At this point, the LS swap is basically the restomod industry’s factory setting. Old Bronco? LS. Land Cruiser? LS. Even Expedition Motor Company, the New Jersey outfit that’s built its entire business restoring ex-military G-Wagens, will gladly wedge a 430HP V8 into one of its trucks (we covered their Bundeswehr camo commission a few months back).
And that’s exactly what makes EMC’s newest project so refreshing: a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 250GD Wolf, drenched in Magma Beam Orange, that never strays from the Mercedes family tree.
Keeping It in the Family
The Wolf originally shipped with the OM602, a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter five-cylinder diesel that will happily run for a million miles. It just won’t get anywhere quickly while doing it, with a whopping 84 horsepower on tap.
For this commission, EMC turned to the OM605a, the OM602’s direct descendant. Same 2.5-liter five-cylinder architecture, but with dual overhead cams and a turbocharger in the mix, output climbs to 225 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque. That’s nearly triple the stock figure from an engine that’s still Benz through and through, all routed through a Mercedes 717-series 5-speed manual.
Safety Orange, Sort Of
The paint is Magma Beam Orange, a genuine Mercedes shade rather than some custom mixed one-off, and EMC wisely blacked out everything else to let it scream. The steel front bumper and bullbar carry a Warn winch and Baja Designs pod lights, while headlamp guards, indicator guards, fender flares, and a roll cage round out the exterior kit.
Underneath it all sit forged 17-inch Stahl wheels, also finished in black. The whole thing reads like a rescue vehicle for a particularly well-funded ski patrol, and we’re really digging the vibe.
A Doppio Shot Inside
The cabin gets dual-tone Doppio and Nasturtium leather, which translates to espresso brown and burnt orange. Stained oak trim and contrast stitching across the dash and steering wheel dress things up further.
Crucially, though, EMC left the Wolf’s flat, no-nonsense dashboard architecture and analog gauges alone. This is still a military truck at heart, just one that got into a very good tailor.
Model: EMC 250GD Wolf
Donor Vehicle: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 250GD (W461)
Engine: Mercedes-Benz OM605a 2.5L turbodiesel five-cylinder
Power: 225 HP & 300 lb-ft of torque
Transmission: Mercedes 717-series 5-speed manual
Exterior: Mercedes-Benz Magma Beam Orange
Interior: Dual-tone Doppio & Nasturtium leather, stained oak trim
Wheels: Forged 17″ Stahl, black
Pricing & Availability
This particular Wolf is a one-off commission, but EMC will happily build you your own. Restorations start at $185,000, with the OM605a turbodiesel adding $25,000 on the configurator. Head over to Expedition Motor Company’s website to spec yours out.
Recap
1990 Mercedes-Benz 250GD Wolf by Expedition Motor Company
EMC nearly triples the vintage G-Wagen’s output with an all-Mercedes 225HP turbodiesel swap, wrapping its latest Wolf commission in Magma Beam Orange over blacked-out hardware.
