military surplus g-wagons? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

bigbillyboy · #1 06-24-2006, 12:17 PM

Has anybody ever heard of a source for late '70s earlt 80's ex canadian military g-wagons? I'd love a project G-wagon, but it seems that the only ones I ever come across are already fixed up pretty nice. How similiar are the military versions, mechanically, as compared with their civilian counterparts?

thanks,
Jason

DUTCH · #2 06-24-2006, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbillyboy

Has anybody ever heard of a source for late '70s earlt 80's ex canadian military g-wagons? I'd love a project G-wagon, but it seems that the only ones I ever come across are already fixed up pretty nice. How similiar are the military versions, mechanically, as compared with their civilian counterparts?

thanks,
Jason

The G was not built until February 1979. The Canadian military just got their G's in the last couple of years; so you won't find a 1979 or early 80's or even early 90's Canadian ex-military G.

Lots of German and Norwegian ex-military G's available in Europe; but they'll have to be 1979-1981 for you to be able to legally import it into the US.

EliotW · #3 06-24-2006, 10:01 PM

The Canucks were still using their 60s vintage soft top/jeep things till 2003 or so.

DUTCH · #4 06-25-2006, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EliotW

The Canucks were still using their 60s vintage soft top/jeep things till 2003 or so.

Ah, yes, the ILITIS.

bigbillyboy · #5 06-25-2006, 02:05 AM

just keep looking around until I stumble upon one. Anybody ever convert one of the gas ones to a diesel? Do they make good daily drivers? What are the typical problem areas to look for. I know the 123 sedans get cancer in the trunk, and below the doors. Are parts, including body parts, available? How many questions do I get on a single thread before I'm beaten?

DUTCH · #6 06-25-2006, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbillyboy

just keep looking around until I stumble upon one. Anybody ever convert one of the gas ones to a diesel? Do they make good daily drivers? What are the typical problem areas to look for. I know the 123 sedans get cancer in the trunk, and below the doors. Are parts, including body parts, available? How many questions do I get on a single thread before I'm beaten?

Most of the military G's are diesel.

Dee8go · #7 06-28-2006, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DUTCH

Most of the military G's are diesel.

How do they compare with the Hummers used by the US military? Better armor? How do the size of the engines compare? Horsepower? Mileage?

DUTCH · #8 06-28-2006, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

How do they compare with the Hummers used by the US military? Better armor? How do the size of the engines compare? Horsepower? Mileage?

The Canadian military love them. In fact, a friend of mine, who lost both of his legs driving a G in Afghanistan after it was hit by a homicide car bomb attack, credits the G. its build quality and its armament with saving his life. I'd post the photo here, but I've done it before; and the forum software won't allow a photo to be posted a second time.

The US Marine Corps uses them for their Interim Fast Attach Vehicles, and they love 'em. The US Army and their Humvees wish that they had them.

Dee8go · #9 06-28-2006, 03:23 PM

I was just trying to make a joke, Dutch. Mainly about complaints by US soldiers about the insufficient armoring of our Hummers. I guess we're not buying Hummers anymore. I heard the military was moving on to some other vehicle.

The only people I've seen in G Wagons so far were rappers, pimps, and other gangstas. Presumably there are some more mainstream Americans driving them somewhere.

Dee8go · #10 03-15-2012, 09:53 AM

Different strokes for different folks, as my daddy used to say . . .

Dee8go · #11 03-15-2012, 12:55 PM

I wasn't casting aspersions on anyone, just citing my own experience at the time. Since then I have noticed a lot more of them on the road. Perhaps that is because the location of my office is in a much more affluent neighborhood than my old office was.

Pooka · #12 05-26-2012, 06:28 PM

Check out EX Military used and new vehicles for sale. UK EX MOD as they have a few left hand drive 1985 G-Wagens for sale.

Diesel powered and pretty bare bones since they are ex-NATO. And you would have to pay to float them across the pond.

Might still be worth looking into, though.

DUTCH · #13 05-26-2012, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pooka

Check out EX Military used and new vehicles for sale. UK EX MOD as they have a few left hand drive 1985 G-Wagens for sale.

Diesel powered and pretty bare bones since they are ex-NATO. And you would have to pay to float them across the pond.

Might still be worth looking into, though.

Since the UK never did use the G as a military vehicle with the exception of BRIXMIS in Eastern Germany, you can just about bet that these originally came from Norway or Denmark at a much lower price than this "dealer" will charge.

Pooka · #14 05-26-2012, 08:48 PM

Right. You have to wonder how the left hand drive versions wound up in England since it's a sure bet they were not sent there to begin with.

Dee8go · #15 06-08-2012, 02:13 PM

I just read an article about the US military having a competition for the next vehicle that will replace the Humvee. In it they mentioned that the Germans had been buying Humvees. I never heard that before. Perhaps they use the Humvee for something different than the G Wagen? Surely the German military buys G Wagens, too?