Hank....yea that's quite a machine....I like it a lot. My A3 will be a lot like it but on 395's. I spent some time looking for one that had the spare behind the cab and there are not many of them. Your's is the first I've seen...but I know more guys have to have done it.
Yea, I understand they are not a high speed machine. Wes mentioned the Allison with 6 speed, which if I had my choice, would give a bit more top end. A3 has the cat 3116 and the AT 1545, so I have the same gear issue as the 545 (in this build)...except throwing the locking converter in to make parts hard to find and maybe get a couple extra mph. At least I'm starting with a freshly rebuilt one to put in the A3.
Did a deuce dump truck have a longer hood or did you go to one from a 809 series? I was thinking 809 would be an alternative for the A1 and A2....A3 already has a longer hood because of the Cat.
My behind the cab spare is being combined with a ROPS, top over the cab and a winch at the top to go over the cab or behind the bed with an A frame crane. I have a Grove crane winch with about 7K capacity. The part over the cab and spare will have diamond plate to dance on top of it. The angles I have that attach to the frame to form the base of the ROPS and spare and winch are 3 1/2" x 5" x 1/2"....so should truly not crush in a roll over.