Restoring cheap, old G-Wagen is a NIGHTMARE you don't want!

Rustam from @speedtv3649 shares his experience restoring an old Mercedes G Class.
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#GWagon #MercedesGClass #ProjectCar

[@rwdplz1]

"Driver had a really thick eastern European accent" EVERY FREAKIN' TIME.

[@L3Harris]

Welcome to the quintessential European trucker. I have yet to meet one who wasn't from Eastern Europe 😂

[@2vcrew782]

That’s all I see delivering cars at my shop in Pennsylvania. I’m ready to start a car delivery trucking business where quality and standards actually matter for high-end clients who want great service

[@ejgrant5191]

Auto transport is a MISERABLE job @ car auction level....There are lots of good hard working people doing this work. The Slavic guy who brought my Pinzagauer from Tennesee to Oregon was a great guy. I had it listed as a 74 Volkswagon Van because no one wanted to touch and Army vehicle EVEN with a street registration on it. Pinzagauer is about 4000lbs and same size as a VW van....Told the guy there was $200 extra cash waiting for him on delivery...He was VERY HAPPY!

[@jerseydevil1]

@@ejgrant5191 lol the 6 wheeled one or the 4? If it’s the 6 wheels that might be why

[@SovietDictator]

Not always, I had two black guys from the Carolinas deliver my car and despite terrifying me driving it off the ramp (he almost missed one of the ramps, this was their first run as car haulers) they got it to me quick, and without argument. I did have to escort them to my house, but numbered country roads with bad signage are like that. All I ask is that in the future they are more careful with ramp placement. The idea of my classic dropping three feet on one side absolutely terrified me watching it.

[@kilohotel6750]

Stories like this are what keep me from auctions, I have horrible luck and this would happen to me.

[@lesmauldin3857]

Buying a car thru Copart was one of the biggest learning experience I have ever endured. Full of scammers on the transportation side.

[@eddiebaker3267]

I wanted to buy a parts car to repair the one I already have and figured it would be best to buy a driving car, in my state. But thankfully, I fixed it myself. $2k transmission? No.

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

yep....this is why i only bid local or within distance that i can pick it up on the weekend

[@ObliviousOneGaming]

Video starts, "Yeah you have 2 VINs." Yeah I see how this is going to go

[@lukasvass681]

There are 2 vins on a G Wagon, one stamped on the frame behind the right front wheel and one one on the plate on the firewall (can be seen in the video). If there are two different vins then they probably used a cab from one car and frame from another one…

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

@@lukasvass681 Problem with old heavy duty "cab on frame" cars all the time.

[@SovietDictator]

@@manfredschmalbach9023 Not just heavy duty. VWs are notorious for the body not matching the pan.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

@@SovietDictator Had a LandRover once with two different VIN numbers on the same frame. Had the paperwork for both ....

[@zachtorrence2188]

Now this is a little different than most transmissions. First up, drive doesn’t work but third does. Neutral is park, reverse is second. If you wanna use reverse put it in drive. You got it? -Ricky

[@largol33t1]

My MODERN VW has a quirk I've never encountered in a manual. All the others I've driven, I could just shift into reverse. The dealer told me to get reverse in my Golf, I had to push straight down on the shift knob and it would slip under the lockout notch by the R gate. Is there a reason for this? I've only once in the last 10 years accidentally shifted into reverse when I wanted to get first gear.

[@PrinceAlhorian]

Cheap and G-Wagon in the same sentence never computes, regardless of the context.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

You can actually buy (relatively) cheap Gs to date .... they regularly turn out as the most costly option of all You saw once they are ready to run, drive and MOT/TÜV.

[@PrinceAlhorian]

@@manfredschmalbach9023 still, then you sit with fuel bill and maintenance. This car is not a money pit, its a money black hole.

[@a1phamalestud]

@@PrinceAlhorian shut it Scotty

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

@@PrinceAlhorian I might be biased as an si--systems and metric-guy actually coming from the same area the G Wagon originally comes from, but I had way worse cars in terms of maintenance or fuel consumption than my 290 GD, with "way worse" as in "intergalactically worse". Ever tried to get a gearbox out of a LandRover? I change every single gear, bearing and synchronizer of a G 5 speed box _on the bench_ and be at the coffeshop before evening _in that same G_ before the Landy-box even lays on the bench still seize-closed .... and don't get me started with Jeeps from that era. One and a half G wagons MOT inspected and back on the road running before one Jeep (or Land Cruizer for that matter) has all needed parts payed for, no screw turned yet. With Americans paying downright madly for Gs though, donors and partscars become more and more of a problem recently over here, too.

