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T.Schuhe
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Olympia, Washington State, USA
Vehicle(s): 460 1985 LWB 300GD five speed
Posts: 711
| Retirement of My Gwagen
This past month, I made the difficult decision to retire my 1980 300 GD Cabrio. It is not a full, up on blocks retirement, but a reduced use retirement. I have not had the time to use the vehicle very much over the past three years, although it was, until recently, in use for many remodeling projects and trailer towing jobs. Also, the vehicle is a very low mileage and clean G, and I feel that some of these fine vehicles need to be protected in as near stock form as possible. I have even kept the original Becker radio and related factory items as when new.
Under the current insurance arrangements, I have the G listed as a classic (must be at least 25 years old) and I can use it for show and other limited activities - keeping it to 1,200 miles annually. What I get in return is an insurance fee that drops from around $650 (full coverage) annually to $127 annually. My coverage includes no deductable comprehensive and no deductable full coverage collision - for 100% of value. Value has been established by bank appriasal when I bought the G 7 or 8 years ago, and via an assessment done recently by an appraiser.
The reasons for doing this is that I have four vehicles for two drivers, and the G is rarely used now that the biggest remodel work is finished. The 2001 Cherokee Jeep with its new hitch, has inherited the trailer towing tasks. While this change has worked well enough, the differences in vehicle weight, and torque vs horsepower, are apparent. The G actually does the trailer towing job much better than the Jeep.
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DesertStar
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Vehicle(s): 85-280GE/95-G320/08-G500
Posts: 2156
| RE: Retirement of My Gwagen
Sounds like you did your homework. When I first read your title of your post, I immediately called the airlines while logging on to my savings account status thinking "here is my chance to get a cherry diesel G". I then clicked on the post and read on, logged out and hung up the phone.
Take care, Mike |
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gwagen460swb
Extreme Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Vehicle(s): 280GE SWB, Toyota Highlander, BMW530i, RR HSE
Posts: 513
| Re: Retirement of My Gwagen
Pheeeewwww!!! For a moment I was interpreting the title of your post as though you were going to sell your G. After reading, it sounds like you are not.
I am glad to hear you are keeping it. It sounds like you take very good care of your G. I hope people at those "shows and other limited activities" will see and have a greater appreciation for what you have done with your G. |
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Roch207
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Palmetto State
Vehicle(s): 2005 E320 CDI, 2010 Silverado 2500HD
Posts: 3749
| Re: Retirement of My Gwagen
I hope you got her a gold watch. I too was hoping she was for sale. Oh well, hope she enjoys her retirement. |
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T.Schuhe
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Olympia, Washington State, USA
Vehicle(s): 460 1985 LWB 300GD five speed
Posts: 711
| Re: Retirement of My Gwagen
I am charging a fairly reasonable stud (sire) fee (Bier) for anyone whose G is a mare...and needing specialized service.  |
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hipine
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: US, CO, Bailey
Vehicle(s): 460 1980 280GE w. 617A
| RE: Retirement of My Gwagen
Bummer Thomas. I hope 1200 miles a year is enough. I've been involved with a number of "museum piece" Gs lately that seem to have more probelms from sitting than from driving. It seems being parked up for months at a time was not in the design specs for these fine vehicles. Things that would never miss a beat in a hundred thousand miles of driving seem to go away relatively quickly with static age. Keep a high quality diesel storage additive in the tank and system at all times and a Battery Tender on the battery, and do (let/s see, what's the math.....1200/50 =) ???24???? miles a week?????? Yikes..... given that a 24 mile drive will serve only to load the exhaust with corrosive acids, I guess you'd better make that a hundred mile drive once a month. And hope those don't strart to turn into the monthly trip to discover what's gone awry next. Good luck! -Dave G. |
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T.Schuhe
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Olympia, Washington State, USA
Vehicle(s): 460 1985 LWB 300GD five speed
Posts: 711
| RE: Retirement of My Gwagen
Hi Dave,
Yes, I have been considering all of these issues, and suspect that as time passes, I may have to use the "long trip option" more often. The way this is suppose to work is if I plan to go somewhere further away, I just left them know and they recalibrate the coverage...and the cost. I am hoping that this will keep the G happy.
I did acquire a stainless steal exhaust system from a friend who went from the original engine (diesel) to a turbo, which requires the larger exhaust diameter. This may help keep that single issue in check. But, I do agree that static age is sometimes my harmful than routine use. I may be driven by reality to send the G down the road if I see that I am doing more harm than good to this vehicle.
How goes the transplant plans? I may have missed your updates on this project, so forgive me if you have reported on this and I have missed your missives.
Best wishes,
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hipine
Date registered: Jul 2006
Location: US, CO, Bailey
Vehicle(s): 460 1980 280GE w. 617A
| RE: Retirement of My Gwagen
Okay then.....as long as long trips are still an option. I AM going to drag you out to a halfway meeting one of these days. Cheryl and the kids and I are heading up to Dai's in early November. Any chance of a meeting around then? I should have everything in place to do the motor swap when I get back from my San Juans trip in a week. I just have to pick up the flywheel from the guy who's had it over a friggin' month for balancing (went with a recommendation over my gut feeling.....big mistake) and I should be ready to go. Q also has been warned that all my asistant wrenching on G-zilla is going to come due and he's expected to change his address to 182 Twilight Terrace Dr. until the swap is complete. Snow will be flying before long (we never make it to Halloween) so this will be my next big priority. Oh yeah....I forgot one other thing. I was actually able to work out a swap with Warren to get a set of his motor mounts that move the engine forward a scoche to help oil pan clearance of the axle. Can you believe he actually needed the flanges from my old blown transfer case? I also sent him the flange nuts and crush sleeve I bought in error, as well as a "new style" side cover for the t-case (so it'll be a bolt-up to his new-style chassis). In return he's sending me a set of motor mounts and the "old style" side cover he has so we'll both be able to keep spare t-cases on the shelf complete with the correct side cover. I love it when a plan comes together! I still don't have the granny-low trans, but it's close to coming. In the mean time I'll put the parts-truck 4-speed in and just drive it over the winter. All the best, -Dave G. |
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T.Schuhe
Elite Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Olympia, Washington State, USA
Vehicle(s): 460 1985 LWB 300GD five speed
Posts: 711
| RE: Retirement of My Gwagen
Dave,
Well this is exciting. Dai and I have talked about trying some of his new wine...or is old wine in new sacks? Either way, that might be possible. I do have to be in Hollywood for a professional conference early Nov. I will recheck the dates and see when that is exactly. It would be very cool to meet in Plyamouth...that is not the correct spelling, but not too far off. My nephew, wife, and three kids live in New Port, OR. Just up the road 30 miles on the coast from Dai. It would be hoot to meet at Dai's vineyard. New Port Beach is always warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You will not know how to act coming from your address.
This is great news, since I have been frustrated that I have never connected with Dai due to my crazy (largely self imposed) work schedule. Another friend in these parts has just completed his own conversion of his short wheel base G. He is now up and running. It might be really instructive to see how he has done his rig. Yes??
Let us know the date, and I will do the math.
Tom |
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