[artemis_fowl]

I’d like to contribute too!
My dad had purchased a white 800 AC in 1999 after marriage. That was when my parents shifted to Bangalore. They had even gone to Goa in the car! The car was sold in 2007 after 8 years of relentless service, to upgrade to the Swift (spiritual successor?). I did love the car (yes, even when I was just 2 years old!)
A brief ownership report coming up soon. (more of me sharing memories actually!) Sadly, I have only 1 picture of it.

Almost every 800 I have seen (including ours too) had a steering wheel leather wrap. Was that a standard fitment or an official accessory? Please confirm.

[rajushank84]

Originally Posted by artemis_fowl

Almost every 800 I have seen (including ours too) had a steering wheel leather wrap. Was that a standard fitment or an official accessory? Please confirm.

I don't think it was standard. Mine didn't have a steering cover and I preferred it that way. But I think around the early 90s it was common practice to have steering covers. A similar thing with seat covers too. Many considered it a must-have, but I personally found most car seats more comfortable without those additional layers.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by artemis_fowl

Almost every 800 I have seen (including ours too) had a steering wheel leather wrap. Was that a standard fitment or an official accessory? Please confirm.

And I'm sure you mean this design:



Not sure whether it was OEM accessory or not, but it was a regular accessory on almost all pre 2000 cars. It was wrapped around the steering wheel and a string held it tight.

Regards,
Shashi

PS: Eagerly waiting for your 800 thread.

[volkman10]

Would love to have my Maruti 800 back with me: Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar is very keen to have the car back for sentimental reasons.

the Master Blaster revealed that he doesn't have his first car with him anymore and would like to appeal to those who bought it to get in touch with him.

Link

[anjan_c2007]

My 1987 Maruti 800 out today after a seven plus month hibernation since the lockdown began in March 2020. It was last driven on 22/03/2020. Since then static starts every week, air checking at home once every three weeks and regular cleaning were done. But the car never moved outside the premises.

The drive today saw its usual enthusiasm and zest on the road. There was no problem of any kind and I drove it through the city thoroughfares as usual. Petrol was topped up and air checked. I just felt some withdrawal symptoms of the engine during idling, but that is due to the slow jet that could have got clogged. Will check that out soon. But must say that the car is marvellous. A 33 plus year old car idle for seven plus months emerges on the road and faithfully and faultlessly drives its owner to several destinations!









(still with its factory paint )

[volkman10]

Maruti 800 was launched in India 37 years ago.

Maruti Suzuki is celebrating an incredibly important milestone today: 37 years of the iconic Maruti 800.

First Maruti 800 to Harpal Singh, a customer:

Anyway, 14 December, 1983 thus marked the launch of the Maruti 800. Wait, did we mention the price tag? No? Okay -- so it was ₹47,500! Doesn't seem like much in the modern context, but that's a whole lot of money for 1983, isn't it?

So, we all know just how wildly popular the legendary 800 went on to become -- so much so that it retained the tag of being the best-selling car in India till 2004. After that, another Maruti Suzuki car took over the mantle of being the country's best-selling car: Alto. This was only an indication of things to come, including a dip in the demand for the Maruti 800. A decade later, i.e. in 2014 -- Maruti Suzuki rolled off the last unit of the iconic car from its manufacturing facility in Gurgaon on 18 January.

In its lifetime, i.e. since the car was launched in India in 1983, the company sold more than 2.7 million units of the Maruti 800.

Link

[anjan_c2007]

My project for the last weekend for my 1987 Maruti 800, was to change the side mouldings on four doors and the tail lamps. The mouldings had been there since around 1999 and were not of MGP make. But 22 years of just being there to protect the little car was praiseworthy and good, given the quality of these mouldings. They were not OE and of the slick fitting kind and my lurking fear since the past decade was that the metal on the covered part of the moulding would have rusted and decayed. The gaps would facilitate trickling down of water that could have settled safely before taking its own sweet time to dry or exit.

