Team-BHP - Countdown to my Rally Gypsy

After sitting on the fence for sometime, weighing pros and cons, I finally paid the booking amount for my new white soft top Gypsy King. Am told I shall have it in 10 days.

Since they wouldn't give me any discount I managed to get in some value adds like gear lock, mud flaps and rubberised coating for the undercarriage.

While I wait for delivery, I need to get my act together on getting the king in shape for its intended use. My "use" parameters are outlined below and I would appreciate any assistance from seasoned Gypsy enthusiasts to guide me through its transformation process.

(1). First and foremost. My mundane, day to day city driving is already taken care of by other cars. Therefore the Gypsy is meant to be a pure recreational vehicle to be used for raids, OTRs, and trips traversing hilly and/or hostile (for some!) terrain. That said, I also need to keep it running when not doing the above so to that extent should be able to hold its own in city/ highway driving.

(2). Am already talking to Performance Auto in Noida to get a half cabin/ roll cage constructed and an AC fitted (with its attendant upgradation of the cooling system). Any feedback on my choice of workshop + any tried and tested suggestions for the cooling system upgradation would also be welcome.

(3). Tyres : Have already worked out a deal with a tyre dealer who will give me almost full value for my stock tyres under 50 kms. So the question now for me is which ones? Would tubeless tyres be appropriate for events like the Raid de Himalaya? I've heard/ read conflicting viewpoints. In case tubeless is recommended, need I go for alloys? I've heard that gypsy stock wheels are good enough, so they won't bend under the weight of all the punishment? What specific brand / specs should I go for given my requirements as above -- basically the ability to handle mud, slush & grit with aplomb while maintaining their grip on tarmac and in hill driving.

(4). Is there anything I can do to improve the ride quality in a Gypsy? (apart from getting a coil spring suspension, which i DO NOT intend to do at this time but while on the subject, does anyone have any experience with how that changes the experience. Any limitations/ reliability issues?).

I am planning to modify the car in stages so this is my initial wish list to get the project off the ground with the bare minimum. Recommendations for anything else which would qualify in the "bare minimum" list would also be welcome.

Looking forward to share my experiences / images of the project as I go along!

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Originally Posted by Jeepster 4x4 (Post 1445673)

After sitting on the fence for sometime, weighing pros and cons, I finally paid the booking amount for my new white soft top Gypsy King. Am told I shall have it in 10 days.

Congrats.!!! 10 days is a very very reasonable time t get it delivered.

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Since they wouldn't give me any discount I managed to get in some value adds like gear lock, mud flaps and rubberised coating for the undercarriage.

Lucky you. I have heard the not even mud flaps are given by dealers for the Gypsy.

Quote:

...the Gypsy is meant to be a pure recreational vehicle to be used for raids, OTRs, and trips traversing hilly and/or hostile (for some!) terrain. That said, I also need to keep it running when not doing the above so to that extent should be able to hold its own in city/ highway driving.

The Gypsy will do that day in day out. It is VERY rugged and will keep going strong eeven 10-15 years later. Just take good care of it.

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(3). Tyres : Have already worked out a deal with a tyre dealer who will give me almost full value for my stock tyres under 50 kms. So the question now for me is which ones? Would tubeless tyres be appropriate for events like the Raid de Himalaya? I've heard/ read conflicting viewpoints. In case tubeless is recommended, need I go for alloys? I've heard that gypsy stock wheels are good enough, so they won't bend under the weight of all the punishment? What specific brand / specs should I go for given my requirements as above -- basically the ability to handle mud, slush & grit with aplomb while maintaining their grip on tarmac and in hill driving.

I would suggest that look no further than Yoko Geolanders in 215/75/15. Yoko are very very good tyres for highway + OTR + bad roads. The one good thing about them is the fairly sturdy/strong sidewall that can take a bit of beating.

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(4). Is there anything I can do to improve the ride quality in a Gypsy? (apart from getting a coil spring suspension, which i DO NOT intend to do at this time but while on the subject, does anyone have any experience with how that changes the experience. Any limitations/ reliability issues?).

Well, nothing will make it = a ride in car BUT composite fiber leaf springs do help a LOT. I can vouch for that. They are available for the rear ONLY as yet.

Right now, just wait the waiting periood and then enjoy.!!! Take her out to nearby hills for some fun..

Jeepster 4X4,
A perfect sized vehicle for off-roading, bwe have been in forests after wildlife in this vehicle and it takes you anywhere nearly, as the width is just too good ..to squeeze through and the engine has enough to deliver at the right time under almost all circumstances.
Easy and lighter to handle compared to the MM's and responsive too, which makes it a right choice for off-roading and jungle terrain.
The Gypsies I have been through in various forest of India have not been maintained as they should have been, at least 5-6 years old, stock vehicles, never got a bit of modding done on them, Still they have the aptitude to deliver.
A brand new one is a right choice for your planned application.
Wish you the very best.

