New wood hauling truck from Belgium

[lou sansone]

hello fellow ww's

I would like to share some photos of my new Belgian wood hauling / machine transporting vehicle.

It has been some time since I last posted, but I want to assure you that I am alive and well. I am still building period furniture. Early last year I became infected with a very serious case of "unimog-itus". It has caused me to become somewhat distracted from building period furniture, but I have been sufficiently inoculated at this point where I now can talk about it. I will warn you that it is very easy to become completely infected as I was, just by looking at one of these. You don't even need to drive it to become so seriously infected to the point where you start to search high and low to find one just to look at in person.

My new wood shop truck, which will replace my 2000 F-350 dwd / 4 wd, is a 1967 Mercedes Benz 404.1 "Unimog" direct from the Belgian military. it has an original ~25000 miles on it and absolutely no rust on it. the undercarriage is pristine with all of the original paint still 100% intact. My 7 year old ford is a rust bucket compared to it. If you start to look for these you find that most have between 10k and 30k miles on them. They are just not driven long distance or used all that much.

So what is a unimog ?

here is a link to explain what they are

http://www.unimogcentre.com/unimogprinc.html

They are considered by most to be the most capable 4 wheel drive light duty vehicle ever designed or built. I won't go into all of the details at this point. maybe some of you will have questions that I will answer and that will provide more of the details.

there are a few things that really set this vehicle apart from any other 4wd in production. Just for the record, I have owned several old vintage dodge power wagons and they are a piece of junk compared to the unimog.

what makes the unimog so special ?

1. it has a very, very flexible frame and coil spring suspension that allows it to crawl over anything

2. it has ~ 21" of ground clearance because of the "portal axle" design. This axle is offset from the center line of the wheel and contains a final reduction gear set in each of the wheel hubs. the total drive ratio is ~ 7.5:1

3. it uses a sealed torque tube drive system that seals out water and protects the rotating drive shaft from damage.

4. the snub nose makes the drivers visibility very good, compared to a normal long nosed truck

5. It has a very tight turning radius : +/- 45 degree front wheel turning angle


enjoy the photos

Lou

[Rob Diz]

Ok, how does that perform on the highway?

I'm guessing you had to import that yourself?

[George Robin]

They are DEFINATELY very capable trail rigs. Not really good on the highway though.

Good luck with it.

[Mike Vermeil]

That thing is awesome. I wasn't aware of any current uses of torque tube construction except for sprint cars.

[Charles Wiggins]

Nice toy! I'm jealous. I've wanted a unimog for almost twenty years, but never had an excuse. Guy near me had one for sale for $8800 but I knew I didn't want to get into the unimog repair business. They truly are extraordinary vehicles. I have heard apocryphal stories of them running on everything from moonshine to crude oil.

[Philip Glover]

Those things are really cool!
It, however, looks like a high lift to get things up into the bed.
Have fun,

Phil

[Brett Baldwin]

Congrats on your new hauler Lou. It fits so well with your shop tools. Looks like that will serve many duties in the rural setting. I don't imagine you can ever say you're snowed in again.

What is the weight capacity for yours?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I see a Rock Climber.

[Randy Denby]

That looks like serious fun. Just looking at it tho....how do you get into the cab? Looks like along way up and a fender sorta in the way.What kind of rpm at 60'ish mph? Top speed?Right hand drivers position?Diesel/gas mileage?...of course, I'll bet its one of those, If you have to ask, you cant afford it things.And lastly, where do you find these and did you import it?

[Josiah Bartlett]

That looks fun.

I use a 1950 Chevy 3100 stepside, myself. http://lh6.google.com/josiahtheengineer/RcumYCC6iGI/AAAAAAAAAA0/936JeTwyUE8/s400/truckload.jpg

It's about due for a paint job.

[Jim Becker]

Very kewel truck!!!

[Brian Weick]

Lou- that is one awesome piece of equipment ~ seriously. S sent you a PM.
Brian

[John Shuk]

Unimogs are awesome vehicles. I drove one around some fields once and it is just a cool machine. Low gear seems like it moves about 2 feet an hour but it could pull down a house. There is a guy in Montrose, NY who has a few. I think he sells some of the attachments sometimes. They can have alot of different stuff attached including a backhoe.
Enjoy the truck Lou.

[Norman Hitt]

That looks like serious fun. Just looking at it tho....how do you get into the cab? Looks like along way up and a fender sorta in the way.What kind of rpm at 60'ish mph? Top speed?Right hand drivers position?Diesel/gas mileage?...of course, I'll bet its one of those, If you have to ask, you cant afford it things.And lastly, where do you find these and did you import it?

