[Cj3bDog]

Dear Eric,

Please do continue to post your "Marshal" Journey with us. There are lot of people (like me) here that eagerly wait for your thread updates.

[locusjag]

I'd like to come back to this thread, having observed it once.

For one, I'd love to live out my life on a hill that gets snowed-in often, away from the maddening crowds and Eric has that going for him. I get to have that vicariously through what she shares!

Another aspect - i have always had a thing for older cars; they have character. But they get unfairly discarded by their owners just for being old. I love how the Marshal is being put to use here!

Please keep writing Eric.

[Red Liner]

Deep in the hinterland mountains, it's best to stick with a car or 4x4 that can be fixed at any nook and corner. In that respect, this is the best of the lot choice there is (apart from the 2.6 CRDE Scorpio 4x4 or even an XD3P - those engines just purr!).

I would get a MG413 up in the mighty himalayas. One of the pro's of being single lol.

Wouldn't you be able to find a Fortuner dirt cheap considering the 10 year diesel ban in Delhi and run it around in your mountains?

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Not much going on with the car these days... and I hesitate to post at all in light of certain bhpians' recently expressing a dislike for my over-rated enthusiasm for the car against modern alternatives... Yes, it's getting old, yes, it's "outdated", yes, a bit of rust is coming lately - from the inside unfortunately; yes, it still does everything we need it to, albeit with the inevitable compromises. Yes, my wife still likes it (perhaps a little less than earlier) yes, it keeps us going in snow, and yes, is still very tolerant of careless maintenance, etc, etc...

Eric, as long as your Marshal serves your purpose while not disturbing others, you be happy enjoying its company rather than worrying what others have to say about it.

Frankly, I am averse to this rapid modernization of commodities around us (electronics, smartphones, LEDs and what not). I feel they are robbing us from the real charms of our life. Enough OT for this thread.

I have been a silent follower of your threads/post on the Kawasaki, the Impulse, the Machismo and the Marshal. I enjoy reading your posts about the problems, findings, solutions and your journeys. Knowing that I can't accomplish any of those, at least for now, your posts make me happy. Please keep sharing. Those who like, will follow it. Those who don't, might suggest some better alternatives and maybe just ignore it.

All the best for that missing Fortuner!

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Wouldn't you be able to find a Fortuner dirt cheap considering the 10 year diesel ban in Delhi and run it around in your mountains?

There are some very good deals coming out of Delhi right now, heard the other day of a very nice Fortuner being acquired for 6.5L, maybe not dirt cheap but a huge discount vs. its price new. Duster AWD could tempt, but a bit too new to be cheap maybe.

Considering the nearest Toyota /Ford /Renault showrooms are three hours away and Mitsubishi much further, Maruti/M&M/Force would seem the most practicable options. Grand Vitara would be nice but for the FE / spares supply (oh, if only they'd made a diesel version!). Boleros just not that common in Delhi (esp 4x4), and not a really substantial upgrade over the Marshal anyway; I'd doubt a single 4x4 Gama/Judo even exists there, same for the Gurkha 5-door which is besides new/pricey for now. A Crde Scorpio 4wd? Hmmm... maybe. Thought a little half-heartedly of a certain member's mHawk Scorpio 4wd... but being a top model the electronics seemed a little scary going forward.

No rush I guess... the Marshal works for now. Perhaps something will turn up...

-Eric

[silverado]

Hi Eric

Its only recently that I went through your thread, and I must admit that it makes me feel like owning an old jeep like you do. But since it will not come with the skills that you have, it will remain a dream for now.

And the biggest thing which struck me from your thread is that you are an exceptional photographer
Your thread is a window to some pristine and isolated parts in himachal.

Cheers and do keep posting.

[Ashley Nair]

Dear Eric, I too was once a proud owner of a Marshal. in a weak moment, I upgraded to Bolero but to this minute, i miss that seven slat grill. I beg you not to dispose your Marshal, since I feel( taking a great liberty) that no other vehicle will fit so with your Himalayan life like this one. The story and pics of your Marshal has grown upon me like a Ruskin Bond tale. It is so honest and simple a vehicle, full of character. You know the old faithful DI inside out and you work upon it to your heart's content, the pleasure of which no XUV, Fortuner or any other Crdi can give. Believe me, you will miss even that familiar DI roar ,each time you start your new silent vehicle. Please keep it , even if you buy another one, and please continue your writing. I live in the plains and never had the fortune to visit the Himalayas, my dream destination. But I will be there one day, if God permits, for a long vacation to soak in the most of the mountain.

