[VLOCT]

@Rainmaker,

I love it. It's a real looker. A rare treat indeed. Congrats and enjoy it to the fullest.

To tell the truth, you and the Jeep look made for each other.

[RAINMAKER]

Originally Posted by VLOCT

@Rainmaker,

I love it. It's a real looker. A rare treat indeed. Congrats and enjoy it to the fullest.

To tell the truth, you and the Jeep look made for each other.

VLOCT,
Made for each other, indeed !!! It is yet to achieve its "real looker" credentials. I am travelling currently, while the Classic awaits its master patiently.


Come April / May, the following will be done
- Completely stripped down
- Tinkered
- Painted
- Chrome plating - Front crash guard, Wire Spokes
- Seats will be restored (also new seat belts )
- Roll over bar (foam cover)
- New Soft Top
- New biking top (when the soft top is not in use)
- Badging
- Hub caps hopefully (still on the lookout for this elusive item)
- Side Steps (also hunting for these)

Accessories to come at a later date
- Winch
- Hi-lift Jack
- A decent audio system (for the audiophile in me)

Whats keeping me even more excited is a Willys LHD Petrol...more news on this after I acquire..

[fazalaliadil]

Rainmaker,

Congratulations on owning a Jeep that is truly rarer than the 3B.

A nice Classic, needs to be brought to its original glory, I am sure you are not going to stop at anything achieving it.
Regards,

[trammway]

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

Also need
8) Wire spokes needs to be rebuffed and chrome plated

Do not commit a mistake of touching the wire wheels, I have posted this in many other discussions.

To remove the wire wheel for chrome, you will need to remove the rubber lining and I don't think you will get similar ones to refit it back.

Secondly, there is a huge chance that while removing or refitting the spokes some of them get damaged due to age. Also the screw thread on the spokes may also can get damaged in these activity.

For some reason even if you damage one spoke, there is no replacement and finally the torque figures to refit the spokes are unknown except Wheels India guys who made this wire wheels.

If you ask me, if it is worth to break the functional wheel for bling purpose? I would say no.

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

Question for all the purists..Some mods - to do or not to do.

1) Semi Floating Rear - Keep it stock or switch to Full Floating ?
2) LSD for the rear
3) Overdrive

All these three are in my Classic (OD is currently off the jeep but it will be refitted soon). I would not suggest the OD as it is not worth the risk, money and pain to fix the same.

But FFRA and LSD are good ones and easily available without any track modification. I didn't see any issue using rear LSD on my jeep and it is working well, I'm using the auburn LSD.

The rear FFRA setup is already explained in my Classic thread, you may want to refer the following page:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...ercise-18.html

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

Read siva's thread about overdrive. He went through a lot. Avoidable.

I agree.

Originally Posted by svsantosh

1) You wont get a 1 piece FFRA for the 48" track, are you Ok with the axle+flange combo? If Ok - I will walk you thru my FFRA experience, both the failed 6-bolt hub and the 8-bolt hub with dowel pins (more fail safe ones). - BUT - why do you want FFRA? I wanted as a redundant measure for Locker-failure situation, not for SFRA breaking fear, I never doubted the SFRA.

2) LSD, nay - Locker (manual or auto) BIG OK!!

FFRA setup as mentioned in here in Santhosh post is not fully that troublesome please refer to my post too.

If you have an option to go for manual locker go ahead, else LSD do proven to be working well.

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

Accessories to come at a later date
- Winch
- Hi-lift Jack
- A decent audio system (for the audiophile in me)

Once again I have all these 3 accessories in my classic, the only problem is with the audio system. You could see it from my thread that I always had water damaging issue on the audio system. I cut the dash board to accommodate thinking that the protection under the fiber wall is enough but the air vent on the top plus the not properly sealed windshield ruined it couple of times. Now, I'm hunting for marine audio devices to push it into the place.

[WillsJeep]

Dear Rainmaker,

I have been following you post about the Classic. I also have recently purchased one.
I just wanted to ask you where you sourced the spares for the Classic from? I know you mentioned Atlas motors, but can you give me a name/number where I could source these parts from? Were you able to get an original hood? I saw the doors you got. Do they fit well? Can we see some Pictures?

Thanks

Willsjeep

[RAINMAKER]

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Rainmaker,

Congratulations on owning a Jeep that is truly rarer than the 3B.

A nice Classic, needs to be brought to its original glory, I am sure you are not going to stop at anything achieving it.
Regards,

Fazai Bhai - As I have done with the earlier 3B, I will bring this back to its original glory. In case any of you come across the Hub caps please do let me know..

Originally Posted by trammway

Do not commit a mistake of touching the wire wheels, I have posted this in many other discussions.

To remove the wire wheel for chrome, you will need to remove the rubber lining and I don't think you will get similar ones to refit it back.

Secondly, there is a huge chance that while removing or refitting the spokes some of them get damaged due to age. Also the screw thread on the spokes may also can get damaged in these activity.

For some reason even if you damage one spoke, there is no replacement and finally the torque figures to refit the spokes are unknown except Wheels India guys who made this wire wheels.

If you ask me, if it is worth to break the functional wheel for bling purpose? I would say no.

Siva, I just want to clean up the Spoke without doing any damage from the utility point of view. Let me see whats best, once I strip the complete vehicle. And no its not from a Bling point of view..

PS: I saw your complete thread on the Classic, before I got mine.

