Is this a good buy?

[blizzardwarrior7]

Im looking at buying this 1954 GMC m215, does $7,000 seem like a good price for this truck? This will be my first military vehicle. I own a small heavy haul trucking company so have experience with semi trucks. Im selling the company in February, because I just recently joined the Army. I plan on keeping my international CXT, and perhaps this one if I buy it. I know basic information on the m35a2, and on the m211....How much could I actually expect to pull with this truck? Is the GM 302, and hydramatic transmission an okay set up? Could I pull a 28' flatbed (not pintle) with equipment on it? Most of my driving is local so would be under 40 mph....If I buy the truck I plan on driving it from WI, to MA....Is this doable, if I stay on rt 20 (40-50mph speed limit)? Thanks for any help.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Not in my opinion. Truck looks nice, but I would want it restored for that kind of money.

 

[Chief_919]

My advice- if you just joined the Army, get Basic and AIT over, get to your first duty station, then look at buying vehicles when you know what the situation is.

 

[73m819]

seems the price is high, long trip on a 215, not a heavy hauler

 

[steelandcanvas]

My advice- if you just joined the Army, get Basic and AIT over, get to your first duty station, then look at buying vehicles when you know what the situation is.

Well said Chief, that's a voice of experience.

 

[Recovry4x4]

You would do well just to tow 15,000#. I would also have the seller better define the truck. An M215 is a dump truck. Judging by the rear frame rails, this was a dump and converted to a tractor. It also lacks a trolley brake. Its a cool truck but it would suck as a road tractor even for local low speed stuff. No PS you know.

 

[paulfarber]

kinda looks like they repainted it after seeing transformers.

Even if he meant to say M212

M221 TRUCK, TRACTOR, 2 1/2 TON, 6X6

Its still a light weight tractor...and looks nothing like the M221 should.

Unless there is a very convincing story pass... its little more than an M211 with a hacked up 5th wheel.

 

[clinto]

#32

 

[hndrsonj]

I'd agree, price is high and the truck isn't a dump truck. You'd really need to go over the conversion and make sure it was done right. Is that an AlphaHeaven truck?

 

[73m819]

i'd agree, price is high and the truck isn't a dump truck. You'd really need to go over the conversion and make sure it was done right. Is that an alphaheaven truck?

yes

 

[paulfarber]

NO. Did you read this part:

"
[SIZE=+2]We have used it to pull trailers, skid logs, truck pulls and much more."[/SIZE]

Let me run that through the 'I am an eternal skeptic' translator:

"We beat the piss out of this truck for fun. It finally broke, so we repainted it, fixed some stuff, and are now trying to sell it"

I don't care if the winch works. Tractor pulls and working in lumber is not a happy life for a truck. Unless they have reciepts from shops that rebuilt the motor, tranny, transfer and axles they are admitting to using it hard and selling it.

RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. RUN. Take a break, then RUN. RUN. RUN.RUN.RUN. RUN.

 

[rlwm211]

If the diesel equipped M35 Series M275 is not anything more than a yard tractor I would guess that the 302 would be a huge gas hog and very weak in terms of pulling capacity.

The price is high for a truck that is not bone stock and restored.

RL

 

[wreckerman893]

I have an M275 (deuce tractor) with the naturally aspirated engine.......it does pretty good on flat land but with a decent load on it it has never met a hill it likes.

I agree with Chief.....do your basic and AIT and then have some fun with MV's.

You need to concentrate all your efforts to make it to your first duty station.

Do you have choice of first duty station?

Fort Benning would be a great place to be stationed......lots of good MV folks in the area and close to the GA Rally.

The Green Iron Support Group will still be here when you are ready.

 

[blizzardwarrior7]

I already have a fleet of trucks, as I own a small trucking company, so reguardless of where I go, the trucks will be stored in MA until I am PDSed. Im in for 11B, so basic is OSUT at Ft. Benning, and my duty station will most likely be Benning as well, as I got Abn, and Ranger in my contract. I talked with Tom at alpha heaven today, he seems like a decent guy....Gave me about 40 minutes worth of background info on the truck. Says it was rebuilt simply to experiment with, not because anything was broken, and in fact says that he will include all of the old parts (including engine, and tranny). Assuming that the truck is in the condition he describes, what do you guys think would be a reasonable price to pick it up for?

I know these trucks are underpowered, but would I be able to pull a 5,500 lb equipment trailer, with say 2 skidsteers on it @ 35-40 mph? Thanks for the links.

 

[wreckerman893]

When you get to Benning look up Papa Bear and the CAMO crew......a finer group of folks you will never find. (did I say that about the old phart).

 

[blizzardwarrior7]

Roger that, Still curious about exactly what I would be able to tow if Im keeping it around 30-45 mph...

Also, is there a military trailer that would be appropriate for this truck?

 

[clinto]

Roger that, Still curious about exactly what I would be able to tow if Im keeping it around 30-45 mph...

Also, is there a military trailer that would be appropriate for this truck?

No experience with driving these so I can't help on the first question, but the trailer would be an M105A2 or an M104.

 

[blizzardwarrior7]

Well I picked the truck up from tom at alpha heaven on Monday and began the 30 hour drive back to MA on Tuesday. I made it home yesterday morning. No problems from the truck except at the very end the water pump went out. The truck really is nice, I was able to get 60 MPH out of it, although on some of the hills on rt20 by Albany we were slowed down to about 15 MPH. I will be replacing the water pump this week, and than the fun shall begin. I've decided to repaint the truck OD, and lengthen the frame by about 4 feet along with a few other things.

 

[rickf]

Well I picked the truck up from tom at alpha heaven on Monday and began the 30 hour drive back to MA on Tuesday. I made it home yesterday morning. No problems from the truck except at the very end the water pump went out. The truck really is nice, I was able to get 60 MPH out of it, although on some of the hills on rt20 by Albany we were slowed down to about 15 MPH. I will be replacing the water pump this week, and than the fun shall begin. I've decided to repaint the truck OD, and lengthen the frame by about 4 feet along with a few other things.

Post 36 on your other thread someone pointed out a better truck that was correct, right color and closer but you wanted this one because it was red. Now you are going to cut and paste and repaint a truck that you paid too much for? You keep asking if it will pull a heavy load and everyone here tells no it won't but you KEEP asking anyway. You say you own a trucking company but you are joining the Army, I will not ask why but I am guessing you are rather young and would question what kind of trucks you have in your company now. If you are an experienced driver then you KNOW that this truck will not pull a load much past 2nd gear. You also said you are selling your company but in another post you say all of the trucks will be stored until you get out. Unless you own a LOT of non commercial property then that is going to cost a fortune! I am glad to see you are joining the military and especially Airborne Ranger but you are asking a lot of questions and NOT listening to any of the advice. Please listen to the advice of your instructors in the service!

Rick

 

[RealCavDog]

Two threads in the top ten on a saturday night ! And both about the same truck/recovery !