OUR VEHICLE!
Here it is... our expedition vehicle.. do you like it? It's a Unimog...
A Uniwhat? A Unimog. In short: a Mercedes Benz army truck. If you want to know more about the car and why we picked it, this is the page to be. If you want to see more pictures of the car, go to our photo gallery.
Want to find out what makes Unimogs special? Do you know where they were first made and why? Do you think they have anything to do with the Germany army? How is a Unimog different than another car?
During Sept-Dec 2005, we had a Car Naming contest. Jared G. from Northampton Area Middle School,Pennsylvania, USA, had the winning name: TINY The Tire Tracks team really liked the reason he gave for the name..."reverse psychology." |
If you want to to read some more, check out the info below. How to decide?; Other cars driven through Africa; 4WD/2WD?; Why pick 4WD?; Tire Tracks pick; History; Fun Facts; All kinds of Uses; Technical bits; More on TT's unimog; Helpful Links
How do you decide what type of car you want to drive through Africa?
When you try to decide on a vehicle for Africa, you need to first consider how diverse the landscape and climate is of the countries you plan to visit, as well as the purpose the car will serve.
You may want to ask yourself these questions:
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What other factors do you need to consider? Click to read more.
back to topWhat types of cars have driven through Africa before?
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Throughout the years, all types of cars have driven overland through Africa -from ordinary, conventional 2WDs to purpose-built 4WDs. |
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From Citroëns to Land Rovers, Peugeots to Beach Buggies, motorcycles to Land Cruisers, Kombis to Unimogs, the list of cars that have traveled through Africa is very long. Want to learn more? Click here.
back to topWhat is the difference between a 4WD and a 2WD?
There are many reasons why we selected a 4WD for our expedition through Africa. First and foremost, 4WD vehicles are built to withstand harsh traveling conditions, meaning the car doesn't break down every time you hit a pothole in the road. Although there are many good roads in many of the 53 African countries, there are also many dirt, sand and corrugated roads as well.
Misconception: Many people think that all driving in Africa requires a 4WD. This is definitely not true! You can drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg in South Africa in a 2WD and many other places as well! |
Remember that one of the best ways to determine what cars work best in Africa is to check out what the locals drive in the areas you are visiting. After all, the people that live in a certain place know best what works and doesn't work.
Want to check out the list of Pros and Cons that we put together to help us make our choice? Click here for 2WD and here for 4WD.
Why pick a 4WD?
Given the road conditions we will be driving through in 35+ countries in Africa, the choice to take a 4WD was an easy decision for us-we never even considered a 2WD! The cons of the 2WD do not make it an attractive option for us, since we will be driving almost every day for 2+ years, in a variety of countries and conditions, and also demand the security, reliability and space many 4WDs offer.
So what did the Tire Tracks team pick and why?
For the last year, we have been back in forth between a Land Cruiser 4WD, all sorts of Land Rover 4WD models (110, 101, 130), different kinds of trucks (MAN, Bedford, etc.), and have made our final decision after spending tireless hours reading, researching, and talking to lots of experienced people. So the decision is...
........a UNIMOG 404............ |
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But what is a UNIMOG? |
That is exactly what we said when we came across them! Read more about our unimog here.
Surprisingly enough, the Unimog 4WD trucks are used in virtually every country in the world, although they are sometimes disguised as other types of vehicles (there isn't just one standard type of unimog!). There are a variety of models of the Unimog that are used from snow removal to tree trimming, ambulance to fire engine, farming to extreme driving. (See Uses below).
Our decision
Our decision to buy a Unimog came down to a few key criteria: it has the reliability, durability, space and security that is best suited for us to drive through 35+ African countries for over 2 years, while delivering stories, videos and pictures to you each day! |
Why the Unimog 404?
Want to know why? Want to know the Positive and Negative aspects? Click here.
back to topOverview
The Unimog, a series of 4WD 'road tractors' created after WWII, was originally to be used as a powerful, slow-moving tractor for Germany's turnip harvest. From the moment it was produced, the Unimog proved to be superior to any other agriculture vehicle and would come to be known as a vehicle of reliable operation and agility in the most inhospitable terrain. Daimler-Benz continues to manufacture the Mercedes Unimog. The original model, Unimog-S 404, which still is used by many today (including the Tire Tracks expedition team), was only produced between 1955 and 1980.
The history of the unimog is fascinating. If you want to check it out, click here.
Production Fun Facts
Did you know that it wasn't until 1955 that the original ox head logo on the Unimog's hood was replaced by the famous Mercedes three-pointed star?  The star represents land, sea, and air. |
| Common misconceptions hold that the Unimog was designed as a military vehicle, and some say it was specifically for the German Army. But at the time the Unimog was developed, there was no German Army. |
| The first Unimog (U25) only had 25 hp and could only reach speeds of 52 km/h (32 mph). |
| Did you know that the track width was designed with potatoes in mind? 1,270 millimeters corresponded to two rows of potatoes. |
What the Unimog can do
| Unimog vehicles have competed in the Paris-To-Dakar race and have won many times! |
Cost
| The price of the Unimog 404 when it was introduced was $10,558 US. |
| The Unimog introduced in April of 2000 by Daimler Chrysler offers a variety of improvements including the new VarioPilot system that allows the steering wheel to be quickly switched from driver's to passenger's side. |
Numbers & Years
| Did you know that over 64,000 Unimog 404s were made between 1951 and 1980? |
| Not only was it a hit with the farmers, the French occupation forces were so impressed that they purchased two of every three built Unimogs in 1950-51, becoming the Unimog's first military customers. |
Want to check out more Fun Facts? Click here.
Uses of the Unimog
The Unimog has been (and still is) used in many different lines of work and for many different uses. They have been used in the military, snow removal, expeditions, fire fighting, as ambulances, radio vans, utility uses, and railroads.
Click here to check it out the different models.
Ever thought about how big the UNIMOG is? Would you want the back to look like if you were going to live in it for 2 years-- want to make a design? You can compare it to what we come up with. Take a look at the Technical specs of our UNIMOG here.
You've seen it, haven't you? OUR UNIMOG
..nameless.old (over 30 years old)..and with not 1 computerized feature (no auto anything!).......and can only go 95 kph (59 mph)..but she is ready for an expedition of a lifetime. |
Our Mog, is a 1966 Unimog S 404.1, an ex-Germany army vehicle.
Characteristics |
Want to read about the previous owner and when we bought it? Read about it here.
Want to know what sources we used or where some helpful links are? Click here.
Want to read all the additional info we have on the car? Click here.
