- 4,319
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- Location
- Fort Worth, Texas
I've gone off the SS grid for a while as some have noticed. No I haven't lost interest, just taking my time for the right opportunity to present itself..and it did. They story goes a little something like this..
THE RECOVERY
A few weeks ago I had the luck of running into a guy we will call Tony. He and I collaborated on a few projects, talked a few stories, and traded MV goods. He was contacted by someone about a stash of deuce's the owner wanted gone and pronto. We arranged a recovery party with the intent to inspect the deuces and walk if necessary but the MV gods were watching over us today..also there wasn't any room left in the car for Murphy so he stayed home.
The word was there were four deuces and 2 105s that were supposedly drove in from a National Guard Armory in Louisiana directly and transferred to the owner (DRMO purchase). They has been used to clear the property at some point but remained undisturbed for at least two years. The owner's father, who met us, said they ran when parked but we all know what that means.
Going out to the trucks we were pleasantly surprised. 4 nearly unmolested trucks sitting in a patch of high grass like the pack animals they are. What we weren't over joyous about was the immense number of hornet and wasp nests that claimed the first truck (1980 AMG M35A2c wo/w & Hardtop). It was the cleanest lot of the bunch but man..did I mention the hornets? We came prepared with a sprayer and took care of them but it seems we really ticked them off as they kept coming back. It seemed even the thorned ivy found a home growing up into the oddest of places. I'm still finding stems in odd places. I even found them growing up through the floorboard in the cab and literally into the seat. Talk about a sharp ride. Anyway..
Giving each truck a once over everything checked out. No flats, good fluids, no leaks, no working batteries of course..but again! Came prepared! Of the 4 trucks we started 3 with just a fresh set of batteries and the press of a button. The 4th was missing a minor part..something about a radiator (haha). It needed a lot more too but that was the major issue.
So after a day of toiling in the hot and humid sun we had 3 runners and a parts truck.
1980 AMG A2C wo/w - hard top
1970 KJ A2 wo/w
1970 KJ A2 wo/w - electric wipers!
???? AMG A2 W/W
At this point the recovery was a success. We aired up the tires to 50 PSI, checked lights, bled one deuces brakes just to be safe, set up communications, and rolled out on the open road. Now this is where it gets interesting..
Now I know everyone has at least heard a C turbo scream on these LDT-465s and it seemed my JK had the only C turbo of the bunch. Well we were wrong, quite wrong. Half way during our trip deuce #3 (AMG A2C) comes screaming to life running flat out at 2400 rpm down hill. It was so loud I (lead driver) looked back to see if my own turbo had fallen out on the road somewhere. We quickly stopped at a wally-world for food, bio-junk for the fuel tanks, and of course a moment to say "what in the heck?!" followed by a good laugh.
After some quick eats we had a seemingly easy 300 miles drive back to check point alpha. A number of people waved at us, a number of cops thought better than to stop a convoy of deuces, and we all tried to shuffle through a single diesel pump at a small town gas station. I've never hit my fuel credit transaction limit before but I did then. In fact refueling three hungry deuces felt like that old crappy movie "Maximum Overdrive"
So by this time its zerodarkhundred and driver two and three have just parted their ways, I on the other hand have another 70 miles to my destination. The moment I started moving all my lights go out. It seems Murphy was hitch hiking and caught up with us. After a little investigating the clutch lever had shorted two wires that were nibbled on during their rest in the woods. A little rubber cement did the trick and off we went.
The drive was what I had always remembered it to be but Murphy still felt to get his share of the excitement. About 20 miles out of my town I get hit in the head with a steel bar. The softtop was literally dissolving before my eyes. My navigator (Tom) held it in place for a while until it just gave way and we tucked it aside. From that point on we cruised with an open top to the brightest clearest moon in quite some time. We almost didn't need head lights (even as one went out) for the last leg there, and I must say thank you to Murphy for that otherwise missed treat.
I must give thanks to Tony, Tom, and Kyle for assisting me on this journey. I must also thank the SS community for the knowledge and tools acquired to make this trip just another fun little adventure.
*This trip was brought to you by the letter "P" for Pub! Because that's where we went the next day as a reward. I do have video but it needs to be rotated and it's avi. Windows movie maker does not like that.
