[abheekg]

Better sense has prevailed after talking to seniors like Behramji,Arka,SStraveller,Genesis,Fazal saab,Harjeev,et all &I have decided to keep the legendary Cj4a (which I have picked up for peanuts) stock.

Which means that I am back to square one searching for another base vehicle - this time a cheap LWB commander or a scrap Gypsy for this project.

I must thank all the seniors for guiding me in the right path. I will be creating a thread for the restoration of the Cj4a shortly.

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abheekg

Which means that I am back to square one searching for another base vehicle - this time a cheap LWB commander or a scrap Gypsy for this project.

Huh??!... I thought this IS your base vehicle.

[abheekg]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Huh??!........... .

hahahaha.
Sir I figured out that this vehicle may be a collector's item in the future and hence I dont want to bring this jeep under the knife to suite my purpose for this project and in process destroy a legendary jeep!

So I have decided to restore it to its previous glory & respect the sentiments of the old workhorse of a post war jeep.

I request members to help me in my search for a LWB Commander preferrably 4wd.

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

[r_nairtvm]

Originally Posted by abheekg

Better sense has prevailed after talking to seniors like Behramji,Arka,SStraveller,Genesis,Fazal saab,Harjeev,et all &I have decided to keep the legendary Cj4a (which I have picked up for peanuts) stock.

Which means that I am back to square one searching for another base vehicle - this time a cheap LWB commander or a scrap Gypsy for this project.

I must thank all the seniors for guiding me in the right path. I will be creating a thread for the restoration of the Cj4a shortly.

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

Hi Dr,

I am in a way sorry and happy. Happy that you have decided to keep the CJ4a stock. Sorry that some possibilities I've been discussing with JC can not happen.

Any way please see if this guy has any vehicle with him (even those without papers) with Hurricane and the OE Gear Box.

All the Best with the CJ4a rebuild

Best Regards & Drive/Ride Safe

Ram

[Kandisa]

So finally the 'jungle safari vehicle project' turns into a classic jeep restoration project! If this was to be the outcome, a hurricane powered CJ3b would have been the ideal vehicle to pick up. Anyways a cj4a with hurricane is definitely going to be a new addition in the forum. And it will indeed be a rare jeep IF ONLY you keep on running in petrol only and not in any gas or stuff! Do keep updated about the restoration and performance.

[abheekg]

Dear Friends
This project is now bifurcating into 2 separate projects thanks to the chance acquisition of the petrol cj4a. I have identified 2 passionate old timer mechanics here in Nagpur who have raised their hands and want to work on the petrol jeep. I will evaluate them tomorrow and decide whom to entrust my jeep with.

Meanwhile my search for the base vehicle continues and I will be evaluating some old HM Trekkers that I have found lying at the local Ambassador dealership here.

Dr. A Ghosh

[abheekg]

Evaluated some HM Trekkers today.Saw 3 of them.One in regular running condition. Second one seemed good overall but did not seem in use.The third one was reduced to the ground (but looked brand new bodywise&from tyres)-on enquiry this was found to be a disputed vehicle,the property of HM send for demo but now fallen in disuse.The company cannot sell it.

The second one was for sale. some diesel engine.No idea which year.But it looked best suited for my project.

Any idea how much to pay for it?

AG.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abheekg

HM Trekkers today...
...some diesel engine.No idea which year.
But it looked best suited for my project.

Excuse me, but a Trekker as a 4wd Offroad capable Jungle Safari vehicle??? And a diesel engine? I thought you needed a petrol?

Not quite sure which way this project is heading...

[abheekg]

@ssTraveller: Sir I will look to pick up a trtekker if I get one in my budget and then look to plonk in either the Gypsy 1.3 or the isuzu 1.8 with 4wd in it.

@ eveybody else (espeacially headers,tramway,arka and our other southern friends) : Any pointers friends how much can I pick up a running condition or dead but mechanically sound trekker maybe from down south ; and is putting a petrol engine a good and efficient option in this vehicle ?

Dr. A Ghosh

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abheekg

...pick up a trtekker...and ...plonk in either the Gypsy 1.3 or the isuzu 1.8 with 4wd in it.

Pardon my ignorance, Dr Ghosh, but can the Trekker be converted at all into 4WD? Has such a conversion ever been done?

Of course, a soft-top Trekker can be procured for iron scrap value (say 15-20k INR) from the Ranchi-Jamshedpur area, though you'll have to get in touch with someone there locally. Anyone one the forum from that area?

[abheekg]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Pardon my ignorance, Dr Ghosh, but can the Trekker be converted at all into 4WD? Has such a conversion ever been done?

