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Life with my modified Mahindra CJ500 SWB

15th October 2021, 15:38 by Dev Shah

My requirements were quite simple. Buy a purpose built vehicle, off-roading being the purpose here. I didn't want to build a vehicle again because from my experience, building a vehicle requires a lot of energy, time and Vitamin M.

BHPian sirjokhi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello to all once again. I don't know how many of you read my thread of my pre-owned Mahindra Thar. If not check the link below:-

My pre-owned Mahindra Thar CRDE

Prologue

So after that, I really got into the sport of off-roading and modified my thar accordingly. It had a long list of mods which I will list down below:-

Stage 2 tuned from T8 performance. I wanted maximum torque possible at low rpms. I let them know of my intentions for the same. I had given my car to a garage called Starboy customs in Nashik for all the labour work and engine refurbishing. I sent the ECU to Bangalore and got it tuned. I also changed the EGR system after the tune.
T8 exhaust. I had to get it done to get maximum performance from the tune. So I went ahead. It sounds pretty good, like a diesel tractor on steroids.
Brake rotors from T8. The Thar is not the best in terms of braking or handling vehicle in the market. I am talking about the pre-facelift 2013 model.
Lamda manual differential lockers for the rear.
Intercooler from KS Motorsports in Mumbai. Wanted better cooling and to avoid overheating after so many mods. No issues so far.
Pro fender shock absorbers for better comfort and articulation maybe? It's better than before, but I honestly can't tell the difference.
Armoro Openable soft top was another addition. If you check my previous thread out, you'll notice the hard top being there. Unfortunately it had a lot of leaks, almost a waterfall inside during heavy rains and the mechanic told me it couldn't be fixed. It was almost 7 years old at the time so I didn't bother to cross check the claim. I chose Armoro because I checked it out in the flesh and really liked the quality. I opted for the Olive green colour. Mind you the "Openable" is only for the side and rear windows with zippers. No leaks so far though I miss the hard top now because of the noise and dust that comes through.
I also installed a BMC air filter and Lamda hub locks just because I wanted to. The air filter was for better performance and hub locks were for better reliability.

All other mods including roll cage, tyres etc. can be seen in my previous thread. So after all the mods, my Thar looked like this.

OK enough about the Thar! This post is about the CJ.

Need for a vehicle

I modified the Thar to match my criteria for off-roading and it did. But very soon I realised that you need to drive on the road to get there. I'm not saying the Thar is uncomfortable, but in my case I had to travel almost 140 kms one way for off-roading and being the genius I am, I completely neglected that during my build and kept spending money. The travel mainly consisted of highway driving and the total lack of safety features in the Thar made me gulp every time I had to brake hard or avoid something. Suddenly, I started second guessing the decision. I would worry while off-roading if my vehicle would break down and I'd have to borrow someone's vehicle or find a solution. Though the build turned out to be good, I needed the Thar to be my daily driver as it was quite useful for my field of work, but I also needed it to be my weekend off-road buddy. Unfortunately, that didn't work so I decided to keep the Thar as my daily commute for short drives, the Octavia VRS as my highway cruiser and one more vehicle to go off-roading in and keep it then and there after it. So the plan went like this- I drive to Silvassa which is 140 odd Kms away from my home in my sedan, comfortably and safely. Off-road in the new vehicle. Keep the vehicle there with my buddies from the off-roading group, who would get it serviced and keep it ready for next time. Return home in my sedan safely.

Requirements & Shortlisted Vehicles

My requirements were quite simple. Buy a purpose built vehicle. Off-roading being the purpose here. I didn't want to build a vehicle again because from my experience, building a vehicle requires a lot of energy, time and vitamin M. I wasn't willing to spend much after the Thar fiasco. I started contacting people I know from different off-road groups. Thanks to Team BHP, I was added to the Gujarat WhatsApp group for the same. There I came in contact with Khalilbhai from Ahmedabad. He is into off-roading as well and he helped me shortlist a few vehicles. I was advised to go for a built MM550 above everything else. I have always loved the Gypsy and I wanted to buy one so badly but everyone I talked to advised me against it. So MM550 it was. One day soon enough, I received a call from Khalilbhai regarding a MM550 for sale in Ahmedabad. It was an ex-army vehicle fitted with Toyota 14-B engine mated with Hilux's 5 speed gearbox. It had numerous other modifications as well and was just the kind of vehicle I was looking for. I was really excited for this one and it was fitting right in my budget. I gave a go ahead but unfortunately the deal didn't go through because of RTO issues. The picture of the vehicle is below.

All this while I was looking at multiple built MM550s, 540s, Gypsys but none of them rang a bell. Either they were out of my budget, or too beaten up to take the plunge. I was slowly getting frustrated and tired of searching. Out of no where I got a call from Yazadbhai (Mentioned in my previous thread) regarding a CJ that was up for sale. He asked me to buy the vehicle without giving it a second thought because he had driven the same vehicle before and had based his Mahindra Major build off of it. The quoted price was a bit steep so I declined. He was persistent so I budged and hesitantly asked for some pictures of the vehicle. The following pictures were received on WhatsApp co-incidentally on the same day one year ago that I am starting this thread.

