To Bob or not To Bob?

[Trailboss]

This is the land of the free (thanks, Vets! ), and you can do anything to your property that you want to - so I voted bobbit.

That said, I would not bob my deuces because I just don't want to, and don't particularly see the attraction. Of course, I don't see the attraction for a 10' high pickup with monster mudders. If I want a pickup, I'll drive my pickup, and if I want a deuce, I'll drive my deuce. If I want a marsh buggy, I'll buy a marsh buggy.

After WWII, Springfields and Mausers were "sporterized" (=bubba'd) because they were cheap and plentiful. Gunsmithing schools even used M1917 Enfields to train students on. Fifty years later, that $100-$175 sportarized rifle, no matter how well the customizing was done, is nowhere near the $800 - $3000 an original rifle now brings .

Deuce prices will stay low until GL stops selling them, then the prices will increase dramatically. For every deuce that gets bobbed, the value of my fleet just went up incrementally. It may be 5 -15 - ?? years before the value of a complete deuce equals the value of a bobbed deuce, but that day WILL come. It may be a long time before my pair of deuces with consecutive serial numbers become the rare centerpieces of an MV enthusiast's extremely valuable collection, but at least they will be together and intact. Then again, I'll probably be worm food and my widow would have sold them for a scrap prices to someone who will build $5K bobbers out of $20K antique MVs.

 

[pidgeon]

Too few options...

My general equation when I decide what route to take with a vehicle is best summed up by:

Where np is the number of vehicles of that year produced.
Where ex is the number of vehicles of that year estimated to still exist in any condition.
Where pa is the percentage of all parts not available outside of very special markets (ebay, etc).
Where ap is the average price of a fully restored version.
Where vc is the percentage of vehicle that is complete.

((ex/np)*ap*pa)/100-vc

Example:
1972 Volkswagen 411: ( 367,728 /6 years=61,288 per year on average)
I'd estimate that per year there's about 1000 per left (just a guess, but probably close)
Parts are a pain in the ass to find.
A good restored one will bring about.... 5,000
I've found one that is 10% complete

((1000/6128*80*5000)/90 = 72. Eh... number isn't overly high. I'd consider a chop.

Let's make it 70% complete:
= 217. That's creeping up,. Restore it knowing it won't be real valuable

Example 2:
Bugatti 57S Atalante:
17 made
15 exist
parts? Good luck!
A good restored one? 4.3 million.
I've found one that is 1% complete.

((15/17)*100*4300000)/1=379411765
Yeahhhhhh you chop it, you don't deserve to live.

Example 3:
2008 Toyota Prius
150,000 made
Guess: 140,000 still exist
parts are widely available. (we use .0001 as parts availability)
a good one is going to run 20,000 new.
I've found one that is 95%

140000/150000*1*20000/95 = 3733
Too nice of condition. Don't chop it but since the overall number isn't super high like above it wouldn't be criminal if you did.

Lets say though, that is was totalled. 5% condition
140000/150000*1*20000/5 = 196

I just use these as guidelines. In the end...it's your money, although if you chop something rare I reserve the right to think people are stupid for doing it.

 

[vinny-socom1]

I owe both 6x6 & 4x4 5tons, they are 2 different trucks, with that said I think you have to drive both to see wich one you like. I have a tuff time deciding which one to take for a ride asa they both get the same amount of attention.


Vinny

 

[m1010plowboy]

This way to 56' Bobbed dooos

$15.64 for the plywood and 10 seconds to stand it up.

We were tearin the box off today and one of the kids stood up the plywood.......and the deuce was bobbed.

Had to send a picture because it's as close as 'peacekeeper' is going to get to Bobville.

Box came off flawless but someone went and packed mud up to the top of the frame rails. This thing was buried at one time but she's off to the shop for a bath.

 

[Oilleaker1]

I couldn't bob a mint original, but like both styles. I'd bob a beater and have both. The hauling capacity would come first since it is a truck first. After that, a bober with cool paint and options to your taste would be a real show stopper. Huge tall tires and a whistler are a croud pleaser. That said, I hate to see guys bashing and beating their deuces like rock crawlers just cause they were cheap. The good is that when they break it and lose interest, we get the parts cheap-----

 

[chaplain]

Honeslty, I bought mine with the original intent to bob. Now after a year I love her just the way she is. Planning on paying the extra for the 11 new t831's in the not too distant future. Now if I had two and one deuce was a beater then indeed I would bob.

