Old 331 gas deuces?(M108)

[csimvwtnt]

Im thinking about purchasing a 50's model deuce that has a gas oa331 reo engine, w/ a crane and a winch for 1500 bucks, but im not too sure about what im getting myself into. if i buy it, i need it to be reliable and funtional, as i will be using it alot. The owner says its been sitting for about 3 years. I need to know if these things are hard to work with and get running, (good!). he says it was perfecly funtional when parked and all the tires are still up. is there anything i should know about this particular model, more specifically, things to watch out for.

 

[Divemaster920]

..........................

 

[csimvwtnt]

i didn't really understand that, but the "good buy" part whats and whats OD green bug mean?

 

[wldrbob]

its a virus that gets into your blood the first time you buy or drive a military vehicle .some ppl say once you start theres no quiting . i think i could quit anytime but im no quitter lol

 

[73m819]

sounds like a m108 that you are looking at, not your everyday truck, all these trucks are fairly easy to work on, no rocket science involved

 

[NDT]

Pay good attention to things that are rubber, like the torque rod ends, brake hoses, and every shaft seal on the entire truck. Most or all will be no good if original, or will fail after little use.

 

[csimvwtnt]

yeah it is a M108, by the way, im no stranger to mil vehicles, i was active duty army for 3yrs and change as a 63b, light wheel vehicle mechanic. Its just that these vehicles were way before my time. Im more familiar with FMTV's and HMMV's with cat, detroit (screaming jimmies), and cummins engines. Plus i know a 6.2 like the back of my hand. But are the gassers a good vehicle? like relibly wise, assuming everything checks out ok? and what are the common problems? so it being a Real old M108 does that make it more rare than the later models? like what is it worth being in decent condition?

 

[csimvwtnt]

I don't have pics of it yet, im out of state till next sat, but profile pic is my 1984 6.2 diesel suburban. id say its the best vehicle ive ever owned, and its a hoss, with a lot of road armor. its currently flat black now.

 

[wreckerman893]

ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE

You have fallen into a den of OD green iniquity.....unless you run sceaming at once you are doomed to a life of scouring the earth for your next MV prize.

You will seek out the oddest of the odd MV's to impress your fellow addicts (we are not collectors....let's get that out of the way), one upmanship is our watchword.

You will seek out others suffering from the same malady....not for a cure, but to be enabled in your persuit of the next MV "high".

You will develop a craving for things heavy and tracked.

You will know in your heart that "Twelve Step Programs" are for quitters.
And you will have the time of your life.

Welcome to my world.

 

[wldrbob]

and if you get real lucky you will eventualy have a bumper sticker on your deuce that says( i drive this cause my tank wrecks your roads )

 

[csimvwtnt]

thats great, i can see that im in with the right crowd.
ive been meaning to get a deuce for a while now. i know how my suburban intimidates people in compacts and how i can use it as a wilderness battering ram, i cant wait to take a deuce out to the kinik glacier near palmer alaska and run it over the flats and trough the glacial rivers then use it to pull down whole trees for my bonfire! Plus ill dwarf all the guys in alaska extreme 4 wheelers.

 

[waayfast]

FISH ON!!! HOT dang,we got a nuther!!! Careful now--reel 'im in nice and slowww--------

 

[csimvwtnt]

 

[lacoda56]

I'd just like to add that any 50 to 60 year old vehicle can fall apart at the seams, but in my opinion, old mv's are built heavier and simpler than their civilian counterparts. The Reo or Continental 331 is a tough engine. I have an M45 out back that starts every time, and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another truck with one in it if I could. Just my

 

[waayfast]

Oh---and by the way--the truck in my avatar pic IS a '57 Utica-Bend with the Cont. 331 Gasser. Plenty dependable, plenty easy to maintain.I haven't any personal experience with the FMTV to be able to compare, but my gut is, the old iron is much simpler and hence easier to keep running than the new fangled stuff.The new stuff ain't machinery, it's VOODOO!

 

[Crazyguyla]

If you are posting on this site....it's too late. The "OD Green Bug" has bitten.
Look Into the Light.......


Sounds like a great buy.

Don't go towards the light..

The hardest thing about old engines is cleaning/setting points for the first time. I've seen grown men run away from point ignitions LOL
When I got my M45, I had to clean the points before the engine would start.

Marcus

 

[csimvwtnt]

Ok, i just didn't know the nature of thier reliability. but yeah the new ones are somthin else. the stewart and stevenson 2.5 and 5 ton fmtv 4x4 and 6x6's are a little more advanced, but not too bad. they have a 255 caterpillar td aftercooled, with a 7 speed allison automatic with puch button eletronic shifter. thats about the most complicated part. easy to fix though, computer goes out, plug a new one in. the axles are rockwell planetary ZF's just like the ones bigfoot is currently running. and they are fulltime all wheel drive. the hemmits and hets are built the same way, just bigger. + the tires are 40" tall and weigh about 300 pounds. and they are pretty peppy.

 

[csimvwtnt]

thanks for the tip marcus, you know i was stationed in APG for my training. man that was a **** hole. i don't think they train anymore there, i think they moved the training to ft lee.

 

[cbvet]

Our '52 gasser is a great old truck, for a 57 year old truck. But it's still a 57 year old truck.
Definitely not something I would drive regularly or very far. Everything in it is just.......old.
That being said, I would probably buy that truck in a heartbeat.
As long as you know how to work those wrenches, you can have a workhorse that's also a lot of fun!

 

[rizzo]

I have a 108 with the gasser still in it. it has been very reliable. a lot of the old rubber still works. its not strong enough to run down the road , but has been making a great yard truck. I have plans to make it road worthy with a 6bt.