[harjeev]

Hey guy,
I did something crazy yesterday. After buying a an Army MM550 XD (which is still under restoration, check this thread Mahindra MM550 ) just 10 days back, yesterday I bought myself a Christmas present

CJ3B
Yes a IInd Jeep in 2 weeks

This is a 1985 model CJ3B. The body to me as a layman appears to be in good condition, The only thing I am worried it about the rust on the foot area on the floor. I think that this can be mended and will not cost alot. Can it be mended and how much should it cost to repair?
Another thing that I am concerned about is that the rear door which should open flat down, has been welded shut and does not open. Can this be restored to its original form? I mean that first the tyre should move sideways and then the rear door should come down and can be taken out if required??

Now I know that this vehicle is not in the pristine conditions and if I looked further I could have found better piece, but the kind of vehicles that I saw at Mayapuri and guys were asking 35-40 K, this looked good to me.

I have bought this with the intention of keeping it forever just like my other diesel MM550. I would for the time being keeping it in my garage after getting it registered and will start the restoration in 6 months time. Around the mid of 2009 or so.

I will like to get it restored on these lines Recoilless Jeep

The reason I want went ahead and bought it are

* These CJ3B are no longer being made new
* I ultimately in future wanted to own an authentic CJ3B
* If I would have let it go, and started looking after 6-8 months for a CJ3B, chances are that I may not have found a 3B in this condition.
* As these are not being made new it would keep becoming harder to get ones hands on authentic CJ3B's that have not been butchered into converted diesels at places like Moga, Dabwali and Mayapuri.

Therefore I decided to go ahead and buy this jeep. The negotiations started at 75k and at the end I settled for 65k. I think that at the max I may have paid extra is 5-10K, which I am ok with, but atleast I now own a authentic Petrol CJ3B cheers:

The floor appears wet, as I have doused the jeep with a little diesel at places where it is rusted. Will this harm the vehicle in anyway.
Also as I have to store it any tips advise on storing a car for an extended period of time

[harjeev]

Some more pics of my CJ3B

[vishalpipraiya]

sweet. congrats on your second acquisition. you seem to be a true jeep nut!

[HappyWheels]

Seems like this Christmas is bring out a lot of surprises! All the boys are gifting themselves some really good rides.

Congrats Harjeev! Have a great time with the second ride also. Seems like by the time you get these two beau's restored and on road, you will be a hard core restoration consultant!

[arjunkr]

Hey Harjeev ,cheers: Congrats for adapting this boy , Now don't post for NewYear that u have also got its elder brother..just kidding..

[S@~+#0$#]

Congrats Harjeev!! Thats a nice 3B you have picked up. Two very capable offroaders in your stablecheers:.

Don't worry about the rust on the floorboard, it is easily workable.

[fk7]

nice acquisition. So you could not resist the temptation. God only knows how I resisted the temptation to buy it when I saw it for the first time. It was a bit too pricey for me as I was buying the MM550.

Congratulations. I feel it has a found a nice home for itself where it will be treated and cared for well.

FK

[ATL_BOY]

this leads me to believe, "Santa Claus does exist". Congrats bro, please post pictures of the restoration as time lets.

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Harjeev - I saw your PM. Please acquire this 1985 model Jeep. It is a CJ3B and it is in amazingly good condition. If I may humbly add, "IT JUST NEEDS MY RESTORATION TOUCH". Seriously, get it to Mumbai and you see what I can do with it (please see my fiats restored in the vintage and classic cars section, my 1967 fiat restoration is going on now). But please please do not give it to anybody for restoring. They will spoil it completely. I hope the engine and other mechanicals are working.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[Sabareesh]

Wow.... its indeed a wonderful Christmas gift. Man Harjeev, you are tempting me to come to Mayapuri and pick up another JEEP. Its truly awesome, looking at the condition, I don't think it will cost you much to get this boy back to road errr... I mean off road.

All the best for your IInd restoration. The JEEP bug bites isn't it ??

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by vishalpipraiya

sweet. congrats on your second acquisition. you seem to be a true jeep nut!

Thanks Vishal!

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Seems like this Christmas is bring out a lot of surprises! All the boys are gifting themselves some really good rides.

Congrats Harjeev! Have a great time with the second ride also. Seems like by the time you get these two beau's restored and on road, you will be a hard core restoration consultant!

I don't know about a consultant, but yes I know this last month around the same time I knew nothing about jeeps. Hell I dint know what is a CJ3B, 440, 540 550. These were only words and numbers to me and if somebody asked me are you going to buy a jeep I said maybe yes one is a couple of month. But no way I could have thought that I would but a couple of jeeps in one month.

