Newbie from Melbourne Australia
Hi to all. I really love this forum and thought it was time to actually sign-up and contribute where I can. I have a 1985 460 LWB 300 GD which I have owned for 6 or 7 years now. I love it and I am just a bit fanatical about these vehicles.
We were never as fortunate as you guys in the UK in that MB only sold the G here in Australia for a very short time while they were trying to win an Army contract. There were around 300 sold here and they were basically all LWB 300 GD's with Air and Auto Trans. There have been a few special and private imports on top of that but as you might guess they are pretty thin on the ground.
My next project is to replace the Auto Trans with a 5 speed manual and I am slowly trying to get the bits and pieces together to achieve this. I might even post an "Wanted" add on the forum - so look aout for it and dig out all your relevant bits and pieces. Of course advice on the pitfalls from anyone who has gone before me would be welcome.
John
I may be the only one online at this time, so from my base in Ireland "HELLO" and welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
You are very welcome here John and I think you will find us all a bit fanatical. so you re in good company. Most of us are a bit NUTS too..
Gi'day John and welcome to the forum. You may find this post interesting and amusing, being an Australian diesel G owner. I refer to G560's contribution. Don't know why, but he seems to vehemently hate diesel engines ( or is it the owners ). :x Here is the link, please let us know what you think ( see, you even get poetry on this site ). :lol: http://www.gwoa.co.uk/node/291 Have fun.
Hello John from Oz !
I don't know if I am going to be out of order in what I am about to tell you - I am new with this crowd as well, and I get the impression that there are plenty of people in the forum who know all the G models inside-out and are more knowledgable than me, but at the risk of getting shot down in flames, here goes.......
I reckon that your vehicle is much the same as one of mine, and that the engine and gearbox are derived from the Mercedes 123 series saloon cars. I have owned two 123 series motor cars, and the engine and gearbox seem identical to a 3 litre saloon.
I am fairly sure that a five-speed manual gearbox out of a scrap 123 series saloon would mate-up with your five-cylinder engine, so long as the donor vehicle also had the five-cylinder 3 litre lump.
As to the ratios in the box, your guess is as good as mine, and opinion here does not seem to be unanimous as to whether Merc' changed the ratios in the box or the diffs to fit the different tyre circumfrence on the Gs.
My own guess is that they changed it in the diffs, as from a production point of view in the factory it has to be by far the cheaper option, and if that guess is correct then a five-speed box out of a 3 litre 123 series should fit the bill.
Again, I haven't a clue how many three-litre saloons were imported into Oz, if any, but
maybe a few more of them than Gs ?
What I do know is that the 123 series saloons were fitted with a variety of engines and gearboxes, depending on customer preference. In continental Europe, a man buying one new to serve as a taxi might specify a small engine and a four-speed box for urban use, whilst another man who wished to use one for getting around on the motorways might chose a three-litre with a five speed box.
In petrol options, some were fitted with five litre V-8s. Not many, but some, especially the stretched-body Pullmans.
Merc accomodated the differrent engine and gearbox configurations by having aluminium engine bearers that sited any given engine in the right place in the engine bay for any given gearbox. The gearbox mountings were slots, so that any given gearbox attatched to any given engine would have its mountings accepted by the slots. All this because it would have been cheaper to knock-out a variety of engine-bearers than a variety of prop-shafts.
What it means, though, is that you can stick any engine, petrol or diesel, mounted to any gearbox that were produced whilst they made the 123 series, into a 123, given the correct engine bearers for the configuration you have chosen.
All the above, whilst interesting historically, does not help you with your problem, unless, as I guess, that a 123 series saloon 5-speed box will fit your engine, as I think
it will. If you then get a cock-up with the prop shaft into the transfer box being too long or short, then there will either be different engine bearers available, or probably simpler,
adjust the shaft at an engineering shop, as ordering the correct mountings from Germany, getting them to understand what it is exactly that you want and getting delivery of the parts may well be more stressful than having a chat with someone local who can chop or extend the propshaft in a couple of days for you.
Hope the above helps, don't take it for gospel, but rather a route you might investigate.
Keep an eye on this thread, as if I have misinformed you anywhere someone will probably point any mistakes out an put me and you right !!
Even risking sounding a bit repetitive, if I were undertaking a big project such as yours, I would get myself hold of the CD-rom containing all the workshop and service manuals for the G460 which youcan buy from the GWOA technical officer for just £ 15. The CD is great value for money, covering the 230 G, 280 GE and 300 GD models in over 2000 pages in jpg format.
This is a service reserved for GWOA members but don't despair because it only costs £ 25 a year with no joining fee. To join in follow the instructions in the main GWOA website which you can find in my signature below.
