m635dude
Observer
THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN SOLD
Well I think I've decided to officially list this for sale. I really do love the truck, but I hardly ever use it for what it was built for, and this vehicle deserves to be driven where there are no roads, not around the city where I live. When I purchased it I had much more free time on my hands, but since then work has been picking up fast and I just don't have any free time for myself anymore, let alone time to dedicate entire days to going out on trails.
This truck is truly amazing off-road though. It rides like a caddy over the rough stuff and then just creeps over anything when put into low and lock it up. Almost everything works perfectly as it should on the truck. I just got back from a 400+ mile road trip for a car show with it and it drove fantastic the entire time at a registered 80 mph which is probably more like 70. This is about the top speed of the vehicle although it can go faster. All of the driving had lots of hills and I still managed to get 17.6 mpg there and back.
This truck is really amazing though, you will NEVER find another one like it. Finding rust free really nice SWB g's is becoming a very tough thing in the states, and then add a turbo diesel with a 5 spd, and then the lift and it's impossible. Please contact me though with any questions.
It's currently just over 120k miles. I've put 3k miles on it so far this summer.
I know some will think this is a lot, but please find me a SWB turbo diesel G with a 5spd and 6.17 gears, let alone in this condition. I do not need to sell this truck because of financial reasons, so please don't insult me with lowball offers.
The truck is located in Pittsburgh PA. I can be contacted at awestfff@gmail.com
Thanks - Adam West
Here is a link for 137 detailed pictures of the truck. http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q66/M635dude/g-wagen/
This is the write-up for when the truck was for sale last fall:
1984 Mercedes 300GDT SWB
46023217030901
Restored in Excellent Condition
Thank you for looking at my listing for my Geländewagen! It is a 1984 Mercedes 280GE that was converted to a 300GDT by use of the world famous 617.95 turbo diesel engine. This vehicle is in stunning condition, but let’s break down the vehicle and its specifications.
History
This G Wagen left the factory in Graz, Austria late 1983 and was imported and federalized by Europa International, based out of Sante Fe, New Mexico. If you are not familiar, Europa was first to legally import and federalize the G Wagen to meet US DOT/EPA/NHTSA requirements.
During the federalization process the glass was replaced, seatbelts changed, headlamps and lights changed, emission devices added as well as many other items that had to be converted or replaced to meet US standards. From what I’ve been told the landed cost of this G Wagen in the 80’s was around $80,000 USD. I have the DOT Bond Release paperwork stating that this vehicle meets or surpasses US safety and emissions requirements.
The vehicle lived some of its life in North Carolina, but then was sold to a man in Colorado who transformed this standard, mint G Wagen into a absolute masterpiece of German engineering. The vehicle underwent a very extensive suspension and mechanical restoration. This owner had marriage troubles and had to sell the G.
The G was then sold to Russ Leabch of Europa International, where it was on his lot for a few months. During this time a few parts were replaced, but was not driven much.
I purchased this G Wagen in March of 2009 and my restoration started from there. From the factory this G came with a Getrag 5 speed manual transmission and a 2.8L inline-6 gasoline engine. This engine was great, but got awful gas mileage and eventually blew a head gasket on a surfing trip.
The car sat for a few weeks until it was decided to tow the G Wagen all the way up from Maryland to San Sauveur, Quebec in Canada. Warren Thibault, Mercedes diesel mechanic of 30+ years took on the removal and conversion of this G to a turbo diesel engine set-up. Warren has been spending the past eight years installing turbo diesel engines into G Wagens, so he knew how to do all of the wiring, driveshaft, motor mounts, ignition…etc
The end result was absolutely fantastic. The G Wagen went from getting 8-10MPG to 21-26MPG. The power was more responsive as well.
Since the engine was taken care of I went ahead and starting working on refreshing the body and interior. Many pieces inside had shown their age so over $1,500 USD was invested in replacing body moldings, badges, knobs, lenses, and other various parts. The G Wagen is known to rust around the rear quarter panels and rear tail light sections. In order to prevent that sort of thing from happening, the surfaces were prepped and the G Wagen was towed over to LineX in Laurel, MD to have the lower rockers sprayed with the airtight and watertight LineX coating. The end result was again unbelievable.
