project outline   the whole story   project partners   renderings body and frame marriage more pics first images       Millennium Adventure

The Jim Rogers GLK Project    Before it all started.... I have been involved with modifications of 4WD systems for more than a decade and as owner of several Mercedes-Benz Gelaendewagen, the world's most capable 4x4, I noticed in 1990, while tinkering with my vehicles, that both the Mercedes Gelaendewagen and the Mercedes-Benz 500SL shared the same wheel base and had almost identically tracks. "One day, so time permits, I will build an SL-G to tackle America's most difficult trails with a stylish, yet extremely capable Mercedes-Benz convertible." I promised himself. I put 1:39 scale model together and still sits atop my computer - however, my busy schedule never permitted the execution of my dream. When approached by Jim Rogers to help him create a convertible with 4WD running gear, I knew exactly which vehicles were needed for Jim's vision. Fortunately Mercedes-Benz' newest convertible, the SLK, still features the same wheel base as the old 500SL and Mercedes still produces the G300 - voila! To ensure highest building quality I recommended Metalcrafters, a world famous manufacturer of show cars and prototypes. And since my expertise is limited to the field of 4WD, I recommended Gerhard Steinle, former president of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design, for the project's design and manufacturing coordination of the GLK - a name derived from Mercedes G and Mercedes SLK. Mercedes-Benz shortly after completion of the project protected the GLK trademark and by now you can buy a Mercedes-Benz GLK - however completely different from the Jim Rogers GLK. Here is more...

Copyright © 1998-2009 Harald Pietschmann. All rights reserved.