The famous monastery is an important orthodox pilgrimage site, isolated on the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece. Ideally, they'd like the pilgrims to not burst into flames. This is where the Unimog U 5000-based Schlingmann firetruck provides a great service. Equipped with a 5,000-liter tank and two foam/water canons the Unimog is big enough to take on the fires of hell. Even better, it's been blessed by abbot Archimandrit Efrem. How do you top that?

Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5000 assists Athos monks in fire-fighting operations

A Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5000 with a fire-brigade body from Schlingmann has been blessed by abbot Archimandrit Efrem from Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos and put into service. The vehicle, which is equipped with a 5000-litre water tank and a 400-litre foam tank, will help the monastic republic to fight fire attacks and encroaching forest fires. If the Unimog U 5000 proves effective, a further 20 vehicles are to be procured by the beginning of 2010 in order to combat the frequent forest fires on the northern Greek peninsula of Halkidiki, where Mount Athos is situated.

The basis of the vehicle is provided by the Unimog U 5000 chassis with a maximum permissible gross weight of 14,100 kg. The body has been kept as low as possible, as a result of which the centre of gravity is below 1.50 metres. The vehicle's compact dimensions, with a width of 2.37 m, an overall height of 3 m and a length of 6.60 m, ensure the necessary manoeuvrability on the peninsula and in the surrounding forest areas. In addition to the above-mentioned tanks, the Schlingmann body also incorporates two front spray nozzles and a foam/water cannon with an output of 2400 l/min at 8 bar. The 5000-litre water tank is T‑shaped in the interests of improved axle-load distribution.

The world-famous monastery, which only men are allowed to enter, is visited by thousands of pilgrims every year. All the visitors, including prominent figures such as Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, or King Juan Carlos of Spain, enter the grounds of the over 1100-year-old monastery through a narrow gate, in front of which the Unimog U 5000 is parked.

Mount Athos is an Orthodox monastic republic which enjoys autonomous status under Greek sovereignty. It is situated on Athos, the eastern finger of the peninsula of Halkidiki in northern Greece. In all, there are 20 monasteries on Mount Athos. The capital is Karyes and the main port is Dafni. Mount Athos – the name refers to the peninsula as a whole – is separated from the mainland by a wall and is only accessible from the sea.

A visa is required in order to enter the republic. There are no routes leading from the mainland to the peninsula. Mount Athos and the port of Ouranoupolis – the only port from which the monastic republic and the port of Dafni can be reached by ferry – is approx. 140 km from Thessaloniki. The highest mountain on this peninsula reaches an altitude of around 2033 m. Vatopedi monastery is the biggest on Mount Athos and is situated on the peninsula's east coast.

Where else do you get daily-driven Peugeot 404s parked on the same block as mirror-world Mopars, just around the corner from a Renault-branded, Pininfarina-styled, Kaiser-engined Rambler Rogue? Evestay was way, way, waaay down south and shot these fine machines for us. Fiats galore, a Falcon, a Maverick, even a Unimog! Here's what Evestay has to say:

I'm not positive that it's a Cambridge. Is it an Oxford? Dunno.
The Jeep pickup might be cheating. I suspect that it hasn't moved in some time.
I *love* the rope hood fastener on the CX.
Enjoy

There are the projects that make your friends shake their heads in awe, and then there are the ones that just make them shake their heads, period. You lock yourself in the Hell Garage and tell yourself that the stench of sulfur is perfectly normal. We had a pair of old Lincolns win the last Choose Your Eternity poll, so we're going to see if Ford's luxury marque can keep the string going… against one of the most ridiculous- yet coolest- project trucks we've ever seen.

I prefer to use the CAPS LOCK key sparingly, if at all, but sometimes there's just no choice but to apply it to the name of a Hell Project. When you take a four-wheel-drive chassis from a one-off Alaskan snowplow and perch the body of a 404 Unimog on top: behold the might of MOGZILLA! We're not looking at your usual silly-body-bolted-onto-Blazer-chassis deal here; why, that wouldn't even be particularly hellish! These days, MOGZILLA doesn't quite look as nice as it did when the photos in the listing were taken (and wouldn't you know it, the seller can't seem to provide any shots of its current appearance), because… well, there was a little mishap: "While attempting to set a world record for longest water crossing in a monster truck (dont ask me, I had nothing to do with it) the truck got stuck in the Hudson river in NY and the running gear got water in it and eventually froze up and busted the rear axle gears. The owner tried to replace the rear axle with one from a U.S. Deuce and a Half truck, but to find out that it turned the opposite direction of the existing drivetrain. So now it sits." Right, so it's a mystery Alaskan snowplow chassis- the secrets of which are probably buried in a hole in the permafrost- with an equally mysterious (and dead) drivetrain that rotates in the wrong direction, and the body of a vehicle so beloved by its aficionados that they won't be able to restrain themselves from attempting to tear your throat out with their teeth the moment they see your monstrosity. No problem! Thanks to Ben for the tip.