Buying Decision & Experience

I was still a bit hesitant. By this time, I had forwarded the pictures to Khalilbhai. He recognised the person (Sonu Pujari) in the picture and knew him personally. He contacted him and he gave a big thumbs up to the vehicle and also poured in a lot of praises for its off-road capabilities. Khalilbhai gave me a big thumbs up after that saying the guy is very knowledgeable about jeeps and off-roading. That was the final nail in the coffin because all these experts who knew much more about off-roading than I probably ever will were asking me to go ahead. I finally decided to go ahead and buy the vehicle, but as per our Indian style I tried negotiating a bit. The vehicle was owned by Starboy garage's owner where my Thar was modified. He did not agree to lower the price so we asked him to install a proper roll cage and said we would only buy the vehicle if he was ready to give the 33 inch MTs with it. Not with the buckshots as can be seen in one of the pictures. He agreed to it and I asked Yazadbhai to handle the transactions for me and he did. So there it was. I bought a vehicle without driving or even seeing it. But the word of all these people included in my buying process was enough for me. The vehicle would take another week or two for delivery as it had to be fitted with a roll cage and I was okay with it. Looking at the same limited pictures I had when I woke up, all throughout the day and of course before sleeping. Waiting anxiously for it's arrival which wasn't even going to be at my home. It would be delivered far away (140 kms), but I just wanted to have that satisfaction that it was finally mine. I am sure a lot of people here would understand this feeling. Would the vehicle I bought without seeing or driving meet my expectations? This question was constantly in my head reminding me of what I had done. A week after the deal was done, I got a phone call from Yazadbhai telling me that the vehicle was ready and on it's way from Nashik (Starboy Customs) to Silvassa (new home). I was ecstatic and waiting for the pictures after it was delivered. The following pictures were received by me in a couple of hours.

Finally the vehicle was mine and I felt relieved. The vehicle was looking amazing, though I wasn't too sure about the colour at first.

Specifications of the vehicle

The vehicle is completely built from ground up. I am attaching the before & after picture from the previous owner's profile.

The previous owner had done all the work and I was happy not to go through the process honestly. I am listing down the specs of the vehicle:-

Engine:

It has been fitted with a 2.6 SZ+ chain drive engine derived from a Mahindra Scorpio producing 109HP at 3800rpm and 255nm of torque at just 1800rpm. Torque is the most important factor here, and this amount at just 1800rpm is more than adequate.

Transmission:

The engine is mated to a KMT90 4 speed manual transmission. Not very good on road performance, but it is very durable and helps in transferring the torque off-road flawlessly. It has a separate gear lever to engage 2WD, 4H (4 High) & 4L (4 Low) modes which is quite common in 4 wheel drive cars available in India. Not many vehicles have electronic toggles or selectors in this price range.

Suspension:

It has long travel shocks adopted from a Eicher mini truck if i am not mistaken. They are really good for articulation and again durable enough to take the beating off-road. There are leaf springs probably taken from a Mahindra Bolero or 550.

Axles & Differentials:

Both the front and rear axles and differentials are from an ex-army MM550. The front has closed axles and the rear differential consists of the factory fitted LSD.

Tyres:

As I mentioned, I was only willing to buy the vehicle if the previous owner delivered the car with MTs and not buckshot and he kept his end of the bargain. The car has 33x12.5 Savero radial tyres on 15 inch steel rims. They provide good amount of grip but I think there are better tyres out there which will definitely be considered when I'm replacing these. For now though, these tyres are good enough and I am happy with the performance.

Things I Like

Powerful engine: It really comes to life when you put it in 4L and can go through any obstacle with ease.
Reliability & Durability: I know jeeps aren't known to be reliable but this vehicle hasn't given me any issues so far. A lot of vehicles have broken down OTR, but this car has never put me in a spot where I have to worry about heading back. Not even a puncture so far. I hope I don't jinx it! Fingers crossed!
Looks: I understand looks are subjective but I feel everybody loves the way Jeeps look. A lot of people don't like the way they drive and I understand and even agree to a certain point but so far I haven't met a single person who dislikes Jeeps for their looks. Let's see if we find someone on this thread, maybe?
Ground clearance: One of the most important requirements while off-roading. I am not sure about the exact clearance but I am guessing it's more than 260mm if not more. The large tyres help here.
Capability: It is a very capable off-roader. It overcomes any obstacle with ease. Even the ones where the Thar used to struggle a lot. It's almost as if it's taunting me asking for more. Something like " Is that all? Give me something challenging at least "
Visibility: The lack of doors altogether help a lot. Whenever I have a doubt about clearing an obstacle, I just pop my small head out and the issue is sorted. Also seating now (mentioned below) is higher up which helps further.
Sound: People might call me crazy but I actually do like the sound of a diesel engine. The grunt with sudden surge of torque pulling you back into the seat is what I live for. Also the exhaust pipe broke in the middle of an obstacle which makes it sound more rorty. No plans of fixing it

