[4x4addict]

Can anyone comment on the various classes of vehicles that are auctioned by the army? I see some vehicles that are auctioned that say Class V 'B'. What does this mean?

[Ricky_3007]

Hi All,

As I told you in last update , my Jeep is in Kolhapur now . I am attaching some pics while it got loaded from Pune and restoration process.

The body is de-attached from chasis , seats removed from place , steering wheel also removed. These many pics I have today with me.

Process has gone ahead
1)Body Tub is removed from Chasis and Body work started
2)Engine dismounted and even dismantled fully
3)Cleaning and small repaires on Chasis(since Chasis is is in very good condition) started
4)FIP is being checked up and will be sent for calibration
5)Rest engine parts are being overhauled
6)Chasis is being scratched and brushed throughly for repainting
7)FW drive and Gear box will be overhauled

Now I am very much desparate to see my Jeep getting done after just hearing the proceedings from the workshop but I think I can only able to go next week because of some work commitments thisweekend.

Basically the person (who is seen in pic with my bro discussing the future plans) whom we call "Dada" is very senior and experienced in old vehicles.He is more as a friend's family than the workshop owner.

He also believes in same Statement"Jeeps can not be bought but are to be built" . When I told him I dont want to modify the Jeep but want to restore it to its old glory , he was very happy and said " I would have said NO if you wanted to modify this beauty".
Dada has experience of more than 30 years of Body work. We have a Royal family of Maharaj Of Kolhapur , they have lot of old cars,jeeps with them. In very old days when Dada was in his teens he started working under his father and got all the experience of fitting all the exclusive fitments of Jeep like, Bar and net bacside of the Jeep for hunted pray, Pistol Pocket,Gun Bracket, Thermas(spelling) box on fender,convertible hood,fitting of blacout lights,etc
Dada's Son is my Bro's friend and he is doing all mechanical job on my 550 so I dont worry much about the work. Now both of them are charged up and even Dada said he will not take any new vehicle for work till my Jeep work is over. Very Nice to hear that

I have given Dada my old Kodac Camera to take all pics , I will get all the hard copies and scan them for keeping with me for lifetime as fond memories.

Now its time for some pics.

Tarkesh

[Kandisa]

Great to see your restoration going in full swing. Nice that you are getting it done by somebody who is personally well-known. Carry on
-Regards,

[Ricky_3007]

Hi Guys,

Just have a small question about a part attached to rear wall of my jeep . I am attaching one clear pic which shows that part clearly. I checked it is a light but I dont understand the purpose of the same and also how it works?

Anyone can pls help me . I am trying to put as much as original and exclusive Army parts on my Jeep .

Tarkesh

[harjeev]

Originally Posted by Ricky_3007

Hi Guys,

Just have a small question about a part attached to rear wall of my jeep . I am attaching one clear pic which shows that part clearly. I checked it is a light but I dont understand the purpose of the same and also how it works?

Anyone can pls help me . I am trying to put as much as original and exclusive Army parts on my Jeep .

Tarkesh

Tarkesh
These are the rear blackout lights. And apart from just giving an army look to the vehicle they have no other use.

[Ricky_3007]

Hi All,

I want to retain the same Army Spec (including Look also) on my Jeep.
Can anyone post some pics of existing MM550 if available , i think one pice was already posted(attached below) on request from FK7 for his 550 but I feel that is very different Army vehicle (Weapon or Troop Veh) so I need clean look Army vehicle (either American or Indian) with all necessory accesories on it (like Black out lights,Focus lights,Army reflectors,Spare fuel tank on it, Axe,shovel if possible)

Please post some pics I need to finalize the look of the Jeep.

[khan_sultan]

Originally Posted by harjeev

...These are the rear blackout lights. And apart from just giving an army look to the vehicle they have no other use.

These are the 'blackout lights' and for sure they have use in the army. In a war zone, these lights when 'on' can be seen ONLY from the vehicle behind and can't be seen from air. So if a convoy is moving around, these vehicles can't be spotted from air by enemy aircraft.

