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66 Unimog 404 Cartography Truck

Nick02

Member
43
3
8
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Long time lurker, first time poster!
I finally bought my dream military vehicle after waiting for a decade.
It is a 1966 Unimog 404 cartography truck, 2.2L gas inline six, on the fly locker portals, 6-speed 2 reverse the usual.
Plan is to fix it up and get her on the road; it has a bad pressure plate,tires,canvas, brakes and some rust.
I am planning on bringing it to overland expo in a few months here with our company Local-Motors.
I want to go expedition style on this thing, on board water, air etc

A pic when I got it
602857_463639533700945_1628162935_n.jpg
Being handled onto the trailer and pics
IMG_2206.JPG
IMG_2223.jpgIMG_2226.jpgIMG_2232.jpg
The work ahead
IMG_2209.JPG
The inside of one of the tanks
inside%u00252520tank.jpg
Cleaned and coated with Red-Kote
photo%u00252520%25282%2529.JPG
My mog did not come with a battery tray so I designed one in solidworks.
unimog battery tray.jpg
After it was cut on our waterjet. It's all 3/16" mild steel.
tray.jpg
 
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Nick02

Member
43
3
8
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Two group 27 batteries on the tray with strap.
installed.jpg
Here the lights fired up for the first time.

lights.jpeg
Some parts came in from turkey.
photo.jpg
Plugs don't look too bad.
First I disconnected the coil, pulled the plugs, cleaned them up and squirted PB blaster Lawn Mower Tune up into the cyls to free up any rings or valves that could have been stuck.
I let it sit for an hr then I bumped it and it turned over instantly!
I brushed some anti seize on the plugs, re-installed them and the coil. Then spend the rest of weekend flushing the fuel system,and I got it running! I am impressed at how quiet it is!
It runs!
plugs2.JPG
Here is one of the first starts in over a decade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=F0f_jk1DdFg

I got some used 9.00X20 tires to replace the dryrotted 10.5's
anyone know where I can find tubes for the mog?
NDT's.jpg
 

Attachments

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Karl kostman

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,283
836
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Location
Fargo ND
Congrats on the 404 Nick its a nice looking unit, you will find that that little 6 is a very quiet smooth motor, maintenance is pretty straight forward on thes vehicles, you are going to want a service manual though and an operators manual, they come in very handy! I am fairly new to the Unimog arena having just become an owner of a 68 404 and have very good luck finding everything I need so far from Expidition Imports, Scott is a very nice fellow to work with and prices seem reasonable. Good luck and please keep thi pics coming Nick!
KK
 

saddamsnightmare

Well-known member
3,618
80
48
Location
Abilene, Texas
February 24th, 2013.:jumpin:

Nick02:

And add convert the plugs and electricals from the distibuter body up to civillian plugs, leads, distributor cap and possible a Pertronix ignition unit, as the S404.114's don't really like to go above 35 MPH for long with with the stock ignition. If you are in an area with Ethanol added to the gas, you will also want to convert the fuel pump to an electric one. I may have just come up with a system that works for the conversion, as before hand I blew three new mechanical pumps in 3 months, and then one electrical pump and one regulator for each of the last three years. I believe I have finally come up with a system that will let her run comparable to the mechanical fuel pump system at road speed and under water in fording.
You may also want to use a small amount of top cylinder oil in your gas, as these were meant to be run on either Benzine or leaded gasoline, none of which exists in the US anymore....
Most of your other work will just be replacing age deteriorated rubber compnents, and from my own experience, try to keep her at 70 to 80 KMPH for ling trips or lower, as the bearings in the gearboxes and portals really do not like high speed running for extended periods. Most European militaries limited them to 60KPH on the road. Other then that, you will appreciate your Unimog if you take care of it, it should do very well for you. Scott Ingram at Expedition Imports, and Micahel Smith at Unipaser in California are two good companies to know, as they generally will have the parts you need (just don't bang the cab or koffer box up), as will Willie Brandt at Swiss Army vehicles.
Before you try to lock the truck up on the fly, remember that she will shift into and out of FWD without the clutch if she's NOT slipping, if she is slipping you will need to use the clutch, and I'm not sure if I would attempt a full "Lock Up" of the differentials when moving. She can probably do it, but you might do better to lock up at a stand still before you need the locks, and you will find she doesn't like sharp turns in Lock....:-D
Most of this is based on experience, as I use my Swiss S404.114 Cargo daily, and brough her to Illinois from Texas under her own power. Once you've had an Unimog, you will never go back to plain old FWD anymore!:driver:

RE tubes, I would have gone with 10.5X20 MPTs, or get grooves cut in the lugs and center ridges to get water out from under the tires on those 9:00X20's, otherwise you will have a real experience of just what NDCC's do on wet roads. You will need new tubes with offset stems, as there are closer to AG tires then truck tires, and try to find the kind with the brass nut on the stems, as when you get a flat with regular tubes, the stem will disappear into the wheels.... I might also suggest using new flaps to protect the tubes from chafing against the tires. Usually old line truck tire (not Pick Up Truck) tire places will have or can get what you need. (Based on experience of owning mine for 6 years)
Oh, the military plugs used to be $17.00 each, and the shielded leads are very hard to find and very expensive. Unless you plain on going in water deeper then 2-1/2 or 3 feet (the operators manuals will give you the maximum safe depth), you probably don't need the military ignition components other then the distributor base and the generator/alternator unit. There is a fording kit for the S404.114 for deeper fording, good luck at finding one in the states for reasonable, and do keep spare fuses on hand, as your truck is probably German, so it won't have the breaker system the Swiss used. Also, check and caulk the fender joints under your cab floorboards, because when those joints open up, you will get rust throughs on the cab door sill frame rails, and they can be a bear cutting out & rewelding to correct the resultant rust.

OH, Welcome Aboard! Unimogs, the few, the proud, the unstoppable!
 
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k1hb

New member
39
1
0
Location
boston/ma
Nick: i got 5 10x brand new tubes....yours for getting them!
they fit the reg AND 12.5x10 tires!
i converted to tubeless humvee tires

Fred
 

k1hb

New member
39
1
0
Location
boston/ma
all good advice
with the 12.5 tires she runs faster but a 404 is just not good enough for the modern road.
i just drove a pinzgauer 712 back from san diego and it ran like a swiss clock, 50mph avg. like an old VW bus, ok for the road.
i use my mog only for parades and in the woodlot, converted it to a dumpster....very handi, but not for long road trips.
mpop555 took the radiobox off his 404 and put it on a mil 3/4 ton trailer....very nice setup!
 
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