M211 crew cab crusade

[snowyrivers]

Glad we have plenty of acreage

The drive/parking area is starting to look like the 7th Cav has set up a bivouac.

I sort of wish a HMMWV would crawl in the yard and snuggle up to the Deuces

Always wanted one, and even bought a kit a few years back that had a "lookalike" body that fit on the Chevy Burb chassis.

We had been running an ad looking for more M211 parts, bits pieces etc or anything with a title.
Saturday evening an email showed up in my box advising about the latest beast.
Yesterday afternoon we took a little recon mission to get a good look at the 54.

Not at all bad, not at all.

A little negotiating and story telling and a deal was struck.

Fun stuff

 

[snowyrivers]

The white 54 is home safe and sound.

Thumper took his boys for a ride up the drive in it too.

 

[ThumperTDC]

Not sure if this will work, but here is a video I put together from yesterday's adventure.

https://www.facebook.com/tony.carter.7/videos/10153822965341264/

 

[ThumperTDC]

So after getting the complete one home, actually driving it and seeing the look on my boys faces, I can't bring myself to tearing it apart. So I am going to have to deal with the fallout from this decision, but I am wanting to keep this one complete and eventually restore it to stock. #2 has an out of state title so I will see about getting it registered in Oregon and that way I will have a title for my quadra deuce. We will see about parting what is left to recoup some of the money spent this far. You don't see many of these vintage military iron around (atleast in this area) let alone actually on the road.

First of December here in town we have a holiday light parade. I have spent every year that I wasn't on shift at the fire department on the ladder truck which we deck out with lights. This year I am trying to convince my wife and her friend that owns the salon she works at to enter a float in the parade. Working on the idea of decking out the deuce to run it in the parade with all kinds of Christmas lights on it. Since it is currently white and flaking off, for the parade was thinking to bomb canning it snow camo just to clean it up some, kinda like this, which I think would look pretty sweet with minimal effort.


Note: the two pics of the 54 M211 were taken by my 8 year old.

And just because this pic with some editing turned out pretty neat.

 

[USMC 00-08]

If you feel like it, would you post a video of #3 running and driving without music so we can hear what it sounds like and how it shifts?

Not at all complaining about the first video. It was well done!

 

[ThumperTDC]

Here is another clip already uploaded. It has a hard time wanting to stay running. The previous owner got it with a cracked exhaust manifold and tried to fix it, but in the process had the intake off and now has an air leak.


https://www.facebook.com/tony.carter.7/videos/10153822309931264/

 

[ThumperTDC]

So I came across these pics of a 52' that had been modified. Probably something we are going to be doing at some point to gain a little more fender clearance.



With adding larger tires we are looking at, I want the fender to wheel gap to stay the same or slightly increase, which leaves only two options, suspension lift or body lift. I was initially leaning towards dropping the suspension mounts and transfer case whic would raise the frame, while keeping all the proper driveline angles stock. This would be a lot of work, but what part of this project isn't going to be a lot of work? Lifting the body would be easy, still keeping a lower center of gravity. I was against this idea at first because I invisioned it looking like poo, then I saw this picture today and changed my mind.

Then found this one and it had me thinks my that it would be pretty sweet. Just turn the second cab around and you have suicide doors on the rear.

 

[snowyrivers]

Haaaaaaaaaaaa
I was going to mention the idea of the SS doors on the back, but figured i would get pummeled with flying deuce parts.

That plan will make the quad cab a real piece of cake to accomplish too.

Basically already done and sitting there.

A bit of sheet metal to mod the firewall and the windshield area to become a "backend"

 

[snowyrivers]

For all the gear heads out there reading.

We had been beating around the idea of what tranny to install behind the 6.2 diesel.
The subject got thrashed pretty good too.
A 700R4 was suggested, and I immediately curled my upper lip in disdain.

The TH400 was fielded (We have one on the bench in the shop) but the gearing is just a tad too high in the low hole to be a good choice.
The 400 will handle the load fine, buuttttttt, not making me warm and fuzzy.

Really no sense in building something that's gonna either not work well or break as soon as ya start to use it.

The axles and drivelines are for the most part about the same size internally as many older 3/4 ton pickup units.

Fact is, a 14 bolt GM is far and away stronger than the units in the M211.

Sooooo, back to choosing a tranny.

With the tire size tentatively at 385/65/22.5 the 6.17 butt gears are really not an issue as far as top speed goes now.

These rigs were generally designed to convoy at 40-45 mph with the mil equipment.

With the 385's we can easily attain 55-60 without stressing the 6.2
2900 RPM will gitterdone.

