10/8/12 Khl Clothing

1/2 www.kuhl.com/about/kuhlmog/
The Challenge
Take the ultimate off road vehicle and restore it to redesign and integrate a military
inspired body based on an original light reconnaissance vehicle that seamlessly
looks as if it was factory OEM: Original Equipment Manufacture. With these
inspirations of military vehicle functionality, Khl sought to take a 1972 UNIMOG to a
new aesthetic height without compromise to a UNIMOG's orignal intended
capabilities: The UNIMOG is a vehicle designed to accomplish almost any task. This
is the meaning of its name, if you will excuse our German: UNIversal-MOtor-Gert--
universal motor equipment. A UNIMOG drives itself to wherever and whatever the job
requirement put before it. With all the attachments available to it?s front/rear power
take offs (PTO) a Mog can operate any implement design from snow plows, hydraulic
arms, harvesters, and forestry tools.
The machine needed to be able to power itself anywhere, anytime. The UNIMOG is
capable of crossing over the roughest ground attempted by any four by four. It has
unrivaled traction properties due to its flexible frame ensuring tire contact.
The UNIMOG is a 4x4 vehicle with exceptional ground clearance due to its unique
portal gears. The cab design provides a driver with unprecedented visibility in order to
navigate and to operate auxiliary equipment. The gearing assures success in any
endeavor, climb, or crossing, including impressive abilities in fording water. Many
alpine towns use the UNIMOG for an impressive list of the municipalities needs, not
the least of which includes snowplowing clear the mountain roads. It is not an
exaggeration to say that a UNIMOG is truly the quintessential mountain vehicle.
A Khl Styled Alpine Truck
The Body
People think the body was factory spec! Some guess that Farina,
Ghia, or another legendary coach-builder may have developed the
body for Khl. No, it clearly demonstrates Khl's original and
authentic aesthetic sensabilities, using an innovative design that is
subtle yet clean, functional, and timeless.
"A car's elegance must be a symbol of nobility of soul. It must be
the means of elevating human spirit, a conquest of heart and mind
over matter."
For our inspiration, we looked to the Willys-Overland?s Jeep and its
iconic successor, the Toyota Land Cruiser. These vehicles and
their military specifications provided ideas and direction we put to
use in the KHLMOG's bodywork. Using the inspiration that the
truck should disassemble to change its configuration, the
KHLMOG's truck body comes in removable panels and doors.
Though each part is custom made, this facilitates replacements
due to damages incurred in off road endeavors, and allows it to
transform into a flatbed configuration. It is also convenient when
encountering obstacles where height or width considerations occur
that the truck needs to surmount. In short, it is among the ultimate
expeditionary 4x4's.
"We are going wherever the motors take us, and we are going as
elegantly as we can."
The Cab
In order to extend the driver's position rearward and install
performance bucket seats, we blew out the cab towards the back.
To insure structural integrity we meticulously and painstakingly
reinforced the roof and rear of the cab. In joining the rear of the cab
to the truck body, a fairing designed to aerodynamically stream the
wind and channel water away from the cab shows a fluent purity of
line: the coolest curve on the KHLMOG. This fairing's gusseted
joinery provides the flexibility between the cab and body necessary
for the off road performance capabilities provided by the flexible
frame.
The Body
Following military-type specifications for transformation, and
interchangeability, we designed the truck with removable panels.
First, the custom-made black aluminum roof rack and ladders
disassemble. Next, the roof lifts off. With the doors lifted from their
hinges, we may remove the front fairing attaching the cab to the
truck body. The two piece seal becomes water tight when the body
is together but easily comes apart with one piece staying with the
truck cab, and the one with the body-fairing staying at behind. Thus,
the KHLMOG transforms from a hard body truck into a pickup style
truck capable of hauling larger payloads where there is no concern
for inclement weather.
