Thinking about building a deuce...

[Ryan Gruetter]

I'm going to build a deuce, but i'm not sure which one. I want the cheapest to build, but the funnest to drive... any suggestions? i'm thinking long-term building, since I plan on going to college, but I want the real deal. I guess what I'm asking is how much, and how long?

 

[doghead]

"build" from what? Toothpicks?

Just buy one. Buying parts to assemble anything, is always more costly that buying whole.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Need Free MV! - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

Eric, like this kind- BTW , I want a free MV also.

 

[gunboy1656]

I would be curious to see the cost difference between buying one, and just starting from a frame. Part by part, including shipping of said parts.

 

[doghead]

Oh boy, another guy with 5 posts and an ad....

Maybe he can get together with that other kid that wanted to borrow money to get a deuce.

Maybe we need a "No soliciting" rule, for the classifieds. What ever happened to pride.

 

[hemichallenger]

Maybe thats how you get a 34k dollar Deuce.

 

[123mack]

In the time you spend putting one together,you probably could have earned enough money to buy one off GL.

 

[gunboy1656]

In the time you spend putting one together,you probably could have earned enough money to buy one off GL.

I would make a better bet, by the time you buy and ship all the parts you can get one from Eastern Surplus. And those ones are not cheap.

 

[Heavysteven]

I'm going to build a deuce, but i'm not sure which one. I want the cheapest to build, but the funnest to drive... any suggestions? i'm thinking long-term building, since I plan on going to college, but I want the real deal. I guess what I'm asking is how much, and how long?

Ok guys be serious he could have a great idea. Hopefully I can answer his questions.
1. M35a2 cheapest but you need a winch
2. M35a2 best to drive
3. Long-term sounds logical
4. College hmmmm.....education that's good
5. How much? I would estimate 10,000 plus parts at $4 each so about $40,000
6. How long? I would estimate an 1 hour per part or 10,000hrs/40hrs per week so 250 weeks divide by 52 weeks per year so about 5 years

Ryan hope this answered your question.

 

[123mack]

Your'e probably close to right about eastern surplus.
Let's see, just guesstimating:
3 Axles@ 250 ea=$750
Engine $500
Transmission $400
Transfer case $300
Stripped cab $200
Total $2150 That's no shipping and all the other bits and pieces needed. Once again these prices are estimates, wild guesses,averages or fantisies.

 

[kennys@wi.rr.com]

Did we forget the cost of tools and shop space to build said deuce? Even if parts were cheap the tools needed to lift all the parts are not always cheap.

 

[harleyrkc]

Did we forget the cost of tools and shop space to build said deuce? Even if parts were cheap the tools needed to lift all the parts are not always cheap.

And then even if you do have a place to work your deuce, it'll take you a month to clean out your work area like me.

 

[kennys@wi.rr.com]

Thought I was the only one that had that problem.

 

[bratpackdad]

I want a free deuce built from the ground up

 

[Ryan Gruetter]

Yes, you did help me a lot. I was figuring that the M35A2 was my bet, but I had to be sure. BTW, thanks for not being a bigot like those other guys. I have been studying the parts of a deuce for monhs now, and just stumbled on this site, so it's not like I am just wanting deuce. But I really want a very bad conditioned one to work on. I hope to get one with my dad, who is deployed right now in the subs, and I thought it would be a great project for the two of us, until I go to college, then I can work on it on the weekends, or whenever... so... thanks a lot!

 

[hole]

There's a big difference between bigot and jackass. Stay in school

 

[Kalashnikov]

You do realize there's a big difference from actually looking at diagram versus having all the parts, placing them where they need to go, and actually installing everything when you haven't actually seen it in person or disassembled it from the start? It sounds like a project that will die out. But it sounds like you realize the cost of time and money this will require. I'd say you'd be better of buying one that is drivable so you drive it a bit and not loose interest. Then you can dissabmly and replace as you desire and know how everything fits together.

The tools and space are definitely HUGE issues. You can't skimp on tools or else you'll just get fed up with the project. And if you don't have shop space, working in the dead of winter will be a huge turn off.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Yep thats right Hole. You are asking people for a free MV , thats what gets me and your willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars to restore it over some years. Delivery and all free im guessing. If you look around SS even for a minute you can see threads and things about MV's or M35A2's like your wanting and what it takes to restore them buy them and maintain them. Why start a new thread ask the same stuff you can look up? (others need to do the same at times)

But still your asking for a free MV like other guys haven't worked to get one. I bet you money im only a few years apart in age from you with you going to be starting college. I started with nothing as a HS student (my parents didn't have the money), joined the Army, and got my things right and have my own collection of MV's. Just be patient and get a good MV , take your time and get a running M35A2 , which you can see if the cheapest to own and maintain instead of jumping on a truck missing a ton of stuff. I dont know why but it gets me to ask for things for free like this. Im sorry about that.

Your in the right direction with joining the SS forum and picking an Army truck as your hobby.


I dont want to come off mean but you can call me what you want id rather point you in the right direction than the easy way. - Jay

 

[roscoe]

Kids now - a -days don't seem to have any patience and want it all now. All you have to do Ryan is work really hard for one summer (at minumum wage even) and you would have enough to buy a basic Duece. You will find plenty of things to fix on it and can easily spend years and thousands of dollars without getting a hunk of scrap dumped in your yard.

 

[TexAndy]

If you're going to "build" a deuce, I'd say the cheapest way to do it would be to buy a running deuce from GL or a private seller.

Then take it apart down to the frame and do a frame-off restoration and put it back together.

I've completely disassembled a deuce (with 2 other guys helping and alot of tools) and let me tell you, it was ALOT of work. And we weren't even being careful about organizing the parts.

IF all you want is "A really bad condition deuce" you can probably get one off GL for 1000 to 1500 if you're patient. It might not happen on your first try, tho. Just start heading over to fort drum or wherever the closest GL yard is to you and start inspecting all the new deuces as they come in.

Then go put a real lowball bid in on the computer. You may get lucky. I got my current driver for $770, w/w and the only major thing wrong with it was lightly rusted stuck wheel cylinders. If you find one with some rust problems but otherwise mechanically sound, go ahead and lowball bid it.

Here's what you need to realize, tho. Each fix costs money. Every part replacement costs money. Enough stuff wrong with a deuce and enough part replacements and pretty soon your "cheap" deuce costs not much less than one from a private seller. Factor this into what you're willing to bid on a deuce before you bid.