With these numbers in mind an OD tranny is not needed, but having a lower first gear would be far better.

Enter the idea of a small Allison.

Some snooping revealed the AT500 series Allison might be a great choice.

Further digging through data and some chatting with the Detroit Allison folks and the AT545 was going to be it.

Next came finding one ?????

I mentioned the idea to Thumper of an AT540 and off he goes to snoop.

Not even a day later I get a text "Hey, how about this AT545 on Craigs list" ???

I checked it out, called the guy and then set up a meeting.

In the mean time I checked out the particulars of the gearbox in ????

This box had been behind a 444 IH V8 diesel (Pre powerstroke 7.3) so the internal settings were going to be very close to what the 6.2 needs as far as engine speeds and shift points go.

Sweeeeeeeeeet

Could not ask for a better find.

Met with the guy and brought the unit home.

The thing is a beast.

It appears to be in good shape with clean red oil (that smells good)
We have a 6.2 flex plate that will bolt to the converter too.

Just need the #3 SAE to Chevy adapter and I found one in OHIO

Here is a piccy of the monster

 

[srodocker]

Im loving this build.

Hope to see it sometime. Plan on coming to the 2016 PNW Campout Convoy in napavine wa?

 

[snowyrivers]

We are not that far south to preclude a visit to our little area.

Hopefully we will have something looking like we are progressing by then as well.

On a good day without nasty traffic we are 35 minutes south of Portland

 

[srodocker]

We have members from oregon who come up so maybe convoy on up and you'll have a good time!

 

[ThumperTDC]

Managed to get the 54' pressure washed, the bed cleaned out this evening (no pics of it as I was wet). Going to be entering it in our holiday light parade in just over a month, using it for the salon my wife works at. Both my wife and her friend who own the salon think I'm crazy..................I'm using it as an excuse to get to drive it. Since the thing was repainted white, and some of it is peeling, a buddy and I are going to start the snow camo paint job on this weekend. It has had multiple layers of paint on it over the years, and the white was painted over the chips, so you can see the layers. So for right now we are just going to Krylon coat it to dress it up for the parade. Kinda leaning towards also doing the stars on the doors and hood in black, but also thinking of leaving them off. Will see what happens after we get the new paint on it. I'm also going to swap the wheels and tires off of one of the other rigs we have, simply so all the tires match, cause that is a pet peeve of mine. Need to also do some minor engine work, check the fluids and raise the upper ate toon of the stack to get it up higher as it currently sits at cab height. A lot of work to get done in barely over a month, but should be a fun time.

Parade is on a Saturday, I'm on shift at the fire station the next day and am gonna drive it to work and then my boys want me to take them to school in it on that Monday. I'm not sure who is more excited, them or me

 

[ThumperTDC]

The teeth are something I thought would look cool on the green, but since I'm going with snow camo im not sure.....................thoughts?

 

[andy3]

Teeth? The answer is YES!

 

[snowyrivers]

Somebody is having waaaaaaaaay too much fun

Gotta love it

 

[ThumperTDC]

Saw these on EBay and thought it was pretty cool. Instead of painting on the stars, going with vinyl cut outs, I think this would look pretty sweet with the snow camo.

 

[ThumperTDC]

So this is going off track of the original post for the quadra deuce, but this rig was purchased for the project and decided not to tear it apart and keep it somewhat original. Anyway in just over a month will be entering it in the holiday light parade for the salon my wife works at. In efforts to get it cleaned up for the parade and since it was painted white decided to go with a snow camo just to clean it up. Today a buddy came up to my inlaws and we started rattle canning it. Got more done than I had expected, but the temp dropped and had to call it a day.

 

[snowyrivers]

While the boys were having fun tossing paint I was out and about and picked up a manifold gasket set from the NAPA store.

I ordered it the other day and picked it up Sunday afternoon.

I was very surprised that they even had a listing, but the young fella was on it right quick and had it shipped out from the warehouse.

Hopefully this will get the old girl running far more reliably for the parade.

The P O had removed the manifolds and tried to braze up a bad crack, then did not replace the old gasket.
Talk about vacuum leaks, THEY SUCK.

Trying to move the thing with the choke half on and the engine howling is just not a good thing.
I did locate a manifold for the beast, but the new gasket will likely get us through parade day.

Snowy

 

[USMC 00-08]

Napa has quite a few things for these old trucks.

Don't forget about our parts list here.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?137722-G749-Parts-List

You can use it for free on the condition that you tell us any part numbers you find that we don't already have. (Just kidding)