Cool Jeeps You Can't Have - Mahindra of India

[jscherb]

This isn't a Mahindra, it's a vehicle that's much more common in India than the Mahindra Thar - it's a Maruti Gypsy. Maruti is the name for Suzukis manufactured in India (Maruti BTW is an alternate name for the Hindu monkey-god Hanuman-ji.). Gypsies are mostly long wheelbase and a very popular factory option is the high-roof fiberglass hardtop with rear troop-style seating.

I was wondering what would it look like if a hardtop like that and troop seating was available for the Wrangler...

 

[billiebob]

Just like most auto makers, Mahindra does concept cars for shows. In 2018 Mahindra showcased the Thar Wanderlust...

More in the Wanderlust: https://tinyurl.com/jj46kprf

But unlike most auto makers, the Mahindra Customization Shop will build you one, or you can build one yourself. The Wanderlust Customization Kit sells for 13.8 lahk rupees (about $18,500). This one was built for the Royal Family of Udaipur (I've posted photos of some MB/GPW Jeeps in the Maharaja's collection earlier in the thread).

I'm in love with the hatchback side windows.

 

[billiebob]

Customization is done differently in India than it is here - there are many small shops that will do far more than just bolt on parts from a catalog. You can get pretty much any custom mod that you can think done up in places like Mandi Dabwali, where there's a vehicle customization "market" made up of many small shops like this:

I wrote earlier that there's a similar area on the outskirts of town with many small shops that do custom truck bodies for Mahindra PikUps. Speciality fab shops like these exist all around the country and often when one is established, more will spring up in the same area doing similar work. This is true in India for many products, for example where teak and other woods are present, a "market" of furniture building "factories" is likely to exist. The word factory is also used a bit more loosely in India, a factory could be a small garage or even a single room in the case of fabric products.

Also in India there are a number of replacement body part manufacturers. You can get everything from a single replacement panel to a complete Savari body. For example:

Building a pickup? How about a complete bed? Nice diamond plate interior...

The manufacturer of the parts above is here:

What they build in tiny shops on gravel parking areas beside the highways in India is mind boggling.



Not to mention the transfer of projects between various builders.

 

[jscherb]

I'm in love with the hatchback side windows.

I thought about doing swing-up side panels on my LJ Safari Cab, these are some photos I took when I did a mock-up to see what would be required.

I posted these photos back in 2011, here's what I wrote at the time:

With narrow pieces of wood to simulate gas props, I've hinged this panel temporarily on the upper mounting bolt holes that secure the side panel to the door surround and to the rear corner. It would be pretty straightforward to have hinges at the top of the panel similar to the Jeep's door hinges that allowed the panel to lift off completely. I'd probably use lockable paddle handle latches on the bottom, similar to those used on pickup truck toolboxes (I posted a concept drawing a few days ago showing those handles). Swing-up/removable side panels are definitely technically feasible.

 

[billiebob]

I'd be happy with just the factory glass flipping up.
Kind of like old mini vans used to flip out.
Keeping the factory hardtop.

 

[jscherb]

I'd be happy with just the factory glass flipping up.
Kind of like old mini vans used to flip out.
Keeping the factory hardtop.

How about the ones on this JK?

 

[jscherb]

I'm a member of the Indian Team BHP forum; there are often interesting threads about Mahindras there. This isn't strictly about Mahindras, but it is a problem Mahindra owners in India have to contend with...

Someone started a thread there the other day entitled "Car covers with spikes for protection from monkeys / animals". In India, monkeys are as common as squirrels are here in the northeast U.S. They're very bold, even aggressive, and some of them are quite large. The OP of the thread is wondering how he can keep monkeys from jumping on and denting his car. He wonders if something like this will do it:

The consensus in the forum is no, that will not work. Someone suggested toy motorized snakes on the roof because monkeys are afraid of snakes, but monkeys are pretty smart and it wouldn't take them long to realize the snakes were fake.

