Member III
Hey guys! I wanted to get a thread started for my build of my Merc, and go in more detail of what all I want to do to it.
I have a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 with 106k miles on it. Its in pretty good condition for its age, with the usual wear on it and some very minor body damage (a few dents here and there), and so far the only repairs I've done on it have been maintenance items.
It has a small bull bar on it with the fog lights attached, and some steps that are in poor condition. I'll be removing them at some point. Other than that, the vehicle is standard.
Why did I choose a ML320? Two main reasons; it would be capable enough to take me where I want to go, and I want to build a replica of one of the ML's from The Lost World of Jurassic Park. I could only afford to do one, so I figured I'd hit two birds with one stone.
In July I had to get new tires. I went with Yokohama Geolander A/T with the stock tire size, since I wanted an A/T tires but couldn't afford the taller tires. I also got the brakes checked out, and it turned out the Merc needed 4 new rotors, 2 new calipers, and brake pads all around. As I was testing the new brakes out, one of the low pressure power steering hoses broke, and that had to be fixed. All of this before a trip to Tennessee I was taking with my family (picture of the Merc next to the tent)
Oh, and I had to literally cut out the spare tire carrier because the previous owner backed into something and bent the latch so I couldn't get it back in. I had been thinking about using that space for a either a spare fuel tank or a water tank, so I at least know how much room I have to work with now.
Alright, with that out of the way, I'll tell you guys about the latest work I've done to it.
Last weekend I had some help from one of my friends and we got started on some storage systems for the Merc. The plan is for two separate units, one in the cargo area, and one where the driver rear seat is. We built the rear cargo cabinet, but it still needs to have a support wall in the middle, stained, and I need to find plastic bins that will fit in the top shelf. This unit will be camping and general gear storage. Cooking supplies, tent, sleeping bag, ect, will be organized and stored for easy access.
The front unit (that will go in the seat area) I'm planning on being tool storage. It'll have wrenches, hammers, rope, winch gear (when I get the winch installed), and it will be as tall as the rear storage so the two can act as a sleeping platform!
I have an ambitious project, and I'm excited for the work I'll be doing on it in the next year or two. There is PLENTY to do, between the overlanding items, the movie conversion items, and making sure everything overlaps nicely. All of the movie modifications will need to have practical applications on the trail. Thankfully, most of them seem to be adding armor to the ML, so the projects overlap in most regards.
Thanks for reading and I'll be back for more updates soon!
I have a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 with 106k miles on it. Its in pretty good condition for its age, with the usual wear on it and some very minor body damage (a few dents here and there), and so far the only repairs I've done on it have been maintenance items.
It has a small bull bar on it with the fog lights attached, and some steps that are in poor condition. I'll be removing them at some point. Other than that, the vehicle is standard.
Why did I choose a ML320? Two main reasons; it would be capable enough to take me where I want to go, and I want to build a replica of one of the ML's from The Lost World of Jurassic Park. I could only afford to do one, so I figured I'd hit two birds with one stone.
In July I had to get new tires. I went with Yokohama Geolander A/T with the stock tire size, since I wanted an A/T tires but couldn't afford the taller tires. I also got the brakes checked out, and it turned out the Merc needed 4 new rotors, 2 new calipers, and brake pads all around. As I was testing the new brakes out, one of the low pressure power steering hoses broke, and that had to be fixed. All of this before a trip to Tennessee I was taking with my family (picture of the Merc next to the tent)
Oh, and I had to literally cut out the spare tire carrier because the previous owner backed into something and bent the latch so I couldn't get it back in. I had been thinking about using that space for a either a spare fuel tank or a water tank, so I at least know how much room I have to work with now.
Alright, with that out of the way, I'll tell you guys about the latest work I've done to it.
Last weekend I had some help from one of my friends and we got started on some storage systems for the Merc. The plan is for two separate units, one in the cargo area, and one where the driver rear seat is. We built the rear cargo cabinet, but it still needs to have a support wall in the middle, stained, and I need to find plastic bins that will fit in the top shelf. This unit will be camping and general gear storage. Cooking supplies, tent, sleeping bag, ect, will be organized and stored for easy access.
The front unit (that will go in the seat area) I'm planning on being tool storage. It'll have wrenches, hammers, rope, winch gear (when I get the winch installed), and it will be as tall as the rear storage so the two can act as a sleeping platform!
I have an ambitious project, and I'm excited for the work I'll be doing on it in the next year or two. There is PLENTY to do, between the overlanding items, the movie conversion items, and making sure everything overlaps nicely. All of the movie modifications will need to have practical applications on the trail. Thankfully, most of them seem to be adding armor to the ML, so the projects overlap in most regards.
Thanks for reading and I'll be back for more updates soon!
