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Its going good. Been busy with my work a little and also waiting for some parts. Painter is booked until end of February. Will start posting as soon as I have some content )))
I gotta ask, what made you decide to pump all this money into a machine that's 15 years old and has 120k miles on it. Aren't you worried about what will happen once you turn on the car and drive it for more than a month?
Every part of the car is restored (just like restoring a classic car). From suspension, electrical, seals, screws, bolts, nuts and body. Engine is strong and I'm not worried about it.
My point was that for the amount of time and money you're spending on this project, you could easily go and buy yourself a used 2013-2014 G63. I was wondering if you had some special connection to it or just love restoring old benz's/cars. I have a neighbor who is obsessed with restoring old S600's.
After doing some research, I will admit that 120k to a G wagon is nothing. This guy put over 550k and it still runs like a beauty
This restoration is not going to cost me that much money, it's not gonna be equivalent to the price of a G63. I would not want to buy a generic G-wagon because I want to make this one "one of a kind", with my personal touches.
I do enjoy the process of restoring a vehicle, I always wanted to do it and it's quality time spent with my dad. I don't have any plans to sell it, it's one of those things you buy keep it as part of your life experience and memory. In the future I might even do an engine swap, I might install something AMG (why not).
Anyone who has been around cars as a hobby or a business knows that there is rarely a financial justification for a restoration project. It takes a lot of time and money to do things right. I have had the experience of restoring two Porsches over the years. A 356 and a '69 911. Had I held on to them for a few more years I probably could have come out whole or even made a little money. But it was always on to the next car/truck...the next project. Most restorers are motivated by the love of a particular make or model that gives them inspiration for the project. A restoration, such as this G-Wagon, can be justified by the owners ability to do much of the work himself. There is a lot of satisfaction that comes with learning about the intricacies of a vehicle and executing the individual tasks to bring the project to completion. I have found a strong motivation to personalize vehicles that I own. Sometimes in a subtle way and sometimes in a not so subtle way. My '69 911 project morphed into a RS clone after many years of "tinkering" with it. So, to each his own. Like many on this forum I can't wait to see the final product. Keep up the good work. And keep the pictures coming!!
Totally agree with you about making it one of a kind and making it your own. I too have the exact same mind set. Both with tens of thousands of dollars in upgrades I've done and with most repairs. My wife used to always tell me "why are you putting yourself thru this? "Just take it to the dealer and get it fixed" and I'd always reply "I want to figure it out myself and overcome this." nowadays after 8+ years with my G, she understands. I've done many interior and some exterior upgrades along with a long list of mechanical upgrades over the years, from engine, to suspension all the way to the Brembo BBK with two piece calipers etc. I too don't plan on selling it ever. Eventually, when I get tire of driving it (I bought mine with 2300 miles and now have 88K on it), I will park it and it will become the family's truck for whomever needs it.
So Bravo Kobzarhomes!!
Originally Posted by Kobzarhomes
This restoration is not going to cost me that much money, it's not gonna be equivalent to the price of a G63. I would not want to buy a generic G-wagon because I want to make this one "one of a kind", with my personal touches.
I do enjoy the process of restoring a vehicle, I always wanted to do it and it's quality time spent with my dad. I don't have any plans to sell it, it's one of those things you buy keep it as part of your life experience and memory. In the future I might even do an engine swap, I might install something AMG (why not).
Im sorry everyone that I have not posted on here for a while. But been busy busy with work. I will continue with restoration and postings very soon )))
Im sorry everyone that I have not posted on here for a while. But been busy busy with work. I will continue with restoration and postings very soon )))
Hang in there "K"....need to do business to keep the cash flowing for the project. Look forward to seeing your progress in the future. Good luck!
Well, Kobzar knows about this and has been AWESOME in the background with helping me sort some of the issues out. I have to say, I would not have been able to do it without the images of the wiring that he put up!
We have some bugs to sort out (some reversed controls and the headrests are still dead) but otherwise I have functioning seats in my truck!
On the to-do list is figuring out how to install a small 12v air compressor to have on demand air for the bladders in the seats. I was able to MacGyver my shop compressor and supply low psi air for the seats to fill the lumbar, thigh and side bolsters a bit but once I air down, they're emptied and I need to rig them up again.
As for the ventilation, I bought some bigger PC case fans and will rig them into the seat backs and install a switch on the same panel as the air manifold controls but that can wait until summer.
Here is a bad pic of the best mod I've made to Gwen.
I will put this thread subscription in my Will for my unborn son, maybe 66 years from now when i clock 99yrs old and pass, you would have finished this project and he will be old enough to enjoy it since i won't be around anymore