[ringoism]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I'd love to live out my life on a hill that gets snowed-in often, away from the maddening crowds and Eric has that going for him. I get to have that vicariously through what he shares!

....I love how the Marshal is being put to use here!

Okay guys, I was going through an old SD card and found pics from a trip last year that I forgot (or lacked time) to post then.

You want to be away from maddening crowds? Well, Manali may not be your place anymore. Even now in early March, a surprising number of tourists has turned up. They are working on a bypass for the town, maybe a new bridge or two and flyovers, and they say it'll be decided within a couple days whether the National Highway is going to be re-routed to just behind our once-sleepy village...

So where do you want to be? Well, I hesitate to put new places "on the map" so to speak... but maybe Rajgunda would work for you.

Beyond the up-and-coming little tourist town of Bir, and world-famous paragliding point at Billing, winds a forest road built long ago but for some years closed/abandoned, I think because the Forest Dept. had issues with it being there at all. I discovered it entirely by accident in some of my wanderings on the old KB years ago, managing to get through - under fallen trees, over landslides, up serious inclines strewn with broken shale - I was probably the first motor-vehicle to have shown up in the village in years.

This past year through my work with woodstoves met Ankush of Bir Zostel and Rajgunda's "Workation X" ( workationx.com ) who invited us out for some consulting work, saying the road was greatly improved from earlier.

Well, I wasn't quite expecting a broad, well-paved two-lane, but I must say: any "improvements" vs. my trip on the bike earlier were pretty well limited to clearing the fallen logs, so far as I could tell! It is very difficult to find places wide enough for two vehicles to pass, the drop-offs are hundreds of feet just about everywhere, full-steering lock (even with our car's very good turning radius) wasn't enough to pull around a number of bends (and those on steep, loose sections with high drops at points), and the place is pretty remote and uninhabited in the event you needed assistance of any kind...

In a nutshell, this is about the craziest thing I (we) have ever done in the Marshal... it managed it admirably, but a two-wheeler makes more sense and to me is much more confidence-inspiring here, as would be a true old-school Jeep (i.e., CJ3/Willys).

It rained one afternoon while we were out there at Workation, and I was a little concerned about mud/landslides and getting back out of there a few days later.

And it was quite chilly, being that the village itself is 8,500ft and the highest point on the link road is several hundred feet above that!

Safely extracted, we all breathed a big sigh of relief, and were not too sure we'd do it again. The pics hardly do it justice... it was S-C-A-R-Y...!

Will add the balance of the photos in a second post, as some glitch or the other is preventing my adding more here...

Thanks for your interest,

And do enjoy,

-Eric

[ringoism]

Some more pics... mainly from Billing.

This is one of the better paragliding points in the region from what I hear - a little more predictable winds/weather vs. Solang near Manali, good thermals with a possibility of staying up a long while, against a backdrop of snowy peaks, and from what I've seen, a fair measure of professionalism among the operators there (though as a disclaimer, I don't personally recommend it for anyone, have never done it myself, and would only consider it with a truly expert, certified/rated pilot).

-Eric

[ringoism]

But you wanted snow???








Having been in Mizoram most of the winter, we missed most of it, and the older I get the less I miss it.

But there are times it all seems so perfect...


-Eric

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by ringoism

So where do you want to be? Well, I hesitate to put new places "on the map" so to speak... but maybe Rajgunda would work for you.

Beyond the up-and-coming little tourist town of Bir, and world-famous paragliding point at Billing, winds a forest road built long ago but for some years closed/abandoned, I think because the Forest Dept. had issues with it being there at all. I discovered it entirely by accident in some of my wanderings on the old KB years ago, managing to get through - under fallen trees, over landslides, up serious inclines strewn with broken shale - I was probably the first motor-vehicle to have shown up in the village in years.

This past year through my work with woodstoves met Ankush of Bir Zostel and Rajgunda's "Workation X" ( workationx.com ) who invited us out for some consulting work, saying the road was greatly improved from earlier.

Is this the road that starts from the Billing Take-off site. If it is, then it is definitely in a lot better condition than I remember seeing it a couple of years ago. At that time, this road seemed like a challenge even on a bike. I wanted to tackle it on my Bullet but didn't find the time nor company. People do take the regular trek to Rajgundha from Billing regularly. Although the heavy snowfall we received this year might have played havoc with the road already. We got snow all the way down to the landing zone this year.
There are talks of a 4-lane Mandi-Pathankot highway as well which might go through near my village as well and the thought alone is unbearable and gives me nightmares. If you ever find your way to this part of the world again, do ping me. I messaged you my number through PMs last time.

