10.03.2022One of the best-known and most reliable pack donkeys presents itself from its best side

He belongs to the most popular vehicles in Germany. Whether in agriculture, for city cleaning or for the fire brigade, the Unimog is used in many places. The engineer and draftsman of the Unimog, Hans Zabel, gave the "universal motor device" (German: "Universal-Motor-Gerät") its name when he handwritten this name on one of the first drawings. In the end, there were eleven different models for the Unimog 406 alone that the customer could choose from. In today's blog we present two of the models from the label Schuco. The blue version of the Schuco 406 has a closed roof, while the green version is available as a cabriolet with an opening roof. The Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 from Schuco are both limited to just 1500 pieces. In addition to an opening tailgate and steerable front wheels, the doors of the models can also be opened. You can also move the tipping mechanism of the loading area. The interior is faithfully reproduced in detail from the original that was manufactured in the Mercedes-Benz plant in Gaggenau. The details on the substructure of the Unimog are replicated, as is the obligatory cable winch. For collectors of commercial vehicles, both models from Schuco can almost be a must-buy.

The Unimog achieved its breakthrough when farms switched from manual to machine-controlled work. In the 1960s, the economy in the tractor and agricultural machinery segment was booming. The 406 was originally planned for this purpose. It got a six-cylinder engine and tires specially developed by Dunlop and Continental. Due to the increased engine power compared to its predecessor, the drive train and transmission were revised on the 406. In 1961 came the first prototype, which was initially tested camouflaged without a Unimog logo and also without a Mercedes star. The 406 model was then officially presented at the DLG exhibition in Munich in 1962. In the first year of production, 800 vehicles of the 406 series were produced. The series was adapted almost every year in the following years. From the revision of the engine and the portal axles to the modification of the exterior mirrors and the adjustment of the seats from an ergonomic point of view, the Unimog has been continuously developed.

The Unimog 406 has a total of eleven different models. However, the model 121 with the closed cab remains the most popular. 96% of all Unimog correspond to this model. Initially, the 406 had an engine that produced 65 hp. The power later increased to 84 hp. Almost 100,000 vehicles from Daimler-Benz from eight different series were produced from 1962 to 1994, belonging to a medium-heavy model family whose foundation was laid by the 406. The model family includes models that differ in terms of wheelbase and engine power, but are all based on the Unimog 406, either technically or visually. If you like it a little faster, you can even tune the Unimog. However, this is rather complex. Originally, the engine of the Unimog actually delivered 96 kW and was throttled for use in the Unimog. If you want to remove the throttle and use the full engine power, however, some adjustments are necessary. On the one hand, the clutch and transmission have to be modified because the transmission is only designed for an input torque of 264.8 Nm. The oil bath air filter of the original engine must be replaced with a paper air filter. Finally, the engine's injection pump has to be replaced, since the standard injection pump cannot be adjusted for increased engine performance.

Gallery