Sometimes there's a project car that so embodies both sides of the totally cool/totally hell PCH philosophy that its appearance on eBay triggers a disturbance in the Van Allen Belt, jolting hundreds of Hell Project addicts from their slumbers and triggering a phenomenon known as Optimism In The Face Of Eternal Vehicular Torment Disorder (OITFOEVTD). OITFOEVTD- which should be included in the DSM any day now- causes its sufferers to believe that they are capable of bringing the most hopeless Hell Projects back to life, and this early-40s customized Lincoln is such a project. Within hours of its appearance online, I had several tips on it- thanks, guys!- and no doubt many of the rest of you are cursing me for bringing in even more bidding competition for your nightmare dream project. It's a 1941 Lincoln Custom limo chassis with a heavily customized body, which the seller theorizes was built between the mid 1940s and the early 1950s. A lot of talk about possible appearances in car magazines of that period follows in the description, but the upshot is that nobody seems to know the real history of this car… which doesn't keep it from having a reserve price of $17,900. It's got a Ford flathead V8 in it now, but of course it should be powered by a Lincoln V12, regardless of the dictates of 1947 hot-rodding fashion (if the brain worms noshed the last remaining specks of my rational mind and I purchased this fine machine, I'd immediately start shopping for a GMC Twin Six… and a bulletproof vest to protect me from whatever scary variety of purist would insist on this thing remaining Ford-powered). The seller seems to think it will be an easy project and implies that owning it would make even Billy Gibbons hisself look at his own collection and shake his head in despair. Of course! You can't go wrong here!

Yes, it's a freakin' Unimog parked in front of a charming Craftsman bungalow. And, yes, it really does live on the street in Alameda- I don't fake this stuff!


I won't attempt to speculate on the year and model, although a friend who knows military vehicles says it might be a U1300.


This is the first Unimog I've ever seen in person. It's actually not quite as huge as I'd been led to expect, but the ground clearance is absurd and the frame looks like it could survive a direct hit from a tactical nuclear device.


I think Mercedes should apply this interior look to all those damn luxo-SUVs they're selling. You don't need cupholders- you need switches you can operate while driving down a burning mountainside.


I'm sure my state's governor is very proud of his personal Unimog. Look at this thing!


That Florida Coast Guard plate is civilian issue, though it's likely the owner has something to do with the major Coast Guard base in Alameda.


Of course, the most important accessory is the Guinness bottle opener by the driver's door.

What the heck, let's have a poll to brighten our Monday gloom!

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Whether or not you think the Himalayan abominable snowman is a hoax, this Yeti is as real as getting capped in the nuts by a sock filled with flour. It's the product of master fabricator Rex Bailey, who built the monster Dodge atop 76" tractor tires and Mercedes Unimog axles. As appointed, the Cummins diesel-powered 3500 can power through snow up to three-feet deep. [Thanks to prplhaze for the tip.] – Mike Spinelli

Samson™ Helps Build Giant Snow Truck [Samson]

Related:
Your Moment of Arctic Zen: The Tankpedition!; Dashing Through the Snow, in a 492 Horse Sled [internal]

Why leave coolest car ever alone? When would a front-mounted, two-banger air-cooled boxer engine, the world's first CVT and real-wheel drive via goddamn rubber bands ever be enough? "Hey Vincent, let's load up the bed with ice and Heinies and go watch Spetters at the drive-thru, ja?" And yes, they're from the factory. Furthermore, its big brother could kick your Unimog's ass. We're dying here friends, simply dying. More Dutch-camino madness after the jump. – Jonny Lieberman

Related:
The Dutch Stole the Clutch: Jalopnik Goes DAF Crazy!; More DAF [internal]

This almost atones for the new Sebring. Fine, we're lying. It totally doesn't. But we do love the penchant for wackiness that the Chrysler acquisition (ahem, merger of equals) has brought to DCX. Case in point? The ForFun, a smart with Unimog running gear. 85hp, 194 lb. ft. and honking 26" wheels. Single-mode stereo that only plays the first two Dio albums optional, rabbits caught in the treads? Your responsibility.

Little feet [Hemmings]

Related:
Sandy Smart: The Next Fortwo [Internal]

Part of the reason that we think the F-650 Supertruck is dumb is that it's massive and doesn't seem to offer much in the way of utility. The Unicat EX45-HD, however is all utility. Plus, a nice step-above-Ikea Euro-modern interior. And a hidden storage bay for your quad. Instead of hollering, "I'm adventurous person!" in mock-Jayson-Blair tone, it quietly states, "I am a motherfucker serious about my leisure. Now kindly step aside before you are summarily processed into mincemeat by my exceptionally large tires."

Unicat

Related:
Maximog: When a Unimog Just Isn't Enough [Internal]

Just in case you didn't get quite enough of the Brabus-fondled U-Class, reader Matthias pointed us in the direction of another article (again in German, natch) with more pics of the monster truck. He also says they're about as common in Bavaria as dually pickups are in Texas, which is funny and rather appropriate, as we've always thought of Bayern as the Texas of Germany.

Unimog U 500 Black Edition [Gelaendewagen.at]

Related:
Brabus Mercedes-Benz U-Class: FunMog 2005 [Internal]

German tuning house Brabus took a short-wheelbase Mercedes-Benz Unimog and turned it into the German version of a Texas-sized pickup. The "FunMog 2005" doesn't have a proper Brabus engine kit (how sick would that be?) — it's got the Unimog's stock 280hp. According to Google Translate, it has "various lining dung parts" that "radiate in the carbon Look." Hmm. Johnson, a little help? [Thanks to Ian for the tip.]

U500 Black Edition [Ehmann Web]

Related:
Maximog: When a Unimog Just Isn't Enough [internal]

If your general-issue Unimog just isn't go-anywhere, do anything, crush-anyone enough for you, might we suggest the Maximog? Built on a modified 'Mog chassis, the Maxi can ford five feet of water, comes with its own remotely-operated airplane and undersea vehicle carried in a full-custom trailer along with a motorcycle, and is designed to keep its occupants comfortable in conditions ranging from 70 below to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Powered by a 360hp LS1, the also features a 137-decibel horn, presumably to scare off recalcitrant road-blocking wildebeest. [Thanks to Matt for the tip.]

Maximog

Related:
Resort Builds Hummers-Only Off-Road Course [Internal]