New guy with questions here!

[Mcm308]

Hello all! My name is Matt and am in NJ. I am interested in acquiring an M1078. I never purchased a military vehicle before so I don't know the process.
I see a few on ebay in the 15G range that I guess are private sales.
How does it work getting one from a government auction?
What is the process?
What do they sell for approximately from the auctions?
Is it a crap shoot on condition if bidding sight unseen? Most likely would have to travel 4-500 miles.
Can I wait for vehicles to pop up local like at Ft. Dix or something or is that a wait that might never happen?
Is there a place to find local installations to purchase from?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm sure I'll have many more. I currently have a Jeep Rubicon as my daily. My intention would be to sell the Rubicon and roll the cash into an M1078 and maybe a cheap honda car. I've read some a bit and see the 1078 does very well on the road. I drive 300 miles a week so would need the econobox for the alternate. The 1078 would mainly serve as the weekend fun truck, quad hauler, maybe bolt my SA200 Lincoln into the bed. And still be able to drive to work when I want 60 miles a day. Me and my little boy who is 5 ride quads so I'm thinking if I fabricate a ramp system with a bed winch, I can load the quads right into the bed and have no need to pull a trailer to the riding spot every weekend. I'm actually pretty excited about this. My wife is probably going to kill me but whatever.. lol

Thanks in advance for any help and information!
Matt

 

[Suprman]

I have one here in CT that runs and drives well. The bed is a bit high for quads you would need a long ramp it sits at around 5 feet. I drive around with my kids they love the trucks. LMTVs have bucket style seats with lap and shoulder belt.

 

[Mcm308]

I have one here in CT that runs and drives well. The bed is a bit high for quads you would need a long ramp it sits at around 5 feet. I drive around with my kids they love the trucks. LMTVs have bucket style seats with lap and shoulder belt.

Thanks for replying! I just looked at that truck in the classified section..lol I am not quite ready to purchase, need to unload my Jeep first but would be interested! I read it doesn't have a title so now sure how that goes down with NJ DMV.

Yea, I am expecting to build a folding ramp of some sort due to the bed height. I could afford a shorter, steeper ramp with a little winch system not having to heave ho the quads up the ramp.

My little guy is only 4 but as big as some 6 year Olds. He rides in a booster seat right now so not sure how that would go over either..mainly with wifie... but I'd throw him in and not worry myself..

 

[Suprman]

I can title it. In CT you dont need one. I can do like the title services do and just title it in the buyers name. Easy to do.

 

[Mcm308]

I can title it. In CT you dont need one. I can do like the title services do and just title it in the buyers name. Easy to do.

Ok. That's good to know. I still have some legwork and homework to do before I can splurge. If you have it when I am ready. I'll definitely get it touch with you as its pretty close to home. Can you email me the information on it so I have it?
4g63mcm@gmail.com

Thanks again!

 

[snowtrac nome]

I have a 1078 I just purchased on the west coast I paid 7500 for it plus another grand in fees and taxes. it was advertised as a non runner took me 15 minutes to get it started and running. the auctions are a crap shoot. the RA trucks coming out of dix are hammered. They are contract maintained, maintenance is only what the contract specifies and all the rest is done on a change order.I spent some time At Dix on pre deployment so I know the equipment pretty well, Mine was a NG truck , it had low miles and was maintained by national guard excepted civil service technicians. the truck looks and drives like new. On the average it appears that the trucks gov plannet is selling are going between 8 and 12 k. the fmtv's don't require a euc so registration should be a snap some states will require you pay commercial vehicle fees even if the truck is a private carrier others get away with farm plates or some kind of collectors license it all depends on the state.

 

[Mcm308]

Thanks for the replies! Ok so I am a few steps closer to getting one of these jammies. Some more questions. Let's say I got one and got her setup for my needs, I understand these have demons that can rear there ugly head any time.

How often and far do you guys drive these at a time and how do you prepare for break downs?
Do you have to be ready to pay for tow at all times?
My off road spot is a 3 hour round trip drive when we go on the weekends and I'd like to wheel it to work when I want. 60 miles.
So I'm concerned about the reliability. I can't be worried about a break down or the trans not shifting all the time. So not quite sure this is a good toy to have.

Good thing is I know airbrake systems, hydraulic systems, familiar with a Cat C7( which is actually a Perkins engine). I have access to Cat parts and heavy truck parts and can fix things myself. I am well equipped in the garage.

I really want one but need to be assured I can count on it to get me where I need to go.

Thanks again!

 

[porkysplace]

For your intended purpose I would rule out a Historic registration .
From the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commision.
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Vehicles/historic-samples.pdf

 

[Mcm308]

For your intended purpose I would rule out a Historic registration .
From the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commision.
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Vehicles/historic-samples.pdf

Yeah, that's a no go for me. I would be commercial for personal use at 17,500#. Probably about 200 a year.

And I have an insurance policy locked up already so I'm almost there!!

