Scrap Jeep + Engine - Advice needed

ronaldfurtado · 30th July 2008, 19:03

Hey all...this is going to sounds nuts so i might as well get it over with.
I have been searching around for a Mahindra Classic or a willys or even a gypsy...my main aim is off roading...I love the Classic but cant get one for the price i want.

My price then is 70 grand...but all i can get for that price is a 10 year old Armada...I prefer a soft top vehicle...

I have managed to get a hold of a very old scrapped commander...engines basically missing or sold as spare parts...soo all that remains is a Jeep with wheels and some consortment of half an engine...The price the scrap guy is charging is 12 grand but i got it down to 8...

I was wondering which engine would go best in a commander and how much it would cost...I am willing to spend twice as much as my 80 grand tag as i will make it almost new...

Basically everything else is needed i just got the wheels and the body...
Also how do i go about registering this vehicle? is it possible? or will they think i stole a Jeep? lol...

Where can i get hold of say a 2.4 litre engine...power at about 80-100 bhp...and who can i get this from...i was thinking scrap yard again...but i havent had any luck locating one....someone suggested to me...to try use an engine from a tempo...

This Jeep or creature i plan on creating will be used for my adventures...i love off roading and if its something i can create on my own i will enjoy it further...

advice will be good....if this sounds like a bad idea i guess ill just buy one...if i can get a reasonable one for around 70 grand....if anyone here is selling please

PM me back...

later
Ron

Also an opinion from me....I dont know why classics are going for 3-4 Lakhs...its just how everything in India is....nothing depreciates not even a 15 year old Maruti 800...

Where as you can get yourself a 160bhp Jeep Wrangler for 8 lakhs...thats cheaper than the scorpio...i know i should not be complaining but come on...

Note from the Team-BHP Support : Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks.

simply_sunny001 · 30th July 2008, 19:10

Commander is a LWB so might not be much useful in Offroading compared to SWB jeeps.

so try finding one SWB.

just my 2 cents

ronaldfurtado · 30th July 2008, 19:22

hmm...very true...so gypsy or willys or classic eh?

nitrous · 30th July 2008, 19:44

I'm sure by commander, he's referring to the MM540.
A 2.1 XDP engine can be found for around 15k or less.
4WD will cost you around 12k.
About the papers, Im a little hazy about the details. But, its a common(illegal) practice to use a scrapped vehicle's papers by changing the engine and chassis numbers that correspond to the RC.
This is just for the sake of legality in the case of an accident.
Assuming, U're most probably gonna get 3rd party insurance. Im not sure if insurance companies provide comprehensive insurance of a high value for old jeeps.

dinar · 30th July 2008, 22:10

ronald, commander is the long wheel base version of the jeep, First of all if the car is without papers do not buy, you can not register it if it's been declared scrap[most of the time they are]. or as Nitrous said....you down in goa?
There are a couple of SWB jeep..mm540s,cj,etc. near mapusa, the scrap yard on the highway,you'll have to cheek them out, theres one with alloy too. engine in goa will be difficultto find, try your luck in belgaum or bombay. Ha theres one scrap depo in Fatorda near N.D naik showroom, there are a lot of engines and the guy has got good contacts. so he may be abl to help you.

khan_sultan · 31st July 2008, 10:55

ronald, stay away from this metal junk. why would you want to take the commander body and spend money on restoring it -- that too without papers.

have patience. you will find a good vehicle that will serve the purpose you want.

In a hurry you may buy and get into something that you will then regret later.

wanderernomad · 31st July 2008, 11:00

Not a good idea at all. The registeration would be impossible atleast without the original paperwork and to further complicate the issue the engine has already been scrapped. Wait you will find a vehicle suiting your needs. If its just an offroader you want go in for a Gypsy. There is one available somewhere in this forum itself for around 1.4 I think.

esteem_lover · 31st July 2008, 11:08

creating papers for an old vehicle is not advisable. Would suggest you find a vehicle in any condition with papers

Spitfire · 31st July 2008, 11:13

@ronald: You really need to rethink this man. For 70k you will get a decent modifiable(is that a word?) jeep. You down in Goa? Let us know will get try and get something.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 31st July 2008, 13:27

Scrap dealers are a literal goldmine when it comes to sourcing unavailable parts for your vehicle. But buying a vehicle from them for use on road is never advisable. Apart from lack of papers pointed out above, remember than some vehicles may have been scrapped because they were involved in illegal activities.

