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-   -   One more MM 550 XD !! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/56748-one-more-mm-550-xd.html)

Hello all,
A lot of mm550xds nowadays...and here is our one too.Thought to share the story of us getting into the Jeep hang.It was just before the Diwali last year. I and my friend Debarshi were hanging out near a mall very near to our place. Just before us the cars were parked in. There was an alto which was reversing and hit a pole very slowly. It gave birth to a big tap on it's body. It was then when Debarshi said it wouldn't have happened had it been a jeep and followed "lets get a jeep".I was laughing at his madness but he was serious as he had always wanted to have a
jeep.I tried to persuade him by suggesting other options like a good condition Esteem within 1.2 lacs or something else.I explained him the practical reasons why we should not have a jeep-maintenance, mileage, discomfort, handling, even the heat of the engine and what not. He
was adamant and said if there is any problem then he wouldnt even mind just keeping the jeep in the garage and not using it at all.It has got to be a jeep thing only.Even I loved the classic and also jipsy from very young age but never considered buying one untill becoming a real bigshot who can afford 2-3 cars and then a 4x4 for leisure. I had to agree with him and
I also knew that I will have to take the lead/pain to complete this project. One thing we both agreed upon that whatever we get it has to have looks like a classic or a jipsy with a diesel engine...budget 1.5 lacs.

Searching and planning went on with no guidance.For both of us it was going to be the first "car"...so you can expect how much expert we were.We have a lot of friends who owns car but nobody has any idea about jeeps.It was this time when I found Team-BHP...our first guide.Found a lot of information.Side by side I also started searching the net extensively...i was just getting addicted to it.All my colligues in my office got to know about my newly found madness as anybody coming to my system will just find multiple windows of jeeps.We were confused a lot. Sometimes we planned to get a Diesel engine from Delhi (through a friend) for a jipsy or sometimes we would think of getting a complete jeep from
other places....everything was hayward.Our prime concern was that we might be get a jeep but where to modify it...are there any places in Calcutta where jeep modifications are done.There was a colligue of mine who used to have a Classic but later sold it.He told me that
there are a lot of garages in Panagarh where jeeps are modified.He also has a cousin who statys there.That was it...we decided to goto Panagarh after the diwali.

In the meantime I just decided one evening to go and have a look of Mullickbazar market(a market for mainly used car and bike parts) with Deb and another friend...There we met with a scrap dealer called Umesh.He said he has a classic which he was making for his own but then discarded the project and that the jeep is lying in a garage in howrah. He said he already owned a scorpio and didnt need a jeep anymore.I asked repeatedly if it was the Classic or just a look alike. he kepts showing a pic of classic and said this is what we will get. He asked for 1.4 lacs.He
said he can show us the jeep after the Diwali.We were very excited..the wait till the Diwali seemed to be neverending.Finally one sunday afternoon we went to see the jeep in Howrah...... will continue lateron as I am in the office now, could not even check the spellingsstupid:

Regards..Saikat

The garage was closed due to sunday. The dealer sent one of his shop-employee with us.What we found out was a jeep which was half done - body was made, it had the engine and the gearbox, the wheels and nothing in it. The dealer told us earlier that it had an MDI engine which we came to know later on was of almost new condition and with 5 speed gearbox. The only similarity it had with a Classic is the rollbar. We understood that it was going to be a look alike of classic. By this time I researched a lot in the net.GTO's thread gave a lot of ideas for the Classic look. We decided that if we get a jeep we will go with the following choices:

1. MDI engine (for better mileage and torque)
2. 5+1 Gearbox for good speed.
3. Disc Brakes.
4. Soft Top, roll bar and a bullbar
5. A.C. and power steering if the budget permits.
6. Provision to upgrade to 4x4 lateron (did not know then that this upgrade will need to match with the gearbox and lot of other stuffs).

So we were quite happy to know that this jeep had the same engine and gearbox we wanted to have.Still we needed somebody who will guide us and check if we are getting what we were promised by the dealer (its hard to trust anybody in Mullickbazar). It was this time when I got to know about Mr. Uday Bhan Singh in Team-Bhp. I sent an email to him asking his assistance. I was really excited to get his prompt and rather unexpected reply. He sent me his phone number and we planned to visit the garage. One sunday morning we met him near the garage in Howrah. UBS sir was accompanied by Hemant (dont knowwhat is the alias) from Team-Bhp. the first thing that UBS sir asked me with a smile was - "..so where is the gadi?". The garage was closed that day too. UBS recognised the garage and said it was owned by somebody named Mrityun'da. He also mentioned that he was one of the best body makers of jeeps. It took him just a minute or two to examine the jeep and he started to explain a lot of things about the jeep. What we came to know about that jeep were:

1. The new generation engines (e.g. MDI) could be determined by a bolt at the front.
2. The front wheels were of open knuckle setup (by that time I knew what it was, so was happy to hear it)
3. The leaf springs at the back were at a greater distance apart than normal jeeps which means better stability.
4. The wheels were different than a jeep.

