I agree with you the 461 trim is better. Can you please answer my question about sealing the mounting holes?
1999 G500 Pur edition
- Thread starter otiswesty
- Start date
mk216v
Der Chef der Fahrzeuge
Looking great Doc!
Hey Andy,
This is called L-track or airline track(what is used in aircraft).
Mac's Custom Tiedowns has it, or for less money, US Cargo Control; http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratchet-Straps-Tie-Downs/Airline-Straps-Hardware
I have it in my van and it's incredibly handy because it allows for lots of flexibility for tie down points. I can also move my rear seats forward or back in 5min flat.
Hey Andy,
This is called L-track or airline track(what is used in aircraft).
Mac's Custom Tiedowns has it, or for less money, US Cargo Control; http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Ratchet-Straps-Tie-Downs/Airline-Straps-Hardware
I have it in my van and it's incredibly handy because it allows for lots of flexibility for tie down points. I can also move my rear seats forward or back in 5min flat.
otiswesty
Regular guy
The rubber is concave on the back side and keeps water away from the holes. The holes are painted and well sealed with the plastic plug and screw. I doubt water could get in there. From the dust behind the original tape on my G500 side moldings, I don't think that is any more weather proof of a design.
otiswesty
Regular guy
This project I did a couple of years ago. I had seen a fender top diamond plate on the ORC website. I understand they have been recently sold and the Baurs are continuing the G461 camper development business but have sold off the parts business and the shop.
Here is a pic of the ORC fender top plate. I like the look of the duet tread plate that ORC uses, it is the same that is on the steps of the rear ladder that I have from them as well.
I have seen a similar type of fender top on Land Rovers but it seems it is always the 5-point tread plate.
Here is a pic of the ORC fender top plate. I like the look of the duet tread plate that ORC uses, it is the same that is on the steps of the rear ladder that I have from them as well.
I have seen a similar type of fender top on Land Rovers but it seems it is always the 5-point tread plate.
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otiswesty
Regular guy
So a couple of years ago I get my good friend Guido to send over a sheet of 2.5/4.0 aluminum duet diamond plate. Of course this sat around for a while waiting to move to the top of the list. Finally, I get it marked up and take it to my local sheet metal guy to stamp it out. Looks awesome except I inadvertently cut 2 left sided pieces. Ha ha, doh!
Sooo, with some polite requests, I get Guido to send a couple of more pieces and cut a couple of right sided pieces. After sanding the edges, I took them in for my usual 60% gloss black powder coat and even managed to sell off the extra set to pay for the whole project costs! I attached the plates to the fender top with 3M VHB tape for a nice tight stable seal. The holes for the light mount are through an adhesive section for a reduction in water intrusion points. I left gaps for airflow and drainage along the edges of the piece as well. My experience is that water or moisture will find a way into a closed space even if it is by simple molecular gaseous diffusion, and thus the key is to reduce air trapping and facilitate ventilation when possible. Last summer, after almost a year, I ended up pulling them off temporarily for some work on the fenders and the original paint looked fine underneath. It was a major PITA to get the VHB tape off, I guess that says some thing about that product as well.
Here is the initial sheet metal piece and the final product.
Sooo, with some polite requests, I get Guido to send a couple of more pieces and cut a couple of right sided pieces. After sanding the edges, I took them in for my usual 60% gloss black powder coat and even managed to sell off the extra set to pay for the whole project costs! I attached the plates to the fender top with 3M VHB tape for a nice tight stable seal. The holes for the light mount are through an adhesive section for a reduction in water intrusion points. I left gaps for airflow and drainage along the edges of the piece as well. My experience is that water or moisture will find a way into a closed space even if it is by simple molecular gaseous diffusion, and thus the key is to reduce air trapping and facilitate ventilation when possible. Last summer, after almost a year, I ended up pulling them off temporarily for some work on the fenders and the original paint looked fine underneath. It was a major PITA to get the VHB tape off, I guess that says some thing about that product as well.