Cheers
john, good day mate and wellcome to the forum.
it's good to see that the gwoa-board is getting so much international members.
it's a funny and personal crowd, with all kind of different people.
ah, and chazz is just one of those different ones..... :wink:
but i'm sure you'll figure that your self very soon, as well as the fact that i don't hate diesel G's or their drivers, or even the fact that in real live surely that old grouchy man in his rustbucket is a warm and lovely guy.
keep it up and wellcome again.
flo
(who's sitting in bavaria, and working for an OZ company)
Hi John it's good to see people from other parts of the world on this forum.
I know G's are pretty rare in Auz but seem to remember reading somewhere that second hand ones (maybe cheap and cheerful ones) had been imported for use in some salt mines?
They were the only things that would last more than a matter of months. Any truth in this or am I imagining it?
Russ
Russ, I have not heard of G's being imported for use in the salt mines but anything is possible. For example there is a huge export market here for Peugeot 504's going to Africa and the middle east! John
john, good day mate and wellcome to the forum.
it's good to see that the gwoa-board is getting so much international members.
it's a funny and personal crowd, with all kind of different people.
ah, and chazz is just one of those different ones..... :wink:
but i'm sure you'll figure that your self very soon, as well as the fact that i don't hate diesel G's or their drivers, or even the fact that in real live surely that old grouchy man in his rustbucket is a warm and lovely guy.Different - :shock: . Grouchy - My wife would agree :lol: Old - :twisted: Rustbucket - Hmmm! maybe old rustbucket worked in those salt mines :idea: But I aint got no chip on my shoulder :wink:
cup15t, you've got it. actually in europe you're not even allowed to identify your self with your car, because a clean G 500 isn't even a G in the scene.
go back to kingsroad in chelsea, speek with your (false) friends with money and porsches (because non of those genetleman can be real friends, only others with no money can) and don't you ever allow yourself again to bother real g-drivers with your useless alloy sh*t. the g-scene doesn't want you, because you've got no clue from the car, and what it was designed for (even if you had 5 others before that). go away.
nobody want's you. you're a shame for the entire G-Community. mercedes shouldn't have build the car you're driving. and YOU, you shouldn't have put on those rims, you clown. now don't you tell us that it might look good, that doesen't matter. no one here drive's a g because of it's look. NO-ONE !! so again, determine your membership in the GWOA, don't raise your hand when seeing other G's on road again, don't go to G-Meetings, espacially not with your shiny 20" alloys. nobody want's to see that.
man your lucky that you're alive and the scene is civilised. somewhere else you could have been killed just by saying you've got 20ies on your G. so you better shut up.
hide your car when seeing others, and don't pretent to be a G fan. how dare you are.
unbelivable. as soon as got a little bid of money, they do usless things with it, and turn their back to the basis. pahhhh.
Certainly diesel is a growing trend in Australia despite G560's comments
By now you must have noticed by my profile that I am a diesel fan but I am also too civic to engage in the discussion started by G560 about diesel engines. You see, being a hot blooded Spaniard I would not be able to keep my cool if I engaged in such discussion so I prefer not to do so while running my diesel G with a big discount on the horrendous running costs that a petrol GWagen would attract in these parts.
By now you must have noticed by my profile that I am a diesel fan but I am also too civic to engage in the discussion strated by G560 about diesel engines.
mortinson wrote:You are a bad boy Morti. :twisted: I think the mention of " Pimp - Mobile " was the spark. :wink:
By now you must have noticed by my profile that I am a diesel fan but I am also too civic to engage in the discussion strated by G560 about diesel engines.
chazzy,
don't think that a comment like "pimp-mobil" will pull me out of my lethargy. we've got a saying in german that i'd like to share with you:
was stoert es die deutsche eiche, wenn sich das schwein daran kratzt ?!
engl: "what does the german oak-tree care, if a swine rubs itself on it?"
so it's not the comments that some people make here, that it take to get my lazy body in front of the pc and write a few lines, it's just my ambition to let the world know, that not EVERY G is a rusty, old, stinky, slow, uncomfortable truck that is a roadblocker for other traffic participants.....,
and maybe the wish to let the word know that some people have even more fun in accelaration than in savings on fuel.... :wink:
you see, there are so many similarities between you and me (similar car, sometimes on a wedding we wear weird clothing (you a kilt, and me some funny looking lederhosen), we're both sort of unable to speak propper english, we both like some sort of humor that makes other (civilised) people crying and my ex-wive would most certainly agree of me being crouchy as well.)
it's just a tiny difference, that may or may not be age related, whereby i just like to have the knowledge, that if i would i could just blow down the autobahn @ 130 miles an hour, although that means that mpg figures will drop badly to the region of 4-5.5.
but hey, the world just need different people, right, so keep it up my friend.
and that other text was (obviously) just written for your amusement 8)
yours flo
Hi JMKOZ,
Snapper here-
I'm in Brisbane and it must be my day for contacting G-Nuts in Australia,
I have found another two in Brisbane and have advised them to join GWOA .