Overall he rated the jeep as a good one at that price.He even spoke to the garage owner over the phone and introduced us to him.
He also mentioned that though Mrityun'da was very good in making body but in terms of mechanical knowledge he would not be the best choice. He offered his assistance in the mechanical part in his workshop.He also invited us to visit his place someday.
Now our main concern was the looks ofthe jeep which has alway been from the beginning.We were more than happy what we were getting at that price....

Here are the pictures the way we found the Jeep for the first time:

Your front is DEAD (TUBULAR) I did not see the differential.

Both Front a Rear Hubs are 160 PCD (Scorpio/Bolero)

When you convert the Front Axle to LIVE you will have to Get a OKBJ Axle.

Or get an MM540DP housing and Change the HUB PCD to 160.

Also does the 5+1 gearbox have the transfer case other wise you will have to opt for the KMT90 setup.

Regards,

Arka

4x4Loaded
Man, looks like you are going to have a tough time restoring this mm550xd. But I'm sure you have a good mechanic who would bring this jeep into its original condition in no time.

Happy restoration !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers !!!!!!!!

wow, this jeep will require lots of muscle and money to have it restored to its full glory!

dude you sure have a big heart and lots of patience to work on this jeep!

best of luck with the restoration, dont rush it, take it easy!

keep posting the photos of the restoration.

MM 550 XD? Isn't the vehicle a CJ-3B/CJ 340/CL 340?

The gearbox looks like a KMT90, 4 speed. Is this vehicle a chopped up MM540?

Nice narration Saikat. Seeing the title of the thread, I guess this was not the jeep you people bought finally. Looking forward to the rest of the story.
-regards,

This dosent look like a MM 550 XD to me either. Nor is it a Classic (the classic had suspended pedals and this looks like it had floor mounted pedals). Plus if it dosent have from diff then it is a 2 wheel drive version. Hope you didnt pay 1.4 lacs for it!

There was a fair condition running CL 340 in mayapuri couple of weeks back for 1.2 lacs.

Cheers
Ankit

hi 4x4 loaded

congrats for jeep,:thumbs up
but i have few questions

• chassis looks like it has been shortened ,is it?
• why not xd 3p engine ?
• no 4x4 ?

so apart from chassis there is nothing left of 550xd .
it is not legal. you will have problems registering it, unless you know some one famous or have some extra spending money.:D

please ignore mistakes.

Do you mean you bought it for 1.4lakhs as it is,seriously? Or can you still consider it?

Theres a 87(or maybe 89, don't remember correctly) Disposal Cj3b jeep here that has a izusu motor 4x2, alloys and a bit old paint, but still good enough, and with no traces of rust thats going for 85grands. Compaired to that, i don't see what you're getting in this jeep. Even the '71 universal jeep i bought from Himachal for just 15grands was in way better condition, plus it had an american chassis, the extra bathroom( the extension tub behind the jeep, we all call it the bathroom here,lol. Anyways i threw it away) and the 4x4 intact. Patience dude, you can find better ones for less cash

If you hav'nt bought it, then please do consider other jeeps, before you take the big leap. Even an Army disposal thats available in mayapuri can be had for less, athough it would not have a diesel motor, and a good Di would cost you about 50grands (without turbo, the turbo ones are generally available for about 60-65grands in mayapuri, and a billed from the company costs you about 1.17lakhs. The no-good kit engines usually are available for 25grands or less. the rpobelm with them is that they are generally built from a mixed parts bin. Since the DI is both a tractor and a commercial vehicle motor, even though they have a few differences, most of the parts are taken of accidental condemned vehicles, with the the motors usually cracked or broken. The useable parts are seperated and used to make a kit motor, with everything else it needs taken from parts available in the second hand market, so the final assembly is a mix bag of parts taken off tractor and other different Di motors, depending upon which one is available in the market). So dude, Caveat emptor.

stupid:A jeep is very much like a horse, you try on your part to understand it, and tame it, and it does the same to you. It takes time and effort do it, but in the end its all worth it, and such a relationship develops, that you come to know whats troubling it before it actually does happen.

By the way, another similarity is that both the horse and the jeep would probably try to extract every last bit of cash from your pocket.lol:

Bikram

Buddy, looking at the pictures, it appears that the Jeep needs a LOT of work. I am sure you can get a much better vehicle for the price you have quoted!! Have you checked out the engine? Is it even cranking? Even the body seems to have a lot of rust.

My guess is that you will have to spend upwards of 2 Lakhs to get the vehicle to good shape. Please be sure to check it out thoroughly before you finalize the deal (I hope you have not signed on the dotted line yet).

I tend to agree with Brutus, if the guy wants 1.4L for a rusting modded 550 then he is taking you for a ride.

You can get a much better condition MM550 for less than a lakh registered with 4x4 intact. It might need an engine overhaul but still might be a bit cheaper than what you might spend on that rusted shell.

I don't know if I am missing something but what makes this rusted modded shell worth 1.4L ?

To put it inot context there is a 1989 MM540 for sale for 55,000 on the forum.

Since you have a love for Classic's. We closed a deal for a friend for 1.8 lakhs, 99 model last month. This tub is surely not worth 1.4 lakhs.