Trading up, nervous though. Stewart Stevenson M1078 LMTV Camper Build....

[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

Great find!!!
I wonder if there is enough room for mounting on the driver side. I was thinking to balance the wt distribution.

I will be mounting the diesel generator on the drivers side and additional storage boxes. In addition, the camper frame will be beefier on the drivers side to support the 8 foot slide out. That should easily balance it out. That is a ways off, heck I gotta get an LMTZ first. Lol. So depressing.

 

[Gongho]

Will be placing it right next to the existing gas tank and notching the back of it to clear the spring mount....

it won’t fit.

 

[Gongho]

Great find!!!
I wonder if there is enough room for mounting on the driver side. I was thinking to balance the wt distribution.

No room there too got the batteries, air tank and air dryer.

 

[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

I've seen the 2nd gas tank done with the notching at the back left corner and removing that flap. I also measured at the auction yard and validated I can make it work. I also have a shop lined up to pressure test the tank after I notch it. The generator I picked should easily fit on the opposite side in a slide out box after I relocate the air drier and the exhaust which will flow out behind the rear tire.. I do appreciate the comments though, keep them coming, they make me rethink the approach and that helps me. Thank you again.
Here is my CAD design of my thoughts.. moving tire and air, etc so camper can get closer to cab... more to come, should be fun to watch..
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[rockDAWG]

There is lots of room above the driveshaft within the frame, I was thinking to fit a marine fuel tank and water tank there. Marine tanks have lot of different odd shapes. Having a two-tank system is a bonus because one can build a fuel polisher to ensure the fuel that feeds into the injector is clean. 99.9% of of engineproblem on a sailboat is dirty fuel.

 

[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

There is lots of room above the driveshaft within the frame, I was thinking to fit a marine fuel tank and water tank there. Marine tanks have lot of different odd shapes. Having a two-tank system is a bonus because one can build a fuel polisher to ensure the fuel that feeds into the injector is clean. 99.9% of of engineproblem on a sailboat is dirty fuel.

I have seen there is a ton of room there and I will be using that for something else.
more to come

 

[ramdough]

I've seen the 2nd gas tank done with the notching at the back left corner and removing that flap. I also measured at the auction yard and validated I can make it work. I also have a shop lined up to pressure test the tank after I notch it. The generator I picked should easily fit on the opposite side in a slide out box after I relocate the air drier and the exhaust which will flow out behind the rear tire.. I do appreciate the comments though, keep them coming, they make me rethink the approach and that helps me. Thank you again.
Here is my CAD design of my thoughts.. moving tire and air, etc so camper can get closer to cab... more to come, should be fun to watch..
.View attachment 801454

Yes they can fit with modifications.


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[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

Thats a better pic than I saw, thank you for posting it. Still trying to find the exact brackets and straps. Truck dealers online have 'generic' ones. I want exact if anyone has or finds them. In the meantime more toys rolled in...
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[ckouba]

Watch the extension of your over-cab portion. Remember that the cab needs to tilt up for motor access/service:

 

[rockDAWG]

Yes they can fit with modifications.


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Ramdough, those pics are from your truck? Are the subframe rails original?

 

[ramdough]

No, those are Duckworthe’s

The upper frame is from the bed.


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[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

Still not an LMTV owner... Spoke to the local auction yard that holds vehicles from our favorite website. Guy said they can't get any LMTV's or much else these days due to lockdown on bases for covid, essential personnel only.. With the Covid spike might not be until next year when they start hitting my local yard... I can wait...
Still researching and buying parts/tools though...... : )
Defiantly removing driveshafts and having them rebuilt 1st thing... that said, bought this today to make the job easier...
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[CaptNautiJay]

Good points, I think I will just keep waiting for one to pop up closer to me.
I am hoping to get 2002 or newer.
It looks like GovPlanet rotates these things on a 3 week rotation, meaning they put an LMTV on for 3 weeks and auction it off then that same location will put more of them on for another 3 weeks within a day of the last auction.
As I continue to ponder ideas on this thing, it would be cool to be able to unbolt the hatch cover and put in a useable, sealable hatch. Not an entire gun turret just a plain ole' hatch.... My wife is a photographer and with would be cool for her to pop out of it and stop snapping photos while we cruise... Just a thought.
Thank you again All.....

I have thought the same thing, maybe not for photography but if you build a run rack on top that could be some valuable storage space as well and the hatch thru the old turret would make for easier access.

 

[coachgeo]

I have thought the same thing, maybe not for photography but if you build a run rack on top that could be some valuable storage space as well and the hatch thru the old turret would make for easier access.

replace it with an acrylic bubble window. Put a second bubble on top as a cap to protect the main one. Truck bed line the outside of top one. Some felt? on the inside to not scratch the clear one below. Gotta figure out a way to flip or slide it over out of way though. Maybe open like a clam shell to each side?

Saw pic of one old Forrest Fire service Unimog 404 that had a bubble like this on their turret..... and stole the idea long ago.

 

[PacificNorthWestLMTV]

I haven't fallen off the planet, still researching and looking for LMTV's at my local auction.. Definitely want the 3126 in it.
In the meantime I have been updating my research page, which is the first page of this blog ,and purchasing more items I know I will use or want to change out (pic of more stuff below)..
From the forums to youtube I have researched a ton now, almost a year into the research. I am so glad that I have done this research and taken this time, don't know how people buy these things with minimal research and not knowing what they are getting into and what good prices are for different parts and pieces, what things work/fit and what don't. Honestly it seems like everyone has work to do on their LMTV's. I've seen builds where the LMTV is completely gone through and then destroys the driveshaft ripping the rear of the trans off. Ive seen cracked engine blocks, lose accessories, HEUI pumps destroying engines, blah blah blah... My thought is once I go through mine completely and replace, upgrade and refurbish everything I should be good to go from a reliability standpoint. The coolness factor of the LMTV is still there for me as well. I don't mind dumping my life savings into the LMTV, but it would sure be nice once I am done knowing that I could have a completely reliable vehicle (pipe-dream for any vehicle).. Looking at all the videos and forum builds and seeing everyone doing all this work does make me think hard about reliability down the road and at one point had me looking at the Mitsubishi FUSO FG, and ideas of putting 37's on a Sprinter or Transit van or lifting a class C with 35's and rock jocks front and rear, and other options.. But then it all came back to center that the LMTV is a journey and you have to have the love and passion for the vehicle. Im still in it, still researching, still buying stuff and building interiors and boxes in my head, and waiting for my deal.
For the box I am up in the air about Total Composites setup and accessories (great insulation, very strong, no thermal bridging) or building my own out of Aluminum and using VHP tape and spray insulation to minimize/eliminate thermal bridging.
Still pondering life and now looking for a gantry crane to lift the cab off when I get it. Also still watching for parts for my AC, as you can see below I picked up one part for it on a smoking deal.
That's it, ill post again when something worth while happens..... Not dead...
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[charlesrg]

Do you remember where did you get the reference for the steering wheel adapter ? https://www.steeringcreations.com/products/903.html
I'm trying to find more info on it adapting the truck 36 spline x 7/8” to a more modern wheel.

 

[chucky]

Yes they can fit with modifications.


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You can leave the air dryer in place and notch the back left corner bottom out of the box and if you cut it right take the corner you cut out and bring it inside the box reversed into that same corner add some L brackets and it will cover up the air dryer but you can access it later if needed ! If you want to try it i will take a picture of mine.