Mil-Spec Mercedes G-Wagen Transformed Into Bespoke Off-Roader

Forget Broncos and Humvees, these restored, former military G-Wagens are the ultimate classic off-road vehicles.

Bred on the battlefields, the Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen celebrated  its 40th birthday last year, and to celebrate that milestone, Expedition Motor Company of Frenchtown, New Jersey started restoring and importing old  military-spec 250GD models to the U.S. The result is nothing short of  amazing with these bespoke off-roaders being rebuilt by hand from the  ground up with a frame-off, nut-and-bolt restoration. This particular  example is a gorgeous 1993 Mercedes-Benz 250GD painted in Mojave Silver with a brown interior and black soft top.

After being decommissioned from military service, each "Wolf" built  by Expedition Motor Company undergoes an exhaustive restoration in  Europe that takes more than 1,000 hours and about 16 to 20 weeks to  complete. "Wolf" was the nickname given to specific military versions of  the G-Wagen that must be 250GD models equipped with a convertible soft  top and a folding windshield.

Rather than being restomodded, these two-door convertible G-Wagens  are mildly updated with LED exterior lighting and a custom interior  consisting of a quartet of saddle-colored vinyl seats and stitched  wrappings on the steering wheel, transmission shift lever and transfer  case shifter. All of the body lines are kept to factory spec as is the  removable soft top, and the black steel wheels wrapped in meaty  BFGoodrich tires show that this SUV means business.

Under that body is a frame that has been completely restored along  with the axles and the components for the brakes, suspension and  steering. The 2.5-liter OM602 five-cylinder diesel engine has been  removed, inspected and rebuilt, and it's still paired with the  five-speed transmission and manual transfer case.

Bottom line, Expedition Motor Company will build you a vintage G-Wagen that has far more character than a  brand-new G-Class, and this turn-key restoration is available for  $92,150. Considering that small-body Broncos are getting surprisingly  close to this price point, a like-new mil-spec G-Wagen will always win  on the trails and at the car shows.

Below is a gallery of select images showing this spectacular Mojave  Silver 250GD Wolf, but head over to Expedition Motor Company's site for a  set of more than 160 images that show everything from restoration to  the final product you see here as well as some of the other builds they have finished.