Steel Soldiers MV of the month 2025 - May VOTE HERE!

I don't know. I LIKE them all. Time to get the chicken bones out.............................

only finally looked at this thread now, and yeah I did put my vote in too

and hey @Guyfang I don't mean to be silly but I see a funny loophole that he might not like hehehe
*proceeds to lightly buck at @kendelrio then scoots off chuckling to myself*

Migginsbros said:

Great campaigning cobra5. Althought we would learn more about the the other racers. What´s the story behind your special welding cart, Lothar?

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Gotta go with cobra5. I owned an M35A2 for 17 years and still got a soft spot. Sure, miss the old girl.

There is more information on the truck and how we partly restored it in the Netherlands on our museum website (horribly outdated site, I know).



I had know about this truck for some years, but never thought it would be available.

I have to extend the story a bit to explain why and how buying this truck, first repairs, and transport to the Czech Republic came to happen.

My brother Jan lived on a more than hundred year old tjalk which he was getting ready for being completely independent and sail under it's own power (engine, not the original sails). Then he learned he had only months to live due to advanced lung cancer.


In the two months before his death, a small group of his friends and I came into action to help him still realize his dream.


That included getting the replacement engine (the small but famous 2 liter PSA XUD car diesel) to work, controlled from the steering cabin, getting all sailing electrics to work (my job) etc etc. And cleaning and painting the outside (everybody).



We managed and he still could make a few day trips with his boot.

I was already in the Netherlands but my Czech partner and two stepsons came over for Jan's funeral in August 2010. We stayed at the camping place that owned the truck. My blacksmith stepson Daniel (mentioned him already earlier on Steelsoldiers, more about him soon) saw the old Atlas 1500 backhoe behind the truck and wanted it. So I finally talked with the owner, and we agreed that we would buy both for 750€ worth of blacksmith work toward a new gate for the camping.




After some initial repairs and oil changes, we removed the dump bed including the second frame with the hydraulics. This way, I had access to the brake system and prepare for the fifth-wheel switch onto the main frame.

More about that switch construction in the next post later today.

Typical view from our working place


Officially you are not allowed to mess around with the frame, but DoT agreed that I could assemble a 5th wheel using the strengthened cross beam as basis.




Three friends of my brother occasionally helped me. Here, one of them is drilling the holes for the bolts.


I brought a Jost 5th wheel from the Czech Republic.


Fixing the base plate


And the final assembly


For the certificate inspection of the DoT, safety of people around is essential, so I had to construct some kind of fenders and protection to prevent people from coming under or in between the wheels. A wooden construction with a cheap plastic tarp on top was enough.

The truck was now also recognized as an M52!

The DoT had some other remarks, the most important being that the headlights and brake lights are too far from the outside of the truck and the pintle hook not being legal on civil vehicles.



I could get a new "fish-mouth" coupling with a large discount (left). Had a craftsman metalworker make a tube fitting the shaft of the coupling so the new coupling with tube fitted perfect in the assembly for the original pintle hook. So I have a legal pulling assembly but can change it back to the original pintle hook in about 10 minutes.


The new rear set-up with the new fish-mouth coupling, Dutch military rear lights, and a new electricity connector for the trailer.




Headlights also was not a real problem, thanks to Jan being a "Lelijke Eend" (Ugly Duck) fanatic. I removed the original nightlight lollipops and replaced them with headlights of the Duck. Problems solved and it even drew a respectful smile of the DoT inspector .

For those interested, the Lelijke Eend (Ugly Duck) of gewoon "Eend" (Duck) is de common Dutch name for the iconic Citroen Deux Chevaux, which means 2 HP.



And done: the Dutch RDW (DoT) certifies the truck with a wink and clear understanding that it gets the heck out of the Netherlands and does not come back or face a next inspection that will a lot stricter. Here, the inspector is punching the original serial number as new Vehicle Identification Number into the chassis.

My truck is now street legal with the following specifications:

Basic empty truck weight: 22,222 lbs.
Max allowable weight 42,472 lbs
Max allowable drawbar trailer weight: 68,460 lbs
Max allowable semi-trailer weight: 68,460 lbs
Gross combined vehicle weight rating: 90,462 lbs

I found out much later that these numbers are valid as long as the truck drives under a Dutch license plate. As soon as I formally import it, the Czech authorities have to decide if they accept this without further inspection or if they want a complete new classification.

Somebody washed my truck too hot? I really thought I had a big truck, but it looks like a toy on top of this modern container truck. Driving it back from the farm to the camping place.


Transport from the Netherlands to Czechia. The M51, the Atlas 1500 backhoe, and the 1953 NSU Konsul 350 cc that used to belong to Jan; I am going to restore it for his son.

Unfortunately, due to many circumstances, the next 10 years not much happened with the truck but hopefully in June I will continue with it.


Most interesting was my very small involvement (mostly moral support) in helping to get the Georgia Senate Bill 392 approved. I still have the T-shirt; the front shows the text "Zout's Cook-out", "April 2014".

That was actually a highlight of being part of Steelsoldiers. That year, 2014, I also came to the USA to join the 2014 Georgia Rally.

Congrats @cobra5 !

Congrats @cobra5 for this well-deserved win and a big thankyou to the 2nd & 3rd this month.
Thank you to all voters.

Super close battle! Congrats @cobra5 !