Originally Posted by WillsJeep

Dear Rainmaker,

I have been following you post about the Classic. I also have recently purchased one.
I just wanted to ask you where you sourced the spares for the Classic from? I know you mentioned Atlas motors, but can you give me a name/number where I could source these parts from? Were you able to get an original hood? I saw the doors you got. Do they fit well? Can we see some Pictures?

Thanks

Willsjeep

Dear Willsjeep,

Yes, its the original hood and frame. I am currently travelling and will be back by April. Thats when I plan to strip the vehicle and paint it.. The hood will go on after that. Its the standard one for Classics (have seen people also using it for the CJ34O).. The doors should fit well, I just kept it against the vehicle body and checked.

Prakashbhai
Atlas Motors
+91 22-23860631, +91 22-30016319, +91 22-66357500
Address: 11 B, Dr D D Sathe Marg, Girgaum, Benham Hall Lane, Mumbai, MH 400004

Please note - He wont ship if for you, however he will pack it as best as he can and keep it ready. You will need to arrange someone to hep you ship it from there. A friend of mine has a Courier business back in Bangalore and he helped me with my shipment.

[RAINMAKER]

I have not written much about the ride quality in my Classic in my earlier posts. While you are off-road one does not care much about the ride as one is busy clearing obstacles, spotting etc. Neverthless ones back seems to get fixed while on an off-road trip !

On-road it seems "jumpy". I havent tried reducing the tyre pressure (30 Psi) on my Yokos. I know it may help to a certain extent.

I dont think the shocks have been changed neither have the leafs been reset over the last 13 years of the vehicles life. Need some opinion here..

1) Reset / change leafs - Will this help
2) Change Shocks - Stock shocks or aftermarket.. Been reading about Bilsteins. How effective are these on a SWB 4WD? Has anyone installed this? Has it made a difference? How is the behaviour off-road.

Any other pointers to make the ride a smooth one is highly appreciated !

[RAINMAKER]

The dealer delivered my Smart Card & Insurance couple of days back. The vehicle was not taken to the RTO for Fitness Certification! Neverthless it is good till 2018.

Not sure if it is a RTO / Dealer goofup or my just my memory, the vehicles colour is mentioned as RED in the Smart Card ! I recall the original RC having white. Now I am having ideas, as a paint job is on the cards.

Dilemma is whether to go in for White or Red !!! Am sure kids will love the RED, as the white is just too plain. Or from a purists point of view - do I keep it WHITE?

[Shubhendra]

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

Dilemma is whether to go in for White or Red !!! Am sure kids will love the RED, as the white is just too plain. Or from a purists point of view - do I keep it WHITE?

White, white, white !!!!!

[CJ3b]

Dear Vivek,

Great that you got a Classic, Very important is that i need more details of the wire wheels & the marking of the rims,

If anybody has more details on the wire wheels please forward the same, i need two sets,

Vivek please stick to the original color as white & give it a good finish so that it will last very long.

warm Regards
Vinay Thomas

[RAINMAKER]

Been thinking of a name for my Classic.. My earlier 3B was simply known as the "Hurricane".. So what will be the name. The following criteria creeped up
1) Should be unique as the vehicle itself (1996 Classic)
2) Should have a relevance from my birth place (Ooty, Nilgiris)
3) Should personify the character of the vehicle (4WD Capabilities)
4) Should be very apt and as rare as the vehicle itself

Only one name came to my mind... Nilgiri Tahr - Criteria 1.

The Nilgiri Tahr is the only species of Caprine ungulate that is found south of the Himalayas in India.The Nilgiri Tahr is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills & Western ghats. Criteria 2.

The Nilgiri Tahr has a preference for a habitat that is predominantly of grasslands adequately sheltered by steep rocky cliffs. Criteria 3.

The Nilgiri Tahr also known as "The Nilgiri Ibex" or simply the "Ibex" is an endangered species and is in the Redlist of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Criteria 4.

So the name for MY 1996 Classic - TAHR.

[Samurai]

The Mahindra Thar is also named after the same animal, except they changed the spelling to reduce the confusion.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

....So the name for MY 1996 Classic - TAHR.

Good name satisfying all the criteria you have mentioned, RAINMAKER, BUT, as Samurai has mentioned, it could be mistaken for the 'Mahindra Thar' (which is not exactly rare nowadays).

[RAINMAKER]

Originally Posted by Samurai

The Mahindra Thar is also named after the same animal, except they changed the spelling to reduce the confusion.

Was not aware of this.

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

Good name satisfying all the criteria you have mentioned, RAINMAKER, BUT, as Samurai has mentioned, it could be mistaken for the 'Mahindra Thar' (which is not exactly rare nowadays).

Precisely, the Thar is not rare....but the TAHR is. The SWB Classic will standout amongst a gathering of Thars.. A Rare Mountain Goat amidst the goats !!!

[WillsJeep]

Why not name it "Ibex" instead? I agree that since the mm thar is not rare, most people will think its a wannabe thar. Thanks for the info Samurai btw, I thought it was named after the Thar desert.

Nice to know that you were born in Ooty. I have spent 3 years there studying in 2001-03.
Love that town. There is a garage I used to visit a lot while I was there called the Lilywhite garage, behind Union Church. Mr. Lilywhite does some amazing metal fabrication work. Quite a character too, he's also a very good story teller.

As for you choice of colour, may I suggest an "off-white" shade, almost like the lighter shades of the Nilgiri Tahr's fur.