[condor]

Found the reason for the blind-spot: the mirror surface is flat and not convex.

Question: Does the similar looking mirror from a Bolero fit directly onto a Gypsy ? Boodmo has the OEM stuff listed. Else plan to get the ones from Royal, via Amazon.

[Vmax1200]

Originally Posted by condor

Found the reason for the blind-spot: the mirror surface is flat and not convex.

Question: Does the similar looking mirror from a Bolero fit directly onto a Gypsy ? Boodmo has the OEM stuff listed. Else plan to get the ones from Royal, via Amazon.

Toyota Qualis mirror is the best option with good visibility. The approximate price is 1,000 rupees.

[shankar.balan]

@condor and @SJ410
1. Never get into a situation where the engine overheats. It can blow a gasket and thats the end.
2. Yes it is useful to have an auxiliary fan mounted as many rallyists do, especially in hotter climates. However I have not seen any of the Army Gypsys so far with this Aux fan. But then Ive mostly seen Army Gypsys up close only in Nilgiris and Bangalore.
3. Water splash. The Gypsy has a narrow footprint and when it courses through waterlogged roads if one is at some speed the water does splash on the bonnet and windshield. But it doesnt come inside through the windows. However the Gypsy being small and low and narrow and mostly non ac, which means the windows are open, one is prone to receiving water splash from other passing traffic especially lorries and buses.
4. Blind spot. As suggested in the other thread get the Bolero or other external mirrors fixed after market and add a wide clip on mirror for inside. Add the small wide angle stick on convex mirrors to the ORVMs. And you should be fine.
5. Turning radius. Yes in these days of Power steering one will find the Gypsys turning radius quite large. But this is a fact of life. I have the OEM Stock Nylon tyres on mine, and these are inflated to the recommended 20PSI. I find the Gypsy easy to turn and handle. But despite these slim tyres, at parking speeds this is a tough steering. And the turning radius is large irrespective of what tyres you use. So a lot of people simply install the Koyo Power Steering unit and make their lives easier. This is a more or less simple installation and most people other than the purists, consider it a worthy uograde.

[starter]

Originally Posted by condor

Found the reason for the blind-spot: the mirror surface is flat and not convex.

Question: Does the similar looking mirror from a Bolero fit directly onto a Gypsy ? Boodmo has the OEM stuff listed. Else plan to get the ones from Royal, via Amazon.

By the looks of the mirror on your car, it looks to be of Bolero already.

You could opt for either Bolero or Qualis mirrors. Both come with convex mirrors.

Gypsy stock mirrors are 3 hole pattern while the above mirrors are 2 hole patterns.
One of those could be aligned to the existing hole. You would have to drill a hole for the other and leave the top hole empty.

Else, you could import some samurai mirrors from US for as cheap as 20$.

Hope, this helps.

[condor]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

2. Yes it is useful to have an auxiliary fan mounted as many rallyists do, especially in hotter climates.

4. Blind spot. As suggested in the other thread get the Bolero or other external mirrors fixed after market and add a wide clip on mirror for inside. Add the small wide angle stick on convex mirrors to the ORVMs. And you should be fine.
5. Turning radius. ... So a lot of people simply install the Koyo Power Steering unit and make their lives easier. .

Thanks, Shankar.

Aux fan is planned, but right now trying to build list of stuff to be taken care of, so things can be done in one go.

Will get new mirrors, and then go for the wide-angle stick-on's.

THis one already has a Koyo

Originally Posted by starter

By the looks of the mirror on your car, it looks to be of Bolero already.

Else, you could import some samurai mirrors from US for as cheap as 20$.

Thanks, @Starter. The mirrors look like Bolero mirrors, but are flat. Have ordered a set from Amazon (Royal), should get it this week. Cant wait till mirrors can come from US - but will definitely check that.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by starter

Else, you could import some samurai mirrors from US for as cheap as 20$.

Hope, this helps.