Buying a paperless vehicle for even 9K without an engine (probably what you see there is the block) can mean that gearbox too is not good / severely damaged. And you will have to add another 30-50K for a working engine alone. Please scout around a bit more and find a better vehicle.

And I will keep off this vehicle even if he has proper papers.

V-16 · 31st July 2008, 13:43

Please dont go for this combination. A scrapped vehicle is a scrapped vehicle and cannot be revived unless lot of painstaking procedures are taken into consideration, something not worth doing for a jeep of this kind. Get someone in Punjab to get you a jeep or in Bhopal. There military disposals are sold at a cheap price and you may even get your vehicle made as per your liking but will have to get your budget up to a lakh minimum.
A disposal jeep could cost you around 20-25K and then doing it up is no great shakes say another 75K.

ronaldfurtado · 31st July 2008, 14:38

Thanks guys...appreciate all the advice...im not down in goa yet....actually a friend of mine was doin all the running about...the Jeep has no papers...and on the advice of nitrous and dinar i wont be going after this Jeep anymore.

The reason i dont intend on buying a expensive jeep is as i am not in goa for about 11 months a year...give me a heads up if you guys plan on selling your beasts...

Samurai · 31st July 2008, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronaldfurtado

...give me a heads up if you guys plan on selling your beasts...

Beasts? Boss, Jeep is not beast, it is more like a horse, personally I prefer the term steed.

Keep looking, you can get one. The SWB Jeep is more expensive, buy you can get a LWB easily enough.

ronaldfurtado · 1st August 2008, 20:58

Hey guys ive been searching for a Jeep for a long time now...Ive had no luck in finding any classics..not that there arent any, but they are well expensive 2.5-4 Lakhs

Ive come across a Mahindra Major. Ive read about the Mahindra Souviner Customisation which costs around 1.95L but id prefer to do that a much later stage.

The Vehicle is in good condition bodywise but the engine is busted..so what options do i have? Id prefer a new engine to give a new lease of life.

Would a Bolero Engine fit into the Major? im aware i can order the Major engine from Mahindra but a 3.2 Litre engine with 53 or 63 bhp is not very appealing.

Would a Scorpio engine fit? Im fairly new at this. Right now my phase goes as far as searching the vehicle. Im still studying the technical aspects but i guess the knowledge is all here.

Id like a little power. Is that possible or are these Jeeps not capable of handling 110bhp? What adjustments would i need?

Its still at brainstorming level but i plan on getting my Jeep by xmas this year.
My Process at the moment is searching.

Ive come across a few Classics not well maintained charging about 2.5 Lakhs and the ride is absolutely horrible. Gear box is cluttered. under the hood it seems like a civil war has taken place and i do not find that as value for money.

I think personally that it would be better to get a Jeep ,a new engine ,and get started.

Any advice?

nitrous · 2nd August 2008, 00:37

How old is that major?

You can get a used bolero engine for 30-35k. Infact,there are a couple lying with our chennai jeep engine supplier,right now.

You can find a decent 2.1 XDP engine for 15k too. The current engine in the vehicle might be worth a couple grand as parts to the engine seller.