After the LineX, a few more odds and ends were replaced and I decided I was ready to sell and let someone else truly enjoy this vehicle for expedition use, long drives, daily driving duties, weekend camping trips or strolls into town. I should also mention that I drove this G Wagen daily for almost 2,500 miles after the turbo diesel conversion had been completed. The G Wagen now has 117,663 original miles.
Body
The body of this truck has been gone through by the owner of Givens Auto Collision in Frederick, MD with a fine toothcomb to expose the previous history of this body. Jay Givens could not express with me how great of condition this body was in. It has been repainted before, but it was not because of rust, but simply because it sat in the sun. No body filler was present, and all panels showed original welds and placement. The work is top notch and was done correctly (for a high price as well). I’m not aware of when the car was painted, but it shines as if it was done last week.
Some slight surface rust had formed on the tail light and rocker areas, so I brought those areas down to bare metal to where no pitting or rust was left, treated the surfaces with phosphoric acid to neutralize the rusting to continue then applied an extremely light (1/32-1/64 in) of a 3M body filler, sanded, primed and sanded again before going to LineX to seal those areas forever from the elements. LineX was applied to the lower rockers and around the rear. Taillights, side indicator lights, reflectors, fender flares, and other body moldings were removed and the application was done correctly. The finished product looks like a factory application.
All rubber body moldings have been replaced if breaking down. Fender flares, headlight surrounds, rubber body ledges are all in great condition. Rear reflectors have also been replaced due to showing their age. Rear tail lamps have been scrubbed and cleaned to bring them back to life (can not tell the difference from a new lens vs. the cleaned tail lamp lens). Also, all exterior screws have been replaced with brand new screws.
Glass is in excellent condition. Rear windows have a dark tint (30%+) (applied by previous owner to keep out heat in the desert) and a light tint on the front windows (50%+). Windshield has two small chips that have been filled professionally. Windows do not show signs of deep scratches. In fact, when washed the glass looks brand new. Excellent condition. Window seals are also in brand new condition as well. Do not show signs of wear.
Upper rain gutters have been completely repainted matte black (factory color and specification) to bring them back to a new life after sitting 25 years under the sun.
Front Grill has been sanded and repainted to factory color and specification (Sept 2009). Front and rear bumpers and rock sliders have been sanded and repainted to factory color and specification (Sept 2009)
The entire underbody has been scrubbed with Simple Green, heavy-duty soap and degreaser to remove dirt, grease and grime that has accumulated over the past 25 years of life. This process took over 6 days. Once the surfaces were clean of debris, the chassis, trailing arms, front and rear axles, shocks, shock towers, shock mounts, fuel tank and inner wheel wells were repainted to factory specification. The underbody looks like a brand new G Wagen. Wheels and tires are Mercedes Benz Alloys in great condition with minimal signs of wear. Tires are Goodyear Wrangler MT/R’s, often found as standard issue on many Military spec Humvees used in today’s modern battlefields.
Also should be noted that both rear vent covers (by rear windows) are included with the G Wagen. The passenger side vent is not mounted because it kept falling off so I'm keeping it safely inside until I figure out how to mount it without loosing it!
Engine/Mechanical
The engine is an OM617.95 turbodiesel engine taken out of a 1982 Mercedes 300SD seadan. The vehicle was hit from behind and was taken to Potomac German Auto in Frederick, MD. I purchased this complete engine after getting good compression testing and hearing it run while it was still sitting in the sedan. The engine comes with a 1 Year warranty through Potomac German Auto, covering complete engine meltdown. The engine was professionally pulled and loaded in my G Wagen, then towed to Quebec and was installed by Warren Thibault.
Warren spent a week installing this engine, replacing many parts with new parts while the conversion was being performed. Also, there are two ignition switches so that you can start the G Wagen and let it warm up and then lock the doors - a crucial item for ultra cold winters. This engine also has an engine block heater that you can plug into the wall while parked in the garage.
Here is what has been replaced with new Genuine Mercedes Benz Parts.
