[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by 1100D

1> The infamous Scorpio water splash issue. The problem is not merely aggravated! The whole reason that the first generation Scorpio underwent a chin-job was this, although that Bumper looked fabulous in my eyes.

Agree! They progressively ruined the looks over the years. As for the water spalsh thing, maybe getting some kind of flexible flaps on the front side of tyres to arrest some of the water may help?

2> This bumper is metallic, it doesn't flex. So in the eventuality of a frontal hit exceeding a certain magnitude, not only the bumper will retain the signs of damage, but the fog lamp alignment will go for a toss too.

How did you incorporate the airbag sensors to it?

3> I had the option of backward retrofitment of the flexible Fibre Bumper from the earlier generation scorpio, alongwith its usual fog lamps. However, that would have been kind of plug and play, hardly any fun. Whereas, getting this Bumper to adapt and then integrate fog lamps into it, there was a challenge which was kind of entertaining for a few days.

lol! So there aren't any changes in the structure underneath the bumper since the first gen? I thought the support structure behind the current bumpers are quite tall compared to the older (shorter) ones.

The two lakes side by side, have different colour of liquid!

Wonderful, any travelogue coming up?

[1100D]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Agree! They progressively ruined the looks over the years. As for the water spalsh thing, maybe getting some kind of flexible flaps on the front side of tyres to arrest some of the water may help?

Yes, will incorporate that, in some time. The Bumper bottom, towards the front of the tyres is curved, will have to find something that can be appropriately fitted. Am thinking Ambassador front rectangular floor mat rubber cut to size.

Or maybe even live with this. Slowing down on water puddles is anyway the right thing to do, instead of splashing.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

How did you incorporate the airbag sensors to it?

Marengo was ordered without Airbags! It has ABS but no Airbags.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

lol! So there aren't any changes in the structure underneath the bumper since the first gen? I thought the support structure behind the current bumpers are quite tall compared to the older (shorter) ones.

Scorpio Bumpers usually have the Fibre portion and a metal structure holding it in shape and bolted to the Chassis rail end. The first Generation Scorpio has a different fibre-metal structure combo, to what was stock on the Generation that Marengo comes from. So I would have had to change both the Fibre portion as well as the structure underneath it. As far as the body and the anchor point on the chassis is concerned, its exactly same on all the generations, till the present one came out. The present generation Scorpio has different Bumper, different anchoring and even the body portion behind is different.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Wonderful, any travelogue coming up?

Unfortunately, Dont have the bandwidth to pen drive travelogues anymore, as it is, managing leaves is a huge issue and after the leave period, there's hardly time to divert attention elsewhere!

Posting a recent picture of Marengo!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by 1100D

On Marengo's Birthday last year 2nd December, he was gifted Continental Cross Contact AT tyres


While the Tyres do look purposefully good


Am not happy with the change, especially coming from the fabulous Canada made Michelin LTX AT2's.

Infact, I was sceptical right from the Night 1


Great deal of slipping and sliding right from the Tyre shop. Infact, am aware that new tyres generally have lower grip, but the lack of grip on this one was plain unsafe, switching lanes at anything over 80 was dramatic, went on for a week (to 10 days) when it settled to some decency.

To continue on this topic.

Not only did the tyres disappoint in the initial few days on Tarmac. They experience has been pretty average off-the-road too. Two out of Four punctures so far (in the short 17k usage - am running with another now as I type) had been due to Tree root piercing, comparing this to not a single puncture on the previous Michelin LTX AT2 tyres (in 50k usage).

Grip on Loose soil has been sub-par, has a tendency to dig down. Can't be that my driving changed all of a sudden right after switching to this set. Needs a lot more momentum than did the fabulous LTX AT2's and as well as the Maxxis Bravo 771's before it.

Even the highway manners/road noise is nothing to speak about. Got the suspension checked and aligned (wheels balanced), yet there was hardly any change in behaviour, levitation continued.

Switched tyres temporarily with a friends scorpio almost fresh LTX AT2 tyres, just to rule out placebo and the difference was apparent immediately.

Not sure how much of this can be attributed to the fact that these tyres are manufactured in India.




The only redeeming aspect is that these tyres look fabulous. Another, probably, that these worked well on snow.

So have no choice but to live out the embarrassment till the remaining service life.

[1100D]

Some offroad shots with the new Bumper, first two Pics courtesy Bhpian Navtej.











The Bumper kept itself way above everything thrown at it. The Pic where the vehicle seems to have been stuck, was mainly a very narrow, tricky rut, which was being Recce'd by Marengo (The other vehicles weren't risked on this obstacle)