[sinhsha]

I do understand that in WWII those back out lights were a necessary guard against air attack but now a days do they serve the same purpose? As nowadays I don't think fighter aircrafts locates targets by seeing it physically rather detects them by infrared/RF detectors which feeds the the control systems of the guided attack weapons. So as engine heat will make it vulnerable anyway I really don't understand what is the need of blackout lights even in modern indian army jeeps. Someone please clarify.

Sorryif OT

[Parm]

Originally Posted by sinhsha

I do understand that in WWII those back out lights were a necessary guard against air attack but now a days do they serve the same purpose? As nowadays I don't think fighter aircrafts locates targets by seeing it physically rather detects them by infrared/RF detectors which feeds the the control systems of the guided attack weapons. So as engine heat will make it vulnerable anyway I really don't understand what is the need of blackout lights even in modern indian army jeeps. Someone please clarify.

Sorryif OT

black out lights are used while travelling single or in a convoy, this is a small precaution used right from the vehicle itself. to worry about thermal imaging used by enemy to be worried about later.

and not all enemy aircrafts are equipped with thermal imagine/IR cameras to detect vehicles.

when enemy aircrafts are on mission, they dont look for individual vehicle or more to target them, the enemy aircraft has bigger primary targets.

in WW2, the speed of the fighter aircraft was slow enough to target the vehicles, nowadays the fighter aircrafts have more bigger targets to worry about.

slow moving fixed winged aircrafts like american A10 wartog and rotary winged Apache are made specially to target enemy vehicles both tracked and wheeled. so you need black out lights!

cheers:

[VEA]

In my knowledge blackout lights provides enough light so that the driver of the vehicle can see the way and the vehicles ahead. The rear blackout lights will avoid collision between leading and tailing vehicles in a convoy.

The light is designed such a way that it cannot be seen from a certain distance (400 yards according to US army standards i guess) in plain surfaces and a certain altitude in the air. This enables the convoy to move unnoticed by reconnaissance teams and aircrafts in the night. It also enables them to reach within striking distance before being spotted in close combat situations.

If an army vehicle moving on the ground has absolutely no safety from the enemy, then the use of such vehicle itself doesnt make any sense. let alone blackout lights. I'm not an army man, but i guess not all attacks come in the form of air strikes. There may be hostage, terrorist, ground battle situations where it is still needed. Not all terrorists carry heat seeking weapons. Most wars are still won on the ground!

[Parm]

Originally Posted by VEA

In my knowledge blackout lights provides enough light so that the driver of the vehicle can see the way and the vehicles ahead. The rear blackout lights will avoid collision between leading and tailing vehicles in a convoy.

The light is designed such a way that it cannot be seen from a certain distance (400 yards according to US army standards i guess) in plain surfaces and a certain altitude in the air. This enables the convoy to move unnoticed by reconnaissance teams and aircrafts in the night. It also enables them to reach within striking distance before being spotted in close combat situations.

If an army vehicle moving on the ground has absolutely no safety from the enemy, then the use of such vehicle itself doesnt make any sense. let alone blackout lights. I'm not an army man, but i guess not all attacks come in the form of air strikes. There may be hostage, terrorist, ground battle situations where it is still needed. Not all terrorists carry heat seeking weapons. Most wars are still won on the ground!

there you go....another explanation to your question regarding the black out lights!

cheers:

[Ricky_3007]

Wow !!!

That is whole lot of information on the Blackout lights.

Nice to see that I put a good question for discussion.

Can anyone pls respond to my next querry to finalize the look of my Jeep? I need some good amount of pics of 550 other than the blow posted with all exclusive accesories on it .

Tarkesh

[sinhsha]

Here are few I cropped from TBHP forum itself

[Kandisa]

The 1st, 3rd (probably) & 4th pics are from the NIOC OTRs. If you want to see more pics of those jeeps, can have a look at the NIOC webpage.

[Ricky_3007]

Thanks Sinhsha/Kandisa,

This will help me and I will check NIOC also. Do you have any pic inside 550?

Tarkesh