JEEP comes Home !!!

Finally after 10 months of restoration and modification, I am taking my JEEP home today. FYI no one at home till date (except my wife) knows that I have bought a JEEP. Today is the beginning of Navratri and is an auspicious day. Took delivery of the JEEP at the Ganesha Temple in Kormangala (my mech. drove the JEEP till there from his house). After doing the pooja I picked up some sweets and headed home on the JEEP with the top down. It was a sight... Tom, Dick & Harry were ogling at the JEEP.

Finally the JEEP is home. Have to thank my mech whom I have given a brand new Nokia 6600 as his settlement for all the work that he has carried out on my JEEP as well as keeping it at his house for all these 10 months..

Have to thank Mr. Uday Bhan Singh for all the help he has extended in giving advice as well as helping me source parts from him.

Have to also thank all the fellow JEEP club members who kept guiding me constantly on the technical as well as on the looks of the JEEP.

A BIG Thanks to Mr. Uday Bhan Singh

It has been almost 9 months since my vehicle is getting restored. It has taken so much time due to various reasons like funds / availability of parts / accessories, availability of mechanic (my mechanic used to work only for 1 day in a week on the Jeep . sometimes 4 - 5 days)..

In all this time, Mr. UBS has helped my source various parts like Handbrake Kit / Footman Loops / Jerry Can Bracket / Bumprettes / Tow Hooks (near Pintel Hook) / Scissor Frames / Canvas. For those who dont know him, he is an avid Jeep collector / enthusiast who has over 40 odd Jeeps in his collection . His passion for Jeeps cant be penned down. His website is www.jeepstation.com . It is just getting ready.

He has till date not taken a single paisa for all these parts / courier charges for dispatching them. The last time, when I asked him "How much do I owe you Sir".. pompt comes the reply "You are not going to the US are you?"...

Am greatly indebted to you sir. But someday am goona pay for it.. Thankyou so much fo all the support / guidance / parts ..

Finally .. Bought the 1967 Jeep CJ3B

The papers had been sent from Mumbai and it reached the caretaker yesterday. He gave me a call immediately as he wanted the money badly... Told him I would come today... Yesterday bing tuesday and all... wanted to pick it up on a "Good" day....

Took my mechanic along...inspected the vehicle once more .. and went up to sign the papers... The RC book was in order.... I called up the owner and lowered the price.. since he had made me run around un-necesarily and also because there was no insurance... I would have to pay for it.. and that too in his name.. Then get the vehicle transferred to my name and then take a fresh insurance... However Life Time Tax has been paid and the vehicle has got a green certificate till 2007... The owner agreed..

Drove to the nearest petrol bunk near Thoms Supermarket and filled some gas... The vehicle has done about 98000 Kms... Mu guess is it has done more than that...The vehicle was headed straight to the mechanics garage for repairs... On the way it just stopped.. just in front of a BTS bus... Quiet onvious isnt it...... Luckily there were some builders who wre going back home and theygave a hand.. Push this thing... "Thalo Model Gaadi Iddu.. Thali Bid appa.."...... hahahah.... I didnt want to take the vehicle home in that condition... I wanted to modify it to my tastes and then take it home..

So there it is folks.. My quest for a 4WD is over... now to get it to its natural habitat... somewhere over the hills... My guess is it should take about 3 - 4 months .. causeI will be funding it part-by-part for the restoration / modification process.. Should have the vehicle ready by April.. Its gonna cost me a bit to get it to my tastes...I guess.. thats the initial estimate.. lets see what happens... Wish me luck guys...

I have finally become the owner of a CJ3B on Dec 29th 2004..

The Deal is on ??

The caretaker called me and said the owner was in urgent need of money.. So he wanted to dispose of at whatever rate.. I took my mechanic alonmg..withdrew cash from the ATM and went to pick up the Jeep. We inspected the vehicle once more and then went to the apartment to sign of the papers and close the deal.. What the F*&K the original papers were not around.. He was still holding the photocopies... he said he would be receiving the originals from Mumbai anytime.. The reason when the owner moved to Mumbai he packed up everything and left.. and he has misplaced the RC book..

I have a feeling he has lost the book completely.... The caretaker had the audacity to ask me to give him the full money and take the vehicle along with the photocopies... Gave him a piece of my mind and told him to call us up as soon as he received the book and walked out the place... Man what a waste of time... But I am praying that they find the book at the earliest... PRAY..... thats all I can do now....

Saw The Jeep CJ3B

I saw the Jeep today..Couldnt wait for the weekend.. Should have seen it day-before yesterday itself... but it was late in the evening when I saw the AD.. Took off early from the office today and checked her out..

It was lying in an apartment complex on St. Johns Road.... The owner has moved to Mumbai.. He is selling off the vehicle.. People have come and seen the vehicle and gone but no one has actually driven it.. I had taken my mechanic along.. We got the vehicle out, it had not been used for almost 6 months time.. Somehow we got it started and took it out onto the streets for a ride.. A lot of work needs to be done on her.

It is a 1967 Jeep CJ3B manufactured by Mahindra under Licence from Willys. A right hand-drive petrol vehicle with 3 forward and 1 reverse gear with a lever to switch the transmission from 2WD to 4WD and also a high-range low-range selector while in the 4WD mode. Strangely the vehicle doesnt have the rod connecing the 2 axels.. which means it has not seen 4WD driving.

It is a Kerala registered Vehicle .. and currently it is in the hands of the 4th owner. the man who showed me the vehicle said while the owner wanted to sell it, his son didnt want to. Asked for the papers. .. got to see the photocopies of the paperwork.. Everything seemed to be in order..

Ok... some pics.. heck I have to install hello / picasa.. will take some time

An AD in AD-MAGS Bangalore

Picked up a 5 day old Ad -Mag copy while waiting at the airport the signals.. There is a Willys Jeep CJ3B for Sale...!!!!!! Hurray...... Must check it out.. The patience has paid off I guess.. Just spoke to the guy, he told me he has couple of offers... Obviously I have to beat them.. Checking it out this weekend.. Have told him not to dispose it at any cost..

Found a Willys .. Not for Sale

Found a Willys low bonnet ex-military jeep.. with complete works... Rifle stand , spade , the original colour.. but it is not on sale ... It is lying in Koramangala Ranjith Auto Care (RAC). This guy is a rally driver.. why does he need a 4WD??.. Checked if it is available for sale.. Says o. he is the 2nd owner of the same .. and he has got offers for 3 laks for the beauty.. but still does not want to sell it.. I am not the only 4WD buff then... Sad .. need to look around more..