BnaditCorps
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Great, good to hear everything went well.
Hope she runs good.
Hope she runs good.
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
WHAT?!? $582.00 Won Us an XM818 Tractor ! ! !
- Thread starter USAFSS-ColdWarrior
- Start date
jets1959
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Yeah! It is home and you are safe! Now the real work begins! Heavy tow bar and a slave cable! Wow, what a deal!
JohnnyBM931A2
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Congrats 
I'm curious about one thing.. Why doesn't your deuce have a top on the cab?
I'm curious about one thing.. Why doesn't your deuce have a top on the cab?
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To satisfy your curiosity, Sir....Congrats
I'm curious about one thing.. Why doesn't your deuce have a top on the cab?
Not long after getting the Deuce, the Soft Top started to shed the insulation from its inside surfaces. The layer of black foam was breaking down and a fine black grit would circulate in the cab whenever there was a breeze... as in driving over 15-20 mph.
So, one fine west Texas spring day... The first day I broke a sweat and that dang grit was sticking to my face, getting in my eyes, and fouling my mouth I decided to pull over and GO TOPLESS !!! Why not??? This was the first CONVERTIBLE I'd ever owned (though I had some motorcycles before) and I still had some hair through which the wind was ready to blow. So, since west Texas has so many NICE days, and so few rainy or nasty days, I've never put that old top back on. I have stripped the old insulation out of it, but I've never felt the need to put the top back on.
Being TOPLESS hasn't stopped me from driving in sub-freezing temps, light snow flurries, or even light misty rain. I simply dress for the conditions. For the most part he stays inside the city limits of San Angelo (Population 100,000), so even if I'm caught by a sudden storm, hunkering down and waiting it out have never been an inconvenience.
Besides, being TOPLESS all the time sure enhances the "exhibition use" provision of the Texas FMV class of registration.
Thanks for asking.
John
Carry on.
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OK, here's another quick update.
The past few days have been full of Thanksgiving holiday, family, church and Toys-For-Tots activities. I have only segmented minutes of time to spend on the new-to-us truck.
But here are a few highlights:
1. Gave the whole truck a simple rinsing with the garden hose before the weather changed and the temps dropped like a rock. Cleared the "schtuph" out of the cab and tool boxes and washed out all the dust that would flow out through the drain holes. Found a few printed pages of a WIKI about the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints...
It was the raid by the State of Texas on this "church/cult" compound in Eldorado, Texas that the truck last hauled Midland County's APC's to and from. There were also HUNDREDS of chewing gum wrappers under the seats where someone obviously spent a lot of time waiting for and during the raid I suppose.
2. In cleaning the truck, I paid close attention to certain details that would reveal her history. Here's a recap of those findings:
- She's NOT actually an M818.... She's an XM818 WO/W.
- There are NO rebuild tags, nor evidence of any having ever been applied. There is just one triangular MWO tag (Drivers Doorway of bucket) that's been painted over and unreadable - at least until I can carefully clean it.
- The sheet metal: undersides of the fenders and cab, and everywhere else are absolutely NO RUST ! The only "dent" is on the passenger side of the front bumper - see previously posted photos. She may well have been a DESERT-based truck her whole life.
- The engine is also dated consistent with the truck's build date.
- There is no indication of an Army "Registration Number" anywhere on her. This, along with the knowledge that she was DRMO'd from Nellis AFB, NV leads me to believe she was most probably an Air Force truck.
- The rubbers on the brake and clutch pedals show absolutely NO WEAR on them at all.
- The odometer (after the 109 mile flat-tow home) shows 6770.4 miles, and the hour meter is showing just 249.9 hours! Adjusted for pre-recovery numbers, that would be about 6661 miles driven over roughly 250 engine-hours = average speed over her lifetime of just 26.64 mph !!!
These facts considered, I am beginning to believe that this truck is ALL ORGINAL showing what just might be the original miles and hours on her original gauges!!!
The only exception to that "all original" statement would be the removal of her spare tire rack, being painted a light gray (or possibly now faded baby blue), and the edition of that big hunkin' winch behind the cab.
Could it be that the baby blue paint was applied by the Air Force? The USAF THUNDERBIRDS are based at Nellis AFB, where she was DRMO'd from. Could it be that she may have served in a THUNDERBIRDS' support role?
Y'all have any thoughts on this???
3. While we won the auction that was hosted by the Midland County Sheriff's Office, her TITLE was still in the possession of the Terrill County Sheriff's Office - we now have the clear title in hand, they just never did the paperwork when the truck was transferred to Midland County. Our Point of Contact in Midland has copied an email to me wherein he has asked the Terrill County Sheriff if any of their original paperwork might still be in their possession and if they'd be able to pass it to us. We await that response.
