Anyone want to rescue a M211?

[peter34668]

About 5 miles from my house is an early 50s M211. It belongs to an older man who used it to go back and forth to his off the grid mountain camp. He is now too old to use the cabin and the deuce has been sitting.

Because I am known around here for my collection of retired military trucks it has been offered to me many times. I have declined it the first time because it was mid-winter and not accessible. I declined it a second time because it was too far parked in a wet field and I don't really want the truck enough to rescue it. I was contacted again this time by a third party that it was started and brought close to the road.

I did go check it out this past Sunday and found it has indeed been moved close to the road. I should mention the road is a hardly used class 6 road the travels to the top of the mountain and the deuce is near the top. Its a very long way down!

The M211 now has a flatbed on it and I can see its a gas / automatic. It also has no brakes whatsoever. Frankly unless it was mint its not really something that excites me. If it was nearer to the base road I would offer scrap value and tow it home with my M636a2 and perhaps tinker with it but to retrieve it its more than my one man (me) operation can handle.

There is a running bulldozer on the property that perhaps one could to slow its freeroll down the mountain.

So that brings me to the point. The fact is I don't want the truck but I also hate seeing a retired truck this old and this not rusty sit. I also know that once someone buys that property or the gentleman passes it will be scrapped. The man is not giving it away but from what I was told 3 times he isn't asking much more than scrap value. So if anyone here wants it just let me know and I will make the introductions, show you the truck and as a fellow enthusiast I would help you in any way I can to get the truck down the mountain.

Below are some pics I took Sunday. If there is anyone interested let me know.

 

[swbradley1]

I like the idea of using a bulldozer to slow its descent.

 

[BillF]

I wish had the space for it.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Really cool story, thanks for the pics. The steering wheel, bumper and hood look pretty good so hope it finds a home. bump
It sounds and looks like the truck retired a long time ago and I could listen forever to the stories the Owner has about it. His photo album could be good.
Always wish I could help, it'd be fun chaining an M636 to the back of the M211 shifting into low/level and head down the mountain.

Sadly, the big, green, round nose deuces are tough to tame and don't get enough attention....here's hoping that changes.

 

[Ripcord01]

Wow. I hope that it is rescued. It would be a shame to see it sit there and rot. Is it possible to get a Tractor with a flat bed up the mountain?

 

[maddawg308]

That would definitely be great practice for a recovery operation. NH is WAY up in the middle of nowhere, though, not a lot of Steel Soldier members in the great white north. If you can't find anyone to help you out, perhaps you can find someone who can cut it up for the good parts, and scrap the remainder? It's not ideal, we all want to save it all, but if you find someone who need some of the parts, and has a torch, you can make the truck into smaller pieces to remove on a trailer or a cargo truck?

 

[RAYZER]

A bulldozer behind the 211 connected by a big chain might work, but if by chance the truck broke away it would be doing 110 before it reached the bottom! Be ready to bail!

 

[Flyingvan911]

I hope it gets saved. I would wonder about a deuce or 5 ton behind it in first low to keep it coming down nice and slow.

 

[Tow4]

I would be concerned about the road surface, if you are using another truck to supply the braking force and it's tires start sliding, it could be bad. I would think about it carefully, maybe using the 'dozer is the way to go.

 

[EwaMarine]

Or....FIX THE BRAKES WITH TOOLS AND SOME PRE RECOVERY READING?

 

[Flyingvan911]

I guess that might work too.

 

[steelypip]

I'd go for both. Have something with good grip and good brakes behind it attached with something strong enough to hold the weight of the deuce, AND fix the brakes on the deuce. Hopefully the line stays slack the whole way down. If it doesn't, well that's what the follower is for.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Just put it in low transfer, low gear trans, and creep down the trail. So what if it takes all day to get down? When you get to the bottom hook up a towbar or put it on a trailer and go. He did say it runs (or did not long ago)

 

[Matther]

Dang I wish I didn't have a project at the moment. What is he asking again?

 

[Carl_in_NH]

What town is it located in?

 

[peter34668]

What town is it located in?

Lempster

 

[Another Ahab]

You're a good man for trying to find her a home.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Dang. Only 50 miles from me. That means I have to think about it. Trouble is, I've got plenty of projects and nowhere near enough time to complete even half of them. Guess that ends my thinking about it

 

[jdknech]

if only it wasnt 15 hours away I truly hope someone saves it..

 

[SteveKuhn]

It's really a bear trying to find a yellow truck on a mountain near a Class 6 road near Lempster, NH on Google Earth. That'd give a better idea on the recovery problem.

'Fraid I'll have to give up.

Steve