December 25th, 2009.
SUREWRITING:
Merry Christmas!
Is the Unimog by any chance a Swiss S404.114? I happen to have a 1963 Swiss that has the last SN 8446 and 8443 is over at The Mog Shop in Dallas, Texas. Spend the $150 on the english shop manual, it'll cover everything EXCEPT the axles, for some reason none of the shop manuals I have seen cover tearing those down. I also would suggest to you to consider changing the distributor and spark plugs over to a civillian cap, wires and plugs, and break down and put an electronic module ignition in, because the S404.114's hated running over 35 MPH for very long, they tend to burn the breaker points and rotors.
Also the MB manual has the wrong timing on the distributor, if you set according to the book you will have a weak engine and burned points. Also let me recommend Mr. Micheal Smith at UNIPASER in Palo Alto,Ca, as he has always had the part I needed and a lot less attitude then some other Unimg parts dealers I could mention......
When I got my Unimog in April 2007 it had about 10,000 original miles on it (or the equivalent in KM's) and it now is turning 18000+ miles (29,985 KM or so) and runs very well as long as you keep the gas clean (very hard to do here in Texas, for some reason). Do break down and buy the filter screen for the tank filler neck, also clean the pick up screens in the tanks (and check the tanks for cleanliness), clean the pre fuel pump filter, and if your carb gives you trouble, rebuild or replace with a factory rebuilt unit, you won't regret it.
With all the work done on it, I can warn you that you do not want to exceed 50 to 60 KM/PH on the road for any length of time, as the transmission bearing will not stand it. Think of the Unimog as a really fast farm tractor, or a very slow truck, for that is what they are.
I have a source for new cab roofs and side curtains if it is a Swiss S404.114, made here in Paris, Texas off the original on my truck, complete with the snap in rear window, very usefull
in hot weather, but they run about a grand for materials and labor. There seems to be no source for the Swiss tops, and the German ones, which are different, run about $2700=3000...! (Ouch). Take care of the body and the mechanicals, and the Unimog might well outlast you....
Cheers,
Kyle F. McGrogan
NB: From the unloading shot the cab roof irons and the bed configuration tells me that it is a Swiss S404.114 Unimog. The Swiss built the beds, cargo covers and cab roof bow irons and covers in their own shops, so Mercedes Benz knows nothing about these parts of the truck, and the Swiss Army Archivist has indicated to me that they don't have the drawings or procurement documents on those parts either as the trucks were taken out of service in the last 5 years and those documents were discarded (DUH!). Generally you will be replacing rubber components in the drive and body system that will be deteriorated more from age then use, once you have replaced any necessary seals and such she should run good. The military shielded plugs for this truck are about $17.00 or so each, which is why I suggest you may want to change her over to a civillian system.
Cheers,
Kyle F. McGrogan
N.N.B. IF you're going to be selling the bed, I could use the rear roof bow, as the front one on my truck is damaged beyond repair.....
Also Nick Rawlings at The Mog Shop is an absolute wizard in repairing and modifying these trucks, he just doesn't like the original fuel pumps and he does like caging them.....(The trucks, that is.... He has a cool S404.115 cab if you want to go hard top....
Cheers,
Kyle F. McGrogan
. Ill be sure to let you know when we start pulling stuff off it (though Ill be sad to see the truck get cut up). Hoping maybe The Mog Shop will modify the cage to keep the cab in one piece, because as it is it gets cut in half. I dont know, its mainly going to be an off-road toy to replace the jeep and its monthly payments, though Im hoping in the future well get one and restore it, to do penace for the sin of tearing up such a decent truck.
