[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

the position of the 4WD shift lever is quite bad.

Anytime better than an ergonomically placed selector operating BWs electrical selection system.

Regards
Sutripta

[Babuda]

Congratulations on your new ride - wishing you many miles of happiness!

Re modifications: Innova seats with seatbelts, a hardtop, and central locking with alarm should be good for now - probably add a centre console in the near future.

Looking forward to the mods planned by you.

[Samba]

Congrats on the third one!

Like every driving/travel enthusiast wants to go to Ladakh, every car lover will like to own a Thar. These are like dreams come true. Few people are even more fortunate, they get Leh'd in a Thar!

Its among one of the most photogenic vehicles on the road. So am expecting some better photographs of your vehicle in some exoctic locations to back up this brilliant report on the vehicle. That way we can get another travelogue from you too!

Something like these -

[paragsachania]

Congratulations Doc for the Thar'd car !

Crisp review and brief details that covers all the aspects.

I had recently been a passenger of the CRDe Thar that took about 6 of us on a roller coaster ride inside a coffee estate of my friend in the name of elephant spotting. This was the first ever experience for me in the Thar, let alone CRDe or DI.



First impressions were on the insulation - Indeed this surprised me and the others. Not bad at all.

We had ensured to cover the tail door and then turned the AC on and it was a chiller.

Before I forget on the ride, this was one thing we came out impressed - It handled the worst of bad roads and undulations on the meadows very well without a noise or a rattle.

Heard from the friend (owner) that it is a reasonable highway cruiser, the CRDe as it shares the same engine from the Scoprio.

I wish you all the best and happy motoring!!!

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by Samba

Like every driving/travel enthusiast wants to go to Ladakh, every car lover will like to own a Thar. These are like dreams come true. Few people are even more fortunate, they get Leh'd in a Thar!

My 2013 (now at 91,000km) getting a check over, rear bearings greased, alternator rebuilt, before my trek to Leh over the Manali/Leh hwy September 5 this year (last week).

Early September Ladakh is even more special. 63.83914% FEWER tourists in September but the weather, while cooler and windier, stayed moderate. Snow definitely hitting the high mountains.

My steel cap with room behind the seats for 3-4 big bags is one of the better investments I have made in relation to this vehicle. Less noise, better a/c and heat, far less dirt and water coming inside and really good vision to the rear thru the Maruti Omni sliding window in the rear bulkhead.

Thar will do the Manali/Leh hwy. It won't charge up the switch backs but it will stay lit and mosey up the slopes mostly in second gear or better. Dangerous place, though, potentially. A good place to take an extra air filter, extra spare tyre, water, some tools, spare wiper blades, extra potato chips.

Thar, of course, has the iconic jeep front profile. Partly due to the narrow close together set of the headlights and the fenders, oncoming daydreamers will tend to think you are farther away and come right at you. Or, maybe it's part of the infernal Indian road caste system which states that Mahindra jeep-types must get the h*ll out of the way of my Fortuner, my Hyundai Kamakaze.

Good luck with yours, SS.

[1100D]

Congratulations for the Red One. Wishing you Happy Offroading.

[mi2n]

What a surprise! Eagerly waiting for T-R-O 's maiden Delhi-Kolkata-Delhi trip. Do you mind if I call her the C-4 instead ?

Hearty congratulations dada! May you fulfill all your traveling desires!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by ALTIMAed

Congrats SSda on your latest acquisition. Just hoping that Hawk on fours does not develop a complex and show its tantrums on you.

Thank you, ALTIMAed. Your prediction came true...

This was on the same day that TRO got a change of engine oil - the day before yesterday.

H-4® had been losing about 50 ml of clutch oil every 1000-1500 km since the last year, and since there was no plan of long-distance travel and the clutch did not appear to be slipping, I had been topping up and carrying on, avoiding the major hassle and expense involved in opening up the clutch. 2 days ago, on our way to a dinner, I discovered the clutch pedal on the floor.

Took the Swift, and when we reached home and I was parking, the engine suddenly seemed to falter with sudden loss of electrics, for half a second or so. A check the next morning revealed a loose battery terminal. Tightening this sorted out the problem.

Originally Posted by Trojan

Wow, congratulations on your Thar'D car SS Sir!