[badboyscad]

Originally Posted by ringoism

Safely extracted, we all breathed a big sigh of relief, and were not too sure we'd do it again. The pics hardly do it justice... it was S-C-A-R-Y...!

-Eric

I have been a silent spectator of this thread. Those pics are indeed scary. Please carry on documenting your journey with marshal.

[DirtyDan]

I would love to have a good running Marshall. I have settled for another Thar, a 2018 last-day-of-the-year purchase. Mahindra has cured the poor off the line throttle response and this thing goes uphill okay stock, but there is a re-map and some mods that are going to happen. Also a trip to Bimbra for a hardtop and some other goodies is on the docket. It's nice to have a defroster, heater and A/C in a jeep, believe me.

When I see a Marshall it reminds me of the old Willys station wagons I used to see in snowbound North America. These 4X4s were a late 1940s to early 1960s product of Willys Jeep Corp. They might be the first SUVs! I wonder if Mahindra engineers got inspired from this vehicle.

They were affectionately knick-named "Woodies". They had steel paneling that looked like wood. They were great in the snow and hauled a lot of kids to school in harsh North American winters. They are priceless now as collector's items. And some have been beautifully modified and/or restored.

[ringoism]

(Mod, if you could please fix the hyperlinks below... not sure why they're not functioning)

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

I would love to have a good running Marshall. I have settled for another Thar, a 2018 last-day-of-the-year purchase. Mahindra has cured the poor off the line throttle response and this thing goes uphill okay stock, but there is a re-map and some mods that are going to happen. Also a trip to Bimbra for a hardtop and some other goodies is on the docket. It's nice to have a defroster, heater and A/C in a jeep, believe me.

When I see a Marshall it reminds me of the old Willys station wagons I used to see in snowbound North America. These 4X4s were a late 1940s to early 1960s product of Willys Jeep Corp. They might be the first SUVs! I wonder if Mahindra engineers got inspired from this vehicle.

They were affectionately knick-named "Woodies". They had steel paneling that looked like wood. They were great in the snow and hauled a lot of kids to school in harsh North American winters. They are priceless now as collector's items. And some have been beautifully modified and/or restored.

Thanks for all that Ken! I sometimes have thought a Thar hardtop would be a worthy replacement for our family... glad to hear they "go" better now, and yes, the heat-A/C-defogger would be very welcome in our family, though most of our daily driving is short enough to make their practical efficacy questionable. Two more doors and you've basically got a fine, modernized Marshal! I don't know how marketable it would be, but I wish M&M would do it.

Re: the Willys wagons, yes, the Marshal is basically its descendant and I suppose if it hadn't been for Chevy's Suburban, American Motors would've made a Marshal-like vehicle in the U.S. as the natural Willys replacement. My grandfather owned one of those in Venezuela I suppose starting in the late 1950's. Had a pickup on the same platform before that, which I mentioned in the first post of this thread (it was a notoriously rattly beast!). I might be able to dig up pics of both and post them here later.

A number of the wagons must have made it over here to India:

Link

I saw one parked right on M.G. Road in Bangalore many years ago, nicely restored, painted a kind of maroon metallic if I recall correctly (must have a print of that someplace, too!).

Another Bhpian has one that has been set down on a Tata Safari chassis / running gear. He's a great fabricator and it's pretty appealing, though I'm not sure it's ever been finished.

Link


There is another I discovered recently, completely stock and hidden away in an old garage in a certain hill town; it is a solid vehicle in good condition, undriven for 28 years, with an owner unwilling to sell (it was his father's, and he's not a young man himself). Will refrain from saying more on that, it would be a real dream car to buy and restore someday.

Thanks for relating their uses in the rural U.S. context in "the old days" - really something how particular cars can and do become part of our histories, both individually and more broadly.

Link

Really need to look you up next time we're down your way (happens so rarely).

-Eric

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by ringoism

A number of the wagons must have made it over here to India:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-...n-wagon-2.html (My 1962 Willys Station Wagon)

I saw one parked right on M.G. Road in Bangalore many years ago, nicely restored, painted a kind of maroon metallic if I recall correctly (must have a print of that someplace, too!).

If it is the overland you are talking about, for some reason all the ones I've seen were painted green.

Regards
Sutripta