[@largol33t1]

Same with Ferrari; there is no such thing.

[@commandohazelnuts]

I've restored a 1985 Puch 500 GE after it was flooded in Hurricane Irma. When I restored the car, we actually built the worlds first turbo (petrol) inline 6 G-Wagon. We haven't dyno'd it yet, but I reckon it makes about 400 all wheel drive horse power. I personally am responsible for porting and polishing the intake, rebuilding the valve train assembly, and installing the transmission, drive-shaft, and transfer cases. It was an awesome project. (Also yes it had a 5 speed manual like god intended)

[@rashaancanady2215]

Great job!

[@cmcm6676]

They came with a om606 from factory somewere in the 90's-00's, which is an inline 6 with a turbo.

[@dinogravessi1789]

?? I own an original '79 300GD turbo. Not sure what you're talking about.

[@commandohazelnuts]

@@dinogravessi1789 Turbo Petrol engine* good catch, I didn't specify the engine type and that's fair to be confused. It's also written with a bit of smugness I'll admit.

[@dinogravessi1789]

@@commandohazelnuts, it's all good. I've never understood why anyone would want that much power in a G anyway since they're kind of a handful to drive. Granted, they are tanks.

[@trythistv]

I wish there had been more pictures of the engine and transmission, If the shift pattern on the mirror was indeed right that is very bizzare, I'd love to know what it all was. The engine seen with the adapter plate does kindof look like it may have been a N/A Mercedes diesel from that era. I'd be very tempted to put in a OM617A, much like would be in my 82 300D, Turbocharged 3.0L diesel, likely would be a direct bolt in swap with a significant amount more power, I'm curious if these came with a divorced tcase, you could snag a 4 speed from a 240D or if it is some kind of special transmission as well.

[@dentonthomas5622]

No... this thing needs an LS motor and transmission.

[@obsidianstudiosfreshfilms2750]

I do have a picture of the note with the shift pattern

[@mabs503]

It's interesting how a utilitarian military and police 4x4 vehicle is now seen as a luxury vehicle. It's clear that they don't have that reputation in US. I'm not surprised if the "farm equipment" actually is the Puch OEM 4-speed or 5-speed.

[@rhekman]

To be fair, even an old NP205 transfer case looks like a part off a tractor.

[@noth606]

G wagons are definitely not seen as luxury vehicles in Europe except maybe by a small group pf morons, I would turn that POS down even if they tried to pay me to take it.

[@actionfaction2558]

They drive like bricks too.

[@PointlessDrummer]

I bet none of these us G wagon guys even know about Puch haha. You could be correct

[@jerem7xd]

Good to know! I saw recently surplus military G230's from '80 in Poland for less than $2000, and it looked like some nice money for someone with skill and resources to restore.

[@CarlosSilva-gj2hu]

Do you have Link? because for that price i would import one to Portugal

[@lukasvass681]

I have seen some very poor condition Gs in Poland (they were building them from semi knocked-down kits for their military/firefighters/forrest rangers) for some 3k but that was like 12 years ago. Nowdays everything is expensive even in Poland and there are several companies exporting them worldwide.

[@adamweintraub6274]

We need a follow up for this. This is awesome!!

[@lukasvass681]

The published VIN (WDB)46023217038060 is showing me a 280GE with the M110 2.8 litre petrol twin cam inline 6, W4A 4 speed auto gearbox, delivered to Munich MB branch (delivery code 226) on Nov. 14th 1984. Colour probably creme white but I’am not 100% sure as the 9001 code could mean several things. Not sure about the police car story as I have seen one G from the Bereitschaftspolizei and that one had the 272 goverment sales delivery code but the German gov’t had many of them so it’s possible they also bought some directly from the dealer’s lot.

[@thoraldshib4393]

omg I had the opportunity to buy a 1985 G wagon from the local auto dismantler in TN 6 years ago for 2k but it had 2012 plates and sever rust in the rockers and almost no floor, I passed thinking it be a pain to get parts never imagining they where this valuable

[@stig120212]

omg what an insane story!!! kept me intriqued the whole time

[@Ossiep]

I bought the cheapest old G I could find. It was the best decision I ever made. Truthfully.

[@Thunderstruck951]

I've never seen anyone hold a grinder like they are doing at 6:25.