Belgians, (along with the rest of Western Europe) drive from the left front seat, and on the Right side of the road. The English are the ones that drive from the Right front seat and on the left side of the road.;) (The English consider themselves Britts, not Europeans):D

[Doug Shepard]

Now that's a truck.
You are going to make all the Hummer snobs soooo jealous.:D

[Dave Sabo]

Love to see the look on the repair guys face when you take it to the local Benz dealer for an oil change.

[Dave Sabo]

I'd love to see the look on the service writer's face when you pop into the local Benz dealer for an oil change and new wiper blades. Oh, could you adjust the parking break while you're at it?

[Steve Wargo]

Lou,
As an avid 4 wheeler I must say... YOU SUCK! When I come up that way again we'll have to pit the Land Rover up against it. But I don't think I have a chance. Nice score. They are quite impressive vehicles.

[Bruce Page]

A set of 21” low profile tires with polished aluminum wheels would really send it over the top!:)

[Randy Denby]

A set of 21” low profile tires with polished aluminum wheels would really send it over the top!:)

Believe it or not, I saw a set of wheels in last months Issue of "Truckin" that are 30" !!!I dont understand the reasoning behind all these different /large wheels. I personallyfeel the 20's are about the limit of staying in a reasonable
look /aesthetics. Tire costs are way out there when you get beyond 20's as well......gotta have their bling I reckon.

[lou sansone]

Ok, how does that perform on the highway?

I'm guessing you had to import that yourself?

the unimogs are slow moving vehicles that perfer a maximum of ~ 45 mph down hill. But they excell on secondary roads and dirt roads. they ride like a lincon town car, no kidding, really smooth.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Lou.....You always do things in a big way! And you've done it again!

[lou sansone]

That looks like serious fun. Just looking at it tho....how do you get into the cab? Looks like along way up and a fender sorta in the way.What kind of rpm at 60'ish mph? Top speed?Right hand drivers position?Diesel/gas mileage?...of course, I'll bet its one of those, If you have to ask, you cant afford it things.And lastly, where do you find these and did you import it?

good questions. getting into the cab is accomplished by stepping on the round wheel step on the front wheel, and then swinging your other leg up into the cab. it is not for the out of shape, that is for sure. the tires on the unimog are ~ 41" tall, so that give you some idea of the cab height.

top speed is ~ 45 in my opinion, some will push is faster, but they are screaming above 45. left hand drive, gas 6 cylinder over head cam engine.

[lou sansone]

Now that's a truck.
You are going to make all the Hummer snobs soooo jealous.:D

well the truth is that these will out perform most any hummer, and those guys know it but do not like to admit it. the hummer will definitly travel faster than the mog, but has no were the ground clearance.

[lou sansone]

Lou,
As an avid 4 wheeler I must say... YOU SUCK! When I come up that way again we'll have to pit the Land Rover up against it. But I don't think I have a chance. Nice score. They are quite impressive vehicles.

hi steve
yea I remember you drove a LR when you visited. landrover does have a very impressive FC101, that is quite capable. have you ever seen one?

[lou sansone]

Lou.....You always do things in a big way! And you've done it again!

hi ken
the thing I really love about the mog is how it is engineered. this basic design was done in the 50's and it is still the most capable off road vehicle made. the modern unimogs still use all of the basic designs that were developed back then. it just amazes me how well thought out these machines were.

the other really interesting thing is that when you are driving one of these trucks you are actually driving a very sophisticated military tactical vehicle. it is a really cool experience. 99% of the folks who see me in the truck wave and smile. it is a happy truck and that makes me feel good. :)

[Nino Maini]

Lou,
Very Cool truck!!. Since you are not needing the F350 I'll take it off you hands :) :)

[Norman Hitt]

good questions. Right hand drive, gas 6 cylinder over head cam engine.

Hmmmm, guess those weren't Mogs I remembered seeing when I lived in Belgium, if the Mog is right hand drive. (Gotta admit that I didn't really pay much attention to the military while I was there though).

[Paul Hendrickson]

That's quite a power tool! Looks like it will be quite useful as well as a blast to drive. By definition the ultimate power tool.

Thanks for sharing the story and pics with us.

[Ben Abate]

Lou,

How are you doing. I love the individualism.. Very cool! I'm a motorcycle guy also and if anyone has seen the movie with Ean McGregor and his buddy Charlie something it is a movie about going around the world on motorcycles. Anyway when they were in Mongolia and other parts of Russia there support teams used Unimogs to tranport their bikes across some unbelievabe terrain. The movie is call Long Way Around. It is truely a great adventure movie. Very long about 5 hrs.

Congrats on the new addition. Some grocery getter.

Ben

[Scott Whiting]

Very cool vehicles. I have customer with one. His is more of an enclosed vehicle/station wagon thingy. He takes his son's boy scout troop camping with it. He said the motor is a Porsche 6 cylinder. Big drawback in AZ is it can't be fitted with air conditioning so he only drives it in the winter.

