The first pics of my HEMTT project !

[dma251]

any more updates? Is it driving yet?

Oh yeah! Put about 40 miles on it yesterday. It's been coming along a little bit slower these last few weeks because I have been putting all my energy into erecting a 40 foot long, 16 foot high industrial shelter to restore it under. I have had to have MAJOR work done to my backyard to come up with the space to rstore this truck properly. I have spent over $14000 (including the shelter) just for the PLACE to restore it right.

In the next week or two I will have the shelter up, and will begin removing the cab, so I can strip it down and send it out to be sandblasted and powdercoated. Since I am going to make this a daily driver, I decided to powdercoat the interior of the cab glossy institutional beige/cream color similar to what I've seem inside armor and some of the earlier M911 HETS. The OD green inside just gets too dusty and grimy too fast. I never intended this to be a 100% "correct" project, just a 100% "cool" one.
I have FLIR and infrared night and side vision systems planned for it also! I'm going MODERN!!!

I'll post some fresh pics as soon as I get something new to see. Watch for a link to some youtube videos in the next few days.

 

[kcimb]

any more updates? Is it driving yet?

Oh yeah! Put about 40 miles on it yesterday. It's been coming along a little bit slower these last few weeks because I have been putting all my energy into erecting a 40 foot long, 16 foot high industrial shelter to restore it under. I have had to have MAJOR work done to my backyard to come up with the space to rstore this truck properly. I have spent over $14000 (including the shelter) just for the PLACE to restore it right.

In the next week or two I will have the shelter up, and will begin removing the cab, so I can strip it down and send it out to be sandblasted and powdercoated. Since I am going to make this a daily driver, I decided to powdercoat the interior of the cab glossy institutional beige/cream color similar to what I've seem inside armor and some of the earlier M911 HETS. The OD green inside just gets too dusty and grimy too fast. I never intended this to be a 100% "correct" project, just a 100% "cool" one.
I have FLIR and infrared night and side vision systems planned for it also! I'm going MODERN!!!

I'll post some fresh pics as soon as I get something new to see. Watch for a link to some youtube videos in the next few days.

If I might ask....how did you come across it? I haven't seen any on GL as of yet.

 

[mangus580]

any more updates? Is it driving yet?

Oh yeah! Put about 40 miles on it yesterday. It's been coming along a little bit slower these last few weeks because I have been putting all my energy into erecting a 40 foot long, 16 foot high industrial shelter to restore it under. I have had to have MAJOR work done to my backyard to come up with the space to rstore this truck properly. I have spent over $14000 (including the shelter) just for the PLACE to restore it right.

In the next week or two I will have the shelter up, and will begin removing the cab, so I can strip it down and send it out to be sandblasted and powdercoated. Since I am going to make this a daily driver, I decided to powdercoat the interior of the cab glossy institutional beige/cream color similar to what I've seem inside armor and some of the earlier M911 HETS. The OD green inside just gets too dusty and grimy too fast. I never intended this to be a 100% "correct" project, just a 100% "cool" one.
I have FLIR and infrared night and side vision systems planned for it also! I'm going MODERN!!!

I'll post some fresh pics as soon as I get something new to see. Watch for a link to some youtube videos in the next few days.

If I might ask....how did you come across it? I haven't seen any on GL as of yet.

If you look around, you will find it! He posted his story of acquiring it on the forum.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

that is one nice toy........ do u find most them offa GL or were do u get em... i gotta find me one to fix up.. nothing like doing what ur doing.. looking great..

 

[dma251]

If I might ask....how did you come across it? I haven't seen any on GL as of yet.[/quote]

Read all about it here - http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=11369&highlight=hemtt+ebay

 

[appdeuce]

What does a running one of those things set you back?

 

[dma251]

The link in the post right above yours is to the thread of when I found it. Kinda shows the excitement just finding one for sale generates.

I paid (It's definitely no secret) $26,000 for it in running, but in serious need of transmission, cargo box, front and rear fenders, and LOTS of other smaller stuff. I figure by the time I am done with the restore on it I will have spent around another $20k, but that's just an early guess. You know how those things go - just because I said that it will now cost me $30k....

They definitely aren't cheap, but if you have to have a hemtt, there is no substitute. (with the exception of Leonard Jones' Baby Hemtt. But if you have the experience, knowledge, and fabrication ability of Leonard, you wouldn't consider buying a hemtt anyway. You'd just build one yourself... As he's done)

If you find one for sale at any price your lucky, because they don't come around very often yet. In the future you'll start seeing them, but no time soon.

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

I'd much rather drive that around town than a $30k truck...plus you have a nice k-boom in the back and the 30k doesn't ... it's well worth the investment I'd say

 

[M1075]

HEMTTs are very rare in private hands. There have been some to slip through the cracks, but most go back to Oshkosh for remanufacture. Oshkosh produces a like new one for 60%-75% the cost of a new one. Also, older models (i.e. cargo with MHC) are reconfigured into new models like the LHS. Heavy trucks will undergo frame-up rebuilds, much like the deuces and 5 tons of the past. Check out this link for more info on the HEMMT reset program.

http://www.oshkoshtruck.com/defense/products~refurb~home.cfm

 

[metalsoft]

Nice. Question: when did you start questioning your sanity? Before you bought it or after you started working on it? I kinda need that info as a bench marker. Great pics!

 

[metalsoft]

I finally found your beastie on ebay & flickr. What a MAGNIFICENT BEASTIE! Im drooling. I mean she is absolutely gorgeous, i see why you're asking price is what it is. Hope you get it sold she is a thing of true beauty! Salud!

 

[Nic7320]

mini-HEMTT

After seeing the pictures of your HEMTT in all its glory, here's a HEMTT sans-trailer. Were they all capable of this?

Location: Highway 101 at Gaviota Rest Stop, Gaviota, California on 06 June 2008. All images taken by me, and available with permission

 

[quarkz]

After seeing the pictures of your HEMTT in all its glory, here's a HEMTT sans-trailer. Were they all capable of this?

Location: Highway 101 at Gaviota Rest Stop, Gaviota, California on 06 June 2008. All images taken by me, and available with permission

I don't know if they are all capable of that, but I want one that is.
Way Cool!

 

[FireFighterHill]

isnt that a baby hemtt

 

[gunboy1656]

That would be the Dragon Wagon, as the marines call them. That is what connects to the MK17 trailers on GL.

I forget the nomenclature for the truck off hand.

And they all dont do this.

 

[wsucougarx]

Ahhh, it's so cute.. Blahhummnhm....did I really just say that?

 

[Nic7320]

Dragon Wagon comparision

here's a link to specs and pictures of a very good model of a 40-ton Dragon Wagon:
DragonWagon Page1

While looking somewhat similar, it's a different beast - with a capacity far in excess of the HEMTT

 

[gunboy1656]

THats the WW2 variation, this one got nicknamed the dragon wagon as well.

Just like how there are several variations on the M1, the M60 and so on.

 

[emmado22]

Thats a MK-48 Logistics Vehicle System power unit.

 

[Nic7320]

Very good identification of my pictures. Found a link to that as well;
Logistics Vehicle System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But now I'm puzzled, in the tractor LVS configuration, does only one axle steer? It would be interesting to drive something where both axles allowed you to crab sideways, but not very practical to turn unless the front and rear axles steered opposite directions.