Interesting choice for a Costco run

"sm70- why not Duesenberg?" (sm70-whynotduesenberg)
04/09/2016 at 11:18 • Filed to: None

But no weirder than the Unimog at Whole Foods. Plus it had guard dogs.

Alright, you may now proceed to the comments to tell me how much you hate the current G Class.

DISCUSSION (24)

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:22

I actually quite enjoy the new one.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:24

Actually, it was the little dogs that really did it for me. That’s way unexpected in THAT G.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > jkm7680
04/09/2016 at 11:25

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/swoons-1767873…

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
04/09/2016 at 11:26

Seems more appropriate for the new one.

jkm7680 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:28

Oooh, very nice.

I’m pretty sure driving a G Wagon is the same as driving a Ford Econoline, except more fast.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:34

Feels weird seeing an old Mercedes “Wolf” as they are called at the Bundeswehr without these plates

Kinja'd!!!

vondon302 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:39

Costco is a mad house on a Saturday. Seems appropriate.

AuthiCooper1300 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
04/09/2016 at 11:43

The Canadian military used to have them. Argentina, too. And the French used the G-Wagen’s cousin for a while (Peugeot P4).

(Edit: correct me if I am wrong: also used by some US and UK SF?)

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 11:45

I only know that they were sold to European armies but not Canada and Argentina out of all places.

AuthiCooper1300 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 11:48

Well, that’s lovely.

I don’t much like civilian cars painted in camouflage colours unless they are the real deal. I cannot really tell, but it sure looks the part. And with pooches!

I remember a wonderful lunatic who had a proper WW2 Willys MB as a daily driver some 25 years ago. The fact that this was in Madrid, of all places, made it even more fascinating. The car still had UK registration.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 11:50

This appeared to be a genuine military example.

AuthiCooper1300 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
04/09/2016 at 11:50

Wait a sec, going to check Wikipedia...

AuthiCooper1300 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
04/09/2016 at 11:56

Yup, have a look:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_%28F…

The Argentine connection is easy to understand. Mercedes-Benz has (or at least used to have) a large factory for trucks there, so the fact that the armed forces would buy Mercedes-Benz was a given.

I think the British captured quite a few Argentinian G-Wagens and Unimogs (yes, those too) during the Falklands war.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 11:56

I checked on Wikipedia and they really did sell them in a lot of places. The two countries that surprised me the most are the US and North Korea.

AuthiCooper1300 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 12:00

I suppose of Canadian origin then? Where was the numberplate from?

I’d tend to agree regarding the military part. That canvas top doesn’t exactly scream luxury to me.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 12:20

Plates were South Dakota.

AuthiCooper1300 > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 12:39

The plot thickens!

On the subject of military versions, someone I know was offered one of these:

Kinja'd!!!

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/foreign/faf/fa…

... and not the civvy type but one of a few (a few dozens) that had been built for the Portuguese army.

A FAF is basically a Méhari-like Citroën twin but with steel panels instead of ABS ones. The military version for Portugal was based on the 4x4 Méhari chassis.

AuthiCooper1300 > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
04/09/2016 at 12:44

The US military would buy the most astonishing things – particularly for covert operations where direct US involvement would be, er, not advisable for reasons of plausible deniability (although in the particular case it is or was indeed part of the normal inventory for the USMC).

But North Korea???

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 13:02

It looks real, there have been rows of these up for sale in Euro auctions over the years. I’d go for the Pinz myself or the 2 door long version of these in a hard top. My friend runs the G Wagon Preserve here in CA.

http://gwagenpreserve.com/

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 13:07

The Army also used VW T3 busses when my dad served in the 80s here in Germany. North Korean leaders looove Mercedes’ so that might be an explanation. They probably bought some through 3rd party businesses in China and just drove them to NK. Just my theory.

AuthiCooper1300 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
04/09/2016 at 13:25

The Pinzgauer is a fascinating vehicle but I suppose getting spares could be a bit difficult in the US.

But strictly for the laughs factor I think I’d prefer a Haflinger (which obviously has even more constraints for road use than the Pinzgauer). I saw a couple mid-restoration at a car show and they are absolutely lovely. And there is the Ledwinka bit to them too.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > AuthiCooper1300
04/09/2016 at 13:50

There is a pretty good Pinz following in the Americas, a few staches you can buy parts, but you can get anything major if you have to, not like its your DD! I would put an Izuzu/Chevy diesel from an NPR in it or something so it was dead reliable and pretty good mileage. They do that with the Range/Land Rovers. I see the Merc OM617 diesel is an easy swap and many do it. I have a Merc diesel already so I know about them. I would also take a Volvo C303, pretty much the same thing.

AuthiCooper1300 > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
04/09/2016 at 14:00

Of course, with a more modern engine it is a completely different proposition. I didn’t know they had become so popular across the pond, by the way.

I’ve heard about Land Rovers with Isuzu engines, as you say: actually I think the Land Rover Perentie were powered by Isuzus, so it must be a good conversion to do.

I used to pass by a garage that had a Volvo C303 converted into a camper van. It was fantastic. I mean, you don’t see camper-converted Unimogs every day, but this looked so different.

Spasoje > sm70- why not Duesenberg?
04/09/2016 at 14:48

I definitely won’t. If just shutting a car’s door makes me giggle like a child, I can’t hate on it... :)