Puch 300GD OM613A Turbo Swap

Anyone following the 2019 Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale will quickly realize there is a strong market for well restored G-Wagons. With so much market potential, why not reimagine more G's? The first project for me was turning a G55 into an AMG G55 Squared. I know it was never a production model, but some portal axels, new springs, king shocks, bead lock wheels, and 35" tires... it comes awfully close.

What do to with a sluggish Puch 300GD? Last year I picked up a Getrag 5-Speed from Europe so why not the upgrade the OM617 naturally aspirated 3.0 diesel and 4-speed with an OM617A turbocharged engine with the 5-speed.

I've owned a turbo swapped 300GD before and you can really feel when the turbo kicks in. I'm looking forward to mating it with a 5-speed to increase the top end speed when driving on the highway.

For those not familiar with the OM617 of the '70s and '80s it was one of the most successful and bulletproof engines ever manufactured by Mercedes. Well maintained versions have been known to register over half a million miles without being rebuilt. At only 85 HP, the inline 5 powerplant was not zippy but they did feature good milage and when fitted to cars like the 300D they were well received in Europe and then later in the US. The engine featured a simple mechanical design that, once running, required no electricity.

In 1976 Mercedes started testing a redesigned engine that added turbo. Several records were set and over 200 HP produced was by test models. By 1978 production models existed and in the US it was mated to the W116 that became the first turbocharged diesel sedan. The 300SD became a popular car during the energy crisis ushering in the age of diesel power for passenger cars. As a turbo powerplant, the OM617A produced 121 PS (89 kW; 119 hp) @ 4350 rpm, torque 230 N⋅m (170 lb⋅ft) @ 2400 rpm.

Tuners have been known to squeeze more power from the 3.0 inline 5 OM617A by using high-performance fuel pumps, injectors, and turbochargers featuring intercoolers. Extreme cases have recorded  well over 200 HP to the crank although the longevity of the engine will surely take a hit.  

I've enlisted the help of the folks at Reinvent the Wheel to design the powerplant for my Puch G. They build a high-performance OM617A with an upgraded camshaft and Bosh M-style fuel injection pump to deliver an additional 40-50 HP over the stock OM617A. The plan is to exceed 150 horsepower when all is said and done.  

The upgrade will require the use of some components from the original engine, including the 24V alternator, power steering, glow plugs, flywheel and vacuum pump. I'll need a new clutch, for the 5-speed and a new shorter driveshaft. Once complete the truck should have better performance at altitude (I live at 7000' elevation) and at highway speeds. 

Look for a full review when the truck is finished in a couple of months. 

Once complete, the "turtle" will be going to the body shop for some touchup bodywork and I'll get started on bringing the interior back to its original spartan military specifications.

G55 Portal Update #2

I've been without my G55 since late May but I continue to get updates. It looks like all the parts are in and we have made the final decisions on the build. The folks at GwagonParts keep wanting to trick out the truck visually. Suggestions include newer G63 bumpers and ground effects, blackout all the chrome and even possibly a hood scoop. yea that would look awesome but I keep telling them FUNCTION over FORM.

To that end here is a final list of what we are doing:

Tibus 2nd Generation Portal Conversion that includes: 125mm Portals, 2 Front Steering Knuckles, Heavy-duty CV Joints, Heavy-duty Rear Axel Shells, Rear Brake Calipers, Rear Brake Rotors, Front and Rear Axle Braces and new ABS Sensors.

Suspension: G550 Springs, King 2.5" Performance Shocks with Extended Oil Reservoir - 20 Compression Settings, and Custom Reservoir on Shock.

Wheels: Tibus Aluminum Beadlock 18x9 Wheels in Matt Black, Nitto Ridge Grappler R/T 35x12 5R18 Tires,

Recovery: Thor Front Winch Mount for Mercedes G55, Smittybilt 97510 X 2O Waterproof Winch, Reverse Tire Mount for W463, Mercedes OMB 18' Wheel for Spare Tire, W463 Professional Roof Rack with Ladder and a Smittybilt 2781 5.65 CFM Universal Air Compressor.

This will replace my 2001 Jeep XJ that was sold on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/183946968481 

G55 Portal Update

A few weeks ago I sent my G55 off to GwagenParts for a major upgrade. The goal is to untame the work done by AMG and turn the truck back into the off-road beast it was designed to be. And because I see all my cars as platforms to be modified, I decided the G55 should be reimagined as well.

While the entire suspension is getting converted to perform off-road, the main focus is providing lift and stability. That means portal axels rather than a traditional lift kit. Portals and new tires will lift the entire car, including the axels and differentials up an additional 7" while a traditional lift kit will only lift the frame and leave the axels and differentials to be banged up by the road.

