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Steel Soldiers MV of the month 2021 - December VOTE HERE!

Please vote for MVOTM

  • Total voters
    60
  • Poll closed .
Tracer

Tracer

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simp5782 said:
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Simp, I love the video. Many times I have made the trip with the Deuce & M105 Shelter up and over Donner Pass going to the MVCC meets in California. Looks like your rolling along a bit faster in the M920 than I go in the Deuce. I'm usually making 40 to 50 mph going West, and 35 to 50 mph on the return going East.
 
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Guyfang

Guyfang

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Tracer said:
Simp, I love the video. Many times I have made the trip with the Deuce & M105 Shelter up and over Donner Pass going to the MVCC meets in California. Looks like your rolling along a bit faster in the M920 than I go in the Deuce. I'm usually making 40 to 50 mph going West, and 35 to 50 mph on the return going East.
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In 1965-66, the Highway 80, over the Donner, was not a divided highway, and was not even close to being as wide as what I just saw in the film clip. It was two lane, with passing lanes every so often. It was a rather intimidating drive. There was a dinner just short of the pass, going from West to East, that my Godfather bought me a steak breakfast at. First time I ever had steak for breakfast. I was about 10-11 years old. I think I need to make that drive one more time.
 
simp5782

simp5782

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Tracer said:
Simp, I love the video. Many times I have made the trip with the Deuce & M105 Shelter up and over Donner Pass going to the MVCC meets in California. Looks like your rolling along a bit faster in the M920 than I go in the Deuce. I'm usually making 40 to 50 mph going West, and 35 to 50 mph on the return going East.
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I was running 74 when that corvette blew my doors off at 6:28 In the video
 
C

cucvmule

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fuzzytoaster said:
tl:dr: see below

Story:
The MK4 has been on an adventure since her rebuild in 2012. Somehow she ended up in a penal colony in Indiana that was staffed by prisoners on good will doing forestry work. She was the typical: no start, no run, hydraulic parts missing, and no keys. Murphy being present as always meant she was in the back of the yard with no real way to get out and no loading assistance. This too was only another step in her adventure.

View attachment 853431View attachment 853430

For those not in the know, an MK4 is heavy for a "4,000 lb forklift" and required both M10As to lift her safely. This meme comes to mind..
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My gut told me she was a diamond in the rough so I bought her but now she was here in my yard DOA. In my eyes, she was new (to me) and later discovered the latest in MK4 models rebuilt for the military with Cummins 4BT and a total reset - schweet! What I also found was the right main pivoting hydraulic cylinder was MIA and assumed to be salvaged for other units. I got the NSN and crossed it over to Case and gave my local dealer a call for availability which there were 3 left in national stock inventory.. at $6017.00 each before freight and tax . Hahaha.. no :cookoo: . It was the first time I've ever laughed someone off the phone. Unfortunately no one makes a cylinder the stroke and diameter of this machine so I took the cylinder off the other side and had it cloned and rebuilt for $780. (suck it Case). After a hose, remounting a tire, and batteries she fired up on the first crank. I was blessed by the MV gods for a full tank of JP8 which kept the crud out of the tank. I later replaced the 3 way switch and all the lights worked. She's 100% functional and to spec. Of all things green to be fully operational a MHE (Material Handling Equipment) was not the one I would expect.

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lt;dr
It's an amazingly simple yet robust machine. It's small enough you can trailer it yet large enough to flat tow 5 tons. It's quick enough to give my M-Gator a run for it's money yet nimble enough to get in tight spaces. The torque is impressive and it will not get stuck. I've gotten it up on 3 wheels climbing over a stump and wiggled through Texas silt/clay with no worries. It's an ideal engine hoist and trailer jack that will save your back. It has always started and been a faithful unit to me and I consider this a fitting second life for this unit. Who knows where it went or what it saw since it was built in 1982 but in the true essence of a steel soldier it was refit and ready for duty. In this case it's the main unit in my moonpool and helping other MV's get back into action. Vote MK4 - gift giver for the holiday month!

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It is great when a plan comes together. Even better when equipment gets regular use instead of a silent demise.
 
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