Anyone know where to look for the old school diesel G-wagons? Did they offer a G-wagon with a 617?

My recommendation would be to look at SoCal. Lots of the old ones out here, and they survive very well. Elsewhere I'd say the 'Benz Tax' is too much...

(weird - I posted a couple times on this thread yesterday and all of them are gone now.)

A good place to start is http://www.clubgwagen.com. they have a classifieds sections. Another is the G-wagen forum of http://www.pointedthree.com

Both have tons of G-specific information and with a search, you can find answers to most of your G-wagen questions.

As for benz tax - some parts are as cheap to maintain as the average mercedes sedan while others can get very expensive if left unmaintained. (A good G-wagen is going to cost much more than a good 123)

Also, it's important to find a mechanic who knows how to work on them. the engine and tranny are familiar to most mercedes mechanics but the rest tends to be easily misunderstood and improperly maintained. Suspension is totally different and the issues that come with 4WD are going to be totally new to a w123 owner.

Thank you very much. I will start there.

(12-05-2009 11:25 AM)benztek Wrote:  Thank you very much. I will start there.

Wow....I had no idea on the cost of one of these things. I learned 2 things very quickly. 1) 300GD's which is what I am intrested in are pretty rare. 2) It would be tough to pay less than $10000.00 to get into one.

South America. Average price will be from 12-18G.

Benz Tax = shops and some price suppliers gouging Mercedes owners for these era vehicles merely because they carry an MB part number. These cars are a breeze, almost a pleasure, to work on, and most parts are reasonably priced, but walk into a 'Mercedes Benz Specialist' with one and prepare to be bent over with no lube. You'd think working on one of these was like working on a Rolls Royce (which I've done) or a Ferrari, the way some of these mechanics act.Practically an industry to itself in Lost Angeles.

Benztek, for my money, I'd simply fab up an adapter plate, find a barely running 4Runner from the 80's with a 5 speed, swap in an OM617 and call it a day. You'll go anywhere a G Wagen can for less than half the price. It won't be a G Wagen, though, if you just really want one of those, it's going to cost you. The old ones are all grey market cars, which drives up their price, and the new ones are just new. Meanwhile a diligent search of craigslist will eventually turn up a 4Runner or pickup 4x4 project, or a decent condition one with motor issues or a blown clutch or something. Way easier to find parts, and once you get rid of the motor it's hard to fault the Toyota engineering. The motors are great until you have to work on them, a Honda motor seems like working on a carb'd small block in comparison...

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One correction: W123s are a pleasure to work on, the G Wagen less so. We were replacing the radiator on one and I was just shocked at how much you had to do (removal of the skid plate, front grille, etc) just to swap out a radiator. As though the radiator is some highly stressed structure of the car...

We had this old German guy who came by once in awhile, and he was watching me work on it, and he suddenly read my mind:

"Fucking over-engineered piece of shit! Blow it up!"

G-Wagon = Pay To Play.
I want one, but not at the price they demand. The only "insane price" MB I'd willingly pay for would have been the C111-III if they had chosen to put it in production.

If you want 4x4 on the cheap, converting a small pickup would be a fraction of the cost. If you want it to be an MB, remove the pickup's body and bolt a W123 or W126 on top of it.

(12-08-2009 12:17 PM)ForcedInduction Wrote:  If you want it to be an MB, remove the pickup's body and bolt a W123 or W126 on top of it.

I'd drive it!

Yeah I really want one, but I really am not willing to shell out the money for one at this point. It is defenitely a want thing and not a need thing. I have worked on a 300GD a couple of years ago, we had a salesman that bought one. It was in rough shape, rusted all to hell. I had to make all new brake lines for the thing because they were all leaking. Thanks for all the info guys. Maybe another time, but right now MB work is so slow that I am not buying anything that is not on the need list.

(12-09-2009 11:47 AM)benztek Wrote:  Yeah I really want one, but I really am not willing to shell out the money for one at this point. It is defenitely a want thing and not a need thing. I have worked on a 300GD a couple of years ago, we had a salesman that bought one. It was in rough shape, rusted all to hell. I had to make all new brake lines for the thing because they were all leaking. Thanks for all the info guys. Maybe another time, but right now MB work is so slow that I am not buying anything that is not on the need list.

Why not contact Sean at Eurotruck in Flowery Branch, Ga ( just north of Atlanta). He bought out all of Europas G parts and could probably help you find one.
http://www.eurotruck-importers.com/
He and Steve are very nice to work with.

Mark

Until this point I had never heard of Eurotruck. That is about 10 miles north of me. I will have to check that out. Thank you.

They are pretty nice guys, say hi for me!

I will do it. The G-wagen dream has been pushed farther back. The wife totaled her car! I got her a 93 400E for cheap. So I am working on getting it in top shape for her.

I hope your wife is ok.

While you are getting the wife`s car up and running and trying to get back to square one, here is some Dreaming for you. hours of reading here .

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/G-Class/

Charlie

Someone in Houston has an '85 for sale for fairly cheap (5K) will need transfer case rework but sounds like a good price for someone who wants to enter in low. swap to diesel after the other bugs have been delt with.
http://www.clubgwagen.com/forum/viewtopi...=18&t=1456

(And sorry to hear the news - hopefully wife and family are OK)

Thanks guys. Yeah the wife is fine. The kids were in school so luckily they were not in the car. She is getting her 400E next week. Crossing my fingers that she will like it.