I chose the Tibus kit offered by GwagenParts because of the excellent compatibility with the G55, relatively low cost, and quality German design/build. I also thought they would work well with the Tibus Beadlock wheels and King shocks.

So far the portals are installed with the softer and taller G550 springs and new KING shocks.

If all goes as expected, this will be a powerful 500+ HP, supercharged V8 beast of an off-road machine. I'll keep you updated on the progress as the build continues.

Saying Goodbye (for now)

I've been enjoying an AMG G55 as a daily driver for two years. In that time, I've taken it on road trips, some basic off-roading, and tooling around town in all sort of conditions. I've come to the conclusion that while it has a nice interior, it is and always be a truck.

I'm perfectly alright with that. A 500 HP truck with a supercharged V8 is really what this Georgia boy wants to drive around. I even like the nice entertainment system (stay tuned), the climate-controlled leather seats, and all the fancy Mercedes features. The thing is when AMG supped it up, they took some of the truck away and tried to make it more street friendly.

I've decided to go big and make it much more like a truck. Today I'm saying goodbye to my truck because it is going away for a makeover at G-Wagon Parts. I'm going to get a trailer hitch, portal axels, off-road springs, KING shocks, bead lock wheels and proper truck tires. More to come!

Through the Roof!

Barrett Jackson featured three G's and all went for crazy money. Are people finally starting to see the real value in these iconic trucks? I previewed the offerings a few weeks back and featured one stand out example but did not take a deep dive into the other two.

For perspective, you can usually find a clean 80's model G for under $20,000 and a late model AMG version for about $70,000 but what I saw at auction was a bit shocking. Join me for a quick summary and final auction results for all three. 

Let's begin with a wonderfully restored and presented 1987 Wolf. I spoke with the seller and profiled the truck in this blog post just prior to the sale. It seems this car was restored by a professional group out of Germany and I can tell you the attention to detail was exceptional. 

I was pleasantly surprised to see this truck bring $60,500 at auction. Based on these results, expect to see me document the restoration of my Puch-G cabriolet.

Sold on the final day was called a 1996 SWB Europa. I took a good look at this truck and was not impressed. The interior looked worn, the paint job was spotty at best and when I looked under the hood liner, there was a lot of surface rust. Whoever did the bodywork did a poor job and lacked attention to detail.

I was interested so I took the VIN and did some searching and found a forum post that included an entry by someone claiming to be the previous owner. He said the car was purchased from Mastodon for around 25K with a rebuilt engine (300 block and 350 head). I also found the truck offered by CNC Motors for $59K.

I did not attend the final day but was shocked to see this car went for $41,800 at auction. Lesson: Do your research before bidding. 

Finally, let's go crazy. The AMG Mercedes G63 6x6 is a rare bird indeed. It is thought that about 100 were made between 2014 and 2015 and as with any low mile limited edition car they tend to bring a LOT at auction. To illustrate the high expectations this was one of the few lots offered with a reserve. 

The only thing that kept me from purchasing this car was the color. Everyone knows that only the UN should be allowed to have white G-Wagons. 

Even without me bidding, the 2014 example with less than 1000 miles at Barrett-Jackson 2019 broke the one million dollar mark by going for $1,210,000! The crazy thing is, these are titled with a special show title in the US limiting them to only 2500 miles per year. Can you imagine purchasing a truck for over a million and turning it into a trailer queen?

I'm convinced now more than ever those of us with well maintained G's in the states should invest in making them right and auctioning them off!

Brush Guard Quick Release - FOUND

When I got my G55 the brush guard was loose. Turns out one of the quick release bolts was missing. When I called the Salt Lake MB dealer where I purchased the truck about the missing part they quickly offered to find me one. Two weeks later I got a call saying that Mercedes-Benz parts did not have any and they could not find one. A year later I was in Pheonix and it was time for my "C-Service" so while at the service desk for Glendale Mercedes I asked again if they could find the quick release bolt. They said no problem and, like before, after two weeks of looking they could not find one.

I then turned my attention online and checked Four By Four Club and Euro Truck Importers and both showed the part out of stock just as the previous year. This is so strange because the bolt is a common part used by the OEM brush guard for years. 

For those of you who have removed your brush guard, you know this is no normal bolt. It uses a special tool and is not something that can easily be replaced. 

Last week, I decided to look hard to locate one. I looked on eBay, checked the usual places again and after coming up short, started looking on Google images. After some digging, I finally found one. Yes, the price was high, but I was approaching desperation. I had never ordered anything from G-Wagon Accessories before but now it was time to change that so I ordered it. The bolt came in three days and fit perfectly. 

While there I looked over their offerings, and while the prices are high, they do offer a lot of accessories that can enhance the off-road experience of late model G-Wagons. I may have to get the rear bumper and trailer hitch!