Lovely write-up and am sure there will be lots more coming from you on the know-how and maintenance.
Its crude as crude can be, yet has a pull which many a siren may crave!
Enjoy Sir!

Thank you Trojan.

Originally Posted by sjcherian

@SS-Traveller - Congrats on the Thar ! Glad to find one more Toreador Red Owner on the forum. I have a 2012 Thar that I bought used and it is my daily drive for the past 5 years and covering over 55K Km. I need to update my thread soon.

Just one suggestion on the tires air pressure - try between 32 - 35 psi till you find your personal choice. I like to keep it mine at 35 psi (this is the recommended value). Am still on the stock Bridgestones and think they will last till around 60K for me.

Thank you, sjcherian.

The tyre placard asks for a higher tyre pressure when unladen, and this does not make sense to me. Anyone has any explanations? Or is this a typo by someone at M&M?

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Though I agree with you on almost all the points mentioned, I have a different take on these two -

1. Driveability: I feel the Scorpio is easier to drive than the Thar in the hills and one can drive at a higher gear than the Thar, may be due to different gear ratio (not sure). You will be able to tell better once you try the same slopes in the Thar and the Scorpio.

From a dead stop on a sharp upslope, the Scorpio needs more revving to get going than what the Thar apparently needs. But I'll only be able to judge once I take TRO to the mountains myself.

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

2. Ergonomics: I have had no issues with the handbrake, gear lever, wiper stalk, seat belt, glove compartment that you have mentioned, but storage space is truly a disaster and the position of the 4WD shift lever is quite bad. Maybe I have got used to these as the layout on the Bolero is the same.

You probably did! I am averse to lifting my back from the backrest or bending from the hip to access any of the controls, and the Scorpio is far better at this than the Thar.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Congrats Doc!! How did this come about? Did the Scorp feel lacking in prowess anywhere that planted this upgrade seed? Just asking.

Thank you, Dry Ice. This wasn't an upgrade in any way! What with the 10-y-o ban for all diesels coming up soon (in 2 years' time for H-4®), this is just about getting another BS-IV 4wd as an anticipatory replacement.

Originally Posted by PapaBravo

Congratulations on 'The Red One' SS Da. I was quite surprised to know you bought a Thar since you were quite satisfied with H-4. Get ready to get all the attention on the road .

Wish you many miles on TRO. Keep us updated on the modifications you perform. I am sure a lot of Thar owners on the forum will flock to this thread to get ideas on practical & informative mods.

Thank you, PapaBravo. I am satisfied as can be with the Scorpio, and wouldn't get rid of it unless absolutely forced to. As for mods, I'm not a great one on modifications, and much prefer vehicles in stock condition, unless certain modifications improve comfort and safety. Performance mods are not something I generally do, because I'm the type of driver who cannot even utilise 75% of the available performance of a stock car.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Anytime better than an ergonomically placed selector operating BWs electrical selection system.

Very true. I've been lucky till now in not having the electric shift fail on me, but the worry is always there.

Originally Posted by Babuda

Congratulations on your new ride - wishing you many miles of happiness!

Looking forward to the mods planned by you.

Thank you, Babuda!

Originally Posted by Samba

Congrats on the third one!

Like every driving/travel enthusiast wants to go to Ladakh, every car lover will like to own a Thar. These are like dreams come true. Few people are even more fortunate, they get Leh'd in a Thar!

Its among one of the most photogenic vehicles on the road. So am expecting some better photographs of your vehicle in some exoctic locations to back up this brilliant report on the vehicle. That way we can get another travelogue from you too!

Thank you, Samba. It seems I'll need a dedicated photographer during my travels now on. How about you accompanying me some time?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Congratulations Doc for the Thar'd car !

Crisp review and brief details that covers all the aspects.

Thank you, paragsachania.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I had recently been a passenger of the CRDe Thar that took about 6 of us on a roller coaster ride inside a coffee estate of my friend in the name of elephant spotting. This was the first ever experience for me in the Thar, let alone CRDe or DI.
First impressions were on the insulation - Indeed this surprised me and the others. Not bad at all.

We had ensured to cover the tail door and then turned the AC on and it was a chiller.

Before I forget on the ride, this was one thing we came out impressed - It handled the worst of bad roads and undulations on the meadows very well without a noise or a rattle.

Heard from the friend (owner) that it is a reasonable highway cruiser, the CRDe as it shares the same engine from the Scoprio.

