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I have to agree with
Milcommoguy . You can buy one that you can get cheap, then spend 3x that amount of money fixing and repairing. OR, you could spend your hard earned money and buy a running and ready to drive from somebody else. There are people who work on the HMMWV for a living. They live it daily. They will fix the hacked up wiring, make sure that start and glow plug circuit has been repaired, inspected and bad parts replaced.
These machines are low mileage but that doesn't mean that you can buy it at auction cheap - and start cruising. Even if there is a roof or maybe even doors - what about the windows that are rolled down? And the rain comes. And the dust. And they sit there sometimes for YEARS before they are sent to auction.
There are other folks who buy these things and flip them for dollars. Nothing wrong with that, but YOU the perspective new owner needs to inspect whatever you buy. If you have never owned one, PAY SOMEBODY who already has one or one of the vendors here to inspect it for you. Don't let a few squirts of paint cloud your vision!
There are folks with Brick and Mortar (okay, steel, sheetmetal and concrete) facilities to conduct business in. If you are talking to somebody like that, yes you might pay a little more - but - if something fails, chances are they haven't rolled up their tent and headed for the hills. There are good machines here for sale in the Classifieds too. Just remember: If you are shopping and the deal seems too good to be true there might be a reason no matter where or what you buy.
IF you are willing to work at it - and no,
you don't need a freakin radio to be the first thing you add to your truck - and you plan to spend six months patching and fixing, then by all means, buy two or three auction trucks. That way you will have enough parts to make one really good one. Expect scuffed knuckles, dirt in your eyes, water in your transfer case or rear end. Expect to be tired. Expect to be disappointed. BUT EVENTUALLY, if you work hard the truck of your dreams will be possible. Or, pull out the wallet and
Pay The Man. Think before you spend!
As usual CAMO offered up a lot of good info too.
(Off Soapbox) + (No, I do not sell HMMWV's)