Moggy

For those not familiar, for quite a while I looked for a decent Unimog at a reasonable price and not the overpriced rot which dominates the market, and when hope was closing to that small dot it happened, bus syndrome, you wait an eternity for one to come along and two come together, they were honestly described and fairly priced for the pair.
One has travelled the world, predominantly in an aircraft to different countries for use, it was serviced, checked, and sent on its way while the other has sat in the yard at work and only being shunted round when most of our fleet and plant and equipment was back in the yard.

About 1 month ago our head designer asked what I was going to do with it and we kicked around some ideas, for around 2 days we had little work on and the lads got it in the workshop and had it stripped before lunch, when I arrived back from an important meeting I saw the engine and transmission hanging from one workshop crane while the final pieces were coming off the chassis. Wondering why Moggy was in bits I asked the lads what was going off and they directed me to Ken, our head designer and he showed me the drawings, and as he said the lads were idle and restless it would give them something to do as they had cleaned and painted all the bays and done all the maintenance work.

Ken had redesigned the chassis and new brackets were fabricated for new long range fuel tanks, new titanium tanks were being fabricated from some spare sheet we had left form another project and they were fabricating a multitude of other bracketry for numerous other things. Our laser cutters were working overtime as were some of our welder/fabricators and within 1 day the chassis mods were completed.

With the chassis done it was sent with a large batch for galvanising and it was heavy galvanised and looked beautiful, as we pay by the tonne for galvanising it just made the weight to so it came in essentially as free.

Lads were degreasing the engine and transmission, some were cleaning the components which were removed and cleaning them, anything which could be blasted was loaded into the shot blaster for cleaning and was painted, while others were checking or overhauling other components. With the chassis back they cleaned out all the holes and T washed it and painted it the same colour as the body.

Our sheet metal team were repairing the cab which had some dents and dings along with some rot in places which was cut out and new panels made and TIG welded in for invisible repairs.

Some engine mods were being done, a new stainless exhaust was being fabricated to incorporate a turbo conversion along with a new stainless stack with her name laser etched into the outer shield, the injectors were removed and sent to our specialist who refurbished and uprated them and a new turbo was sourced from another supplier at cost. Our sheet metal division constructed twin intercoolers in aluminium to Ken's design along with a new alloy uprated radiator to cope with the increased power. Brakes had the calipers removed and reconditioned, new discs and pads fitted all round and new uprated springs and adjustable gas shocks were fitted, and new pipes were fabricated for everything.

She looks lovely as a rolling chassis with her new 395 X 85 X 20 Michelin XZL tyres with all her new wiring and piping exposed and her cleaned and painted axles, and her body coloured chassis, the newly installed stainless exhaust and turbo gleam along with her painted engine and transmission and new intercoolers and radiator.

She has been run and taken to a mates to have the engine finally adjusted and tweaked and she is putting out about 200 BHP.

All she needs is her cab fitting, it is totally repaired and painted and looks like new, but the seats have to be repaired and all the instruments installed before it is refitted.

Other modifications made are the addition of hydraulic winches front and rear, the front is a 70,000lb with 350 metres of rope while the rear is a 45,000lb unit with 200 metres of rope. These were fitted and removed so they can be stored until required which is after the cab is fitted.

High output hydraulic and air pumps were fitted along with a waterproof high output alternator, stainless steel battery boxes were fabricated and installed along with an adjustable digital split charging assembly so it has an auxiliary battery for domestic use.

Ken designed a multi attachment plate for the rear which acts as a rear linkage and a height adjustable towing assembly with a choice of towing implements which include a standard ball for road trailers, a pin for ring trailers such as farm trailers, and even provision for a military jaw hitch, the tow assembly also retracts in when not in use and extends out when needed, and he has kept the rear PTO with its twin speed.

All sounds very good, will we get to see it at a show, this year or next.   

Hopefully, but a huge workload dictates my schedule as you know, we are overflowing with work and while it is coming to the UK instead of Germany, Holland, Czechoslovakia or Spain we will do it.

Piccies please!!!

Did this happen or was it whilst Bobby Ewing was in the shower?