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-   -   Preparing a Gypsy For the RAID! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-motorsport/103925-preparing-gypsy-raid.html)

Hello Bhpians !!!

I have bought a 2004 mpfi Gypsy King 1.3 from a Bhpian Desmosidici from mumbai in the last week of June for participating in Raid De Himalaya 2011.

You can find the previous history of the car here:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...omes-home.html

The car is in stock condition and i have registered for Raid under Adventure Category. So, please please gimme inputs as to what are the mandatory changes that i should do to make this rally prep`ed.

Following changes are in my mind:

1. Rally Cabin. Have given the following dimensions based on photos from teambhp to the workshop. Gypsy owners who have them, please provide me your inputs and dimensions if possible. A photo is attached below

P.S. i am not putting in a roll cage now since its not mandatory for adventure category. However will put this on a later stage if i participate in xtreme next year.

2. Vehicle has rust in certain areas. So, a 2 tone paint job should take care of that.

3. Gypsy does not have a trip meter (which is very imp in TSD event). So whats the solution? Can we install a external one.

4. It is running Yoko Geolanders AT with stock size. Will that suit raid?

Bhpians who own gypsy and have customized it for RDH. Please gimme your inputs.

Regards,

Abbas.

Abbas a humble piece of advise - do the roll cage now itself while making the rally cabin. Safety first - Always!!

Cheers
GB

Abbas, congrats on getting a gypsy and nice to know about your RAID plans.

Here are some threads that you can look for ideas & suggestions -- these are from the past raid-de-himalaya threads:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ypsy-raid.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ya-2010-a.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...lly-gypsy.html

@ GB: You are right when you say 'safety First'. I am still contemplating that. In the mean while, if you could find me drawing / dimensions for a roll cage install, that would help me immensely.

@ Khan Bhai:

Have gone thru the threads you have mentioned.

The video on the following thread in post No.1 has been removed by the user. Anyway we can get that

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ypsy-raid.html

@ Everyone:

My fabricator suggests me to order another Gypsy windshield to fit it in the back of the cabin. Is that ok or is there any other way out?

One more, http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-ve...p-captain.html

+1 to roll cage..

@abbas: If you have not started work on the Gypsy, would recommend you talk to one of the best guys for Gypsy mods in North India. He is Amanpreet Ahluwalia and runs a mod garage in Noida called Auto Attitudes (FB page: Auto Attitudes) (tbhp handle "amanpreet").
This guy makes some of the best Rally prepared Gypsy's and is a Ralliest himself and will be there at the Raid with his team participating in the Extreme category.

Safety always comes first for sure. Also another reason to get the roll cage done now before the half cabin is for convenience. Installing a roll cage after the half cabin is welded in place is quite difficult (but possible) and very time consuming. So fabricate the roll cage, weld it in place, then start work on the half cabin.

Good luck with your dream project Abbas. I will be following your posts on your build up and participation of the RDH very eagerly :).

Yeah that`s exactly in my mind. Preparing the cabin right now without the roll cage and taking the easy way out will be problematic if i decide to participate in xtreme next year. I would have to cut open the cabin and then install the roll cage which would be a mess.

Lets see what i end up with. trying to source a ready made Rally spec roll cage. Any pointers --->

Thank you for the lead. :thumbs up

Guys are the dimensions shown in the pic posted in post # 1 okay?

Someone who has a rally cabin can please confirm my measuring there's.

Looking for Rally Seats. where can i find them?

Dear Abbas,
I suggest you to speak to Harjeev (from Delhi) once. Recently He got his Gypsy done from Aman. And if you can get your vehicle done by Aman then nothing like it.
I have seen his rally prepared Gypsies, they are too good.

Regards,
Shubhendra Singh

^^ +1 isnt it better to get it done by a specialist than self help? where you will need help at each step and chances of things going wrong are many. There are manuals/hand books with specs that need to be followed for competitive events, i would suggest you to get them and go through it once before you set out on this mod job.

Sudev from our forum might have info on these. I would even suggest speaking to knowledgeable people like him before final decision on build is made.

+1. agree:
The advantage of getting the Gypsy done from a Pro are:-
a. Attention to detail on critical components.
b. Knowledge of areas requiring special preparation and strengthening.
c. Regular vendors supplying Seats, Shocks, Lights, Windscreen, etc. so you don't have to do the running around.
d. Could work out cheaper than sourcing on your own and fabricating.

Last but not the least, the quality of the end product. I recommend you speak or see Harjeev's Gypsy, which was restored from a "Rust Bucket" condition.
I got my 11Yr old Esteem prepared for Desert Storm 11 and each mod suggested by Aman proved to be detrimental in the final outcome.

Hi Abbas, going through your thread firstly you need to be sure of what you want from your gypsy. If you have plans of doing Raid this year i would strongly suggest as follows.
1. Roll cage+++
2. cabin
3. basic strengthening of the engine mounts, coolant bottle, wiper bottle,4x4 and main gearbox.
4. right size mud flaps
5. cut off switch
6. fire extinguisher 2 kg dry power
7. rally seats( you need them i have them) not compulsary in TSD but you would be more comfortable in those than the originals.
8. belts not necessary but for safety 4 pointers seat belts.
9. reading lights
10. GPS
11. bonnet fasterners
12. drive shaft loops
13. toe hook demarkations
14. snow chains
15. never run tyres without tube( personal experience)
16. headers and air intake system( helps you in high climbs and alltitude areas) optional.

These are the basic requirements that you need to enter raid in TSD.
FYI please build the roll cage to save cost afterwards and the front windscreen is the best bet for cabin glass.
Cheers..

I completely understand your point guys. The reason i am doing it myself is:

1. I am participating in Adventure cat. So it does not need roll cage, extra fuel tank, rally seat, 4 point harness etc. Since it is not mandatory, i am not going for it. If you see the car category, M 800's , SX4, etc finish the raid with much ease.

2. The Reason for going in for a rally cabin is just because presently the car has a softtop which i don`t like it. Its very noisy when the air hit it in high speeds and is not sealed well. Makes the cabin very noisy.

3. Now seats. If i am able to source it easily i am going for them or else the present seats are just fine with me.

I have seen harjeev`s build and the quality of work aman does. No doubt, he is a pro. However, it is practically difficult to send the car to him 2000 kms for all the work which is generally needed for xtreme cat.

This is going to be my first RDH experience. I may sound stupid but somewhere down the line i want to take the hit head on and learn so that i can get more prepared next time. Having said that, it doesn`t mean i am stupid not to prepare the bare necessities.

And Sudev, oh he has been a mentor from the very start of my TSD journey. You should go through my thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...rspective.html

Most probably, i am doing this RAID without GPS / terratrip aid. Will rely on the fundamental HMS style calculations which i have learned from sudev`s workshop

The things i have planned for the gypsy for adventure cat:

1. Rally cabin
2. Seats (if sourced easily)
3. Trip metre (gypsy doesn`t have one, so guys please help me here)
4. Basic engine checkup
5. Will carry vital fluids and spares

Abbas.