Cabriolet conversion
On e-bay what looks to have been a 3 door G-wagen van, "vandalised" to create a cabriolet. This looks to have been done to a high standard and the seller comments that there are only 17 such soft tops in the UK. I'd guess it was the only RHD van ever in the UK. Despite the quality of the work done a unique vehicle was destroyed
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mercedes-g-wagon-/232517392325?hash=item36231d...
I think that it was always a soft-top convertible. There were quite a few sold without rear seats for farmers and back in the day, some 3rd party company used to make replacement glass-fibre, hard-top, roofs for them with the upward opening rear window, which looks like what this had.
If you look carefully (12th and last pic), it still had the black-rubber strip around the top edge of the rear body. This has the holes in the corners to support the tubular frame for the soft-top. The plastic 'canvas' top also looks like a new genuine MB part.
Additionally, it has the drop-down tailgate. The real vans were LWB and had two doors at the rear. These convertibles had no rear seats for reduced VAT or vehicle duty purposes.. There was only a thick rubber-mat in the rear, no vinyl matting like the rear of a regular SWB estate, except for the bits on the wheel arches. The spare wheel was also mounted on a carrier inside the rear cab, just behind front seats.
Chassis looks in good condition.
I think it's just been restored to its original format.
(I have one of the 17 RHD - didn't think they were that few - and a friend had one that had been fitted with such a hard-top. But there may be confusion also between production numbers of this no-rear seat variant and the true cabrio that had rear seats)
Well, granted, it may look like one with the (removable) 'aftermarket' hard-top, but it came from the factory as a convertible with a soft-top. The W460 commercial van was a different vehicle, with a double door at the rear and a metal top, often with metal panels where the side windows would be.
There was also another cabrio version with a rear seats and a rear-mounted spare wheel and a folding top, which was easier to fully open and close.
Yes, I think it was only the UK that imported these without rear seats (for larger load area and reduced vehicle duty) and without the swing-out, spare-wheel carrier behind the rear tail-gate, but inside the cab (for quicker access to rear).. Mine was the same, but as mentioned above, all the features are there for replacing the rear seats etc, as I eventually did later.
it was one of these:
http://www.gwoa.co.uk/content/cabriolet-or-chopped-swb
This version came with a square, fixed-shape, but removable, frame to support the soft-top. There was another design with hinged, fold-down square hoops that was easier to open-up fully. Then, later,in the 463 version, a quarter panel was added to permit a hinged, powered, top.
I was just looking at prices on Mobile.de and they seem to be going through the roof for late-model, W663 cabrios, with c. 2010 models fetching 100,000 euros. There' even a Brabus version advertised for over Euro 225,000 The price of the W460 version must have been pulled-up by this and they are selling for around 30,000 with very high mileages and not in particularly great condition.
HI THIS IS MY CAR THAT SEEMS TO HAVE STIRRED THE NEST? AS FOR CREATING A CABRIO FROM A SWB IT IS HARD WORK, I HAVE TRIED IT .... SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIATIONS IN PANELS ,......
Been there done that and indeed very hard work
Where did the Recaros come from - they look great.
HI
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTS THE SEATS CAME OUT OF A 86 280 AND I HAD THEM RE TRIMMED AT A OLD UPHOLSTERER AND ADDED THE LEATHER .
THANKS AGAIN
IAN
what about the door cards?
Hi,I have a 1986 W460 cabrio. that was owned by MB for around 14 months then I bought it,owned ever since,gen 55K miles as it was in my garage for 15 years,great condition unmolested,wonder what it is worth,regards PeterB
Hi,I have a 1986 W460 cabrio. that was owned by MB for around 14 months then I bought it,owned ever since,gen 55K miles as it was in my garage for 15 years,great condition unmolested,wonder what it is worth,regards PeterB
Very interesting. Could you post some pics?
Assuming that it's not suffered whilst being garaged, my guess would be that it could fetch £25k - £30k from the right buyer looking for and appreciating originality.
A bit ironic were the cheapest G when new( and most economical) due to lighter weight!
Yes, indeed. Funny how things turn out.
Very interesting. Could you post some pics?
Assuming that it's not suffered whilst being garaged, my guess would be that it could fetch £25k - £30k from the right buyer looking for and appreciating originality.
Some details and a pic here: http://gwoa.co.uk/content/w460
so it was never a van?