Barn Door for JK factory hardtops

[jscherb]

^^^ Those European spec bumpers are hideous.
Looks like a oil burner! (crd)

It's got a 2498 cc 4 cylinder diesel that generates 103.56 bhp @ 3800 rpm / 182 ft. lbs of torque @ 1800 rpm. Not a powerhouse but very appropriate to the needs here. About the bumpers, they probably are European spec - I believe these vehicles may be sold in some European countries but I'm not sure.

 

[jscherb]

A few more photos of the same jeep that I didn't post earlier.

BTW the "UK" on the license plate stands for Uttarakhand, not United Kingdom. Uttarakhand is an Indian state in the Himalayas that borders on Nepal and what used to be Tibet.

 

[Comanche Scott]

Needs a soft barn door.
Cool step built into the rear bumper under the spare tire.
Also nice use of electric fans, wonder what that big aux oil cooler is for?
Is it an automatic?

In any case, it looks like a pretty quality build for a Utility Vehicle. This one looks pretty well optioned out.

 

[jscherb]

Needs a soft barn door.
Cool step built into the rear bumper under the spare tire.
Also nice use of electric fans, wonder what that big aux oil cooler is for?
Is it an automatic?

In any case, it looks like a pretty quality build for a Utility Vehicle. This one looks pretty well optioned out.

This is the high-end CRDe model, which comes with A/C - the thing that looks like an oil cooler may be the A/C condenser, I'm not sure. The only transmission available is a 5-speed manual.

There are about a half dozen aftermarket hardtops for the Thar on the market in India, some of them have barn doors, some have swing-up hatches, but I'm not aware of a soft barn door being available. If I had one of these a soft barn door would be the first thing I'd build for it .

 

[jscherb]

Imagine a place where jeeps are so common that there are signs on the highway to direct jeeps... such a place is Rajasthan, India. Jeeps of all configurations here are so common you couldn't swing a dead snake without hitting one (to localize a common expression ). I snapped this picture approaching a toll booth on the highway into Jaipur.

I'll try to get photos of some of the more interesting jeeps while I'm here, it's probably worth starting a thread on the subject.

 

[bluehash]

Imagine a place where jeeps are so common that there are signs on the highway to direct jeeps... such a place is Rajasthan, India. Jeeps of all configurations here are so common you couldn't swing a dead snake without hitting one (to localize a common expression ). I snapped this picture approaching a toll booth on the highway into Jaipur.

I'll try to get photos of some of the more interesting jeeps while I'm here, it's probably worth starting a thread on the subject.

Ohhh memories. I was brought up in a state a bit south of Rajasthan(Gujarat). I used to go to school in jeeps like those. Soft doors. It used to be a 2 seater in front and 2 wall hugging rows.

JScherb, you must be seeing a lot of "Horn OK Please" signs behind trucks.

 

[jscherb]

Ohhh memories. I was brought up in a state a bit south of Rajasthan(Gujarat). I used to go to school in jeeps like those. Soft doors. It used to be a 2 seater in front and 2 wall hugging rows.

JScherb, you must be seeing a lot of "Horn OK Please" signs behind trucks.

Yes, many trucks have either "Horn Please" or "Blow Horn" painted colorfully across the back. Every time I visit India I wonder if horns ever wear out, they're used so much here.

The Thar (as with the earlier MM540/550 models) comes with troop seating in the back - two inward-facing bench seats. The reason the side windows are so high is so they're above the seat backs of the seats along each side.

 

[jscherb]

Spent the morning off-roading in the Ranthambhore National Forest in souteastern Rajasthan. Vehicle was a Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, which is an Indian made Suzuki Samuari. Mostly easy trails, but a little low-range rock crawling was required to get where we needed to be, plus some slickrock similar to that in Utah and some steep trails with embedded rock reminiscent of Colorado trails but with more loose dirt. Pictured below is the Gypsy, the naturalist/guide (left) and the driver.

The reason for the guide and driver was that we were going into the restricted tiger reserve in the forest where guides and drivers are required. Saw lots of wildlife, including very rare sloth bears, several kinds of deer, a mongoose, wild boar, some rare birds, and what the whole expedition was about - a tiger. We came across this one mid-morning, she was not bothered by our presence and walked within 25 feet of the Gypsy, which is good because I don't have a very long telephoto lens.

After the tiger hunt, explored the amazing ruins of the 11th century Ranthambhore Fort.

Another tiger safari is planned for tomorrow. There are several females with cubs this year, maybe with luck we'll run across those.

 

[Jurfie]

(snip)...and what the whole expedition was about - a tiger. We came across this one mid-morning, she was not bothered by our presence and walked within 25 feet of the Gypsy, which is good because I don't have a very long telephoto lens.

That's so awesome! What an experience.

 

[jscherb]

Another day off-road in the Ranthambhore National Park. I'm not really focused on taking trail action photos, but here's one - in this shot the Gypsy is heading up a slickrock hill.

This morning we spotted two tiger cubs. Actually the guide spotted them, even when he started pointing at them I couldn't see them until we got closer. They were hiding in the tall grass.

After a while they got tired of us watching them and took off for the hills. The guide said they're both male cubs, about 14 months old. They're pretty large, but compare this cub to the tigress I photographed yesterday and you can see the cub still has a lot of baby fat. The cub was maybe 30 feet from us when I took this photo.

 

[jscherb]

That's so awesome! What an experience.

Everything about India is an experience. It's an amazing place, very under-appreciated by the rest of the world.

 

[MattJ]

The cub was maybe 30 feet from us when I took this photo.

Great photos, Jeff. Adventures of a Jeep enthusiast! I am told that is is considered to be "good luck" if you rub raw t-bone steaks under your armpits before touring the national parks. Have you tried it?

 

[jscherb]

Great photos, Jeff. Adventures of a Jeep enthusiast! I am told that is is considered to be "good luck" if you rub raw t-bone steaks under your armpits before touring the national parks. Have you tried it?

The guide told me that the favorite food of the tiger is the Sambar deer, saw dozens of them in the park, as well as spotted deer, Nilgai antelope and other tasty looking treats. Not sure if they'd like me, even with "eau de t-bone" dashed on .

Leaving Sawai Madhopur (the town nearest the park) today and continuing the Rajasthan road trip on to Pushkar. Pushkar is the home of the world's largest camel festival every November. Camels are commonly seen on the road here in Rajasthan.

(Sorry for the camel, I'll try to confine my posts to Jeep subjects in the future ).

 

[jscherb]

Back to jeeps, and in keeping with the barn door title of this thread, there are several aftermarket hardtops available for the Thar. This one from Bimbra 4x4 has a rear barn door that attaches to the tailgate just like my TJ and JK Safari Cab hardtops...

 

[rubicon91]

The guide told me that the favorite food of the tiger is the Sambar deer, saw dozens of them in the park, as well as spotted deer, Nilgai antelope and other tasty looking treats. Not sure if they'd like me, even with "eau de t-bone" dashed on .

Leaving Sawai Madhopur (the town nearest the park) today and continuing the Rajasthan road trip on to Pushkar. Pushkar is the home of the world's largest camel festival every November. Camels are commonly seen on the road here in Rajasthan.

(Sorry for the camel, I'll try to confine my posts to Jeep subjects in the future ).

Ha maybe you should have put this photo in the trailer section lol. Love the updates my friend keep them coming. Enjoy your time over there!