updated pics of my hemtt restoration

[dma251]

More pics of fitting the gun ring frame.

 

[Jones]

Looks serious here, son.
I'da thought size alone would swing things in your favor when competing for that favorite parking spot at Wal-Mart?

 

[CliffW]

mannnn she is looking good....

 

[dma251]

The hemtt took a big trip to the sandblaster today! I got it out on the freeway too, and took a couple videos that I put on Youtube (see link below for all my hemtt videos.)

http://www.youtube.com/user/dma251

I got it up to about 65-70 on the freeway too. Who says they only go 55mph !?!?

The sandblasters (Alternative Blasters, in Marysville Washington) did an awesome job as usual too. There were at least 5 coats of primer/paint on the crane. They took it down to bare metal. Very complete, too. Not a lot of missed spots like some shops do.

I will prime and paint the crane and tops of the frame rails tomorrow and then go out and put the bed on it a few days later. Once the bed is on, it will go back and we'll sandblast the bed and sides of the frame and suspension/drums/etc.

Any thoughts on using a metal treatment like Ospho anyone?

 

[Offroadfabworks]

videos and sanblast looks good. I bet the cars are loving it lol

 

[ida34]

I had one going about 70 mph across the desert during Desert Storm. Lots of fun.

 

[EdMontana]

Any thoughts on using a metal treatment like Ospho anyone?

Thank you for the videos, "feel the Power!" is so nice to see someone doing a restoration the way you are doing, excellent job!.......try ask about soda blasting, if they have the right equipment it will work real nice and don't harm hoses, glass etc...

Ospho is to neutralize rust, and leaves a white dusty film.....for the bare metal I would start with Zinc Chromate and than a two part primer.



Ed

 

[Jones]

Super job as usual Damon. Ya get two gold stars for this.

 

[DanMartin]

Those videos rock! Damon, you are the man. We need to get you a camera mount for that thing though...

Do you know if you're going to be able to make it to the show in Portland in a few weeks? (Even if you don't bring the truck, I'd still like to hook up and have a beer).

Keep up the great work...

 

[madsam]

How loud is it in the cab compared to like say a 5 Ton?

You are going to do such a good job, the military will want it back..

 

[dma251]

Compared to my Deuce or my 5-ton it's positively tranquil. There are a couple of factors involved in that. The exhaust is behind the engine, which is behind the cab., so most of what you hear is the engine noise (turbo and supercharger whine)You don't hear much of the exhaust unless the jake brakes come on.

Another reason its an improvement from my other trucks is that the cab is so much tighter. The windows are set in rubber, there is much less whistling from air leaks, and it's more rigid so there's less creaking.

All in all it is a totally different driving feeling. Much more like driving a bus or a fire-engine. Plus sitting so far over the front axles makes it move in a different way over bumps and dips in the road. It feels like your floating.

 

[M1075]

Here is a cool link that provides noise levels of Army equipment: http://chppm-www.apgea.army.mil/hcp/NoiseLevels.aspx

Some HMMWVs and the M35A3 are in the high 90s db while the Oshkosh PLS and HET are 85db.

 

[Daneil]

I'm so impressed right now. You should consider moving your work to helo's. The guys we hire now a days to do the Depo level stuff suck. They could take some lessons from you for sure. Great work!

 

[nf6x]

This restoration is absolutely beautiful! Wow!

I now realize that a while back (last year?) I thoroughly flaked on selling you a crane remote control for your project. Are you still looking for one?

 

[dma251]

Thanks for all the compliments, Guys! It really means a lot to me to hear that from such a well respected crowd of enthusiasts with so much more experience doing this sort of work then I do.

I've been involved with MV's for only about 3 years now, but I suffer from a rather extreme form of perfectionism when it comes to my mechanical projects. I just wouldn't feel like I would be doing this special truck justice without really taking my time and doing it right.

This is going to be one that I will be proud of for years to come. Keep watching, and if anyone ever finds themselves in my neck of the woods I will expect you to look me up and go out for a hemtt ride!

 

[ARMYMAN30YearsPlus]

Damon:
As always, Wow. That is looking great. These are the trucks the Army should have bought more of and less of the MTV's. Yours will be the envy of every HEMTT driver in the Army.

You might want to keep a set of earmuff headphones for running the crane the damage to your ears is not repairable.

 

[dma251]

We put the bed on today. There was one mount that looks like it was bent up when they removed it from the last hemtt it was on. We lifted it back up and put a little heat to it and straightened it back out.

In a week or two we'll go back to the sandblaster and really clean the truck up!


At least it looks like a hemtt now!
STAY TUNED....

 

[Capt.Marion]

NICE. Looking good!

 

[dma251]

by the way...

If anyone sees a hemtt battery box lid somewhere, I sure could use it. The one I fabricated up before won't clear the new bed, so I am going to try to find a stock one before I make another.

Here's what they look like -

 

[Offroadfabworks]

man the truck just keeps getting better and better