[lou sansone]

Hmmmm, guess those weren't Mogs I remembered seeing when I lived in Belgium, if the Mog is right hand drive. (Gotta admit that I didn't really pay much attention to the military while I was there though).


opps, meant left hand drive on the right side of the road

lou

[Ed Labadie]

WOW!!!! That is sweet! The truck looks just like new. Nice score.

For those who aren't familiar with the versility of a Unimog......
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=277442623646981589&q=277442623646981589+site%3Avideo.google.com&total=1&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

Ed

[Ron Kellison]

I liked the statement on the linked website that said "This also allows them to climb inclines up to 110 percent, giving the Unimog a higher climbing ability than any Land Rover, Jeep or Hummer." Now THAT'S a steep hill!:)

Regards,


Ron

[lou sansone]

I liked the statement on the linked website that said "This also allows them to climb inclines up to 110 percent, giving the Unimog a higher climbing ability than any Land Rover, Jeep or Hummer." Now THAT'S a steep hill!:)

Regards,


Ron


you can see them doing that type of climb in this video
but I believe it is only 100% grade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdX0au-BNA

in german, but easy to understand

lou

[Art Mulder]

Ouch ouch ouch. I watched the video. It looks like driving a trampoline! There is some serious bouncing going on there. How's the incidence of back injury among unimog drivers!? :eek:

[Tom Maple]

Lou,
Very nice vehicle. They have been considered the top shelf, light duty, work truck for decades.
I never drove one, but was pulled out of a snow bank near Forsteau, Austria by a Unimog. :o They use them for plowing secondary roads in the mountains.

[Brandon Shew]

gas 6 cylinder over head cam engine.

Bummer on the gas. I would have preferred the diesel version. Tons of torque in those bad boys. Does yours have the PTO?

They are used mainly as farm & military vehicles in Europe.

[Norman Hitt]

opps, meant left hand drive on the right side of the road

lou

Gee, I'm glad to hear that, (and know that I'm not COMPLETELY crazy YET).:D

You will have REAL fun with that MOG, Lou.

[John Schreiber]

That is the Real Deal, no pretender there. I can see one of those crawling up and down the hills of West Virginia.

[Ben Grunow]

The geared hubs are the single most important development in monster trucks as they are so much stronger than the ring and pinion and take the shock out of the drive line.

I believe the transfer cases can be stacked ont he mog to lower (numerically higher) the gear ratio if rock crawling is the plan. They also came with hydraulic winches with huge drums of cable front and rear.

I used to be into 4 wheeling, then I got a boat, then I got married and had kids. Soon the process will repeat.

Cool truck Lou.

Ben

[Scot Ferraro]

Very cool truck, Lou. What fun to drive that around...congrats!

Scot

[Ron Kellison]

I think my confusion comes from the standard grade rating used in North America e.g., a 7% grade means that the elevation changes 7' for each 100 feet of roadway, 15% = 15', etc. By that reasoning, a 100% grade would climb 100' in elevation for each 100' of road...it means you're going straight up!

[John Schreiber]

I think my confusion comes from the standard grade rating used in North America e.g., a 7% grade means that the elevation changes 7' for each 100 feet of roadway, 15% = 15', etc. By that reasoning, a 100% grade would climb 100' in elevation for each 100' of road...it means you're going straight up!

I think it has to do with the amount of travel in the horizontal direction, rather than the amount of travel on the road. So, a climb of 100' in elevation while moving 100' horizontally would be a 100% grade, but would have 141.42 . . . feet of travel for the vehicle.

[Alex Berkovsky]

you can see them doing that type of climb in this video
but I believe it is only 100% grade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxdX0au-BNA

in german, but easy to understand

louLou,
Thanks for the link. At exactly the 3 min mark of the video, show how amazing the flex is on the Uni. I used to go wheeling with my Jeep (2000 TJ) so I can appreciate it.

[Per Swenson]

Congratulations Lou!

I also have a Mog obsession.

Just don't own one yet.

I will, bet on that.

Per

[Rob Will]

The Mog looks like fun but the trusty old Ford sure looks comfy.
Have a blast driving it Lou!

Rob

[John Emmerson]

(The English consider themselves Britts, not Europeans):D

Absolutely right! ;)
John, in deepest Hampshire, Sothern England

[lou sansone]

glad you liked the link. I am convinced for those who are the technical type ( engineers and the like ) you just have to marvel at the excellent design of the unimog. It shouldn't supprise any woodworker that the germans really do make some great equipment. look at martin ! they are impressive

lou

[lou sansone]

Congratulations Lou!

I also have a Mog obsession.

Just don't own one yet.

I will, bet on that.

Per

hi per
once you ride in one, you are hooked.
lou