Our Vehicle

Having decided on the MB 1017A as our choice of base vehicle, we then set about the task of trying to find one.  The best place to buy these vehicles is in Germany. The West German Army (Bundeswehr) own thousands of 1017's and  regularly sell them via Government Auction sites such as Vebeg.

Having watched  hundreds of these vehicles go to auction  we naturally assumed that buying one would be a simple enough task . How wrong could we be .
We identified an up and coming auction and established that there were over 50 1017A's scheduled for sale and could be viewed prior to sale at a  Bundeswehr  compound in Meßstetten.
An appointment was made and we were granted two hours to look at the vehicles . Our great friends Ellen and Perry joined us. Perry not only owns a 1017A but is also a mechanic. I was relying on him to identify one or two trucks that were worthy of bidding on in the auction. We looked at all the trucks in the pouring rain and then Perry dropped the bombshell by declaring that they were all good.            That helped…..

Over the next few days a cunning money making plan was hatched and between ourselves and Ellen and Perry and we placed some respectable and some cheeky bids on 12 trucks. The night before the auction we were quite nervous about the consequences of our foolishness.   We needn’t have worried we didn't win anything. We did however discover that buying a vehicle via Vebeg was nearly impossible as big truck traders buy all of them in one batch and they will always out gun you in the bidding process.
Feeling quite despondent we went away for the weekend with Ellen and Perry to Hanomag Rally.  Whilst there Perry made it his goal to find us a 1017A.  As luck would have it he located one which was owned by a guy called Frank who made Water and Fuel tanks for trucks ( FT Design ) .  
 
He had a 1017A for sale and we went to see it at his premises in Karlsruhe.  Perry looked at the vehicle for a couple of hours and identified a few very minor faults.  Frank agreed to make all the  repairs and change the batteries   and we then became to proud owners of "Cloud 9" our very own 1017A.

The vehicle had been bought from the army about 6 months before and had lived in the back garden of Franks factory ever since. 

Original Vehicle Spec. ( As Purchased )

Model:                                         Daimler Benz   1017A
Year:                                            Dec 1988
Engine Capacity:                         5675 cc  ( Water Cooled )
Fuel:                                            Diesel
Cylinders:                                    6  In Line
Power:                                         172 PS   ( 127 KW) at 2800 rpm
Injection Pump:                            Bosch
Electrics:                                      24 Volt
Batteries:                                      2 x 95Ah ( 2 x 12v in Series  )
Transmission:                               5 speed.
Axle Config :                                 Rear wheel Drive or 4x4
Diffs:                                             Pneumatic Rear Lock
Gross vehicle Weight:                   12200 Kg
Payload:                                       5400 Kg ( Min )
Wheelbase:                                  3600 mm
Dimensions:                                  7190 mm x 2470 mm
Turning Circle:                              17.5 MtrsTyres:                                     10R 22.5  ( twin wheels on Rear )
Top Speed:                                    85 kmph