I would like to contact any others in OZ
I have met Mal ( Hunting G ) from WA who is a bit of a collector with 5 ( ithink ) at he moment - so he is very useful to know.
I will be returning to Melbourne in the next few months and I know Mal would like to return to theVictorian high country so let's get a - what's the collective noun for a pack of G's ?
"Klümpen" ( a clump) , Wände (a wander ) or, my favourite a "Junket " of G's.
happening.
Cheers,
Jim McEwan
8)
You are very welcome here John and I think you will find us all a bit fanatical.
your still about then. :D
By now you must have noticed by my profile that I am a diesel fan but I am also too civic to engage in the discussion started by G560 about diesel engines. You see, being a hot blooded Spaniard I would not be able to keep my cool if I engaged in such discussion so I prefer not to do so while running my diesel G with a big discount on the horrendous running costs that a petrol GWagen would attract in these parts.
bloody peasents in there diesels. 8)
if anything we have a sense of humour, old up, there goes another doodle bug. I bet they weren't diesel. :shock:
Hi Jim,
I was just talking to Mal yesterday and he has sent me photos of three of his G's. Getting together sounds like a good idea. I know of quite a few other G's in Melbourne. It would be interesting to see how many we could get in the one place!
You can Email me at jmkenny@ozemail.com.au when you hit Melbourne!
John
Hello Snapper , JMKOZ and the rest of you guys.
Sounds great to get as many G's in one place as possible, we are totally disadvantaged here in Australia, MB seems to think they can charge what ever they like for parts.
For example an alloy wheel (#4604010102) is A$1,400.
I have had great success with the guys in the UK sourcing parts for me, and this forum has been very sound with the advice given.
There are at least 15 or 20 G owners I'm in contact with, and several hopefuls.
Diesel vs. Petrol well who cares, it's your money spend it as you see fit.
Diesel predominates here in Australia for good reason, ok they wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding on the freeways, but get them in a deep river crossing or steep country and you'll appreciate the reliability.
The parts register of this forum is a great idea, even small parts like seals etc are 3 times the price in Aust, and how can we extend this to general purchases???
GWOA could set up a bpay account and use their purchasing power with MB, for the benefit of all. More administration, I know, but MB made these trucks now we need realistic price support on parts. What will happen when they go out of production?
Food for thought, as a unified group it may help us all.
Mark (Vulture Trading - you hear this dude).Thanks for all your help.
Hunting G
Hello Herr Perfekt,
Der Doodle-Bug took off as a petrol enchine but became a diesel in flight !
Vun dropped next door to my old house in Wembley ( or so my landlady said )
und vent kerboom !! Her rotten eggs & bacon had the same effect .
Snapper
JOIN THE GWOA
This website and forum are provided for the benefit of enthusiasts and owners of all Mercedes Benz off road vehicles, in particular the G Wagen. The costs of development, upkeep and provision of the site are met entirely by the annual subscriptions of club members. If you are using the site and are not a member of the G Wagen Owners Association please consider joining. You will have access to areas on the site that are not open to non members, to club trips and meetings and to technical assistance. In addition your contribution (only £25 annually) will help us maintain and develop our website for future users.
Who's new
- Roscoe25
- Awon
- f.ecoheat
- ImportBry
- doctorchehab
What a great forum this is! I am blown away to the number of responses to my post and have enjoyed the banter. I particularly like the diesel/petrol debate.
Certainly diesel is a growing trend in Australia despite G560's comments. It has always been around for our four wheel drive vehicles and is certainly the fuel of choice outside of the cities - more than likely due to the farm vehicle subsidies on fuel. From my own point of view I have owned both petrol and diesel 4 wheel drives and cars and with the vast distances in this country the diesel can certainly save some money on those extended holiday trips. That is not to say that the 300GD is the greatest touring vehicle nor the most economical, but it is what we got here.
Thanks for the advice on 123 Sedan gearboxes. These are certainly available here (although most Mercs here were autos) and this is worth some more investigation.
I have the EPC and manuals for the G and pour over these with regular monotony but it is paying for the parts that gives the greatest cause for concern.
For your interest, I recently looked at importing a 5 speed 300GD from the UK. I was looking at getting this into Australia and selling mine cost neutral. My biggest concern was the dreaded metal cancer which is nowhere near as prevalent here and while photos and assurances will do so much, it is difficult to commit to the vehicle without an independent appraisal. If only I had known about you guys then. I paid around AUS$700 for an RAC check which gave me enough of an idea that I might be buying a dog so I let it go. I still might look at this again in a year or two and update to a 461 or 463. There are not too many outlets for RHD G's.
Anyway thanks again for the replies. Hopefully I will be able to add some value/interest to the forums in coming weeks. John