Mountain Men needed to be versatile: the ultimate Mountain
KHLMOG
Home / Khlmog
6 H D UF K I R U VR P H WK LQ J
SIGN IN
0 ( 1 : 2 0 ( 1 $ % 2 8 7 ` ( $ / ( 5 6 % / 2 * & 2 1 7 $ & 7
Items i n
10/8/12 Khl Clothing
2/2 www.kuhl.com/about/kuhlmog/
"A happy fusion of mechanics and art which contributes to render life in our present
time easier and more ennobled than at any previous time." The first step of an original
design is a sketch, in ink or colored crayon, on a piece of nine-by-12 paper. Then to
work: We stripped it down. Next, we welded and soldered into place the metal
framework of the new cab fairing and the cube truck body. The pice de rsistance of
the KHLMOG is the coachwork, but keep in mind... an automobile has many parts.
The Chassis
In restoring the KHL UNIMOG's drive train, we put it into working order with a specific
modification. Unimog's do suffer one complaint from four by four and military vehicle
enthusiasts: The upright driver position and awkward gear shift location.
Due to a production UNIMOG transmissions' placement towards the rear of the cab,
changing gears is almost behind the seat! This is acceptable when driving in either a
single gear for a long time (as when an implement might be used) but not for the
needs of driving from mountain town to mountain town with long mountain passes. (It
is also not convenient or comfortable for any one during off road challenges with their
inherent gear shifting requirements.)
We used the MB 300E steering shaft and spider gears and seamlessly integrated this
to the UNIMOG?s spider gearing. Along with the accompanying 300E?s steering
wheel, we successfully moved the driver?s position well back. The transmission stick
shift now resides rightly in a favorable shifting position.
The Steering Wheel
The padded steering wheel comes from a Mercedes Benz 300E and links to the
extended steering column from the MB 300E.
The Seats
The adjustable performance bucket seats provide needed comfort to drivers as tall as
six feet four inches. The KHLMOG makes a driver comfortable and relaxed, keeping
the driver from needless fatigue.
The Tires
Khl chose the Continental 365/80 R 20 MTB Radial for better transport and comfort
and improved gas mileage due to their large diameter. Nevertheless, make no
mistake; these tires are stock UNIMOG off-road tires on 9 x 22.5 steel wheels.
Expeditionary 4X4 should adapt, transform and transcend all
obstacles. Exhaustive detail work completes the KHLMOG:
accessories, seating, instrumentation.
Custom built aluminum roof rack: heavy-duty roof rack with cargo
basket and ladders. Adding capacity to carry enough cargo for any
enterprise.
The Headlights
The OEM high headlights operate by flipping a fuse. The placement
of them high above the everyday running lamps makes the use of a
forward implement (such as a snowplow) operable at night by
providing driving/operating lights when otherwise the implement
obscures them.
The Power Take Off
The Power Take Off's in the front and rear as shown in this
illustration can power a wide range of instruments manufactured by
many companies.
The Fuel
We use biodiesel to preserve the alpine environment when we
drive the KHLMOG. During the winter monthes we run a blend B-
20 diesel and Bio-fuel and in the summer we switch to the highest
Bio diesel blend available.
Bio Diesel
Bio diesel is available to us locally just down from KHL
headquarters in SLC, UT.
Hydraulic Awning System
There is one other design on the KHLMOG you might be
interested in: Our hydraulic awning system: it raises and lowers
with the sun. We followed windsurfing kite designs.
Look for the KHLMOG in Utah at Wasatch mountain ski resorts,
notably Snowbird (home of the Khl Has) and Alta, and at various
events such as the Telluride Blue and Brews in Telluride, Colorado,
or when the Khl bike team is racing. If you see us, stop by.
Sign up for Khl e-mails
SIGN-UP READ THE KHL STORY
0 ( 1 : 2 0 ( 1 $ %2 8 7 ) , 1 ` $ ` ( $ / ( 5 %/ 2 * & 2 1 7 $ & 7
Fol l ow Us:
1-800-252-3185 | Returns | Media | Pro Sales | Privacy | Site Map