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Once little more than simple workhorses, these days, restored Ford Broncos and Land Rover Defenders can be elevated into automotive works of art. Now, New Jersey-based Expedition Motor Company is giving the same treatment to Mercedes-Benz “Wolf” Geländewagens — the military-grade ancestors of the modern G-Wagen.
And it’s safe to say their latest build, titled “The White Wolf,” is nothing short of exquisite.
The truck is a 1991 250GD that spent its previous life in European military service. Expedition Motor Company put more than 1,000 hours into a frame-off restoration. Components were “media-blasted” down to the bare metal to remove corrosion. Expedition rebuilt and refurbished the original and rock-solid Mercedes 2.5-liter diesel engine, as well as the five-speed manual transmission.
Expedition kept some original details, like the side hooks used for military airlifts, but added some considerable upgrades to this Wolf as well. It has a bespoke interior, with marine-grade brown vinyl and diamond pattern floormats, as well as upgraded but still vintage-looking HVAC and stereo systems. The White Wolf also received Eibach springs and Bilstein monotube shocks to improve the ride quality.
While those impeccable Bronco and Defender builds can go for mind-blowing six-figure sums, Expedition Motor Company’s Wolfs are comparatively affordable. The base price for a build is $90,000, and the White Wolf build, with some options, came to $92,150.
That’s not inexpensive, by objective means. You can get a new Land Cruiser for that. But considering the current market for vintage off-roaders and the labor involved in making it, it’s practically a steal.