Things I dislike

Ride: People often describe the ride of an S-class as cushy, like it just cushions out the pot holes and glides through. But you'd be better of comparing the ride of my CJ with an auto rickshaw. Heck, I'd swap the journey till an obstacle with an auto rickshaw if I could. It is literally back breaking. I have sat in various off-roading vehicles in my group and mine easily has the worst ride. I honestly can't describe how bad it actually is. The short wheelbase, large MT tyres, firm suspension and top notch infrastructure of rural areas in our country results in my misery. All this when I have set the tyre pressure to 16 PSI!
No air conditioning: I understand this vehicle is not meant to have a list of comfort features and I am not complaining. OK I am a bit. But I have good reason to. It is alright when we're on the move but sitting in the car while it's stationary in our climate is agony. As a group, we wait for everyone to clear an obstacle like most off-roading groups, spotting and what not. After that, I see Thar owners with their smug faces where they know they're going to be greeted with a cool breeze from air conditioning vents. Yes. I envy them. Might fit a fan in my vehicle in the future.
On road manners: The vehicle needs to be driven slow. You can NOT drive it like a normal car at normal car speeds. The tyres offer very little grip on road & under heavy braking, they lock up. No matter how minor a turn is, you need to go slow. It can topple very easily and it will.
Braking: This was expected from the beginning and I am not shocked by the way brakes perform. They will do their job and stop you but you need to keep twice the safe distance you normally would. The vehicle did not come equipped with a handbrake which is a nuisance because I have to put it in gear at a steep incline or decline if we need to stop there. Also the engine is so torquey and the brakes so weak that if you release the clutch in 4L First gear and press hard on the brakes, the vehicle will still keep moving forward. It won't stall, won't even decrease the speed by a lot just crawl like it has no brakes. You know brakes are working because they make squeaky noises during this practice.
No safety features: Again, not shocked by this since I own a Thar, which is much more modern comparatively and still had no safety features (2013 model). Apart from the roll cage, there's nothing.
Exposure: In these recent times, this word has a scary meaning. Since I have no doors, no windows & a completely open vehicle from almost all the sides, I am exposed to everything on the road. Smell, dirt, mud etc. The wheels are wider than the arches which leads to a free pass for mud to cover everything up with itself including my face, hair and clothes. The front wheels account for the front side of my body and rear wheels account for the backside since there is nothing between me and the tyres.

An Equilibrium

Short Wheel Base:

It adds to the vehicle's capability in off-roading, as it reduces the risk of becoming high centered and trapped with all four wheels off the ground. But it is not confidence inspiring at least for me, as SWB vehicles are known to topple easily. I usually avoid such obstacles where the approach or departure leads to the vehicle tilting. It is also a factor in the harsh ride but improves the turning radius of the vehicle. It's a love-hate relationship honestly.

First Encounter

I have mentioned in the thread that my friend took delivery of the vehicle. That weekend, we all went out to test the vehicle and that would be the first time I would actually see the car in flesh. My friend with whom the vehicle is kept is a filling station owner in Silvassa and all his jeeps are stored there as well. That is the meeting point for all our group members from where we head to the jungles for adventure. As we drove up to the station, I saw the jeep from far away. Really hard to miss it in this colour. It was looking amazing in the sunlight and the paint looked better than in pictures. It was much smaller than I imagined, but I was excited to finally see it and drive it. As I opened the door, and stepped in, I realized how cramped it was. I am 5 feet 10 inches tall and my legs were literally touching the keys when they were in the ignition hole. The seat couldn't be moved back because of the wheel arch behind. But all these small niggles weren't going to spoil my mood and I just wanted to take it out for an adventure. And I did.

Repairs & Replacements

The vehicle hasn't had anything major done to it. I replaced the seats and have a better view now and my legs fit inside the vehicle comfortably. The starter motor had a problem and it wouldn't engage randomly which was repaired. The arches behind the seats were fabricated so as to not make it uncomfortable for the driver and passenger. That is pretty much it. Normal servicing has been done once or twice which includes oil change in engine, gearbox & differentials. Other than that, nothing has been done to the vehicle as it is performing flawlessly.

Summary

I have owned this vehicle for almost an year now and I am very happy with the purchase. The Thar prepared me for owning such an uncomfortable and compromised vehicle, but as it is not my daily driver, I am fine with it. I only drive it every alternate weekends and the vehicle is still performing well. I would like to thank all of my friends who made this possible and helped me in finding and maintaining my Jeep. I am also highly grateful to all the members from Kings Off Road Club Silvassa who have taken me under their wing and taught me everything I know about off-roading. They are the ones who are maintaining my vehicle and storing it for me. Thanks to Team-BHP again for connecting us like minded people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share my experience here. I will share my future OTRs with this vehicle on this same thread. Will depart with some parting shots. Stay safe everyone.