I wish you all the best and happy motoring!!!

It certainly handles rough roads better than the Scorpio, but over small potholes and bumps at speed, the Scorpio absorbs shocks much better.

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

My 2013 (now at 91,000km) getting a check over, rear bearings greased, alternator rebuilt, before my trek to Leh over the Manali/Leh hwy September 5 this year (last week).

Early September Ladakh is even more special. 63.83914% FEWER tourists in September but the weather, while cooler and windier, stayed moderate. Snow definitely hitting the high mountains.

My steel cap with room behind the seats for 3-4 big bags is one of the better investments I have made in relation to this vehicle. Less noise, better a/c and heat, far less dirt and water coming inside and really good vision to the rear thru the Maruti Omni sliding window in the rear bulkhead.

Thar will do the Manali/Leh hwy. It won't charge up the switch backs but it will stay lit and mosey up the slopes mostly in second gear or better. Dangerous place, though, potentially. A good place to take an extra air filter, extra spare tyre, water, some tools, spare wiper blades, extra potato chips.

Thar, of course, has the iconic jeep front profile. Partly due to the narrow close together set of the headlights and the fenders, oncoming daydreamers will tend to think you are farther away and come right at you. Or, maybe it's part of the infernal Indian road caste system which states that Mahindra jeep-types must get the h*ll out of the way of my Fortuner, my Hyundai Kamakaze.

Good luck with yours, SS.

Thank you for your wishes, DirtyDan. Couldn't help laughing at the part in bold. On city roads though, Fortuners and Hyundais get out of the way when driving in the same direction. Head on, many drivers do tend to misjudge the width of the Thar.

Originally Posted by 1100D

Congratulations for the Red One. Wishing you Happy Offroading.

Thank you, 1100D.

[Teesta]

We need to meet immediately so that Sherpa and The Red One can meet each other. Pujo is round the corner, please come over and surprise us. Thar commands immense respect just not on the roads but to any office, pubs, restaurants, hotels you visit. No one dares to scan a Thar and you will always be greeted with a smile.

Also very soon you will simply stop comparing Thar with any other vehicle and even if you do, you will rate it above the others. I always do that No matter how unscientific it sounds but that is the reality and magic of a Thar! Congratulations on your superb buy SS da!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by Teesta

Also very soon you will simply stop comparing Thar with any other vehicle and even if you do, you will rate it above the others. I always do that No matter how unscientific it sounds but that is the reality and magic of a Thar! Congratulations on your superb buy SS da!

Thank you, Teesta.

I am starting to figure out why the Thar seems to have no competition... Well, because it doesn't leave the owner/driver much time to think about the competition! All I am doing every minute while driving TRO presently, is thinking of what I can adjust / modify / alter / tighten / add, to make my drive more comfortable.

The dust, noise and an ineffective AC were getting to me. I am happy being exposed to the elements, but not to the compounds found on Delhi streets. Never, ever have I travelled with windows rolled down in any city in India, and here I am trying to cope with a semi-open rear door!

So I called up my old-time friend, with whom I've been friends for the last 20 years, whose other friend of the last 30 years bears the surname of Bimbra. Well, you get the drift. And so, on the auspicious day of 19th September (the day of Mahalaya and the beginning of Debi Pokkho for Bengalis), I drove The Red One to Mr. Bimbra's workshop at Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon, with the understanding that I would get it back with the hardtop installed by 22nd September.

Bimbra have a choice of 3 prefabricated moulded FRP hardtops for the Thar. These are the versions 1, 2 & 3, also referred as V1.0, V2.0, and the V3.0. The differences between them are significant, and the costs also differ.

Version 1, now installed on TRO, is the cheapest, at 60k INR. It features a lift-up hatch on spring damper struts, while the original tailgate with the spare tyre swings open on its own as per the original design.




Version 2 looks more sporty with that sloped back and ribbed design, and the door is integrated into the original tailgate. It also offers sliding windows, but I was told that that option may not be 100% leakproof even with the windows closed. This one is at 70k INR.




Version 3 has a straight roofline, but involves cutting, lowering and re-welding the rollover bar to allow lowering of the roofline. It also takes more time to complete. Also, the lower roofline means one cannot fit in the Innova's third row seats without the passenger's head hitting the roof, and a custom-made narrower and lower forward-facing rear seat needs to be installed. Cost of V3.0: 74k INR.