@starter or indeed anyone else.
1. Please can you share a good site reference for Samurai parts - USA, UK, EU, SEA, UAE? (I do bring parts in from the US now and then for my 10 year old Mini Cooper S, so I am used to the procedures. All that I am looking for is a reliable trustworthy site for Samurai parts.)
2. My outside mirrors are OEM but from the Maruti Omni. The problem is that the previous owner when fitting the left side mirror has gone and drilled holes wrongly and in consequence the mirror angle is all wrong. So I am managing with the help of the little convex wide angle stick on mirrors as far as the left side is concerned. If I do now re affix the mirrors I shall have to use some filler paste to cover up the wrongly drilled holes. Thats very sad to see in an otherwise clean stock Gypsy.
3. I also need to buy the OEM Soft top because mine is ageing and slowly giving up the ghost. I would prefer the original and not a substitute. I dont want to fabricate one in JC road and I dont want the Armoro one. And I can clearly see that the ones being sold by MGP nowadays arent anywhere as good as the old original OEM ones. Wonder where I can get an original OEM one. I dont mind spending on this.
4. My wipers are OEM. While they are variable speed ones they are quite inadequate to keep heavy rains at bay. So I wonder if there is a way of installing a bigger and more powerful wiper motor. And of course changing the wiper blades to better ones than those provided by MGP. (I know longer wiper blades will completely change the look, but Im in search of better functionality in this aspect.)
5. Im looking for a good solution for front mudflaps. I have the OEM rear mudflaps. And Im told by everyone that there is no provision for front mudflaps except through a but of aftermarket drilling and installation. I may be willing to consider this but I’d like some advice. I dont want any indiscriminate drilling. In the past at RAC garage I have had some light PU Rubber mudflaps installed on my previous Gypsys and while the solution works, it doesnt look pucca original.
6. I was looking for proper MyPol Butyl tyre Tubes of F78-15 size. To carry as spares. If I can get 2-3 of these I ll keep them in my spares kit. I had ordered these on Amazon for Rs 356/- per tube but the seller
cancelled on me. So last week when I was driving back from Ooty I stopped at a smaller tyre shop in Gundlupet (being a rural area) and asked for tubes. That shop chap also said its very hard to get F78-15 tubes because everyone has moved to radials. But he said I can buy 1 tube of 195/15 for emergencies. I paid him Rs 600/- for one tube which is now in my spares kit. Id be grateful if someone can help get me 2 actual F78-15 Mypol Butyl tubes. All going well I am heading towards semi rural Northern India in a week or ten days. I shall hunt for these tubes up there too.
Thanks!

[MissionManali]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

But, if you do that, then you risk damaging your lights by hitting low obstacles, cows, mother-in-laws, speed bumps and such like.

hitting mother-in-laws.This is has to be the best usage of Gypsy,I have ever heard. Thanks for the tip.

[SJ410]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

1. Never get into a situation where the engine overheats. It can blow a gasket and thats the end.

2. Yes it is useful to have an auxiliary fan mounted as many rallyists do....

Yes. Will not happen to me because of the aux fan. It works with the ac and keeps the engine cool.

3. Water splash. The Gypsy has a narrow footprint...

Safer to wade through at lower speeds in water with a petrol engine.

5. Turning radius. Yes in these days of Power steering one will find the Gypsys turning radius quite large....

The wheelbase is narrow and chassis is long. Smaller radius may make the vehicle unstable at higher speeds. One may choose an alternative steering like the gif below.

[SJ410]

Originally Posted by condor

Found the reason for the blind-spot: the mirror surface is flat and not convex.

Question: Does the similar looking mirror from a Bolero fit directly onto a Gypsy ? Boodmo has the OEM stuff listed. Else plan to get the ones from Royal, via Amazon.

Hey Condor. It was trial and error for me. I ended up fitting only a left side rear mirror on mine keeping the right one intact. My two cents on this is to get an omni left side mirror itself. The sheet metal on the door is the only thing that holds up the mirror and the lighter the better. Heavier ones will vibrate a lot when you move. The OEM mirror folds in neatly and even if a biker knocks the mirror, you can just put it back in place. Same case when you park it in a public place where some morons like to fidget with the mirrors. The OEM mirror can be used vertically or horizontally as per convenience. I find this quite useful.

For the blind spot use the small convex stick on ones which are quite decent.

With forward facing rear seats I had to fix the central rear view mirror higher than currently fixed to get a better view.