THE RECOVERY
A few weeks ago I had the luck of running into a guy we will call Tony. He and I collaborated on a few projects, talked a few stories, and traded MV goods. He was contacted by someone about a stash of deuce's the owner wanted gone and pronto. We arranged a recovery party with the intent to inspect the deuces and walk if necessary but the MV gods were watching over us today..also there wasn't any room left in the car for Murphy so he stayed home.
The word was there were four deuces and 2 105s that were supposedly drove in from a National Guard Armory in Louisiana directly and transferred to the owner (DRMO purchase). They has been used to clear the property at some point but remained undisturbed for at least two years. The owner's father, who met us, said they ran when parked but we all know what that means.
Going out to the trucks we were pleasantly surprised. 4 nearly unmolested trucks sitting in a patch of high grass like the pack animals they are. What we weren't over joyous about was the immense number of hornet and wasp nests that claimed the first truck (1980 AMG M35A2c wo/w & Hardtop). It was the cleanest lot of the bunch but man..did I mention the hornets? We came prepared with a sprayer and took care of them but it seems we really ticked them off as they kept coming back. It seemed even the thorned ivy found a home growing up into the oddest of places. I'm still finding stems in odd places. I even found them growing up through the floorboard in the cab and literally into the seat. Talk about a sharp ride. Anyway..
Giving each truck a once over everything checked out. No flats, good fluids, no leaks, no working batteries of course..but again! Came prepared! Of the 4 trucks we started 3 with just a fresh set of batteries and the press of a button. The 4th was missing a minor part..something about a radiator (haha). It needed a lot more too but that was the major issue.
So after a day of toiling in the hot and humid sun we had 3 runners and a parts truck.
1980 AMG A2C wo/w - hard top
1970 KJ A2 wo/w
1970 KJ A2 wo/w - electric wipers!
???? AMG A2 W/W
At this point the recovery was a success. We aired up the tires to 50 PSI, checked lights, bled one deuces brakes just to be safe, set up communications, and rolled out on the open road. Now this is where it gets interesting..
Now I know everyone has at least heard a C turbo scream on these LDT-465s and it seemed my JK had the only C turbo of the bunch. Well we were wrong, quite wrong. Half way during our trip deuce #3 (AMG A2C) comes screaming to life running flat out at 2400 rpm down hill. It was so loud I (lead driver) looked back to see if my own turbo had fallen out on the road somewhere. We quickly stopped at a wally-world for food, bio-junk for the fuel tanks, and of course a moment to say "what in the heck?!" followed by a good laugh.
After some quick eats we had a seemingly easy 300 miles drive back to check point alpha. A number of people waved at us, a number of cops thought better than to stop a convoy of deuces, and we all tried to shuffle through a single diesel pump at a small town gas station. I've never hit my fuel credit transaction limit before but I did then. In fact refueling three hungry deuces felt like that old crappy movie "Maximum Overdrive"
So by this time its zerodarkhundred and driver two and three have just parted their ways, I on the other hand have another 70 miles to my destination. The moment I started moving all my lights go out. It seems Murphy was hitch hiking and caught up with us. After a little investigating the clutch lever had shorted two wires that were nibbled on during their rest in the woods. A little rubber cement did the trick and off we went.
The drive was what I had always remembered it to be but Murphy still felt to get his share of the excitement. About 20 miles out of my town I get hit in the head with a steel bar. The softtop was literally dissolving before my eyes. My navigator (Tom) held it in place for a while until it just gave way and we tucked it aside. From that point on we cruised with an open top to the brightest clearest moon in quite some time. We almost didn't need head lights (even as one went out) for the last leg there, and I must say thank you to Murphy for that otherwise missed treat.
I must give thanks to Tony, Tom, and Kyle for assisting me on this journey. I must also thank the SS community for the knowledge and tools acquired to make this trip just another fun little adventure.
*This trip was brought to you by the letter "P" for Pub! Because that's where we went the next day as a reward. I do have video but it needs to be rotated and it's avi. Windows movie maker does not like that.
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I have papers from DRMO (though faded badly), legal purchases from 2002..or 2000 cant tell. I wouldn't touch em if they had nothing. The man selling them is related to a state senator so I've been told. Can't verify it..but the trucks are real and so are the papers.
