Mercedes-Benz G-Class Abandoned in a Military Tent for Ten Years Returns to Former Glory

The owner of the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen says that his father sold the vehicle to his uncle 40 years ago. He bought it back 20 years ago and put it under a military tent that matches its military olive green paintwork. But that is where it remained for the past ten years, not moving a single inch.

It is a three-door convertible that held up surprisingly well. There is not much rust on the body since it has partially been protected from the elements for the past decade. But it does look a bit worn out.

The G-Wagen is pulled out of the military tent easily and loaded into the trailer. It doesn’t run and drive, so this part might end up being a bit of a headache.

Back then, there wasn't a spare wheel case at the rear, but the spare wheel is covered in a protective cloth. In order to reach the fuel cap, you have to unlock the frame that supports it. The spare wheel has some abandoned wasp nests that the team has to remove.

Cleaning it up involved mold removal, polishing the paint back into its shining aspect and a full interior detailing. The power wash and brushing the dirt away looks satisfying.

The engine compartment also goes through the detailing procedure. A new session of foam wash and brushing through all the creases and angles of the angular body of the G-Class, plus rubbing away everything that should not be there, takes the team on step closer to their target.

But issues always show up when it comes to classics. Power washing makes rust traces leak from under the body cladding and badging. Glue traces show up on the hood, but that will be removed with a razor.

The variant that the detailing team has to deal with is the 280 GE. The off-roader was underpowered, no matter how you look at it, but it was not exactly a racer, and it wasn't exactly designed to be the most comfortable of automobiles either.

Yet, the 280 GE was the most powerful at the time, except for the 280 GE AMG variant. It was set in motion by a 2,746 cc (167.6 cu in) DOHC inline-six, which was mated to a six-speed auto gearbox.

The engine, which was the same as the one powering the 280 SE sedans of the era, delivered 156 horsepower (158 metric horsepower) and 167 lb-ft (226 Nm) of torque. It took an eternity to reach 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill: 14.0 seconds. The needle of the odometer could go as far as 103 mph (165 kph).

The trunk of the off-roader is full of manuals. There is a manual for each individual major component. But that was long before the 'Take it to the dealership' replaced the DIY. For instance, if the team had the time to read the manuals, they would’ve found out that the 'SA' lettering on the shifter of the transfer case stands for 'Strasse Allrad,' which is German for Street 4WD, while 'GA' stands for 'Gelande Allrad,' which means Off-road 4WD. There is so much dirt around it that they have to remove it to be able to clean it.

The trunk carpet is cracked from one side to another, and such an example is next to impossible to find. That is why the team is going to settle for a thorough cleanup, and that will be it for the moment.

The seats also desperately needed cleaning, while the seatbelts were covered in a thick layer of dust. Now, the beige leather that covers them looks as good as new. Door panels are also wrapped in leather.

The odometer reads 82,089 kilometers, while the speedometer shows a top speed of 85 mph or 140 kph, with the 55 mph mark highlighted in red. That is a Federal Standard Speed Limit reminder, coming from the era of President Jimmy Carter. The national speed limit in the US was 55 mph, but it was repealed in 1995.

The sun visors are also taken down and cleaned up as they look terrible. Two days later, and the G-Class looks as if it just rolled off the assembly line. If it wasn’t for the rust.

The model also received a new fuel pump, the team put fresh fuel into the tank and the engine did its job. The detailing team took the vehicle back to its owner. But hopefully, a better fate is ahead of it because a military tent might not be enough to keep that rust eating the G-Wagen away.

The owner of the G-Wagen also has a 1997 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL and a 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG in the same military tent. But hopefully, they have been better protected from the elements.