[SnakemanJohny]

Finally I found someone who likes the Gypsy mirror for reasons similar to mine -- SJ410 ! The OEM mirror can be used both horizontally (on highways) and vertically (inside cities), the latter minimizing risks from knocks by bikers, and can always be pulled back in position without much damage!

For the left, I use a side view camera connected to the rear camera screen via a two-way switch, using only in dense traffic, or left lane change or open roads.
This way, not only is the left view available right in front of me, but the small thing is knock proof, too.

The Gypsy mirror has one drawback for me -- it refuses to stay tight no matter how often I tighten the bottom nut, and swivels in a strong breeze !

[condor]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

@condor and @SJ410
1. Never get into a situation where the engine overheats. It can blow a gasket and thats the end..

While driving back home on Saturday evening, after about 18 km of gradually increasing traffic, noticed something:



The last 4 km was in heavy traffic, taking at least 2 cycles of the signals. When I switch off the engine, the temp used to go up like this. Once I start the engine, the temp used to come back to almost middle.

The aux fan is in the pipeline, but currently trying to list all that we want to do.

Originally Posted by SJ410

My two cents on this is to get an omni left side mirror itself. .

Will check this out - hoping the Essar spares outlet near here has something in stock. The bolero style mirror that I ordered from Amazon is also on the way. However, the OEM mirror that can be used both vertically or horizontally looks interesting. Will be very useful for the left side, especially in city traffic.

[SJ410]

Originally Posted by SnakemanJohny

Finally I found someone who likes the Gypsy mirror for reasons similar to mine -- SJ410 ! The OEM mirror can .....

The Gypsy mirror has one drawback for me -- it refuses to stay tight no matter how often I tighten the bottom nut, and swivels in a strong breeze !

Yes. The basic design is very versatile with two degrees of motion. The right mirror can be adjusted to view the area near the rear tyre too. Sometimes useful when reversing on uneven or rocky ground.

SnakemanJohny, you could replace the OEM with a new one if it is beyond repair. Sometimes when the nut is loose it does swivel but not all the way. It rests at a position and then I generally adjust the mirror angle at that position at the ball-socket joint.

Please share some pics of your rear view cam and side view cam setup.

Originally Posted by condor

While driving back home on Saturday evening, after about 18 km of gradually increasing traffic, noticed something:

Attachment 2355562

The last 4 km was in heavy traffic, taking at least 2 cycles of the signals. When I switch off the engine, the temp used to go up like this. Once I start the engine, the temp used to come back to almost middle.

Hey Condor, the engine does seem to cool fast. The OEM fan comes with a thermocouple of some kind which moves after a critical temperature is reached. An aux fan keeps the engine cool and I am guessing it might help to gain a small amount of power with the main fan off. I have an electric aux fan in front of the radiator. It keeps the temperature below 25% in normal traffic or on highways.

[Dodge_Viper]

I have this mirror fitted by previous owner. I guess this is Wagon-R mirror. Excellent visibility.

[SnakemanJohny]

Originally Posted by SJ410

Yes. The basic design is very versatile with two degrees of motion.

Please share some pics of your rear view cam and side view cam setup.
.

Thank you, SJ410! I have changed so many mirrors that I am tired of buying them -- they all come loose at the bottom, not at the ball joint. Even if it happens at the ball joint, it is easier to retighten with a screwdriver.

That is another beauty about the GYPSY MIRROR -- it is inflation proof, at least in Calcutta ! The first one I bought in 1987 while rebuilding my JONGA cost me Rs. 80/-. The latest cost me Rs. 85/- in 2021!

Here is a pic of my side view camera, bought from Amazon. The rear view one is the standard hole in the bumper type. Its monitor has ports for another device, where I fitted the side-cam jacks.

[SJ410]

Originally Posted by SnakemanJohny

Thank you, SJ410! I have changed so many mirrors that I am tired of buying them -- they all come loose at the bottom, not at the ball joint. Even if it happens at the ball joint.

Hey SMJ, yes, that is the beauty of simplicity.

Wow. 1987 JONGA. One hardly sees them any more. I remember how 'silent' the engines were when they would speed by in the cantonment areas. The only sound that could be heard was of the tyres on the road.