It’s great day - Mahindra Classic

Yet another milestone in my restoration process, the mechanical and rare parts were collected successfully. Look at the below picture which will show a partial list of latest spare parts.

I’ve managed to source the OE fuel tank, soft-top, soft doors & its aluminum frame, rear seat, break-booster, clutch cable, front bumper mahindra plate, motorized windshield washer kit and miscellaneous gasket rubbers.

It was my long pending list of must have stuffs for my classic jeep. A friend of mine suggested few good resources where I could source all of these items in Mumbai & Chennai (Wait for an index of all the resources in the forth coming blog, as I’m still procuring items for the jeep).

[Above picture shows the soft-top and fittings.] Almost cosmetic collections of cosmetic spares are over and now I’m in the verge of correcting the mechanical issues. The coming week will be painting week and jeep will go for massive paint process.

Painting and the mechanical work will progress simultaneously and the smaller items needed to be fixed before the final touch-up.

Windshield washer kit, it was not so tough to source this as the latest Mahindra Bolero also uses the same old model used in Mahindra Classic. Kudos to Mahindra for continuing such spares in modern utility vechicles.

Mahindra CL340 DP chase and underbody work

At last the body tub has been removed out from the chase, there were couple of folks were engaged on the duty.

This activity pushed the jeep to next level as the major tinkering work has been completed. The only part left with the tinker is to straighten the uneven surface with file-hammer and applying metal paste on the tinkered areas.
While the tinker working on the body tub's bottom part, the painter also started cleaning the chase for anti-corrosive treatment. We found lots of accumulated mud on the engine and gear box area due to the greasy nature. Hence cleaned the whole chase and engine with petrol and soap water.
The below picture shows the Mahindra Classic's chase mounted with engine and gearbox. The rest of the activities on the jeep will be building the components from this stage.

Hydraulic Jack for Mahindra Classic

Folks, This items has got no direct relation to my Mahindra Classic restoration project but It is a essential tool for person like me with a Jeep(apologies for being too lazy not being able to manage the manual jack), This item attracted me while browsing for a better tyres. I have taken this hydraulic bottle jack as to find a permanent place in my jeep, probably need to make some locking facility somewhere in the body tub for this jack with tinker's assistance.The Hydraulic Jack which can lift upto 5Ton weight, If you looked at my previous blog about the spares that I have collected you would have noticed another Jack which is fully manual. I may sell the other one for a good deal if someone is interested.

The above picture shows my 3 year old son with lifted height of the jack, the operations of the jack is so easier as my son can manage himself, though it is not a children toy.

Tinkering on the flow...

Hmmm... The jeep is reached a major restoration part in the past week, almost much of the rusted body surfaces have been replaced with a new anti-corrosion(coated) steel sheets of 18 Imperial Gauge thickness (1.22 mm).
The work is on the runway speed and the whole body work team is motivated to achieve a optimum performance in the restoration project. You know what my kid Adithya is the supervisor for the project, he never gets away from the work area & fully addicted to the jeep's restoration.

As a result of last week's work, we could restore the platform to its original like condition. if you look at the below picture, the embossed lines in the rear platform are manually done by the chief Tinker.

We have plans to move the Body tub away from the chase in this week for treating under body surfaces with Tinker and Painting solutions.

Ready for Operation theater

Here is how my Classic getting ready for operation theater.
The pictures here shows the jeep after removal of dash board, electricals and seats. The platform is the major part that will be replaced during the operation.I think this is the time when the wiper motor can see light in it's life. See where is it fixed, this is the original fitting of viper motor the relay that goes from viper motor connects the viper blades in the external body.

Mahindra Classic - Pharmacy

As per my Mahindra claasic's dermatologist, my purchase of colorful pharmaceuticals (Paint items) got completed in Pondichery (Really got a good deal). The paint, surface treatment items, anti corrosive itmes, primer, hardner, clear and thiner are the couple of items procured. Except few the important items were from the company ICI and the paint branded 2K.
Above are the paints purchased from Pondichery.

Berger paint's anti corrosive enamel (black)paint and primer will be used for chassis and under body treatment. These 2 items are actually industrial paints, as suggested by a painting expert taking it for my Classic's skin work.
You can see from the above picture showcasing medical crew (Painter & Electrician) removing the electricals and applying oil primer to the bare metal body(is to avoid further rusting on the exteriors).

Mahindra CL 340 DP - Parts Catalogue

Today I got another important stuff which helps me to find the right spares. Yes. It is the Mahindra's original Parts Catalogue. I'm lucky enough to get to see the original book from one of the spare distributor, you know what he accepted my request for photocopying the book. Life is little easy now, I found the exact list of spares in it.
Above picture shows the original parts catalogue and the photocopy.
This book helped me identifying the tow hook and bonnet rubbers from the distributor. He says he will inquire and let me know about other part numbers I was ordering to him. Apart from the two items, I managed to grab some auto roller seat belts from the second hand market. Is it not good to see the jeep with seat belts ? Basically I need it for sure as my kids love to travel in the awesome vehicle (JEEP), after all security first ;-)

Spares Cond...

Here comes my next bunch of spares, lucky enough to get the 2nd batch of spares odered. However still I couldn't source the wire wheels (though the dealer says it is in the transit), softop and frames.

What you have seen in the above picture are:

1. Rear spacers (comes above the mudguard)
2. Tail lamp assembly
3. Front Indicator assembly
4. Side indicators (Compromise! as I couldn't get the ones of Classic, I have made my mind to use the MM540's side indicators. There will a minor tinkering work to fit this on the mudguard.)
5. Wiper-water spray nozzles.
6. Internal rear view mirror
7. Stearing Wheel (One that is used in Mahindra Bolero, Actually there is no difference expect the work mahindra used in classic and the mahindra's logo in Bolero stearing wheel.)
8. Set of bulbs
9. Parking light assembly
10. two way switch
11. Mud flaps for front and rear

Look at the below picture that shows the side indicators of MM540 and the water nozzle for wiper. Choosen this for making myself safe with the unavailability of Classic's side indicators.

The stearing wheel of bolero with Mahindra's new logo. (Classic's original stearing wheel is in the same size but instead of logo there was a Mahindra script.)

Classic Spares

The difficult part of the project is getting all the right spares, I could manage to get some relevant spares for the jeep. However there are still problems in many areas. wherever there is no on the stock spares, I have decided to fabricate them.

Above picture shows the first part of spares I procured for the jeep. You can see the piano switch which is not the orginal Classic's piano switch. This one is bigger than the original as the latest jeeps got this type(Probably here I made a compromise.).

List of materials procured:

1. Front grill mesh
2. Headlight reflectors
3. Monograms
4. Piano Swithes
5. Side Mirrors
6. Tool kit
7. Wheel Jack
8. Coolent tank
9. Rubber boots
10. Bonnet Hooks
11. Speedo Cable

I have managed to order a set of 5 spokes wheels, I will take one for my spare and I will sell the other four as the distributor accepts order for 5 nos. only.