But, to my pleasant surprise after dismantling these mouldings, there was almost no damage, but for the rust that had formed on the rear left door concealed part in patches. These rusted portions are rubbed through after which primer and later paint will be applied. The process to fit new mouldings continues and perhaps the rubbing of the sticker on the body and the rust patch full treatment will be over next weekend to fit the new mouldings.



Old mouldings removed (RHS)



The rust patches are visible (LHS) after removal of the mouldings



The now discarded 22 year old mouldings - (quote) "the old order changeth giving way to new."(unquote)



The new MGP mouldings in the packed plastic cover for use

The tail lamps fitted were of Alpha Toyo make. But these were looking a bit dull and when lighted would also look dull. The 3 +3 bulb holders are however of the OE Alpha Toyo make and continue to do their duties. I am nevertheless preserving them to be fitted for any "Concours" event in future where originality matters ! The new MGP tail lamps are of Lumax make. These were immediately fitted and look cool. The bulbs though concealed within the lamps are not dust proof and like the old Ambassadors, Premiers and Mahindra jeeps facilitate dust entry and are coated with dust over a period of use. I cleaned these though. The bulb holders colour codes are earmarked with same colour codes on the lamp housing for easier refitting as will be seen in the pictures below and one will not miss placing the reverse lamp holder in the indicator slot. No square pegs in round holes !















The Alpha Toyo tail lamp had its own colour codes



The kill joy dusty bulbs that reduce the light intensity



Lumax now- again (quote) the old order changeth giving way to new"(unquote)

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

The tail lamps fitted were of Alpha Toyo make. But these were looking a bit dull and when lighted would also look dull. The 3 +3 bulb holders are however of the OE Alpha Toyo make and continue to do their duties. I am nevertheless preserving them to be fitted for any "Concours" event in future where originality matters ! The new MGP tail lamps are of Lumax make.

Hello Sir
Knowing your love for your 800, I'm delighted to post that Alpha Toyos are still available in MGP against a particular part number and they are of much better quality than Lumax, anyday!

Also if your car is missing, install Taillight gasket which prevents lamps to accumulate dust. Type 1's gasket is still SGP and Made in Japan, and hence expensive. Type 2's gasket is MGP and can be tweaked as per shape of Type 1 lamp. Your call.

Part number of Alpha Toyo Type1 Taillamps:

35604M84020
35603M84020

These comes with new harness too.

Part number of Type1 Taillight gasket:

35653-84000(you need two)

Part number of Type2 gasket:

35653M84400(again you'll need two)

Regards,
Shashi

[anjan_c2007]

https://www.overdrive.in/news-cars-a...ged-a-country/

An excellent coverage by Mr Bob Rupani, in Overdrive online chronicling Maruti's entry into our market and the mesmerization of our automobile industry, market and the car people with a quality product. The finer details are very well covered with his razor sharp memory.

A few bits of information about the Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) of the 1980's here. In their factory the same uniform was worn by Mr V. K. Krishnamurthy and Mr R. C. Bhargava the top honchos and also by all the white and blue collared employees. MUL had the same canteen for everyone. And critics used to forecast doom times ahead, saying that these Japanese machines don't last more than five years. The critics would also write in the media saying that common mechanics would not be able to repair and service these at all. Aware of the high cost of spares (mostly imported) and repairs at the ASC's most of them had written off the car predicting doom days soon ahead.

The past four decades have brought out the truth with numerous Maruti facts, that all can now adjudge.

[camitesh]

Originally Posted by volkman10

Would love to have my Maruti 800 back with me: Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar is very keen to have the car back for sentimental reasons.

And the master blaster gets the Maruti 800, albeit not the exact one that he owned.

Excellent marketing strategy by Spinny! https://www.spinny.com/blog/index.ph...rst-car-again/

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by camitesh

And the master blaster gets the Maruti 800, albeit not the exact one that he owned.

Excellent marketing strategy by Spinny! https://www.spinny.com/blog/index.ph...rst-car-again/

Saw the car today near Maruti Gurgaon plant:



Couple of videos:

https://youtu.be/EHmmM6A1zn0

https://youtu.be/Y3F184IEOm4