[Jaggu]

To Quote from the Facebook page.

Spidey - the Gypsy that possibly started the serious offroad modification scene in India, especially for the Gypsy. The vehicle that made terms like lockers, crawlers, SPoA a commonly used term, at mass level, by offoraders. This is the Gypsy that inspired many folks to join offroading, buy a Gypsy, and mod it for serious offroad.

Well atleast this is partly true for me also. Though i started early with jeeps, moved to Bangalore and bought my first vehicle a MG410W!, I was never bothered with modifying an otherwise decent offroad vehicle like a CJ or a Gypsy. Never even knew there is an offroad group in Bangalore, for that matter. I was happy with the odd outings with some close friends, till the day I managed to sell the Gypsy, coz it was too boring as a hobby instrument.

Then i met Khan Sultan the owner of Spidey and Spidey the Gypsy. It changed lot of things in my life! Our friendship grew and so did my friends. Had a chance to participate in few of the local OTR session, sometimes as a photographer, sometimes as a co-driver. Met up with some great folks who were united in their passion for 4x4 vehicles and having fun with them.

All this led to DwArF http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...hurricane.html

Fast forward to this year, due to some personal commitments I was in a real dilemma, to part with DwArF or not? And maybe be become passive in offroad world, like the old times, as a spectator or a photographer. Had even put up the add; but one thing was sure, I will sell only if I get a decent price. Coz I had spent a fortune getting DwArF to the current state.

Well things don’t really work out according to plan, does it?

So one fine evening I saw a shocker of a message from Khan, he was contemplating on parting with Spidey. Maybe he was also unsure if he should; if he would, then what would be a decent price? All of us who read the message were sure about one thing, the reply. DON’T SELL SPIDEY! Funny though he posted this message a day or two before, I never saw it nor did we discuss about it, when we had met, just a couple of hours back.

I don’t know what got into me, but I mentioned that “if” I had the money I would be ready to chip in for Spidey. Hypothetically I made a comment, a way in which I could give shelter to our beloved Spidey. Though it would be against all personal financial logic. But what the heck, I blurted it out.

Now comes the biggest surprise, Khan comes back after a brief while… and says Yes! I was in serious trouble, financially and emotionally.

My family would disown me, instead of selling DwArF, I was going to add more financial burden…. I didn’t have a single confirmed buyer for DwArF also. Though there were many offers, as they say. That’s when Viji came to mind, he always had an eye on DwArF, infact even before I picked up the same CJ. Still I remember clearly our long conversation about the CJ3B that eventually became DwArF, just days before I confirmed the deal.

So I popped the question, and surprise surprise, Viji also says yes!

Mind you the funniest part about the whole deal is that all of these conversations are happening in online world. All the Bangalore bro’s witnessing it. All 3 of us (Khan, Viji and me) never even bothered to pick up the phone and speak to each other also. Well that’s just the way we friends are. The transaction was agreed upon and last week, me and wife went for a final breakfast drive in DwArF as owners.



I gave him a quick shower and that evening DwArF was driven away. My heart sunk, morning the news of Steve Jobs untimely demise, evening a part of me driven away.



Yes DwArF would be with Viji and I have the freedom to ask him anytime for a spin, still……

A new dawn and slowly the excitement started building up, I couldn’t believe myself (am sure many others also ), that I would be bringing home Spidey. To make the deal sweet, Khan has thrown in a Spidey full of parts he has collected over the past years.

The day was Saturday, time noon, when Khan drove in with Spidey to my house. Ofcourse with a Spidey load of parts.



Welcome home baby! Was my Facebook update.



Now little background about the thread. I was really contemplating if I should put up a thread? To be honest, I was not sure if I would do justice to either Khan or Spidey. But then such dream’s do need to be shared. If you guys have noticed, there is no single thread dedicated to Spidey, though there are many by Khan on technical discussions that made Spidey what it is today.

Yes it is the best performing vehicle in India’s toughest offroad challenge. Yes it has seen many ups and down. But for me its dream come true, am getting almost a perfect vehicle. Nothing much needs to be done and maybe not much mods also for Spidey now on, that I can document here.

What I would try to attempt is to share my experience with this awesome fella and try to collect all the info about Spidey. How Spidey became Spidey and then continue with my experiences with him. Don’t worry Khan is still very much involved, as he would like to term it “as the export guidance” and he knows, Spidey is as much his… even now.

Last but not the least, my humble way of saying “Thank you!” to Khan. To all the other Bangalore brothers and my family, who supported me and made “The Dream come true”. Sounds like one of those award speeches

PS: Let’s not get into the $$$ part of the whole story, coz I really can’t put a price to all this. These are priceless transactions. For I know for a fact that Khan has spent more than 9 lakhs on Spidey and me more than 3 on DwArF. But that never came into picture in any of the transactions, and we would like to keep it that way. We are happy that our vehicles are with our close friends and we would continue to have fun together with it.

PPS: No fancy photography for now, coz these are real life images, as and when it happened.

[GTO]

CONGRATS Jaggu! Nothing like buying a car that you are well familiar with, and from a good friend. You've brought home what is perhaps the best Gypsy in the country.

Only wish you had both in your garage today, the CJ & Spidey . Also curious to know what monster Khan_Sultan is planning to cook up now.

Don’t worry Khan is still very much involved, as he would like to term it “as the export guidance” and he knows, Spidey is as much his… even now.

[pjbiju]

Wow... Interesting development and congratulations. I remember the time when Khan wanted to sell the Spidey when he was going abroad and everybody told him not to.