The best suggestion on the thread was to install a roof rack. That wouldn't protect the hood, but it should do a pretty good job for the roof.

I remember taking a photo of a troop of monkeys taking over a Mahindra while visiting the ancient city of Hampi a few years ago, but I couldn't find that photo. There were two species involved, and the two were struggling for control of the Mahindra - it was quite a spectacle.

I did find this photo taken on the same trip to Hampi, the swami-ji of the Vijanagar temple there (he's here: http://www.hampividyaranyamutt.org/) feeds the monkeys every morning and invite me to join him.

Back to monkeys on vehicles - on another road trip in Rajasthan we visited the Ranakpur Jain temple (https://www.earthtrekkers.com/ranakpur/) and on the way out through a narrow, curving jungle road this Langur monkey decided to hitch a ride on our side mirror. He jumped up from the side of the road while the car was moving, road along for a few miles and when he decided we weren't interesting, he jumped off.

The main pests in my yard here are chipmunks digging burrows under sidewalks and deer eating every plant in site. I guess I'd rather have those pests than monkeys .

 

[jscherb]

Fun in India from the Indian Team BHP forum: Riverbed, Water Wading & an Offroad outing with a squad of 9 Thars (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-...ater-wading-offroad-outing-squad-9-thars.html)

 

[pith helmet]

The Thar is "pretty-ugly". It really grows on you. Better looking than the JL to me.
You have probably posted info before, but do you how axels/diffs/gearing compare to the JK? I assume they are trim level specific like Jeeps.

 

[jscherb]

The Thar is "pretty-ugly". It really grows on you. Better looking than the JL to me.
You have probably posted info before, but do you how axels/diffs/gearing compare to the JK? I assume they are trim level specific like Jeeps.

From the Mahindra web site showing the "offroad features" of the two main models (https://auto.mahindra.com/suv/thar/specifications-features). Higher on that page the axle ratio (4.3:1) and transmission specs (6 speed), approach and departure angles and other specs are listed.

 

[jscherb]

Coming in 2023 in India - a 5-door Thar.


Some of the "Thars" in the video look a lot like a JLU... this next image is a still from the video. That *is* a JLU, it is not a Mahindra.

Another still from the video, a JLU with a Thar grille edited in place.

And here's a photo from another Indian automotive news site - a JLU with a the word Thar crudely pasted on the bumper. They didn't even change the grille.

There are other photo-edits online in which a 3-door Thar is edited to look like a 5-door, but for real photos of the 5-door I guess we'll have to wait a while until spy photos of an actual 5-door show up.

 

[billiebob]

Have to ask if you have anything on the J8 built in Egypt. The J8 with a 5 cylinder diesel has amazing payload and towing capability.

 

[jscherb]

Have to ask if you have anything on the J8 built in Egypt. The J8 with a 5 cylinder diesel has amazing payload and towing capability.

View attachment 703418

I do have some info on various J8 configurations, and in fact one of the configurations shown at SEMA in 2016 had a custom HD tailgate and it used the HD tailgate hinges I designed for MORryde. But that's a subject for another thread someday because the J8 is not a Mahindra .

 

[jscherb]

Marksman 4x4 trailer

This isn't a Mahindra, but it is based on a Mahindra body tub. It's an interesting design and worth looking at for anyone considering making a Jeep-tub style camp trailer, perhaps starting with a Dinoot tub kit (https://compactcampingstore.com/products/dinoot-j-series-tub-kit).

There isn't too much information available about it online, but there is a video on YouTube:


They do have a Facebook page, but not much info there: https://www.facebook.com/marksman4x4fb/. I'm guessing it's a new company that hasn't quite been able to get into production yet, but the photos might provide inspiration for someone designing/building a Jeep-tub camper.

 

[pith helmet]

I love this, especially behind the Thar with matching wheels and soft top. The pup must’ve liked it, too…she never pays attention to what’s on a screen.