 

[snowtrac nome]

c-7 is not a perkapillar the c-7 is the smallest engine cat makes all the other smaller engines are re badged motors made by other manufactures
by the way the c-7 is overall a much better engine than the 3126. The only down side is on a c-7 you must have a cat e-t computer to reset trim codes when installing new injectors.

 

[Mcm308]

c-7 is not a perkapillar the c-7 is the smallest engine cat makes all the other smaller engines are re badged motors made by other manufactures
by the way the c-7 is overall a much better engine than the 3126. The only down side is on a c-7 you must have a cat e-t computer to reset trim codes when installing new injectors.

Not to get into a piss match but I have worked on 54 passenger school buses with Perkapillar C7 engines. Perkapillar... thats a good one! Lol

 

[snowtrac nome]

lucky for me I have worked on both, I have a fleet of fuel trucks with the real c-7 cats, they are cat through and through, with heui fuel sysytems. The perkapillars have an electronic pump with high pressure fuel lines, I just replaced one and for the life of me cant remember the brand of the pump. I think it was a stanadine pump maybe badged as a Delphi sorry crs is getting to me. The 2 engines are different the c7 is built off the 3116 platform later changed to 3126 when it was bored out and first gen heui the c7 came with improvements on the 3126 platform for both reliability and emissions. if you have cat et you can access all cat engines even perkapillars but cat wont read a grey and black perkins badged that way, nor will perkins electronic tool box read a yellow perkapillar. So yes I have s software packages to read computers on the same engine painted a different color. I have to admit I haven't seen a perkapillar in an over the road application but I'm no cat specialist so I wont say they don't exist.

 

[f8617]

Early version 1994-2000 LMTV (2.5ton, 2-axle) variants use 225hp CAT3116, the 3-axle trucks use a 290hp CAT3116.
Later, A1, versions LMTV/FMTV use CAT3126 & C7 (330hp) & include a jake brake.

Cruise speed seems to be less than 50mph...6-8 mpg.

IMHO condition & value & cool-factor of FMTV far surpasses HMMWV, Deuces, & 5tons.
Way cheaper, warmer, & dryer than SxS.

Auction FMTVs are great deals, but require more wrenching than driving.
Something reliable enough for regular 100+ mile round trips is worth double.

 

[snowtrac nome]

the dryer part is why I went with a fmtv over a duce also a larger interior space

 

[Mcm308]

lucky for me I have worked on both, I have a fleet of fuel trucks with the real c-7 cats, they are cat through and through, with heui fuel sysytems. The perkapillars have an electronic pump with high pressure fuel lines, I just replaced one and for the life of me cant remember the brand of the pump. I think it was a stanadine pump maybe badged as a Delphi sorry crs is getting to me. The 2 engines are different the c7 is built off the 3116 platform later changed to 3126 when it was bored out and first gen heui the c7 came with improvements on the 3126 platform for both reliability and emissions. if you have cat et you can access all cat engines even perkapillars but cat wont read a grey and black perkins badged that way, nor will perkins electronic tool box read a yellow perkapillar. So yes I have s software packages to read computers on the same engine painted a different color. I have to admit I haven't seen a perkapillar in an over the road application but I'm no cat specialist so I wont say they don't exist.

Yea, I haven't touched the buses in a few years but I want to say the buses were 98-02 ish models. Just about right after Cat bought Perkins. So they were early engines.. when I have some time, I'll pop a couple engine hatches on our oldest units and see.

I precisely remember my reaction when I seen it was a Perkins..lol

 

[Mcm308]

the dryer part is why I went with a fmtv over a duce also a larger interior space

I love the cab forward design with extra space for gear. But the main thing for me is that it's a 4x4. And not a 6x6.

 

[frank8003]

the part I like best is My wife is probably going to kill me but whatever.. lol"

I wanted a half track with mortars but all I was allowed to have is a Deuce

 

[snowtrac nome]

that also went into the equation for me. When the time comes it is only 4 tires to replace not 6 and also 1 less set of brakes and one less axle to maintain. don't get me wrong I love the old duce the super single conversion makes them ride nice on dirt road, but when the weather goes down its nice to have a warm dry place to get into. Wealso have snow and wind here I have fond memory's of digging snow out of the inside of duce cabs I really didn't want to do this on a daily basis.

 

[Mcm308]

I have a couple 6 wheelers parked around the corner from me. Yesterday I took little man to check them out.. first words out of his mouth," daddy, can we get one?!" These Trucks are monstrous..lol

photo sharing websites

 

[pkl2fly]

Welcome to the community. I have an M1079 which gets out to the desert from San Diego about once a month - 100 or so miles each way and I cruise at about 54 mph. Usually do 15-20 miles of trail riding with it and have had only a couple of issues, which is a service brake diaphragm dry rotted and leaked. I got replacements from NAPA for about $8- and a water pump leak which I JB welded and continue to monitor. I have put about 3000 miles on the rig in two years and so far love the way it rides.

Kids love it, Dads love it. Most people love it...although sometimes people get freaked out when I parallel park it downtown.

All in all it is a great machine. Get ahold of the TMs and read.(they are in the TM folder on SS)

Happy hunting.