Very Special Opportunity

Back at the 2019 Barrett Jackson Auction at Scottsdale where I was able to dive into the three G-Wagons offered, get hands-on looks at each and in one case, speak to the seller. Let's begin with a surprise stand out. The orange 1987 240GD that is offered at no reserve on Friday's auction is an excellent example.

I met with Jeremy Sandler of Segal Motorcar Company who has several cars up for auction and he let me crawl all over the 240GD. This example appears to have started out as a W461 German Military Radio Wolf truck. As you would expect, it has a 24V electrical system with battery shutoff below the center dash. Like the Austrian Puch, the naturally aspirated 4-cylinder diesel engine has features that will allow the truck to operate in about 3 feet of water.

Jeremy told me the truck had been restored in Germany at some point then brought back to Canada. Whoever did the restoration did a wonderful job. The orange paint maintains the flat finish of the original military green and has been expertly applied. I found none of the usual signs of rust on any of the body panels. The suspension looks to have been removed and some parts powder coated and springs and shocks were both upgraded. With such a thorough restoration, I was a bit surprised the original metal fuel tank was not replaced with the upgraded plastic unit found in most modern G-Wagons because there are signs of patching. The rear skid plate that covers the fuel tank is also missing. The trim surrounding the upgraded headlights is ABS and not the original rubber type but look like new as does the rest of the exterior trim. The grill also looks to have been replaced with a newer unit but still maintains the original look.

The interior is a very nice upgrade while maintaining the truck's military bones. I like the way the orange theme was carried into the interior with piping and stitching. The front seats are comfortable and look great, all gauges look clean, all controls are in place and the rear jump seats are restored to a like-new condition. Looking under the mats there was no sign of repair or rust. I appreciated the decision to resist upholstery and use ABS panels on the doors to maintain the spartan feel of the truck. Also nice was to see proper size tires and original wheels. There are enough 80's G-Wagons with oversized wheels and tires and they actually perform better with the right size.

The engine compartment is very clean. Once again orange accents are found under the hood but only on hoses. The only visible upgrade was the new aluminum radiator. The padding under the hood is missing, but it was reinforced to support carrying loads on the hood using the straps. Underneath I found no evidence of fluids seeping from any of the differentials, transfer case, transmission or engine. I'm not familiar with the 240 but was surprised to see there was not a fuel return hose coming from the last injector to the fuel tank as is present with the 300. The rear hose was simply capped off.

It was a pleasure to encounter a well restored and preserved W461. While not strictly restored, this updated model reflects the military heritage of the original with a new theme. For anyone looking for a truck to run around an island, orchard, vineyard, or private ranch this would be a perfect way to get around with a nice level of style. And while I prefer collectors to drive their cars, this one would be right at home tucked away in a collection to be driven only once in a while.

After all was said and done this example brought $60,000 at auction. 

G's at Barrett Jackson Scottsdale

There is no limit to the hype surrounding what many auto enthusiasts believe to be the most anticipated auto auction. This week, we will experience the Barrett Jackson Scottsdale 2019 auction behind the scenes with first-hand interviews with owners and bidders.

This seems to be the year of the truck with a lot of activity around the Dodge Power Wagon and Broncos but because our focus is G-Wagons we will follow three particular auctions. The first to come to auction will be lot #987 1987 240GD Cabriolet then lot #1410  2014 G63 6x6 and finally  #1575.1 1996 Europa G. Lets take a quick look at each one. 

240GD Cabriolet

SWB G-Wagons are very popular, add the indestructible diesel engine and removable tops are a huge draw. The color combination on this G is very nice. While underpowered and not a great highway driver, this is a wonderful off-road truck and would be a great weekend driver. The builder did a very nice job with the interior. It will be interesting to see what this car brings at auction on Friday.

2014 G63 6x6

Barrett Jackson feels like this will end up fetching the big dollars because it is being auctioned on Saturday and one of the very few with a reserve. With only 607 indicated miles on this limited production truck I can understand why! Featuring 6 portal axels, 18" beadlock wheels, bi-turbo AMG 536 HP engine, impressive stance, and clearance that a 9-year-old child can walk under it is menacing. Featured prominently in the main tent, everyone that walks past this example stops, points, and shoots a photo. #crazymbpickup

1996 Europa G

This is my personal favorite. Almost impossible to get in the states, this no-frills G is a great daily driver and off-road warrior. Unlike our first two examples, this SWB has what I feel is the just the right amount of power. Not too much like the G63 and not too little like the 240G it is just right. Add tasteful interior that anyone would find comfortable without the US Spec frills and this is one of the great items that will close the week on Sunday. 

Stay tuned as we visit the floor, talk to the owners and follow the bidding on this weekend to see how healthy the market for the G's are in 2019. And while we are here, we will take a look at two other trends in the 4x4 market Broncos and Dodge Power Wagons. Stay tuned!