[@neong]

It's people like that who give it the name the death wheel :)

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

same lmao

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

That's how videographers create the imagery of : "worker guy generates sparks"..........

[@jeffreyoldham55]

Hooptie G Wagen level: "Tyler Hoover"!

[@loc-o5282]

I betcha that thing was mad-capable off road with the gear reduction. I guess we'll never know. 🚜

[@adamroberge1201]

There are so many red flags here with this story The G wagon was not made in 1974 and was not introduced in till 1979 in the Second VIN is from another Mercedes product So I would say it’s a 87 G 500

[@mabs503]

Certainly not a G500. If it was a German Police vehicle it would have been the bare to the bone military version, probably with a 2.3l 4-cylinder and a 4 speed.

[@SovietDictator]

two VINs alone is enough to get me to walk away from a purchase. I made the guy who sold me my classic show me every chassis number it had. I do not need title headaches.

[@camcaro5873]

I own an 1987 G wagen, cool rigs

[@pokerbob2277]

Ok I’d like to see the current status and build of that!

[@damianl3]

There are military G wagons with Diesel engines. A friend has an ex-Austrian army swb soft top G wagon and it’s diesel

[@DNR5586]

I once found an '85 Camaro Z28 with 2 VIN's at a buy here pay here lot. The one at the base of the windshield was from an '84 Camaro and the SPID (RPO) label in the console was the correct one for the car. I pointed this out to the sales guy who came out to greet me, and he went back to the office trailer. Well soon after that this NY mafia looking guy comes out and asks me to leave, immediately!!

[@donaldmbamah4105]

I hope this story shows the G Wagon because I cannot wait.

[@stanisawkulig3448]

So that 3d G-wagon is now in Poland? quite close to me?? :)

[@dc1674]

I have a '99 290gdt swb and a '00 G500 lwb. They are like family. I plan to never sell them.

[@DirtyDuramax]

I’d stick a 4bt Cummins in that thing

[@monunyabidness5949]

Why, when Mercedes makes better diesel engines? Lighter, more refined, more powerful, more efficient, etc? OM602 or OM605 with a turbo and it's good.

[@bwofficial1776]

The 4bt is old school. The R2.8 crate engine is the new hotness from Cummins. Smaller, lighter, and more powerful.

[@GrahamCampbell-kr2gz]

@@monunyabidness5949 'Murica

[@BillLaBrie]

Yeah, because it needs an 800-pound industrial powerplant found most often in FedEx step vans .

[@coyote16able]

So how would you even register that in the US and I'm guessing that at somepoint while in canada that thing was destroyed and rebuilt so it probably in canada might have a rebuild title.

[@GazderVarun]

You can now buy a brand new old school G wagon from India. Force motors is making it and it called the Gurkha. It has the latest pollution certification and is Incredibly fun to drive , comes with a differential.

[@GazderVarun]

Oh and I forgot to mention, it's a fraction of the price of a G Wagon.

[@boduke9428]

An honest to God differential?? Just like every other vehicle on earth that isn't chain drive?

[@lezivanerrol3697]

Every Mercedes Benz enthusiast is familiar with the old adage : There's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes Benz. But as a corollary : There's nothing more expensive than an expensive Mercedes Benz.

[@notroll1279]

The Merc G class was only built from 1979 so if one of the VINs was from 1974, what did it belong to originally? Some Unimog?

[@SovietDictator]

With this collage? Who knows.

[@Trident2113]

I have a transfercase whit a pto for the G Wagen

[@boduke9428]

My tractor clutch will take abuse that would put anything that ever came in those to shame. Let's see it start in 4th gear pulling a 6 bottom plow without as much as a single chirp. I'm not quite sure what he thinks "farm machinery" means but it definitely means magnitudes stronger than automotive.

[@agcacustoms2852]

Finally I’m early on my day off from college

[@mastercasp3rxboxaddmeneed527]

That's what I was thinking lol

[@MRMERLIN_021]

Those era G wagons would probably have the om602 engine.

[@nikorootful]

That engine swap is so Canadian hahahaha

[@gifu-117]

I love that fact that he stills wants to restore this G, after all the shit that came up along the way

[@kamoboko86]

Wait wait wait…. How did the legalities of the vin’s (plural) play out with the title and ownership?

[@nicholasdouglas7080]

Wow what a cliff hanger story

[@My2cents.]

