[DirtyDan]

As near as I can figure, Mario Goldstein is some sort of German media personality who treks around the world and takes up several parking places wherever he goes with his Mercedes Actros, often denying people access to their ATMs. He also interviews people. He is here in Dharamsala yakking it up with the Dalai Lama today. His Actros is a 6x6 vehicle with custom quarters on the backside. There is also a telecommunication (TV) link thing built in near the rear.

It has wonderful huge knobby tyres about 4.5 feet high. Michelins. I figure the ten wheels and tyres alone are worth more than my Invader.

A typical set up for the actros is a 6 cylinder diesel making 470 BHP with 1,800 torque. I think there is a V-12 available, too. This thing is at least twice the size of a Unimog. It has a front axle and suspension that would give Arka a warm fuzzy.

Here are some pics.

[ashis89]

That machine is really Mean. One look at it and i have vivid memories of the missle laden army trucks. I wasn't aware of Mario Goldstein but now i looking for all his adventures.

PS-the pic with the 3 wipers and the one showing the underbody are great.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

Here are some pics.

That is one big mean machine. Did you get a chance to sneak inside for some interior pics as well?

[Fordmanchau]

Dan!
Cool pics!! and a very mean machine this is, but I can count only 8 tyres on it. 6 on the ground and 2 mounted on the rear!!!
Am I missing something ? You mentioned 10!!

The interior pics must be too good, I presume for Mario Goldstein.
He must be spending a lot on it's transportation though through different continents and countries.
Cool machine but

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

...Here are some pics.

Thanks for the pics, DirtyDan

Any pics of the rear-axles please ? The first of the two rear-axles seems to have provision for 2-wheels on each side.

Would love to see some pics of the rear suspension and prop-shafts.

[DirtyDan]

It was just after dawn when I chance stumbled on this. The owners were inside and I didn't want to disturb them with more shots.

Note the rear boom holding the 2 spare tyres. The boom swings down to the ground on hinges.

Two things impress.

1.) This thing is big. Note the steps in relation to the tyres below.

2.) It is a simple elegant design relying on superb components and materials
rather than gimmicks and complexity. What you can't see is Mercedes
reputation for a high level of production quality control.

[zipperone]

some history of how the truck was built. Its in german though

Mit einem Wasserwerfer zum Dalai Lama - YouTube

http://youtu.be/W_xHu_VCpiE

[SirAlec]

This is a pretty new vehicle. I have seen a 65 year old German couple traveling 30k kms in a 69' Mercedes fire truck converted to mobile home. there is a thread on this somewhere.

I am waiting for this guy to come to my city.

[DirtyDan]

Here's a couple more shots of the rear end. Both rear axles are drivers. There is a shaft from the first rear diff to the last one. Hence you have the problem of 3 axles traveling at different speeds with this 6x6. Also see that there is room for 4 more wheels on the rear axles. Some Actros 6x6 trucks are tippers, fire pumpers and other applications that carry much more weight than this RV configuaration. Hence a potential of ten tyres on the ground.

The drive shafts of this thing are about 8 inches in diameter. It is robust, for sure.

There is some kind of heavy linkage tube going into both rear diffs. It might have lockers, methinks.

[SirAlec]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

There is a shaft from the first rear diff to the last one. Hence you have the problem of 3 axles traveling at different speeds with this 6x6. There is some kind of heavy linkage tube going into both rear diffs. It might have lockers, methinks.

Scenario is same with our TATA 6x6 tipper too, nothing special.

any prominent images of the linkage.

[Blue Thunder]

Originally Posted by DirtyDan

Here's a couple more shots of the rear end. Both rear axles are drivers....

Thanks for the rear axle pics ! I was curious to see the type of suspension, since there are different types available for tandem-drive rear-axles. This one has the inverted leaf springs, and hence needs the leading/trailing arms for longitudinal/lateral location of the axles.

Amazing build quality visible even in pics