Marc,
At the end of the day, wether its good, bad or otherwise, if your happy with your Iltis, thats all that should matter.
I poured my heart and soul into a MUTT with all of its design flaws and lacking real collector value as its "Cut". At the end of the day, its what I wanted to own. I wouldn't expect someone who rolled one, froze on winter Ex doing Radio Watch in one, or torched them in half wanting to run out and own one anymore than I would want an Iltis.
It doesn't make it any less of an MV worthy of preserving.
The fact that psuedo off-roaders are soaking them up doesn't really surprise me. Compared to a new Quad, they are still pretty cheap and fairly well equipped for some weekend warrior woods action. As you said, you can highway drive them home. They are still new enough that Engines and Driveline are holding up. Once these components start failing in quantity, they'll go to the same fate as many 38s, 38A1s and 151's did, rusting in fields and behind sheds. How they stack up to an M38, M38A1 or a 151A2 off-road really seems like a moot point really to me now. Most serious restorers or collectors aren't pushing them to their limits cross-country.
Scotty
|