Of course, a soft-top Trekker can be procured for iron scrap value (say 15-20k INR) from the Ranchi-Jamshedpur area, though you'll have to get in touch with someone there locally. Anyone one the forum from that area?

To my knowledge sir, nobody on the forum has ever attempted such a conversion. Cloest one got to I think was Vikram aka headers when he thought about this possibility in 2008 and wrote on this forum http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1524806

What will it take to convert this into a 4wd system ? [vikram your inputs are needed here as you owned a vehicle for long and are the best person to advise]

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

[abheekg]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Pardon my ignorance, Dr Ghosh, but can the Trekker be converted at all into 4WD? Has such a conversion ever been done?

Of course, a soft-top Trekker can be procured for iron scrap value (say 15-20k INR) from the Ranchi-Jamshedpur area, though you'll have to get in touch with someone there locally. Anyone one the forum from that area?

To my knowledge sir, nobody on the forum has ever attempted such a conversion. Cloest one got to I think was Vikram aka headers when he thought about this possibility in 2008 and wrote on this forum http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post1524806

What will it take to convert this into a 4wd system ? [vikram your inputs are needed here as you owned a vehicle for long and are the best person to advise]

Here's some technical info on the trekker :

ENGINE
Type OHV
Fuel Diesel
Capacity 1489CC
Bore / Stroke 73.0 / 88.9 mm
Compression Ratio 23 : 1
Max. Engine Output 37.5 HP at 4000 r.p.m.
Max. Torque 8.15 Kgm at 2250 r.p.m
Cooling System Water cooling

SUSPENSION
Front Independent Upper and Lower Arms with Torsion Bars and Springs and Telescopic Double
Rear Semi Elliptic Springs, Hydraulic Telescopic Double Acting Shock Absorbers and Mettalic Bushes for Long Life.

TRANSMISSION
Clutch Type Dry Disc
Diameter 216mm
Gear Box 5 Forward (Including Overdrive) 1 Reverse
Gear Ratio 1st - 3.737 :1
2nd - 1.963:1
3rd - 1.364:1
4th - 1.000 :1
5th - -0.776:1
Reverse - 3.402:1

Synchromesh On All forward Gears
Rear Axle Semi Floating
Ratio 4.875



DIMENSIONS
Wheel Base 2311
Overall Length 3833 mm (bumper to bumper without spare wheel)
Overall Width 1648
Front Track 1411 mm
Rear Track 1359
Min.GroundClearance 203mm




regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

[r_nairtvm]

Hi Doctor,

Is in't the whole platform (of Trekker) too low for a vehicle intended for "jungle safari". Though it is wider than a jeep/gypsy one, it would require a lot of mod to increase the heigt as well.

Thanks and Best Regards

Ram

[fazalaliadil]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Hi Doctor,

Is in't the whole platform (of Trekker) too low for a vehicle intended for "jungle safari". Though it is wider than a jeep/gypsy one, it would require a lot of mod to increase the heigt as well.

Thanks and Best Regards

Ram

Ram, You are right. The only way the GC can be increased is by bigger tyres. For better articulation work on SPoA etc. can be done. Trekker somehow has a good safari vehicle appeal if done up the right way.

[abheekg]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Hi Doctor,

Is in't the whole platform (of Trekker) too low for a vehicle intended for "jungle safari". Though it is wider than a jeep/gypsy one, it would require a lot of mod to increase the heigt as well.

Thanks and Best Regards

Ram

In its present avataar yes the Trekker in a little low on GC. But I believe with a little bit of effort, it can become an excellent vehicle for the purpose intended. After all it is a famed people hauler.

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Ram, You are right. The only way the GC can be increased is by bigger tyres. For better articulation work on SPoA etc. can be done. Trekker somehow has a good safari vehicle appeal if done up the right way.

Its great to see you take such a keen interest in the Trekker sir. If its available for something like 15-20k then it would make another excellent low cost option for the base vehicle. Add slightly bigger tyres (15k) , change of heart to petrol with 4wd (30-35k) with the gypsy 1.3L or isuzu 1.8L setup, bodywork (15k) ,registration certificate endorsement with insurance (15-20k) and miscellaneous (20k) , its still not way off budget (1.25L) for this project.

What would doing a Spoa cost for the Tekker ? can it be done in the micsellaneuos 20k budget ?

Fazal saab and Vkram, how does this arithmatic and line of thinking sound.

Can this be done ?

regards,
Dr. A Ghosh

P.S: I am on a jeep hunting spree these days and again located a huge cache of scrapped Govt.vehicles (lots of 540's , cj500d's , maybe a cj3b or two, a few Jeep FC's , and a lot of other scraped vehicles) just walking distance from where I live in Nagpur. An auction is scheduled for this December.