In the end, I chose Version 1, not only because it was the cheapest, but also because the tailgate hinges would be spared the additional load of the door, and in case of the odd urge to drive without the AC on in an unpolluted environment, I can leave the rear hatch open, close the tailgate, and enjoy the breeze flowing through.

The AC chills, and dust and horns stay out.

Work-in-progress pictures. This was the day TRO was to be delivered, but the rain played spoilsport, and workshop manager Gajendra got an earful for leaving the vehicle out in the rain! The delivery happened the next day, i.e. 23 September.












The rear hatch turned out to have been improperly adjusted and too tight, and in my enthusiasm to open it quickly, I managed to break the lever. Here's Gajendra replacing the lever-cum-lock mechanism the next day, and thankfully I wasn't charged anything extra. Pic courtesy BHPian senindra.




TRO has been Bimbra'd!

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The vertical ORVMs do not have an adequate field of view, leaving huge blind spots, and I am wondering what to do - stick on convex blind spot mirrors, or replace them totally with something else - but what?

This was my solution:



The blind spots have almost disppeared.

While fixing on these blind spot mirrors, a lot of experimentation happened. The left one, if intalled along the lower part of the mirror, was being obstructed by the front passenger's hand resting on the window sill - so it was moved up. OTOH, the right mirror, if installed along the upper border, allowed me to look at myself - a very disconcerting effect when looking out for traffic behind! So it was moved down to the lower border.

[tacho9000]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

This was my solution:

Attachment 1680156

The blind spots have almost disppeared.

While fixing on these blind spot mirrors, a lot of experimentation happened. The left one, if intalled along the lower part of the mirror, was being obstructed by the front passenger's hand resting on the window sill - so it was moved up. OTOH, the right mirror, if installed along the upper border, allowed me to look at myself - a very disconcerting effect when looking out for traffic behind! So it was moved down to the lower border.

Dada how about gettimg the mirrors fitted from the Tata 407. Where there is this bar which is attached to the top and bottom of the frame and the big rectangular mirror sits on it.


Something along this line. * Image belongs to copyright owner*

Would look good and serve the function too albeit the vehicle may become a bit more wide at the edges.

Regards,
Subhra

[SS-Traveller]

You cannot fit a remote central locking system with alarm on a Thar!

So I was told. I could install a simple remote lock-unlock system for the two doors, but there is no space for door switches to be installed. Or is there?

I called in Spark Minda to do my research and install the system, if at all possible. The gentleman gave me a sample of a door switch - if I could do some jugaad to install them, I'll have an alarm system with the remote lock-unlock function. So, here goes...











And I now have a perfectly functional remote central locking system with alarm switches for the 2 doors, the tailgate as well as the bonnet. Unfortunately, a gun could not be installed to lock-unlock the tailgate, but then that hardly gets used, so that's not too bad a deal!









At the same time, I had a ceiling liner installed, and this is how it looks.

[SS-Traveller]

Now to install the forward-facing rear seats, with inertia reel seatbelts.

Got a pair of seats from the Mayapuri scrap market. Very robust and well-made seats with great finish, and a leather material that seems to have weathered time quite well, with their own set of lap belts, but I have no idea which vehicle they came from (any inputs, anyone?). I wanted 3-point inertia reel belts, so picked up a fresh set.





The initial install ended up with the seats set too high, with the passenger's head touching the roof. They needed to be lowered by about 3 inches, so the mudguard section had to be cut away and re-welded.



Some carpeting work and covering the seatbelt fixing bars with leather wrap...



...and here's the final result. Not happy with the quality of work of the seat covers, but they will tolerate a cursory glance, so I am letting it be.





The seats do not have neck restraints and I was a little bothered by that, but in the end, I realised that in case of a rear-ending, the passenger's head would be restricted from snapping back by the rear windscreen glass. Better a bump on the skull than a broken neck...

[condor]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The seats do not have neck restraints and I was a little bothered by that, but in the end, I realised that in case of a rear-ending, the passenger's head would be restricted from snapping back by the rear windscreen glass. Better a bump on the skull than a broken neck...

Not enough, I think. In such situations,the head should Not go too far beyond it's normal position. In this case, it will.

If I am not being clear here, pls compare the travel of the head if using a regular head-rest. vs in this case.