 

[Unforgiven]

P.S. Anyone ever thought about going the other direction with a Deuce? 6x6 to 8x8..... Hmmmm....

Yes. A powered, liftable pusher axle on a stretched frame would be interesting.

 

[SasquatchSanta]

I'm impressed!

The culture at SS in changing. Two years ago the purists would have been hyper-ventelating before the third post was made in this thread. I got so tired of the implied guilt trips by some of the purist members that I cut way back on my visits to SS.

As I've mentioined in previous posts on this subject, as a veteran that is now a civilian I no longer wear the uniform. The same goes for my bobbed deuce.


PS: In 1963 I installed a 41 Willys front end in my 1954 Corvette.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I know I've said this before. I also know that nobody cares. Lots of folks say if the deuce is a POS, don't bob it. If it is a POS, go ahead and bob it. My question to those folks is, what if the owner wants a nice bobbed truck, not a POS bobbed truck? Everybody has their opinions, I really don't care what folks do with their own property. If someone were bobbing an M756A2 I'd try to trade a regular cargo for it but ultimately, his/ her truck and decision. I've been scorned many times for re-powering my M108. It was best for me with a multifuel and that is what it got! I have no particular love for gassers, some do. In the end it's still a somewhat free country, lets try to keep it that way.

 

[rwbrown72]

I like them both ways and have one of each. I like them nice either way. I don't like POS's.

 

[SasquatchSanta]

P.S. Anyone ever thought about going the other direction with a Deuce? 6x6 to 8x8..... Hmmmm....

There used to be a guy that came on the forum a lot that had grandios plans to build a super deuce that would have everything imaginable on it --- dual winches --- lockers --- lots of horsepower --- different transmission --- all sorts of wonderful trinkets. His wonder truck was going to be for a huge promotional documentary for bio-diesel. I can't remember but I think it included more wheels/axles. Why not --- it had more of everything else.

He was going to drive from Canada to Argentina 100% off-road.

If he isn't in a college dorm someplace he's probably stuck in the Amazon jungle swatting mosquitos and streatching cable. I hope he didn't forget a spare tire and some snake repellent

I can't remember his name but I miss him. He was entertaining

 

[Recovry4x4]

If he isn't in a college dorm someplace he's probably stuck in the Amazon jungle swatting mosquitos and streatching cable. I hope he didn't forget a spare tire and some snake repellent

I don't recall his screen name either but your description sounds like a scene from the Sorcerer.

 

[SasquatchSanta]

I gotta hand it to him --- driving off-road from Canada to Argintena is pretty ambitious.
The most ambitious thing I ever wanted to do was right after I got out of the military when I wanted to roll a keg of coors from Los Angeles to New York but I sobered up and decided to go to Disney Land instead.

 

[hndrsonj]

Well I personally am not a bobbed deuce fan but people can do what they want with their trucks. I recently found a cheap mostly rust free 52 Stude gasser and am considering a bobbed deuce with a cut down M34 bed like the XM381 prototypes, or maybe converting it to an early pipeline truck (found most of that). Don't know and too many projects.

 

[littlebob]

I'm trying to build my first one to represent a Vietnam era truck. It has already been cannibalized by the Military and is no longer original as it is a former gasser.
I would like to single my next with bigger tires and air assist steering.
Like said above, save the rare original ones and do what you want with the rest, its you truck
and those that keep them original may have grandchildren that will reap the benefits or send them to the scrapper.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Well I personally am not a bobbed deuce fan but people can do what they want with their trucks. I recently found a cheap mostly rust free 52 Stude gasser and am considering a bobbed deuce with a cut down M34 bed like the XM381 prototypes, or maybe converting it to an early pipeline truck (found most of that). Don't know and too many projects.

Oooh, a Stude gasser! Correct Data plate? Yeah, I still dream of moving all of my goodies to a gasser chassis with correct original data plate. (stomach turning yet Jim). LOL

 

[hndrsonj]

Stomach can't churn too bad as thinking of bobbing.

