updated pics of my hemtt restoration

[dma251]

I have gotten out of bed and gone to the garage on my nights off before, and woken up at noon the next day to find every tool in my shop strewn across the floor and my welder still turned on.... On one of my last serious projects (a tunnel-hull race boat) I used to go out there and end up falling asleep in the thing....

There is nothing I find more satisfying then getting a good head of motivational steam and heading out there with my radio, my propane heater, and a steady supply of whatever I can find in the fridge... It's so quiet I can almost hear the machines in my head working.... It truly is as close to zen as I have ever felt.
My wife likes to take her Canon digital SLR and drive off and take 100's of pictures.... We each have our thing...

 

[Bozor1000]

Ok not trying to be rude, but what kind of man labor have you put into her.
Looks like alot, you must have a understanding wife, or do you tell her you are going on a business trip, and hide in the garage for a few weeks.
Beautiful, keep the pics rolling in

I have the kind of wife that if I didn't have these kind of projects to occupy my time, we'd be heading for an early divorce. (These days it's more a question of when then if)

Because I work at nights, when I wake up in the middle of the day, I go out and mess around with this project, or go to the various businesses that are helping me with this.
Then on my two days off each week, I can't get to sleep at night like a normal person because I am usually awake at night at work, so I go out to the garage and drink cheap wine until I can't hold a wrench anymore and then go to bed around 4am....

It works pretty well. We've been doing this for a lot of years now. You have to recognize that you aren't going to change your spouse. One way or the other, you're stuck with each other's habits and needs, good and bad.... She knows that I'm insufferable when I don't have a project to keep me occupied. I'm already planning the next project in my head.....

I like to plan my projectsin my head also.

 

[dma251]

Some new pics from today.

Almost done installing the insulation - this is a very delicate enterprise, let me tell ya...

This stuff costs a fortune, and you only get one shot at making it adhere.....

 

[Offroadfabworks]

LOOKING GOOD

 

[dma251]

here's some more of the last few days, but the cab pics are coming to an end in the next few days, as I plan on putting this thing back on the truck in a week.

I have almost finished installing all the insulation, and installed the passenger seat tonight. I'll put the driver's seat and steering wheel on tomorrow.

I included a picture of the modified exterior door handles I made to include a cylinder lock. I know the military has little use for door locks, but I could use every bit of help I can get to make sure my investment stays MY investment.

Lastly I have to finish up with the driver's door and it's time to load it up and give it some wheels!

 

[quarkz]

Looking really great.
Is that an Onstar button above the light switch?
The grey on gray cab components look really grerat together.

 

[Rattlehead]

Cozy, high tech, and utilitarian all at the same time!

 

[maddawg308]

You're not going to keep the exterior grey, are you???

 

[Bozor1000]

Looking good!

 

[ida34]

He said he was going to keep the inside gray.

 

[dma251]

Here's the reason I decided to do the grey interior-

I have had 2 other military trucks, and I learned from the first two that the green, no matter how nice it looks, is so prone to scratching and scuffing that it is impossible to keep looking new. That's no problem when your goal is not to have a new looking truck, as most people wouldn't want that anyway.

When I got this hemtt I decided that I wanted a truck that looked like new. I am not concerned that it isn't 100% military correct. When you look at pictures from Iraq or Afghanistan, you see military trucks that have had all manner of field modifications done to them that aren't "Military correct".

Take a look at the inside of this HET - it sure doesn't look military correct to me....

Having made this decision, I decided it was more important for me to stay true to my desire to have a new looking truck, and pick an interior color that was reasonably similar, and would not stand out, but would not have the same nasty propensity for scuffs and scratches that the flat green has. That led me to powdercoating.

My powdercoater ordered some sample od green powders to play with, but we found that they did not have anything that was very close to 383 green, so it was best to pick something else entirely. I found this grey called GR07 that has a very appealing matte textured finish to it, and was dark enough to look like it belonged on the inside of a tank or other piece of armor. That settled it.

To make things easier on me and the powdercoater, we decided to shoot the entire cab, instead of masking off the exterior, and then me spraying the outside with a regular primer before I painted. The powdercoat makes an EXCELLENT primer, and it is much better for rust protection then primer. I will shoot my Gillespie 383 green over the outside once the truck is back together, because I still need to get the frame, cab support structure, and other parts of the chassis.

I realize that this is not the path that many folks would choose when restoring a military truck, as most folks are concerned with being "Correct". Not me. Most of the folks I see around my town don't even know what a Hemtt is. In my town there is me and OSO driving military trucks. That's pretty much it.

The only person I have to impress is myself.

By the way, I take no offense from anyone asking my why I decided this. It's an understandable question. But it's one that I thought deserved a really well articulated answer. So there it is.

 

[dma251]

Look what I did today!

 

[Offroadfabworks]

bet thats some relief and feeling of accomplishment to ya... trucks really coming along

 

[alphadeltaromeo]

Is that a big cheezy grin I see on your face?? LOL It looks awesome...keep up the great work!

Andy

 

[Capt.Marion]

Yep. You're in deep now...

 

[OSO]

That is looking real good ! Makes the rest of us guys want to get on our projects ,now that spring is here!!!

 

[Jones]

Yer putting me to shame here, Damon. I think I'm just gonna bury the baby HEMTT up to it's frame in the front yard and plant petunias and begonias in the bed; turn it into the world's biggest lawn ornament.

 

[N3Nflyer]

All I can say is WOW! That is one hell of a truck and you are doing one hell of a rebuild. Beautiful!

 

[dma251]

Today I installed the new shifter and transfercase cables, hooked up the electrical system to the cab, installed the cab steps, engine cover support and a few last hoses I was waiting until now to do.

There is very little left before I fill it up with water and engine flush for the drive across town to my house.

I have the skidplate at my house right now because I am making a dimensional drawing of it so I can have it made out of 1/4" mild steel instead of the flimsy aluminum it's made out of now. I should get some good money by recycling the old one - it's about 125 lbs.

I plan on finishing up the details on Monday, and having it road-ready and back home on Tuesday.

Here's some pics from today.

 

[Offroadfabworks]

Looks good