30th July 2008, 19:03	#1
ronaldfurtado BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London Posts: 38 Thanked: 3 Times	Scrap Jeep + Engine - Advice needed Hey all...this is going to sounds nuts so i might as well get it over with. I have been searching around for a Mahindra Classic or a willys or even a gypsy...my main aim is off roading...I love the Classic but cant get one for the price i want. My price then is 70 grand...but all i can get for that price is a 10 year old Armada...I prefer a soft top vehicle... I have managed to get a hold of a very old scrapped commander...engines basically missing or sold as spare parts...soo all that remains is a Jeep with wheels and some consortment of half an engine...The price the scrap guy is charging is 12 grand but i got it down to 8... I was wondering which engine would go best in a commander and how much it would cost...I am willing to spend twice as much as my 80 grand tag as i will make it almost new... Basically everything else is needed i just got the wheels and the body... Also how do i go about registering this vehicle? is it possible? or will they think i stole a Jeep? lol... Where can i get hold of say a 2.4 litre engine...power at about 80-100 bhp...and who can i get this from...i was thinking scrap yard again...but i havent had any luck locating one....someone suggested to me...to try use an engine from a tempo... This Jeep or creature i plan on creating will be used for my adventures...i love off roading and if its something i can create on my own i will enjoy it further... advice will be good....if this sounds like a bad idea i guess ill just buy one...if i can get a reasonable one for around 70 grand....if anyone here is selling please PM me back... later Ron Also an opinion from me....I dont know why classics are going for 3-4 Lakhs...its just how everything in India is....nothing depreciates not even a 15 year old Maruti 800... Where as you can get yourself a 160bhp Jeep Wrangler for 8 lakhs...thats cheaper than the scorpio...i know i should not be complaining but come on... Note from the Team-BHP Support : Please take the time to use proper punctuation as per Team-BHP rules. Avoid...typing...like...this. Thanks. Last edited by Rehaan : 31st July 2008 at 00:23. Reason: Please see note in post.
	() Thanks

30th July 2008, 19:10	#2
simply_sunny001 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: London & Rohtak Posts: 1,338 Thanked: 19 Times View My Garage	Commander is a LWB so might not be much useful in Offroading compared to SWB jeeps. so try finding one SWB. just my 2 cents
	() Thanks

30th July 2008, 19:22	#3
ronaldfurtado BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London Posts: 38 Thanked: 3 Times	hmm...very true...so gypsy or willys or classic eh?
	() Thanks

30th July 2008, 19:44	#4
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 333 Times View My Garage	I'm sure by commander, he's referring to the MM540. A 2.1 XDP engine can be found for around 15k or less. 4WD will cost you around 12k. About the papers, Im a little hazy about the details. But, its a common(illegal) practice to use a scrapped vehicle's papers by changing the engine and chassis numbers that correspond to the RC. This is just for the sake of legality in the case of an accident. Assuming, U're most probably gonna get 3rd party insurance. Im not sure if insurance companies provide comprehensive insurance of a high value for old jeeps.
	() Thanks

