Feasibility of converting MB1017A from 2WD to 4WD in N. America?

[EuroJoe]

Are you wedded to an old Mercedes Benz? (I can give you a lot of reasons why they are a bad choice.)

These folks are worth a call. ADV Mobil | Reserve Your Build | Howell, Michigan

following this as I'm thinking about an old MB truck, would be in pros and cons.

speaking to 4x2 vs 4x4 etc. there was a build on here years ago, a modern international 6x4 that went all over Europe. the guy was ex navy I think, built the habitat like a boat with bunks for his kids etc. I guess stuck to the bad roads vs wheeling

 

[christopher p weinberger]

How remote traveling are you planning?
Not to be a Debbie downer but…How good are you at repairing your vehicles in general?
Do you currently diagnose and repair your own vehicles?
When you are in the middle of nowhere with your Frankenstein MB and you have severe driveline vibration and after replacing the ujoints, had wheels balanced you finally realized it’s a bearing in the transfer case, you find a shop that’s willing to take on the job, you drop the transfer, can’t read numbers on grenaded race, contact MB Germany for a new bearing….do you know the serial number of the truck you got the transfer case out of? MB will have a good chuckle at your expense asking for 4x4 parts on a 2wd chassis. Contrary to popular belief not all parts guys are bending over backwards to help you with your problem.
By miracle you get part, get it all together, travel 500kms, problem reoccurs.. what is your solution? What is not installed correctly? Will the shop you had the work done at fly to where you are to fix the issue they created, assuming they admit responsibility..
Hindsight..How do those 1017 4x4 import costs look now?
What is an original 4x4 worth vrs Frankenstein…

 

[tonydca]

How remote traveling are you planning?
Not to be a Debbie downer but…How good are you at repairing your vehicles in general?
Do you currently diagnose and repair your own vehicles?
When you are in the middle of nowhere with your Frankenstein MB and you have severe driveline vibration and after replacing the ujoints, had wheels balanced you finally realized it’s a bearing in the transfer case, you find a shop that’s willing to take on the job, you drop the transfer, can’t read numbers on grenaded race, contact MB Germany for a new bearing….do you know the serial number of the truck you got the transfer case out of? MB will have a good chuckle at your expense asking for 4x4 parts on a 2wd chassis. Contrary to popular belief not all parts guys are bending over backwards to help you with your problem.
By miracle you get part, get it all together, travel 500kms, problem reoccurs.. what is your solution? What is not installed correctly? Will the shop you had the work done at fly to where you are to fix the issue they created, assuming they admit responsibility..
Hindsight..How do those 1017 4x4 import costs look now?
What is an original 4x4 worth vrs Frankenstein…

In my experience, there are always 100 good reasons not do something, as well as 100 good reasons to do it. The trick is trying to decide which side is the bigger factor.

All other things being equal, of course the wise step is to go for the factory 4x4 setup. But this is not the case for the vehicle I'm looking at.

The intent of this thread was simply to see if I could get some experienced advice to gauge how intrusive of an operation it would be to swap the drivetrains specifically from one 1017 to another. Perhaps even someone out there has actually done it before.

Never know 'til you ask.

 

[Neil]

Money spent getting the chassis you want is well worth it. Modifying the vehicle is very expensive and in North America almost every part you will need will be shipped from Europe. I would wait for a 917/1017 etc. 4x4. Getting a chassis that is already in North America is a huge bonus but not worth it if it is the wrong chassis.

Couldn't agree more.
Although I'm sure it's possible, I think the overall cost of the conversion will be far in excess of the price you would pay buying an original 4x4. Its not a route I would go down. Lots of work and lots of grief.

Neil

 

[tonydca]

Sounds like the consensus is that buying as close to the final product as possible is the wise way to go in the end, so I guess I keep looking.

It is unfortunate that Covid and distance has prevented me from going and having a look, but in case someone else might be interested, I have posted a link to the Craigslist ad in the "For Sale Craigslist" forum. Seller knows some of the history of the truck and has been very forthcoming with answering any questions I had.

Was asking USD $6900 at the time of me posting. Seemed like a decent deal in the current climate, assuming the truck is in as good a shape as he claims.

Low-mileage ex-Air force MB 1017 with Flatbed - 2WD only.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/d/johnstown-mercedes-benz-model-1017/7353814370.html Could serve as a solid overland vehicle base if someone was not dead-set on 4WD. Seems to be in reasonable shape from the videos/pics I saw of it. Or one could investigate converting it to 4WD ;) -...

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