Three Vintage Vehicles of Indian Army - Shaktiman, Nissan 1Ton(4W73) and JONGA

The iconic army vehicles which are dreamt of, even by the civilians in India.

People living in the urban areas barely get to see these vehicles these days. However, they are still seen in the hilly regions, border roads and other odd terrains.

Let's know how they all started and stopped..

1) The SHAKTIMAN Truck :

The Shaktiman Truck is the oldest vehicle used by the Indian Armed Forces, i.e Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. This robust vehicle has served the nation, excellently, in some of the toughest situations so far, be it in the battle field or ferrying our armed forces. 

Shaktiman

It was inspired by MAN 415, a German truck, produced by the company, MAN. Shaktiman was the most widely used medium-capacity truck by the Indian Armed Forces. VFJ (Vehicle Factory Jabalpur) produced this vehicle from the year 1959 to 1996. More than 75,000 units were produced over its lifetime, out of which, most of them are phased out, while some of them are reported to be still in service. Some Shaktiman trucks are still seen in some parts of Meghalaya, Kerala, Manipur and many other places, carrying coals and logs.

Shaktiman truck as a goods carrier

It was employed with an engine of 6 cylinders, in-line diesel, direct injection system. The models were built using all-steel cabs with flat angular surfaces for the ease of manufacturing. Most Shaktimans had a multi-fuel capable, 130 bhp diesel engine with a switchable 4-wheel drive transmission system. Initially, the design was based on the MAN 415, but in the last few decades of its lifetime, the entire truck was made, using the parts supplied by Indian ancillaries.

2) Nissan 1 Ton (4W73) :

This was a light weight yet robust vehicle used by the IAF. 4W73 was a real mean machine which was extensively used by the Indian soldiers for their off-road activities. However, now a days, it's seen in some places, engaged in towing duties.

Nissan 1Ton (4W73)

The Nissan 4W73 a.k.a Nissan 1Ton was first produced in the year 1969. It was hugely inspired by the Dodge M37, 4 X 4 truck, which was introduced in 1951 and turned out to be, one of the most successful military vehicles used by the United States Armed Forces.

It was powered by an engine with a stroke volume of 3956cc that offered an output of 128 bhp. Its huge wheels and high ground clearance made it go ballistic even on the most difficult terrains existed. Apart from being a soldier carrier, it was also used as an ambulance, a rescue truck, a small water tanker, a fire truck and , in many other military applications.

Interestingly, the ex-captain of Indian cricket team, MS Dhoni got a custom made Nissan 1Ton by SD car world, Jalandhar.

3) Nissan JONGA or P60 :

JONGA (Jabalpur Ordnance aNd Guncarriage Assembly) and Nissan 1Ton were two non-identical twins. They both roll out of the VFJ (Vehicle Factory Jabalpur) in the same year with almost all the same specifications.

Nissan JONGA

The vehicle was manufactured in 3 body types and 2 wheelbases . The P60 or JONGA started serving the Indian Armed forces in 1959, alongside the Nissan 4W73 (1Ton). Both the vehicles were fitted with the same engine. These historic pieces of machinery were manufactured by the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) with an exclusive license from Nissan, for the Indian Armed Forces. Thus, the P60 turned into the Jabalpur Ordnance aNd Guncarriage Assembly – JONGA. The JONGA, soon, acquired an iconic status in the IAF territory, which had a high ground clearance and powerful engine. 

Many alterations were also made to suit several military applications viz., ambulance, signal vehicle and recovery vehicle. JONGA was very efficient on the mountainous terrains. Furthermore, the Indian Armed Forces participated in various expeditions and rallies with the same vehicle. The engine of this vehicle was often called, a bullet proof engine as this was an amazingly strong and rugged engine with almost no mechanical problems.

Later, after it got phased out completely, they were auctioned and many of them were purchased by civilians and customized. There are many vehicle customizing companies who still customize JONGA, depending on their customers' requirements.

Customized JONGA

Hope, these iconic vehicles don't go extinct and keep popping up in new forms that served this nation for such a long span of time..

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