• Brand new flywheel
• Brand new clutch
• Brand new pressure plate
• Brand new throw out bearing
• Brand new pilot bearing
• Brand new clutch slave cylinder
• Brand new clutch lines
• Brand new window crank handle
• New water pump, new thermostat
• New Bosch starter
• New clutch master cylinder
• Brand new re cored radiator
The previous owner had also replaced many parts. Here is the list of recently replaced parts
• Getrag 5 speed manual transmission with new heavy duty input shaft bearing
• New transmission seals
• New output bearing
• All three drive shafts replaced
• 6.17:1 axle ratio gears installed by Europa International
• New CVs and front axle bearings/seals
• 3.5" spring lift with long travel aluminum body shocks (custom built to specification by Gelandekraft)
• Longer DOT stainless steel brake lines
• 2:1 Reduction VG080 transfer case
Interior
The interior of this G Wagen is also in great shape. When I bought the vehicle in March of 2009 it was in need of some tidying up. The upper dash pad was cracked in many places from sitting in the sun. I replaced that with one in much better shape. The differential locker knob was broken so I replaced that knob as well. The 280GE mirror designation plates read “280GE” so those were changed out to read “300GD”. The differential lock indicator lens on the gauge cluster was worn off so I replaced that as well. The wiring for the interior was also a mess, so I went ahead and put in some new switches and got most everything working correctly.
The interior has two leather Recaro front seats with power reclining. These are extremely comfortable for long drives and overlanding (off the asphalt and on the dirt road). The rear seats are a lovely plaid with red and black and match the door cards of the G. The rear also has two functional jump seats for having lunch out on the trail or transporting two passengers short distances. All seat belts are operational and are in working order. All jump seats have their original Mercedes rubber straps (one broken so it was replaced with an Original Mercedes strap).
The rear bench seat was also sanded and repainted to meet factory specification. The bench seat has some very tiny tears on the top, but is not torn through to the point of break down. The front Recaro seats have two tiny cracks in them, but they are not torn through and are not falling apart by any means.
The entire interior is in great condition. The clock works, the cabin lights work (when you open the driver door the light turns on), the center console has only a small crack around the shifter boot area. The radio works great (and is very crisp and loud). The head works very well. The blower motor is working as well. The tachometer is not connected, but the light is working. All vents open and close as they should. The center vent was removed and cleaned out to remove any dirt, dust or pollen that had been trapped over the 25 years of passing air.
Window crank handles were replaced with a stronger 461-style handle.
The original 460 steering wheel was also replaced with a newer 1996 461-style steering wheel. This wheel is thicker, more comfortable and much more stylish. All parts were Genuine Mercedes Benz. Headliner is in good shape as well. Floor mats are in good shape too, but a small tear is present in the rear cargo area and the dead pedal on the driver side does show signs of use. Brake, clutch, and accelerator pads are in good condition, with pedals recently repainted.
Conclusion
This G Wagen has been my pride and joy. I’ve worked on it every weekend and 3-5 nights out of the week after work for the past 6 months. I’ve had a lot of fun working on it and the result is an amazing looking and running vehicle. Over $30,000 has been recently invested in this one of a kind Geländewagen.
I have not driven it much over the past month because I am now back in school, but I drove it today and it idles wonderfully, makes great power, and cruises nicely. I must say that I noticed the front brakes dragging, but I believe this has something to do with the fact that I have not been driving it often.
The engine also sweats a bit of oil. This is common on all 617 turbo diesel engines and is NOT a major issue by any means. It is normal. The rear transfer case also is sweating a little bit of transmission fluid, but not even enough to show a decrease in fluid levels in the reservoir.
Title/Legal Information
I hold this title clean and clear under my name. It is a Pennsylvania title. It's currently has PA registration and inspection.
It should also be said that I also have a copy of the original DOT Bond Release form issued by the NHTSA which shows and renders this vehicle is 100% legal for road use in the United States. I also have a large assortment of service records, invoices, receipts as well as the original Owner’s Manuals in both German and English.
