Bought two miiltary trucks

Too bad I'm poor, I'd love to have the 6x6 semi to convert into a camper :)

Semis went pretty cheap today, at $3,000 or so

If the hours and miles on that 5 ton are correct, you stole it. That thing would make a great base for a fire dept brush truck.

On 5/31/2013 6:09 AM, Steve W. wrote: ...

I'm sure they're right for that instrument cluster; now when it was replaced in that truck is another question... :)

There's a lot of cosmetic rust showing so the vehicle has been around a while. Now it may have been a Reserve unit vehicle so wasn't doing anything but sitting around, so may in fact be almost unused. If so, it'd be interesting to estimate the cost/mile to taxpayer...what do you suppose initial acquisition cost is for one of these puppies???

I will let you know how it turns out...

I am sure that it was rebuilt,.

Do not get too stuck on the cost per mile. These trucks were kept around in case a large scale war breaks out. Be glad that it did not break out, but if it did, the trucks would have been useful. And it is possible that it did not break out because the US was ready for a large scale war.

Did you see it beforehand or just take a flier online? I spent about that much on a manlift eBay auction sight unseen on word or the broker and that it had to have a current OSHA certification to be transferred as other than salvage...that was almost 10 yr ago and it's had some needed repair but has well repaid the investment in the barn re-roofing, repainting house (2story frame farmhouse) and other uses around the place including as mundane as trimming trees and as oddball as setting up a new tv antenna on the pole w/o taking it down and the weather station given by son as Christmas one year...

Not upset but it is interesting to consider how much money goes so many places....whether it was or wasn't worth the expenditure is impossible to determine, specifically.

Gonna have fun with both in city traffic. Not that they arent nimble..but the onlookers and other drivers will be jaw dropped and confused.

Nice!!

We see a number of the first one - desert camo moving on various carriers. I figure some of the farms and ranches are picking some.

The local guard is into Tanks and Cannons. Heavy toys.

W> >

Im sure Iggy can find tire auctions as well...or when he picks em up..have a $100 bill in his pocket and tell the maint guys he would sure love some tires in case he gets a flat or 6. Might be able to drive out the gate with a load of good rubber he could put up till he needs em.

I drove one of these around Germany.

It was my least favorite vehicle in city traffic and no fun at all on the Autobahn, though it was actually a bit faster than my ancient VW. jsw

I was just hoping, to use the M931A2 as a semi tractor, for city use and not line hauling.

Why was it the least favorite vehicle in the city? Was it just because it was a large van truck? Or was there a specific reason, something bad about that kind of truck in particular?

Isn't that a Deuce? Gotcher kidney belt on?

On 6/2/2013 8:08 AM, Ignoramus4028 wrote: ...

We had one adapted for feedtruck and local electric co-op had one w/ pole boom on it (many) years ago...I'd venture the "why" is that they're bad for vision, turning radius is terrible, brakes are nothing to brag about and they just generally were not intended for anything other than straightahead driving w/ the ability to handle hard terrain more significant than ease of highway use.

They basically are just not anywhere nearly as maneuverable as a road tractor. Not been in a newer of vintage more like what you got; perhaps they've been made more "driver friendly" since but I'd not expect much when it comes to handling in confined spaces...

Used to run a WW2 vintage Dodge Power Wagon as a tow truck back in the '60s and '70s. Lots of low end grunt, no speed to speek of, and the heater only worked in the summer, and the AC in the winter. A serious boneshker with chains on all 4 military standard tires, but it would go through (almost) anything. I got it stuck in a snow drift and it took 2 road graders and a highway plough (6X6) to get it out!!!

I know that M939 series trucks are a little friendlier.

Yes it is. The weight of the box and the heavy safe inside gave it a slightly better ride than the unloaded stake-bed version. It wasn't too bad on smooth, spacious modern roads but the unbombed parts of cities had some cobblestone streets of medieval width.

It didn't help that I got the necessary truck endorsement on my license without ever driving one, and I learned the hard way after transferring to another post where my first assignment was to take a truck back to pick up other troops, at night on foreign roads I'd only seen once riding in, in the opposite direction.

Actually being sent out on some mission with no training or preparation was typical of my whole Army experience from the first day. I've never had to be as independently self-reliant before or since. It seemed as if they wanted the college boy to fail. I bought a VW and stocked it with maps, food and warm clothing so I wouldn't be in trouble or excessively visible if I got lost, and could lock the inconspicuous car and spend the night in a quaint, remote Gasthaus.

BMWs are very well matched to German road conditions, wide and clumsy US Army trucks aren't. jsw