Just like GTO, I am sure everybody will be curious to know what Khan is going to create now (just as we are waiting for Tejas to take the wraps off his Jeep).

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Congratulations Jaggu !

When I first read the FB message, I thought it was another prank from Khan, but when I read again carefully, I knew it has to be you. This is what it said (read the part carefully in bold underline)--

Goodbye darling..!!! hope you like your new home. Let me know if the new owner doesn't treat you nicely and doesn't wash you every week :-)

(Pun intended).

Hope Spidey makes up for DwArF!

Spikey

[jkdas]

Wow! Congrats! Didnt know it was you who bought it!

[theMAG]

This is an icon - make no mistake about it. Very large heart in King Khan to give it away.

[deetjohn]

Congrats on the Spidey Jaggu. Wish you both a lot of fun together!

More pictures please. I can't get enough of that awesome machine.

[mjothi]

Congrats Jaggu.

So, now "officially" we can believe in khan's FB updates

You know what, I am are really happy to see that its still in Bangy. Khan's or Jaggu's parking area, does not really matter. lol..

[anachronix]

Congrats Jaggu! The mean Gypsy I have ever seen stays back in a different garage now. Awesome

More photos please!

[sudev]

Hey that is one nice passionate story. All cars remain with owners who love them. Keep posting pics and stories of Spidey

[Samurai]

Congrats Jaggu! I am glad Spidey remains in the mod team and DwArF remains in BODA.

Meanwhile, I am sure everybody is as eager as I about Khan's next project. Bowler Wild Cat out of a Thar, now that will be something...

PS: Are you going to keep all those stickers?

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by GTO

CONGRATS Jaggu! Nothing like buying a car that you are well familiar with, and from a good friend. You've brought home what is perhaps the best Gypsy in the country.

Only wish you had both in your garage today, the CJ & Spidey . Also curious to know what monster Khan_Sultan is planning to cook up now.

Thanks, You Bet!

Yup i wish i could keep DwArF but desperate time, desperate measures.

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Just like GTO, I am sure everybody will be curious to know what Khan is going to create now (just as we are waiting for Tejas to take the wraps off his Jeep).

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Hope Spidey makes up for DwArF!

This am not sure, dont want to get into the comparison mode. Both have their clicks with me.

Originally Posted by anachronix

More photos please!

Thanks, Spidey photo's are all over the place. I have not got a chance to take Spidey out any trips. So will have to wait for that.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Meanwhile, I am sure everybody is as eager as I about Khan's next project. Bowler Wild Cat out of a Thar, now that will be something...

PS: Are you going to keep all those stickers?

Samu san: what do you mean, thats part of the deal. Sticker stays in the vehicle Infact aim is to add more till the white body cannot be seen. lol



@ all: i have no definite idea about what KS is coming up with, so ill leave it to him to reply.

[starter]

Its a bag of mixed emotions.
I am really sad to know that Spidey is not with Shan anymore.
I did spend some time with Shan (while getting the front shocks fitted and while getting the top done) in Surakshaa.
He has spent a lot of time and energy in building Spidey.
It was like an extension of Shan and i bought my Gypsy after drooling at Spidey.
BUT, i am really happy that it is with you Jaggu! Having seen the way you've taken care of Swifty and Dwarfie, am sure Spidey shall be well looked after. Have loads of fun with it.
Congrats Vijay for having adopted Dwarf
Cheers to you and Viji and sad for Shan.
Deepak

[khan_sultan]

Jaggu, congrats on being the new owner of Spidey. I am sure it will bring oodles of joy, happiness & smiles when you offroad with it and slight hair loss when you do modifications (the list which you know). I am so happy that Spidey is with you.

Before you posted this thread, never realized that Spidey did not have a ownership thread and had just technical threads of various modifications. I have enjoyed each and every day of the ownership of this beautiful machine and rather than lying unused with me i preferred passing on the baton to someone who would put it to good use. There are innumerable memories attached with this vehicle and they remain with me. Even the complex ones -- like driving from Coorg with a burnt clutch at 10 kmph in 12 hours, breaking multiple fronts CFL's and the associated disappointments, rear axle at Palar -- are memories that remain special experiences, eventually helping me in refining & building up the Gypsy. One of the good things to happen through Spidey is that I made tons of new friends, helped many a folks by sharing my modifications with people here and offline -- thereby expanding the off-road community.

Spidey also shares special memories with many folks at Suraksha (the workshop where most work got done) and am sure they will not be happy at me giving it away but they will be happy with you being the new owner.

You know the engine with the recent blueprinting & grooving job is a GEM and can give much much more modern engines a complex in terms of refinement & smoothness. All the credit for that wonderful job goes to Mr Somender Singh who did a fantastic job on the engine. The torque at low rpm is something else (and that too with larger tyres). I am so glad that I did that grooving & blue printing done from him. Worth every penny spent.

Honestly, there is not much left to be done on the Gypsy (one of the reasons for the sale). Just regular service and few things here and there are needed. Even today, Spidey is a very very capable offroader and there are not many places where it will be found wanting. It can give jeeps a run for their money w.r.t crawling & outdo many a gypsy w.r.t revvability -- the best of both worlds.

So, I look forward to being your co-driver till I get my own ride (which will take some time, as I am taking a break from building a new vehicle for some time now). I have a fair idea of what I want to build next, but it will take some time. For now, work takes priority & offroad vehicle building has to wait.


BTW, not many people would remember that Spidey, when i bought it, looked like this:

[theMAG]

King - the before/after looks like the perfect gawky teen/independant man photo album!