G-wagen, gelandewagen, G-wagon, G-class, G-klass, G300D
Well I think I've decided to officially list this for sale. I really do love the truck, but I hardly ever use it for what it was built for, and this vehicle deserves to be driven where there are no roads, not around the city where I live. When I purchased it I had much more free time on my hands, but since then work has been picking up fast and I just don't have any free time for myself anymore, let alone time to dedicate entire days to going out on trails.
This truck is truly amazing off-road though. It rides like a caddy over the rough stuff and then just creeps over anything when put into low and lock it up. Almost everything works perfectly as it should on the truck. I just got back from a 400+ mile road trip for a car show with it and it drove fantastic the entire time at a registered 80 mph which is probably more like 70. This is about the top speed of the vehicle although it can go faster. All of the driving had lots of hills and I still managed to get 17.6 mpg there and back.
This truck is really amazing though, you will NEVER find another one like it. Finding rust free really nice SWB g's is becoming a very tough thing in the states, and then add a turbo diesel with a 5 spd, and then the lift and it's impossible. Please contact me though with any questions.
It's currently just over 120k miles. I've put 3k miles on it so far this summer.
I know some will think this is a lot, but please find me a SWB turbo diesel G with a 5spd and 6.17 gears, let alone in this condition. I do not need to sell this truck because of financial reasons, so please don't insult me with lowball offers.
The truck is located in Pittsburgh PA. I can be contacted at awestfff@gmail.com
Thanks - Adam West
Here is a link for 137 detailed pictures of the truck. http://s133.photobucket.com/albums/q66/M635dude/g-wagen/
This is the write-up for when the truck was for sale last fall:
1984 Mercedes 300GDT SWB
46023217030901
Restored in Excellent Condition
Thank you for looking at my listing for my Geländewagen! It is a 1984 Mercedes 280GE that was converted to a 300GDT by use of the world famous 617.95 turbo diesel engine. This vehicle is in stunning condition, but let’s break down the vehicle and its specifications.
History
This G Wagen left the factory in Graz, Austria late 1983 and was imported and federalized by Europa International, based out of Sante Fe, New Mexico. If you are not familiar, Europa was first to legally import and federalize the G Wagen to meet US DOT/EPA/NHTSA requirements.
During the federalization process the glass was replaced, seatbelts changed, headlamps and lights changed, emission devices added as well as many other items that had to be converted or replaced to meet US standards. From what I’ve been told the landed cost of this G Wagen in the 80’s was around $80,000 USD. I have the DOT Bond Release paperwork stating that this vehicle meets or surpasses US safety and emissions requirements.
The vehicle lived some of its life in North Carolina, but then was sold to a man in Colorado who transformed this standard, mint G Wagen into a absolute masterpiece of German engineering. The vehicle underwent a very extensive suspension and mechanical restoration. This owner had marriage troubles and had to sell the G.
The G was then sold to Russ Leabch of Europa International, where it was on his lot for a few months. During this time a few parts were replaced, but was not driven much.
I purchased this G Wagen in March of 2009 and my restoration started from there. From the factory this G came with a Getrag 5 speed manual transmission and a 2.8L inline-6 gasoline engine. This engine was great, but got awful gas mileage and eventually blew a head gasket on a surfing trip.
The car sat for a few weeks until it was decided to tow the G Wagen all the way up from Maryland to San Sauveur, Quebec in Canada. Warren Thibault, Mercedes diesel mechanic of 30+ years took on the removal and conversion of this G to a turbo diesel engine set-up. Warren has been spending the past eight years installing turbo diesel engines into G Wagens, so he knew how to do all of the wiring, driveshaft, motor mounts, ignition…etc
The end result was absolutely fantastic. The G Wagen went from getting 8-10MPG to 21-26MPG. The power was more responsive as well.
Since the engine was taken care of I went ahead and starting working on refreshing the body and interior. Many pieces inside had shown their age so over $1,500 USD was invested in replacing body moldings, badges, knobs, lenses, and other various parts. The G Wagen is known to rust around the rear quarter panels and rear tail light sections. In order to prevent that sort of thing from happening, the surfaces were prepped and the G Wagen was towed over to LineX in Laurel, MD to have the lower rockers sprayed with the airtight and watertight LineX coating. The end result was again unbelievable.