30th July 2008, 22:10	#5
dinar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: goa Posts: 1,066 Thanked: 57 Times	ronald, commander is the long wheel base version of the jeep, First of all if the car is without papers do not buy, you can not register it if it's been declared scrap[most of the time they are]. or as Nitrous said....you down in goa? There are a couple of SWB jeep..mm540s,cj,etc. near mapusa, the scrap yard on the highway,you'll have to cheek them out, theres one with alloy too. engine in goa will be difficultto find, try your luck in belgaum or bombay. Ha theres one scrap depo in Fatorda near N.D naik showroom, there are a lot of engines and the guy has got good contacts. so he may be abl to help you. Last edited by dinar : 30th July 2008 at 22:28.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 10:55	#6
khan_sultan Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Noida/Bangalore Posts: 4,946 Thanked: 6,469 Times View My Garage	ronald, stay away from this metal junk. why would you want to take the commander body and spend money on restoring it -- that too without papers. have patience. you will find a good vehicle that will serve the purpose you want. In a hurry you may buy and get into something that you will then regret later.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 11:00	#7
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	Not a good idea at all. The registeration would be impossible atleast without the original paperwork and to further complicate the issue the engine has already been scrapped. Wait you will find a vehicle suiting your needs. If its just an offroader you want go in for a Gypsy. There is one available somewhere in this forum itself for around 1.4 I think.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 11:08	#8
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 513 Times View My Garage	creating papers for an old vehicle is not advisable. Would suggest you find a vehicle in any condition with papers
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 11:13	#9
Spitfire BANNED Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Panaji - Goa/Bangalore - Karnataka Posts: 3,313 Thanked: 778 Times	@ronald: You really need to rethink this man. For 70k you will get a decent modifiable(is that a word?) jeep. You down in Goa? Let us know will get try and get something.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 13:27	#10
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,540 Thanked: 758 Times	Scrap dealers are a literal goldmine when it comes to sourcing unavailable parts for your vehicle. But buying a vehicle from them for use on road is never advisable. Apart from lack of papers pointed out above, remember than some vehicles may have been scrapped because they were involved in illegal activities. Buying a paperless vehicle for even 9K without an engine (probably what you see there is the block) can mean that gearbox too is not good / severely damaged. And you will have to add another 30-50K for a working engine alone. Please scout around a bit more and find a better vehicle. And I will keep off this vehicle even if he has proper papers. Last edited by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR : 31st July 2008 at 13:32.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 13:43	#11
V-16 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 4,594 Thanked: 960 Times View My Garage	Please dont go for this combination. A scrapped vehicle is a scrapped vehicle and cannot be revived unless lot of painstaking procedures are taken into consideration, something not worth doing for a jeep of this kind. Get someone in Punjab to get you a jeep or in Bhopal. There military disposals are sold at a cheap price and you may even get your vehicle made as per your liking but will have to get your budget up to a lakh minimum. A disposal jeep could cost you around 20-25K and then doing it up is no great shakes say another 75K.
	() Thanks

31st July 2008, 14:38	#12
ronaldfurtado BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London Posts: 38 Thanked: 3 Times	Thanks guys...appreciate all the advice...im not down in goa yet....actually a friend of mine was doin all the running about...the Jeep has no papers...and on the advice of nitrous and dinar i wont be going after this Jeep anymore. The reason i dont intend on buying a expensive jeep is as i am not in goa for about 11 months a year...give me a heads up if you guys plan on selling your beasts...
	() Thanks

1st August 2008, 20:58	#14
ronaldfurtado BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: London Posts: 38 Thanked: 3 Times	Hey guys ive been searching for a Jeep for a long time now...Ive had no luck in finding any classics..not that there arent any, but they are well expensive 2.5-4 Lakhs Ive come across a Mahindra Major. Ive read about the Mahindra Souviner Customisation which costs around 1.95L but id prefer to do that a much later stage. The Vehicle is in good condition bodywise but the engine is busted..so what options do i have? Id prefer a new engine to give a new lease of life. Would a Bolero Engine fit into the Major? im aware i can order the Major engine from Mahindra but a 3.2 Litre engine with 53 or 63 bhp is not very appealing. Would a Scorpio engine fit? Im fairly new at this. Right now my phase goes as far as searching the vehicle. Im still studying the technical aspects but i guess the knowledge is all here. Id like a little power. Is that possible or are these Jeeps not capable of handling 110bhp? What adjustments would i need? Its still at brainstorming level but i plan on getting my Jeep by xmas this year. My Process at the moment is searching. Ive come across a few Classics not well maintained charging about 2.5 Lakhs and the ride is absolutely horrible. Gear box is cluttered. under the hood it seems like a civil war has taken place and i do not find that as value for money. I think personally that it would be better to get a Jeep ,a new engine ,and get started. Any advice?
	() Thanks

2nd August 2008, 00:37	#15
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 333 Times View My Garage	How old is that major? You can get a used bolero engine for 30-35k. Infact,there are a couple lying with our chennai jeep engine supplier,right now. You can find a decent 2.1 XDP engine for 15k too. The current engine in the vehicle might be worth a couple grand as parts to the engine seller.
	() Thanks