One doesn’t experience self transcendence, the illusion of self only dissipates 🎈

[@jaimesalcedo9524]

At this point just throw an LS in there and call it a day

[@PostalTwinkie]

"There is nothing more expensive than a cheap luxury car."

[@tkreitler]

Old G-Wagons of this era are not luxurious, they're utilitarian. I suspect this guy is going to ruin it by trying to make it a blingy luxury vehicle.

[@inialoane]

Didn 't read all the comments but 1974 Vin is not possible as the first came in 79 as millitair vehicles.

[@markk3453]

So the lesson is. If ur buying a old classic like car get ready for a total mess with no history and spending x3 the cost . My guess my the time it's running again. He spend 45g"s . Never ever buy sight unseen without knowing a history unless u want to spend 3 to 5 times the vehicles value. Being that it's a classic g wagon. Owner might get his money back one day.

[@benmahdjoubharoun1467]

What in NY TRAX is this Rustam?

[@Jablicko26]

good on your to bring this car back to life! To each, their own, but those red seats are too much for me. Are you making a pimp g wagon?

[@destro513]

Wtf, never leave parts like that, probably was a unimog trans, these non car people should stick to newer stuff. Painful story.

[@boduke9428]

Thank you! Anyone who thinks "farm machinery" is a downgrade from automotive parts, well they should just stick to paying someone else to build their stuff. Pretty sure those fancy high class G wagons have roots as a tractor.

[@destro513]

@@boduke9428 yeah big mistake he made there. We probably a super rare fairly over drive. Breaks my fucking heart to hear him talk about it.this two vin numbers bullshit. There's a story or a reason for it as in jeeps with the vin attached to the windshield and English triumphs and mgs rusting out and having tub and frame swaps done over the years. It's just a travisty all around. Sure he likes g wagens, get a 2000 for 25k like everyone else and leave the puch rigs to the guys like me. This is what has ruined the market for us all.

[@Wbfuhn]

That's almost a cursed Mercedes. At least it wasn't riddled with rust holes.

[@manoharjishnu2009]

Didn't the Gwagon officially came out in 1979?

[@AlfaGiuliaQV]

Yes it did, do the second VIN is also fraudulent.

[@tigerbatman7881]

@@AlfaGiuliaQV no it doesn’t. I pooped

[@lukasvass681]

Yes, some pre-production 1978 examples are the oldest ones in existence but AFAIK they don’t have normal VINs and only a few experts would recognize it when looking on one.

[@smoothcat1556]

Im always on time..... 😘👍

[@tigerbatman7881]

I always poop on time 👍

[@Count.Zer0]

So he spent 15k for a Gwagon shell without engine and transmission. Whats the current price of a Gwagon in good conditions without headache in US?

[@SovietDictator]

Two divorces and a bankruptcy

[@jacobhoisington1240]

Anyone ever thought Ed looked like dr strange

[@ffffsssshhhh]

Good luck with the restoration. Parts for G wagons are very expensive, so there is no such thing as a cheap G... Beware of this 1974 vin number, G's were not introduced until 1979.

[@85priesty]

That's why you buy a 75 series Cruiser 😉

[@slasher9883]

For some reason this story made me think of Crazy Vaclav's Used Cars in the Simpsons. Homer - Er, where is this car made? Vaclav- The country doesn't exist anymore. Put it in H!

[@stevemonkey6666]

I hate it when that happens...

[@darylarmentrout252]

Bad sign when they say 1984 and its an 87 🤦‍♂️

[@nikoladamjanovic2313]

13k is a good price for a 3door body and chassis, om606 swap it.

[@DolphinDivingChamp]

hope he at least put a om606 in it

[@cameronheidelauf9623]

He bought a Lemon Mercedes Benz 4x4

[@328ronald]

Vin from 1974, g wagon came in 1979.

[@Rays_Bad_Decisions]

That was a Unimog 404 transmission and an om617 conversion someone spent a lot of time and money converting it and your mechanic scared you into making it weaker

[@flyingpeter]

you paid way too much for that car, anyway, is a good chance to put a good engine in, i'm not sure but an om605 or om617, the 5 cylinder diesel is the correct powerplant, now, the transmission is probably the hard part to get

[@sallevadorradman1938]

I didn't know Mercedes made tractors.

[@lukasvass681]

AFAIK they were using Unimog parts in their tractors, don’t think that they were ever using something like a 5 speed gearbox which could fit into a G. If there was a tractor gearbox I’am pretty sure it wasn’t from a MBtrac.