After the LineX, a few more odds and ends were replaced and I decided I was ready to sell and let someone else truly enjoy this vehicle for expedition use, long drives, daily driving duties, weekend camping trips or strolls into town. I should also mention that I drove this G Wagen daily for almost 2,500 miles after the turbo diesel conversion had been completed. The G Wagen now has 117,663 original miles.
Body
The body of this truck has been gone through by the owner of Givens Auto Collision in Frederick, MD with a fine toothcomb to expose the previous history of this body. Jay Givens could not express with me how great of condition this body was in. It has been repainted before, but it was not because of rust, but simply because it sat in the sun. No body filler was present, and all panels showed original welds and placement. The work is top notch and was done correctly (for a high price as well). I’m not aware of when the car was painted, but it shines as if it was done last week.
Some slight surface rust had formed on the tail light and rocker areas, so I brought those areas down to bare metal to where no pitting or rust was left, treated the surfaces with phosphoric acid to neutralize the rusting to continue then applied an extremely light (1/32-1/64 in) of a 3M body filler, sanded, primed and sanded again before going to LineX to seal those areas forever from the elements. LineX was applied to the lower rockers and around the rear. Taillights, side indicator lights, reflectors, fender flares, and other body moldings were removed and the application was done correctly. The finished product looks like a factory application.
All rubber body moldings have been replaced if breaking down. Fender flares, headlight surrounds, rubber body ledges are all in great condition. Rear reflectors have also been replaced due to showing their age. Rear tail lamps have been scrubbed and cleaned to bring them back to life (can not tell the difference from a new lens vs. the cleaned tail lamp lens). Also, all exterior screws have been replaced with brand new screws.
Glass is in excellent condition. Rear windows have a dark tint (30%+) (applied by previous owner to keep out heat in the desert) and a light tint on the front windows (50%+). Windshield has two small chips that have been filled professionally. Windows do not show signs of deep scratches. In fact, when washed the glass looks brand new. Excellent condition. Window seals are also in brand new condition as well. Do not show signs of wear.
Upper rain gutters have been completely repainted matte black (factory color and specification) to bring them back to a new life after sitting 25 years under the sun.
Front Grill has been sanded and repainted to factory color and specification (Sept 2009). Front and rear bumpers and rock sliders have been sanded and repainted to factory color and specification (Sept 2009)
The entire underbody has been scrubbed with Simple Green, heavy-duty soap and degreaser to remove dirt, grease and grime that has accumulated over the past 25 years of life. This process took over 6 days. Once the surfaces were clean of debris, the chassis, trailing arms, front and rear axles, shocks, shock towers, shock mounts, fuel tank and inner wheel wells were repainted to factory specification. The underbody looks like a brand new G Wagen. Wheels and tires are Mercedes Benz Alloys in great condition with minimal signs of wear. Tires are Goodyear Wrangler MT/R’s, often found as standard issue on many Military spec Humvees used in today’s modern battlefields.
Also should be noted that both rear vent covers (by rear windows) are included with the G Wagen. The passenger side vent is not mounted because it kept falling off so I'm keeping it safely inside until I figure out how to mount it without loosing it!
Engine/Mechanical
The engine is an OM617.95 turbodiesel engine taken out of a 1982 Mercedes 300SD seadan. The vehicle was hit from behind and was taken to Potomac German Auto in Frederick, MD. I purchased this complete engine after getting good compression testing and hearing it run while it was still sitting in the sedan. The engine comes with a 1 Year warranty through Potomac German Auto, covering complete engine meltdown. The engine was professionally pulled and loaded in my G Wagen, then towed to Quebec and was installed by Warren Thibault.
Warren spent a week installing this engine, replacing many parts with new parts while the conversion was being performed. Also, there are two ignition switches so that you can start the G Wagen and let it warm up and then lock the doors - a crucial item for ultra cold winters. This engine also has an engine block heater that you can plug into the wall while parked in the garage.
Here is what has been replaced with new Genuine Mercedes Benz Parts.
