyres, and Alignment. The previous owner, while having taken good care of this vehicle, had made one glaring mistake, which was that of mounting one tyre wrongly, specifically the left front tyre. While driving the Vehicle, something felt absolutely wrong, a pulling from the left, along with that of immense vibrations.

Changing the tyre, and mounting it back, along with Wheel Alignment was absolutely necessary. And to no one's surprise, the left side of the Vehicle was totally unaligned, due to which the Vehicle was wobbly at any time past 40, and was steering a lot towards the left.

[TorqueMonster]

Now that Phantom has been fully readied, I think I can finally give a true ownership review, at least my initial thoughts after adding almost a 1000 kms to this Vehicle.

The timeless front Fascia. There is nothing further to add about the looks of this generation of Jeeps. I prefer this over the MM540, owing to the fact that this is literally a licensed Willys. The fog lamps, while mounted, have not been operation, but I do intend on using them for future events, especially for Off - Roading. The Headlamps have been upgraded to Osram LED lights. The pros of such a change are that now the visibility on road has been excellent. Only downside is that with I would have to replace the reflectors, as the reflectors are suitable only for Halogen, and I would not even want to blind anyone who is oncoming.

The headlight throw can be best described as an average Creta Driver's worst nightmare, owing to the stereotype associated with their high beam use. The throw is far, and in the desolate highways passing through Rural TN, the new headlights are a godsend, allowing me to spot motorcycles and cycles passing across the Highway at night.

The next is the sides of the Vehicle, more particularly, the Roof. And the interior also. In the previous photos, you would have seen on how there was no rear seat. Now, an entire seating set up has been created, custom rear seat which can seat 2, along with cusions on the side, for the sake of seating 2 more thin people, purely for sake of emergency.

The Roof, is only good for protecting 2 people from shade. As much as I expected it to shelter from water, one light rain ensured that I was more drenched than those sitting behind me, owing to all the water accumulating on the roof and trickling down. While it does look good, the fact that it could not withstand a light rain means that there will be an eventual overhaul of the roof.

Rear Part of the Vehicle has had significant modifications. First and formost, the rear tyre has been mounted, with sufficient work done, to reinforce the rear door, to handle the additional weight of the tyre.

Now that all work has been totally finished on this vehicle, I can actually discuss about real life usage. Firstly, the driving dynamics have changed massively. Gear Shifts are precise and more shorter. The Jepe confortably sits at 60 on the Highway. The 4wd Lever is smooth, and is swiftly engaging.

The next update will be during an upcoming OTR event which I have planned to attend, the first OTR I am doing. I would be updating not only my personal experience off - roading for the first time, but also that of the Vehicle.