Here are some photos from India that provide a glimpse of a whole different kind of Jeeping, something not too different from what Willys-Overland was still hoping they could sell to North America in the 1950s.
Jeff Spencer visited India in 2023, and grabbed plenty of photos of Jeep models that were produced under license by Mahindra & Mahindra into the 2000s but owe much of their design to the CJ-3B, built in India starting in 1954.
Long wheelbase Jeeps have always been popular in India, starting with a long version of the CJ-3B dubbed the CJ-4 by Mahindra, in 1955. The dog-eared front fenders, like those seen at this Jeep safari operation, first appeared with the CJ500 in 1975.
The four-door Commander 650 was launched in 1991 and produced into the 2000s.
More Commanders at a taxi stand.
Great name for a 3B!
Two-door models at this "Taxi Stand Jeep."
Jeff comments, "Left Fort Kochi on the long trip to Munnar. Some incredibly busy towns and villages which seem busier than the city. This is also Mahindra Jeep terrain and territory."
In case you're thinking that most of the Jeeps are painted in subdued colors.
See a rear view (150K JPEG) of this Commander with plenty of head room.
The owner of this beauty has a "Jeep Lover" sticker on the windscreen.
Lots of the Jeeps have auxiliary horns as well as lights on the front bumper. This baby is really dolled up, and has a school bus mirror to deal with the problem of visibility over the high hood.
Other Jeeps are less glamorous, but hard working.
See a front view (430K JPEG) of this little dump truck.
How about a crane on a long-suffering Mahindra CJ-4. See also a front view (360K JPEG).
Heavy duty power for the hoist.
Jeff says, "Spent the day in the mountains around Munnar in a Jeep, for a tea plantation and factory tour."
Take a look in the background of this photo.
A closer look reveals another Jeep at hard labor.
Believe it or not, this Mahindra bus (its license plate calls it a "maxicab") has Jeep heritage.
Launched in 1991, the FJ minibus was the last model based on the Forward Control tooling that Willys sold to Mahindra after dropping the FCs in North America. It has a 2650mm (105 inch) wheelbase.
High hoods everywhere, but lots of different wheels.
The Mahindra Pik-up was introduced in the 1990s.
The Jeeps these days are all diesel.
The new version of the Thar was a big step forward in 2020 (see Mahindra History.)
When's the last time you saw a flat-fender with the hood up, at a busy downtown intersection?
Ed Bee's 2001 dispatch from India was a series of photos he grabbed while driving around the city which at that time was still often referred to as Bombay, although its name had officially become Mumbai in 1995.
Look out the rear window to see a familiar grille pulling up behind you on a busy street in one of the largest cities in the world. This is clearly not a "sport-utility vehicle" -- it's a hard-working "utility vehicle", plain and simple.
When it pulls up beside the car, you realize it's a long-wheelbase Jeep acting as a mini-bus. The wire mesh over the windows might lead you to think it's a paddy-wagon, but Ed reassures you that it's "used to haul government workers around town." Ed calls it a "stretch 3B."
Here's another Jeep getting some roadside assistance. Or maybe it's giving a battery boost. Just because of the paint, this shot reminds me of the Willys promo photo of the orange DJ-3A Dispatcher delivery vehicle.
This 4-door Commander is 1990's vintage, by which time Mahindra had given it the new front end treatment.
Many Mahindra owners and others are critical of the quality control of the Mahindra vehicles (see Mahindra Jeeps in the UK). One observer says, "These things look pretty good on their web pages. Certainly different in real life. The government sells used ones for about 250-1000 bucks."
This view of the tailgate of the Commander shows the often-empty spare tire mount, as well as the usual wheelhouse seats for passengers in the rear. A nice touch here is the rear step.
Thanks to Ed Bee and Jeff Spencer for these photos. -- Derek Redmond
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