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-   -   MM540 2wd to MM540 4wd and Restoration (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-vehicles/93877-mm540-2wd-mm540-4wd-restoration-2.html)

Tinkers are always the slowest in the chain of restoration. In is funny that most good tinkers that I know including the chappy who worked on my jeep also happen to be heavy drinkers...

Friends,
Tinker sonthosh has returned back from sabarimala and resumed the job.Entire platform - rear and front has been replaced, Remade the Wheel Arches.100% paint scraping job is started.As Arka advised no metal paste has been used in joints and body.Pictures below.

Hey Rajith, nice to see the build going on strong...catch you later in the evening to take an update and yeah give you a Major update from me and Fahad :D

Friends,
Total tinkering jobs has been completed,under chasis painting got over with olive green color.Shell is erected on the chasis and bolted.Mechanical work has been started with initial replacement of steering box Manual with Idler Arm/7 Ball Joints to MRCBT/4 Ball Joints as per ARKAs advice:D .Detailed pictures attached.
Cost seems to be going above the budget and landing near by Thar MDI..

Dear friends,
Attached some more photos of the mm540 restoration project.Vehicle did a test drive on last sunday from Coimbatore to salem and back @ 300Kms.All fine.Upholstery work is pending.Will be doing in Tirupur.Final pictures will be updated by 25th April.Tyres are old , refitted from our bolero into GYPSY rims.

all is well Rajith!
as long as its less than the MDI's price tag. lol:

BTW where did you buy the rear plate & what cost? (the one behind the pintle hook)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-te...ml#post2263341

Rajith ,
nice build what is the plan for seats ?

jeepster That plate is available at Muvattupuzha last monday I went there and bought 2 of them and a army antenna,D-hooks and a army tool box. They have almost all the parts needed for a rebuild.
price is 1200 for the plate.
- Sreejesh

thanks Sreejesh.

can you post the pic of antenna here or in my thread.

Hi Sreejesh,

Purchased 2 bolero slx seats for front, planned put black art leather covers on them and rear will have stock seats ,side facing with same black art leather covers.

Thinking use top tarpaulin the same material of CRDE Thar and side view as Major with cross on both sides running from top to bottom.

Hope to hit the trail by next weekend.Planning to run thru Coimbatore-Ooty-Mysore-Bangalore.

Rajith,

why going for the normal soft top ? any way its a complete rebuild so give it a different look something like fazalaliadil's jeep one more neat soft top pic was there in My HDD let me check.




- Sreejesh

Great job and the Jeep looks fab, awesome colour choice. I think ill call it Mud, Brown. One question though, why did you not get a MM550 itself instead of incurring huge costs (im sure they must be on the higher side, what with your exclamation that costs are nearing a Thar MDI). I have not understood the basis of the decision to buy a 2WD and then convert it to 4WD, vis a vis buying a full fledged 4X4.

But i appreciate the effort and superb outcome. Three thums up!!

Thanks for all the compliments friends.
Very logical question by V-16.
We got the 2wd jeep as deal to close old buisness out standing with one of our client.
When 2wd came in , mind pushed for a 4wd.Thus conversion job
started.
As we where quiet particular in fit and finish quality , short listed SIM at coimbatore.
Will upload more close up pics soon.
Work started early Nov 2010 and going to finish by end April 2011

sreejesh i would prefer to keep as stock and no more budget and time now

Thanks for the clarification Rajith. Makes absolute sense now!
All the best with your project of love. Waiting to see it perform on an OTR, once its got two more limbs!!:thumbs up

Please find more final stage pictures of our MM 540.vehicle will roll out from SIM today.