[@SovietDictator]

Maybe was from lamborghini traktor

[@dentonthomas5622]

Put an LS motor and tranny in it

[@justinlawson3493]

Quick summary, I watched the lame video so you don’t have to…”I got so much money that 3 new g wagons aren’t good enough for me, so I bought an old one from copart so I could pay my mechanic thousands of dollars to repair it”

[@shovel_head80]

Pig in a poke

[@arrayoutofbounds]

Oh god the fake "broke his website" thing again.... use a load balancer or use an honest advertisement!

[@thomasandrews9355]

I don't buy it either, however a load balancer won't do anything without multiple servers which for most people don't.

[@arrayoutofbounds]

@@thomasandrews9355 no, most people setup autoscaling

[@thomasandrews9355]

@@arrayoutofbounds that greatly assumes they are using a good tech stack. Unless you expect a ton of traffic, generally no reason to spend money on it. Unless they use like aws or something

[@Dudemieser]

The COpart is a junk auction everything is got issues not sure why anybody would buy something from them And think they were getting something that with a little service And wash would be fine

[@radfoo72]

lol What a headache

[@konstantinosrallis2512]

G wagons did not exist in 1974, their first appearance was in 1979

[@zambimaru]

A Truck Driver with a Eastern European accent. Major red flag.

[@roibrycker8897]

I’m playing this in the car on Apple CarPlay n my boy is like what the hell is a Jew wagon. Like Nah bro he’s trying to say G wagon lol

[@northernsurferboy]

look at the transmission it is from a tractor is the joke of the year

[@mastercasp3rxboxaddmeneed527]

Early for once lol

[@insanesoviet]

Early 😃

[@magking1971]

Buying from Russians is always an experience

[@marcusablpn]

Really nothing about this story was crazy. You bought a project car that was someone else’s project car of course it was going to be rough.

[@liftingweightsandcookingpl9858]

Did this guy find a g wagon that fell of the back of a fucking trailer from his uncle Arab haha

[@chevyon37s]

This guy doesn’t have a damn clue about the workings of car... stop having these people who don’t have a clue about cars on, ED.

[@tcbursey]

In short any g wagon your buying for 15k is a worthless pile of sxxx

[@Savagetechie]

Really? I got one for £400 ten years ago and it was great. Unbelievably slow and the most basic trim but it was great fun off road.

[@JonBlondell]

Waste of time.

[@tstryker03]

Sounds like a money pit to me.

[@rogue13131313]

These stories are getting pretty weak.... Running out of stuff?

[@yinyangsaladgang8789]

Don't you hate it when the free content made by people who don't get paid but still share their car stories isn't always as exciting as a literal Netflix show? It's almost like... in real life! 😱

[@boduke9428]

@@yinyangsaladgang8789 I've bought a few pieces of crap cars in my life. Difference is I realize 99% of people don't care. We're a niche group here but lately there's been some stinkers to a lot of us. That's on Ed for spoiling us with himself, Rabbit, Mr. Randy P. and all the other OG greats.

[@Shadow0fd3ath24]

Most overrated hunks of shit ever tbh...i was so thoroughly disappointed seeing and driving one. And i dailied a hummer for a week🤣🤣

[@h-j.k.8971]

They´r *not* glorious 😕

[@paulsachs9983]

Sad he comes across as an elitist attitude & didn't recognize the uniqueness of the G-wagon he had. Wish he would have explored the drivetrain and possibly kept it the way it was.

[@danielseelye6005]

🤨 Seriously? The only original parts were the frame and the body. The engine isn't original, the trans was _certainly_ not original. Whatever it is you're smoking, stop. Get some help.

[@forrestcarroll9350]

I don't think purchasing a g wagon, not receiving a g wagon, and deciding to return it to being a g wagon because you want a g wagon is in any way elitist. Dude didn't want unique, he wanted a g wagon.

[@daexion]

Why? It didn't want to start and the transfer case was a basketcase AND it was a two VIN vehicle which is it's own special problem. Sometimes it's better to return something to stock than it is to try and figure out how to make a frankenstein monstrosity run again.

[@bwofficial1776]

@@danielseelye6005 What does he need help with?

[@danielseelye6005]

@@bwofficial1776 His obvious substance abuse problem because him being out of his mind on something is the best explanation for his weird take.

[@RobsNeighbor]

@KiloHotel me Too!

[@squid_fish]

I feel like I got cornered by a neighbor who won’t stop talking on this one 🫤