But man this is an addiction and a wonderful good one it is. I am loving every moment of it.

Originally Posted by arjunkr

Hey Harjeev ,cheers: Congrats for adapting this boy , Now don't post for NewYear that u have also got its elder brother..just kidding..

Thanks arjun.
The elder brother I way out of my league for now. My wife will throw me out of the house and I would have to sleep in the jeep only. Though I am not saying no to that the only thing is that the jeep is open and its too cold in Delhi these days
hahaha

Originally Posted by S@~+#0$#

Congrats Harjeev!! Thats a nice 3B you have picked up. Two very capable offroaders in your stablecheers:.

Don't worry about the rust on the floorboard, it is easily workable.

thanks S@~+#0$#. I am following your thread closely and getting pointers from that too.

Originally Posted by fk7

nice acquisition. So you could not resist the temptation. God only knows how I resisted the temptation to buy it when I saw it for the first time. It was a bit too pricey for me as I was buying the MM550.

Congratulations. I feel it has a found a nice home for itself where it will be treated and cared for well.

FK

Thanks feroz

Originally Posted by ATL_BOY

this leads me to believe, "Santa Claus does exist". Congrats bro, please post pictures of the restoration as time lets.

Thanks ATL_BOY!
I would definitely posting pics of the restoration as and when I start it.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Harjeev - I saw your PM. Please acquire this 1985 model Jeep. It is a CJ3B and it is in amazingly good condition. If I may humbly add, "IT JUST NEEDS MY RESTORATION TOUCH". Seriously, get it to Mumbai and you see what I can do with it (please see my fiats restored in the vintage and classic cars section, my 1967 fiat restoration is going on now). But please please do not give it to anybody for restoring. They will spoil it completely. I hope the engine and other mechanicals are working.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

Thanks Behram Sir,
I would simply love to get it to Mumbai and get it restored under your expert guidance and supervision. Do you think that this can be done? Wont the transportation to and fro increase the budget alot?
But if somehow I manage to do that it would be like "sona pe sugaha"

I have not started to jeep as yet but when I was buying the 550 my cousin who is restoring the 550 currently had examined this CJ3B in detail and wanted to buy this for himself. He told me that the jeep looks like a good piece and need little work and body line also looks quite good. It has all the parts and paperwork in order. So at present I am getting it registered in Punjab and keep it in my garage for the next few months.

I have attached the pictures that I have in mind of the final outcome

But definitely you have given me a new point of view of how to restore it and once my 550 is completely restored I will definitely think on these lines

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear Harjeev - thanks for your comments. The CJ3B is more restorable than the MM540, please do it first. By the way, the driver seat and its bracket are crap / junk and not original. Throw them out and if possible grab an original CJ3B seat from one of your scrapwallahs.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by Sabareesh

Man Harjeev, you are tempting me to come to Mayapuri and pick up another JEEP. Its truly awesome, looking at the condition, I don't think it will cost you much to get this boy back to road errr... I mean off road.

All the best for your IInd restoration. The JEEP bug bites isn't it ??

The bug surely bites and it does very hard
If at all you decide to come down to Delhi you can surely rely on me to accompany you on your hunt. It would be my perfect outing. There is one more Army 3B in the same shop where I bought mine.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

Dear Harjeev - thanks for your comments. The CJ3B is more restorable than the MM540, please do it first.

Dear Bheram sir,
That would have been my dream come true and I would have simply loved to restore the 3B first but the work on the 550 is already half way through. Engine, gearbox, transfer case everything opened up. I think that it should be completed within the next month or two. We will be starting to reassembling things starting with the gearbox tomorrow.
Once this project is complete and I am replenished cash and the experience of restoring a jeep I would be starting with the CJ3B.

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

By the way, the driver seat and its bracket are crap / junk and not original. Throw them out and if possible grab an original CJ3B seat from one of your scrapwallahs.

Please do tell me more or give me pointers so that I can start to collect the accessories/ spare like the seats, gear knobs, instrument clusters, hood, accessories, spare tyre and whatever I can get my hands on and keep till the time I can start on the restoration.
I will be highly grateful for this help
Thanks
Harjeev

[vinayrathore]

Hey Harjeev

You are at it man!!

Getting second jeep in one month, the bug has definitely bitten you hard.

Best of luck with the new pride you have!

cheers:

Vinay Rathore

[Cloud_Chaser]

Originally Posted by harjeev

The bug surely bites and it does very hard
If at all you decide to come down to Delhi you can surely rely on me to accompany you on your hunt. It would be my perfect outing. There is one more Army 3B in the same shop where I bought mine.

Hey even I am planning to come to Delhi for some shopping.

How much is the guy quoting for the other Army 3B?