Here is the initial sheet metal piece and the final product.
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otiswesty
Regular guy
As I drooled over at the beginning of this thread, the military and Pur edition walk on hoods have been a mild obsession of mine since first seeing them in 2008/2009. With the right part numbers and Mercedes EPC access, I pulled a part number for a walk-on-hood A4638803457 and again turned to Guido for help from his local dealership. He picked one up and sent me a few pics.
The hood came over by air freight and I actually got the hood before the wire payment arrived in Germany. Thanks to poor service at my bank, but Guido got his money eventually:ylsmoke:
When you get a big box like this from Guido, it is like Christmas no matter what time of year!
The hood came over by air freight and I actually got the hood before the wire payment arrived in Germany. Thanks to poor service at my bank, but Guido got his money eventually:ylsmoke:
When you get a big box like this from Guido, it is like Christmas no matter what time of year!
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otiswesty
Regular guy
I had the walk on hood painted last year to match the MB5366 Azurite Blue of my truck. I had spent some time agonizing over putting on the grip patches versus a large sheet of grip tape on the hood top. In the end I elected to go with a suggestion from another Expo forum member and use a spray on textured rocker protection coat with a body color over spray within the boundaries used in the early Professional and later Pur edition vehicles. It came out pretty well. I do get up on this every now and then, and not just for demonstrations. The textured paint does not show scratches and I have not gotten any dents like I did on my last 3 Gwagen hoods just from people sitting up there, err.
The hood is a direct bolt on for 460, 461, and 463 to 2000. The only difference was a lack of 3 small holes for the clips that hold the windshield washer hose and electric nozzle warmer wiring. This was easily remedied. For a 2002+ 463, the air channel at the top of the hood would have to be removed and swapped for the stock version. Probably not a huge job for a person with decent metal skills. The weight of the hood is still well supported by a single gas strut and the weight did not seem that different to me during the swap. A bit awkward of a process to say the least due to its size. There is no need for the two steel tensioner straps or the hood pad that are used on the stock 463 hood, so some weight is saved there.
The texture coat has the added effect of reducing sun glare which is nice when the truck is clean and the rest of the paint is shiny.
The hood is a direct bolt on for 460, 461, and 463 to 2000. The only difference was a lack of 3 small holes for the clips that hold the windshield washer hose and electric nozzle warmer wiring. This was easily remedied. For a 2002+ 463, the air channel at the top of the hood would have to be removed and swapped for the stock version. Probably not a huge job for a person with decent metal skills. The weight of the hood is still well supported by a single gas strut and the weight did not seem that different to me during the swap. A bit awkward of a process to say the least due to its size. There is no need for the two steel tensioner straps or the hood pad that are used on the stock 463 hood, so some weight is saved there.
The texture coat has the added effect of reducing sun glare which is nice when the truck is clean and the rest of the paint is shiny.
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otiswesty
Regular guy
People always complain about ll the great stuff that they can get optioned on the Gwagen in Europe on these trucks and that are not available in the US. Well, about the only good thing I can think of that came out well from the ill fated MB-Chrysler merger was the addition of multiple cup holders to the 463 model in 2002. After selling my 2002, I was determined to get a cup holder in my G as there was not a single one. I decided against mounting on the door (I had seen that before) and instead went for a modified version of a center console mount I had seen before.
The tennis ball catcher one is stock from a 2002 G500 in a similar location and the flip down one I got from Eurotruck. I ended up removing the center console cover and mounted these with short bolts, nylon lock nuts and big fender washers. Nice and sturdy.
The tennis ball catcher one is stock from a 2002 G500 in a similar location and the flip down one I got from Eurotruck. I ended up removing the center console cover and mounted these with short bolts, nylon lock nuts and big fender washers. Nice and sturdy.
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otiswesty
Regular guy
Of course, I do it routinely. No issues with my 175#s and work boots on. Fenders are super duty as well.
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