Regards,

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Originally Posted by khan_sultan (Post 1445840)

Congrats.!!! 10 days is a very very reasonable time t get it delivered...

Thanks for all your feedback mate! have my fingers crossed about the delivery period!

Quote:

Originally Posted by khan_sultan (Post 1445840)

Lucky you. I have heard the not even mud flaps are given by dealers for the Gypsy.

Yeah! you're right, each time I started talking deal, he'd just quote the waiting time for a Gypsy to nip it in the bud. Still he did end up giving in to my request for the "value adds" after a bit of griping on my part + a mini lecture on customer "lifetime value".

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Originally Posted by khan_sultan (Post 1445840)

Noted. I'll check those out.

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Originally Posted by Jeepster 4x4 (Post 1445673)

Since they wouldn't give me any discount I managed to get in some value adds like gear lock, mud flaps and rubberised coating for the undercarriage.

(2). Am already talking to Performance Auto in Noida to get a half cabin/ roll cage constructed and an AC fitted (with its attendant upgradation of the cooling system). Any feedback on my choice of workshop + any tried and tested suggestions for the cooling system upgradation would also be welcome.

get the same rubberised coating for the floor also, it will further help in preventing rust formation on the floor!

Raj Kapoor sure does a good job on modifying a gypsy/jeep.

would you like share the details and cost involved with the modification?

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Originally Posted by JeepCaptain (Post 1446031)

Jeepster 4x4 , Congrats on your new rig and welcome to Team-bhp.

Good to see MUL's civilian Gypsy orderbook filling up with enthusiasts like you.

You have made the best decision in your life. :) . Glad that you have found the gypsy in you as they say "There is a Gypsy in Everyone "!

Thanks Captain! And talking about civilian orderbooks. I had an interesting experience at the dealership. The moment I uttered the word Gypsy, all this miscellaneous sales staff sort of started hovering around us to take a better look at the Martians who had descended to order one (with some nudges and whispers thrown in for effect)! The GM, who was negotiating with us hastened to add -- The only other 2 gypsies on the civilian order book right now are from local "Gunda types" (to quote him exactly) for the local election and you just don't look like, er, the typical Gypsy customer - thats all! It was quite hilarious at that time. rl: He did mention, that some enthusiasts among them were internally lobbying with Maruti to start a sporty civilian version with some basic mods like half cabin and power steering, et al thrown in. Nice to know someone's thinKING about us!

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Originally Posted by Parm (Post 1446237)

Thanks for the suggestion. Wish I had thought about that before. I will certainly call them today itself to do that.

Regarding costs, absolutely. I'll be happy to share the details as I go along. To start with my on the road value is Rs 527000/-. 85% financed by SBI @ 8% (1st year), 10% (2 & 3year), floating thereafter.

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Originally Posted by Jeepster 4x4 (Post 1445673)

...Would tubeless tyres be appropriate for events like the Raid de Himalaya? I've heard/ read conflicting viewpoints. In case tubeless is recommended, need I go for alloys? I've heard that gypsy stock wheels are good enough, so they won't bend under the weight of all the punishment? ...

100% true. they are very very rugged and can take some beating. also, i was running tubeless for quite some time on the stock rims without any issues. lots of folks here do it and no issues at all. If you want to do raid etc then my suggestion would be to stick to the stock steel rims and use tubeless tyres. Just keep a tube along for emergency.

News, News! Maruti Suzuki seems to be outdoing itself on every score with this purchase. Good Omen. The dealership just called me to say the KING is ready (and my deposit cheque has not even hit my account yet!). I'm now rushing through with the loan approaval! Been walking around with a very grossly misunderstood smile on my face. :)

Rehaan Thanks for that immensely informative video. Some very practical suggestions that can come only from experience. I'm drawing up my wishlist for "Phase I" and will incorporate some of these. Will put it out shortly.

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Originally Posted by khan_sultan (Post 1447385)

Yesterday I was talking to a friend who's been in the raid a few times but in the 2 wheeler category. He told me that Raid participants do not use tubeless (only tubes). Any thoughts on this?

Hi Jeepster

Congrats on your choice to get a new KING! Hope the loan works out quickly for you.

Keep the stock rims and upgrade to 215/75 R15. This is the best size for the Gypsy. I had these for many years and never faced any probs, OTR or tarmac. Keep a spare tube though just in case.

Raj Kappor is a very knoledgable person. He is the best person to go to for Gypsy mods.

Keep it as standard as possible for some time to get a feel of the vehicle. What mods you want to do will come to you automatically.

Cheers
Ankit