• Brand new flywheel
• Brand new clutch
• Brand new pressure plate
• Brand new throw out bearing
• Brand new pilot bearing
• Brand new clutch slave cylinder
• Brand new clutch lines
• Brand new window crank handle
• New water pump, new thermostat
• New Bosch starter
• New clutch master cylinder
• Brand new re cored radiator
The previous owner had also replaced many parts. Here is the list of recently replaced parts
• Getrag 5 speed manual transmission with new heavy duty input shaft bearing
• New transmission seals
• New output bearing
• All three drive shafts replaced
• 6.17:1 axle ratio gears installed by Europa International
• New CVs and front axle bearings/seals
• 3.5" spring lift with long travel aluminum body shocks (custom built to specification by Gelandekraft)
• Longer DOT stainless steel brake lines
• 2:1 Reduction VG080 transfer case
Interior
The interior of this G Wagen is also in great shape. When I bought the vehicle in March of 2009 it was in need of some tidying up. The upper dash pad was cracked in many places from sitting in the sun. I replaced that with one in much better shape. The differential locker knob was broken so I replaced that knob as well. The 280GE mirror designation plates read “280GE” so those were changed out to read “300GD”. The differential lock indicator lens on the gauge cluster was worn off so I replaced that as well. The wiring for the interior was also a mess, so I went ahead and put in some new switches and got most everything working correctly.
The interior has two leather Recaro front seats with power reclining. These are extremely comfortable for long drives and overlanding (off the asphalt and on the dirt road). The rear seats are a lovely plaid with red and black and match the door cards of the G. The rear also has two functional jump seats for having lunch out on the trail or transporting two passengers short distances. All seat belts are operational and are in working order. All jump seats have their original Mercedes rubber straps (one broken so it was replaced with an Original Mercedes strap).
The rear bench seat was also sanded and repainted to meet factory specification. The bench seat has some very tiny tears on the top, but is not torn through to the point of break down. The front Recaro seats have two tiny cracks in them, but they are not torn through and are not falling apart by any means.
The entire interior is in great condition. The clock works, the cabin lights work (when you open the driver door the light turns on), the center console has only a small crack around the shifter boot area. The radio works great (and is very crisp and loud). The head works very well. The blower motor is working as well. The tachometer is not connected, but the light is working. All vents open and close as they should. The center vent was removed and cleaned out to remove any dirt, dust or pollen that had been trapped over the 25 years of passing air.
Window crank handles were replaced with a stronger 461-style handle.
The original 460 steering wheel was also replaced with a newer 1996 461-style steering wheel. This wheel is thicker, more comfortable and much more stylish. All parts were Genuine Mercedes Benz. Headliner is in good shape as well. Floor mats are in good shape too, but a small tear is present in the rear cargo area and the dead pedal on the driver side does show signs of use. Brake, clutch, and accelerator pads are in good condition, with pedals recently repainted.
Conclusion
This G Wagen has been my pride and joy. I’ve worked on it every weekend and 3-5 nights out of the week after work for the past 6 months. I’ve had a lot of fun working on it and the result is an amazing looking and running vehicle. Over $30,000 has been recently invested in this one of a kind Geländewagen.
I have not driven it much over the past month because I am now back in school, but I drove it today and it idles wonderfully, makes great power, and cruises nicely. I must say that I noticed the front brakes dragging, but I believe this has something to do with the fact that I have not been driving it often.
The engine also sweats a bit of oil. This is common on all 617 turbo diesel engines and is NOT a major issue by any means. It is normal. The rear transfer case also is sweating a little bit of transmission fluid, but not even enough to show a decrease in fluid levels in the reservoir.
Title/Legal Information
I hold this title clean and clear under my name. It is a Pennsylvania title. It's currently has PA registration and inspection.
It should also be said that I also have a copy of the original DOT Bond Release form issued by the NHTSA which shows and renders this vehicle is 100% legal for road use in the United States. I also have a large assortment of service records, invoices, receipts as well as the original Owner’s Manuals in both German and English.
G-wagen, gelandewagen, G-wagon, G-class, G-klass, G300D
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