STrider3
New member
- 23
- 0
- 1
- Location
- Leesburg, Virginia
After years and years of toying with the idea of getting a deuce I finally bit the bullet and just did it. I did it without really thinking about it. I had an immaculate 1978 Jeep Cherokee Chief in the garage that I did not drive often enough to warrant the space it took up. My jeep was a museum piece that did not get moved if there was a cloud in the sky and never in the winter. I live at the end of a mile long rural road which is mostly gravel and mud and I was getting more and more unwilling to take the stones out of the tires every time I went into town so.... I sold it. I also had a 2004 F-350 SD 6.0 Lariat which was way too fancy for the farm chore of getting a trailer full of hay and feed semi-weekly so.... I sold it.
The deuce is now my only truck. I bought it via a picture-less craigslist ad. At first, then even second glance it was in very good condition and decided to buy it before the owner even started it up. After getting it home and living with it for a few days a few things became apparent that colored my initial optimism but most everything is cosmetic and/or minor that I can take care of by myself over time. I tend to micro-detail every vehicle I own so a few cases of paint, a DA and a few hundred sheets of sandpaper, some data plates, switches, bulbs and seals things will be alright in the end.
Two questions though. For a strange reason the seats were switched in that passenger got the sprung drivers' seat while the driver perched lower in the fixed pass. seat. I switched them and am now happy with the drivers mount I would really like is a bench seat for two others in the cab. I cannot wait to take my 2yo grandson for a ride in this deuce. I am certain that he will be grinning as much as I do when I drive it. Does anybody know of any boneyard part sources that offer used parts that are reasonably priced? I am not paying $325 for a bench seat frame. When I owned a BMW motorcycle there was a BeemerBoneYard.com store that was extremely reasonable.
Another issue is that the driver's side gladhand does not have air while the right side one does. Is there a known condition where only one side of the trucks' air system works?
Thirdly, I was toying with the taillights and wondered why the red triangles were so much clearer on the right side of the truck than the left so I took off the lenses and found that there were square 4 red LEDs on the lower (military?) illuminating the triangles and then again several white LEDs in a triangle illuminating the lowest white rectangle. Tail/stop/turn bulbs were in the upper half of the taillight assembly. Are these LEDs a modification to the housing? Or is the housing an entirely separate item. IOW how do I get the left tail light to match the right?
Another thing I found was a broken radiator overflow tube which I JBWelded back on the radiator fill neck.
I already ordered a bunch of parts to fix the heater (switch) and vent control cables. Also a 5 pack filter set, a set of belts, 24vdc bulb assortments and am trying to match up a class 5 receiver hitch to tow civilian trailers. It turns out that the frame for the deuce is the industry standard 34" apart. Some things are easy.
This is my opening salve here on SteelSoldiers. I am looking forward to meeting some of you in the future and do intend to remain active in your community for as long as you will have me. I live in Northern Virginia or the Washington, D.C. metro area. The only other forum I belong to is Ducati.ms to support my 2 Ducati motorcycles, a 2004 ST3 and a 1995 900 SS/SP, which are immaculate.
thank you and best regards,
Greg L.
The deuce is now my only truck. I bought it via a picture-less craigslist ad. At first, then even second glance it was in very good condition and decided to buy it before the owner even started it up. After getting it home and living with it for a few days a few things became apparent that colored my initial optimism but most everything is cosmetic and/or minor that I can take care of by myself over time. I tend to micro-detail every vehicle I own so a few cases of paint, a DA and a few hundred sheets of sandpaper, some data plates, switches, bulbs and seals things will be alright in the end.
Two questions though. For a strange reason the seats were switched in that passenger got the sprung drivers' seat while the driver perched lower in the fixed pass. seat. I switched them and am now happy with the drivers mount I would really like is a bench seat for two others in the cab. I cannot wait to take my 2yo grandson for a ride in this deuce. I am certain that he will be grinning as much as I do when I drive it. Does anybody know of any boneyard part sources that offer used parts that are reasonably priced? I am not paying $325 for a bench seat frame. When I owned a BMW motorcycle there was a BeemerBoneYard.com store that was extremely reasonable.
Another issue is that the driver's side gladhand does not have air while the right side one does. Is there a known condition where only one side of the trucks' air system works?
Thirdly, I was toying with the taillights and wondered why the red triangles were so much clearer on the right side of the truck than the left so I took off the lenses and found that there were square 4 red LEDs on the lower (military?) illuminating the triangles and then again several white LEDs in a triangle illuminating the lowest white rectangle. Tail/stop/turn bulbs were in the upper half of the taillight assembly. Are these LEDs a modification to the housing? Or is the housing an entirely separate item. IOW how do I get the left tail light to match the right?
Another thing I found was a broken radiator overflow tube which I JBWelded back on the radiator fill neck.
I already ordered a bunch of parts to fix the heater (switch) and vent control cables. Also a 5 pack filter set, a set of belts, 24vdc bulb assortments and am trying to match up a class 5 receiver hitch to tow civilian trailers. It turns out that the frame for the deuce is the industry standard 34" apart. Some things are easy.
This is my opening salve here on SteelSoldiers. I am looking forward to meeting some of you in the future and do intend to remain active in your community for as long as you will have me. I live in Northern Virginia or the Washington, D.C. metro area. The only other forum I belong to is Ducati.ms to support my 2 Ducati motorcycles, a 2004 ST3 and a 1995 900 SS/SP, which are immaculate.
thank you and best regards,
Greg L.
I'm sure someone in your area will be able to help with a bench seat. The left glad hand only has air when you push on the brake pedal ( and have the valve on). I'm not familiar with the lights you've described as mine are old school bulbs, so no help there. I might be wrong but after a few cases of paint, data plates etc, wont you be getting back to the reason you didnt drive the others you sold? I am 100% for having the running gear in tip top shape on a 13k + lb truck, if for nothing else everyone else's safety on the road , but if you make her too pretty you'll have a pretty heavy trailer queen that will defeat the reason you sold the others.
It was just your turn in the barrel. Welcome to the site from somebody else pretty new to the site & hobby.