Hemtt Camper...

[Stalwart]

Is your Hemtt the one with the grey interior? I thought it sold awhile back after it was fully restored and maybe you got it.

The one with the grey interior is mine but it was not complete when I bought it. We have spent the vast majority of the money needed to finish it but we have a few hundred hours (minimum) of labor to complete the project. I still also have an engine doghouse to reproduce as well. I bought it as a flatbed and had the sides made that are nearly perfect replicas of the original steel ones, but instead in 1/8 aluminum and at cab height for passenger safety. Making new custom bows/sockets out of flat stock and NOS bows also took a couple of dozen hours and a trip to the powder painter. Give me another 3-5 years and I might call it done.

 

[elkay12]

Love camper / hate fuel prices

 

[deuceaid]

I see, spend LOTS of money for 1 perhaps 2 mpg, how many miles would you have to drive it to replace a perfectly good running Detroit with a used engine. If you put in a new one, you'd NEVER get your money back. Thats not to mention adding a 13 speed in the rear of the truck, like 25' long linkages do you? How about adding another pedal to the cab, another hassle. So in short, you take a proven and reliable design that has proved it's worth for 30 years, and throw that all out for a little fuel . . . .

Plus, you'd never get that Cummins between the frame rails at a height that would do you any good to provide more room. The 855 Cummins and it's Cat. brethren aren't exactly small and narrow. They are at least 5' tall!

To make a longer post, rear engine is so cab and living area are one unit (gets rid of most of the doghouse). the rear engine is on a role out rail assembly ( to work on) . Overhead radiators( like on trains) .Tool/ work station on starboard-right-passenger side of engine. Hydraulic spare tire mount on rear. Aux generator ac etc on port -left-driver side of engine. Built in locking outriggers on all 4 corners. Winches. and maybe the matching trailer to go with it.

Oh I also forgot, a trailerful of lottery tickets to hopefully pay for it all!

 

[Garret]

Well you have a great start and i bet that will look good with the higher bed sides. Good luck. Funny thing about these projects is that you never actually get "done".

 

[Stalwart]

"Will look good"? They have been done for over a year.

 

[Garret]

That does look good- i hadn't seen it with the sides on

 

[OPCOM]

if $ were no object, an appropriately profiled aluminum hull would look good on the back. But a paint job would help the body it has. Not suggesting a rounded body, something more military. To me, the HEMMT is a sleek looking vehicle and customizing with that look could be carried out all the way along its length from cab to pintle. The area where the engine resides could also be made the same profile with light weight sides that go up like bricklin doors for engine access, and an insulated crawlway above or beside the engine between the cab and rear hull. It could be one mean, sleek OD green beast. Could the HEMMT's designers have grown up watching this in the 1970's? Anyone got photoshop handy?

 

[OPCOM]

a similar vehicle here..
Damnation Alley Landmaster Page

a pity the ARK II was dismantled and parts of it were used for other productions. Sort of like the Batmobile of motor homes.

 

[deuceaid]

I grew up in the hollywood-burbank area, and always remember seeing the landmaster parked next to the freeway.....maybe that is why I love hemtts so much! gotta love the rotating triwheel configuration,,,but not so much the articulated steering (at freeway speeds, if it every got up to that speed)

 

[Cycletek]

I like that you are going to make the HEMTT into something you are going to use. I am adding a camper to my 5 Ton so i can use it to get get to more remote locations. I have an 8V71 in my GMC4905 Bus and i like the Detroit Engine, it likes to be run hard. I believe we all got into this hobby to be individuals and you are basically doing it your way and I applaud your doing so! My 5 Ton is my daily driver and my Bus will be my home after the first of the year, where I hope to be hailing from Colorado next year......

 

[Garret]

Cycletec, good luck on your 5 ton mod. The Hemtt has been good for us and we have put almost 11 thousand miles on it since we did the conversion. The 8v92 is running strong. We are presently in the badlands of south dakota doiing some dirt bike riding and then are off to Wyoming and then drop into Colorado. Drop us a message if you get into the Roaring Fork Valley

 

[quickfarms]

I grew up in the hollywood-burbank area, and always remember seeing the landmaster parked next to the freeway.....maybe that is why I love hemtts so much! gotta love the rotating triwheel configuration,,,but not so much the articulated steering (at freeway speeds, if it every got up to that speed)

I remember that sitting off of the 101 just south if the 134

 

[lakeydna]

Still no pics of the rig?

 

[Csm Davis]

Garret I like the truck and the ones who are saying you ruined a good Hemtt are just blowing hot air, I don't see any major modifications that can't be undone, like bobbing a deuce. All that would need to be done to return it original would be pull off the added bits, right?

 

[hankstrucks]

Garret, I have a bud that has a hemmtt and I told him about your project, He told me about action moble campers that are made in Salfelden Austria. His brother in law is the cabinet maker for the campers and the campers were mounted on 8x8 Man trucks, Ex millitary version. of a hemmtt .When I asked how do you know so much about it? he explained that in 1989 he had stated to travel there and he was able to be exposed to European millitary trucks showing how he was already intrested in unimogs. as he explained that the campers were also mounted on unimogs also they were mega bucks. Saudi kings , and any one with desert exploring would want one so he said that it is only natural to go big with your rig. When I explained to him that your rig came from Kentucky he knew the truck came from sarafan's in N.Y. And at the time it was being put together he said he saw it in their shop . Sort of a Frankenstein truck but at the time on of the very first ever out in private hands. My buddy's hemmtt is in his barn he has taken it out maybe three times this year it is mint & it has never seen mud.

Garret , If You have time Please post some photos of you camper project , I would like to share them with him. Hnk

 

[Wolfen]

I would like to see more pictures also.

 

[Garret]

Hi Jeff, yes you could take the mods off and the rack up front is all bolted through so it would come off easy. Thxs for the post!

 

[Garret]

Hey Hank, thanks for the interest. I know of Action Mobile and they make a good product. I had checked out all the ex vehicle companies before deciding to do the rig myself since i had nowhere near the resources like that saudi prince. I have seen 2 on Man chasis- one of the saudi which i think he had 2.2 mil into and another wealthy european businessman that had 1.6 mil into his. Mine in comparison is a poor mans expedition rig, but we enjoy it. My Hemtt was originally the 978 tanker so the main thing they did in ny was put on the 20foot dropside bed on it to make it a cargo truck. Sorry- the last time i tried to load pics i had trouble but will give it another shot.
g

 

[Garret]

Hemtt camper pics

 

[Garret]

Ok finally got some pics loaded- starting from top left-

1. cab with alum rack that is all bolted through with rubber mounts to avoid weld breaks from too much twist from cab to frame- lower front rack supports front of higher back rack, 2 spares, 2 cargo boxes(lower rack), snow shovel, fuel pre heater/water seperator, 2 propane tanks., new hemtt combat rims and mich xzl replacing orig split rims and mich xl

moving to right-2. sunset with party deck - Killpecker sand dunes, Wyoming

3. Ramp/deck from inside

4.Bighorns, wy

5.Badlands, SD

6.Lake Mconnighy?, Nebraska

7.Sunset, LM, NB with slideout open

8Easiest way to unload dirtbikes/snowmobile without using extention ramp

I'm short on interior pics but will get some soon!