 

[GreenDoc]

This is the same argument that always comes up in Street Rodding. The "stockers" whine, thumb their noses & bad mouth anyone "Stupid enough" to "Hack Up" a good vintage car....32 Ford, 40 Ford, 50 Merc, 57 Chev, Corvette, Etc., (take your pick.)
.."Chopping the top on that 32 Ford will ruin it forever!"
They'd argue that there's only a small number left, & it's sacrilegious to rape & ruin a collectible car that way. They'd say that this is just a trend & the popularity of the modifieds will soon die, leaving these "deformed" vehicles as a sad scar on the Marque....Blah, blah, blah....
These guys usually sit together in clusters with their museum pieces, & snicker at the dumb-a## & his "ruined" car, "knowing" that they will eventually see the knuckle-heads regret their decison as the Fad passes & it's value plummets.

I've been a Rodder for 30 years & have owned, built & modified a mile long list of Cars & Trucks, & I have yet to see a quality Street Rod sell for Substantially less than a Stocker of the same quality....(Assuming it was done with a modicum of "good taste".) There are still unrestored stockers out there & they go for a pretty big price....But a restored 32 ford sells for a fraction of a Rodded 32.

I'm NOT looking for a fight, & I don't mean to come down on "purists", because I still appreciate a well done "restored" ride & I'm glad that there are guys out there building them & protecting them. I just get tired of the arrogance & implied superiority complex displayed as many of them attempt to correct the "poor misguided fools" who are "ruining" their rides.

THIS particular venue is an open discussion about about whether to modify, or Not to modify....THIS IS the place for opposing opinions to be aired. But I've seen many threads in the "Modified Deuces" section being harassed by individuals asking: "why would you want to do that?!" often followed by a remark similar to "You know the Government spent Millions designing these systems, don't you see how dumb it is to modify it?! At this point the thread often dies, or turns into a praise-a-thon for the original system.

Build what you want, Love what you & others have. Openly share your knowledge, (including lessons learned!), but please don't preach & debate every thread that entertains a deviation from stock. There will always be a place for both.

 

[rwbrown72]

This is the same argument that always comes up in Street Rodding. The "stockers" whine, thumb their noses & bad mouth anyone "Stupid enough" to "Hack Up" a good vintage car....32 Ford, 40 Ford, 50 Merc, 57 Chev, Corvette, Etc., (take your pick.)
.."Chopping the top on that 32 Ford will ruin it forever!"
They'd argue that there's only a small number left, & it's sacrilegious to rape & ruin a collectible car that way. They'd say that this is just a trend & the popularity of the modifieds will soon die, leaving these "deformed" vehicles as a sad scar on the Marque....Blah, blah, blah....
These guys usually sit together in clusters with their museum pieces, & snicker at the dumb-a## & his "ruined" car, "knowing" that they will eventually see the knuckle-heads regret their decison as the Fad passes & it's value plummets.

I've been a Rodder for 30 years & have owned, built & modified a mile long list of Cars & Trucks, & I have yet to see a quality Street Rod sell for Substantially less than a Stocker of the same quality....(Assuming it was done with a modicum of "good taste".) There are still unrestored stockers out there & they go for a pretty big price....But a restored 32 ford sells for a fraction of a Rodded 32.

I'm NOT looking for a fight, & I don't mean to come down on "purists", because I still appreciate a well done "restored" ride & I'm glad that there are guys out there building them & protecting them. I just get tired of the arrogance & implied superiority complex displayed as many of them attempt to correct the "poor misguided fools" who are "ruining" their rides.

THIS particular venue is an open discussion about about whether to modify, or Not to modify....THIS IS the place for opposing opinions to be aired. But I've seen many threads in the "Modified Deuces" section being harassed by individuals asking: "why would you want to do that?!" often followed by a remark similar to "You know the Government spent Millions designing these systems, don't you see how dumb it is to modify it?! At this point the thread often dies, or turns into a praise-a-thon for the original system.

Build what you want, Love what you & others have. Openly share your knowledge, (including lessons learned!), but please don't preach & debate every thread that entertains a deviation from stock. There will always be a place for both.

Well Said.

 

[armytruck63]

MV's have been in my family for over 35 years and I prefer stock trucks to bobbed, but to each his own. If someone is going to cut up a truck, then please do it to something like an M35A2, which right now is the Volkswagen Beetle of deuces. I cringe when I hear of someone planning to cut up a rarer truck like an M36A2 or an M211.

Just my