4. Probably the BESTEST NEWS OF ALL in this update is that as of Friday, the good folks I've previously mentioned, informed me that they ARE going to be supplying FOUR BRAND NEW BATTERIES with an ETA on Thursday AND the entire price will be $0.00 !!! ... Just in time for the weekend's plans to inspect the fuel system to be sure things are A-OK, then crank her and hopefully her fire in her lungs !!!
Stay tuned. This is going to get EXCITING !!!
There may be more that I've forgotten to include. I'll add it if I think of anything.
Carry on.
The past few days have been full of Thanksgiving holiday, family, church and Toys-For-Tots activities. I have only segmented minutes of time to spend on the new-to-us truck.
But here are a few highlights:
1. Gave the whole truck a simple rinsing with the garden hose before the weather changed and the temps dropped like a rock. Cleared the "schtuph" out of the cab and tool boxes and washed out all the dust that would flow out through the drain holes. Found a few printed pages of a WIKI about the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints...
It was the raid by the State of Texas on this "church/cult" compound in Eldorado, Texas that the truck last hauled Midland County's APC's to and from. There were also HUNDREDS of chewing gum wrappers under the seats where someone obviously spent a lot of time waiting for and during the raid I suppose.
2. In cleaning the truck, I paid close attention to certain details that would reveal her history. Here's a recap of those findings:
- She's NOT actually an M818.... She's an XM818 WO/W.
- There are NO rebuild tags, nor evidence of any having ever been applied. There is just one triangular MWO tag (Drivers Doorway of bucket) that's been painted over and unreadable - at least until I can carefully clean it.
- The sheet metal: undersides of the fenders and cab, and everywhere else are absolutely NO RUST ! The only "dent" is on the passenger side of the front bumper - see previously posted photos. She may well have been a DESERT-based truck her whole life.
- The engine is also dated consistent with the truck's build date.
- There is no indication of an Army "Registration Number" anywhere on her. This, along with the knowledge that she was DRMO'd from Nellis AFB, NV leads me to believe she was most probably an Air Force truck.
- The rubbers on the brake and clutch pedals show absolutely NO WEAR on them at all.
- The odometer (after the 109 mile flat-tow home) shows 6770.4 miles, and the hour meter is showing just 249.9 hours! Adjusted for pre-recovery numbers, that would be about 6661 miles driven over roughly 250 engine-hours = average speed over her lifetime of just 26.64 mph !!!
These facts considered, I am beginning to believe that this truck is ALL ORGINAL showing what just might be the original miles and hours on her original gauges!!!
The only exception to that "all original" statement would be the removal of her spare tire rack, being painted a light gray (or possibly now faded baby blue), and the edition of that big hunkin' winch behind the cab.
Could it be that the baby blue paint was applied by the Air Force? The USAF THUNDERBIRDS are based at Nellis AFB, where she was DRMO'd from. Could it be that she may have served in a THUNDERBIRDS' support role?
Y'all have any thoughts on this???
3. While we won the auction that was hosted by the Midland County Sheriff's Office, her TITLE was still in the possession of the Terrill County Sheriff's Office - we now have the clear title in hand, they just never did the paperwork when the truck was transferred to Midland County. Our Point of Contact in Midland has copied an email to me wherein he has asked the Terrill County Sheriff if any of their original paperwork might still be in their possession and if they'd be able to pass it to us. We await that response.
4. Probably the BESTEST NEWS OF ALL in this update is that as of Friday, the good folks I've previously mentioned, informed me that they ARE going to be supplying FOUR BRAND NEW BATTERIES with an ETA on Thursday AND the entire price will be $0.00 !!! ... Just in time for the weekend's plans to inspect the fuel system to be sure things are A-OK, then crank her and hopefully her fire in her lungs !!!
Stay tuned. This is going to get EXCITING !!!
There may be more that I've forgotten to include. I'll add it if I think of anything.
Carry on.
That's super interesting stuff!
I think that the history of our MV's is one of the coolest things about them.
I sure wish there was a way for me to learn more about mine.
Have fun digging deeper into what makes your truck unique!
![[thumbzup]](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile_thumzup.gif "Thumbs Up [thumbzup]"){kind=icon}
wreckerman893
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Good news Chappy. It was good to talk to you while I was out there. Keep plugging on that issue we discussed. He needs all the help he can get.
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Roger, Wreckerman. Prayers and petitions continue. We are already thankful for the expected success.
Another Ahab
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Anyway you slice it, THAT is a good price. You got a good deal there!
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Batteries have arrived...
BLESSINGS upon the good people at INTERSTATE BATTERY !
Between the local shop and the manufacturer's rep working some special miracles (Thank you, GOD!) I picked up FOUR BRAND NEW BATTERIES this afternoon. They are now in the car trunk waiting for me to get off work, attend a meeting (see note below), then get home and hopefully have enough human energy to put 'em in and p'wer 'er up!
Note: The meeting I'm attending is with the San Angelo Home Builders Association. They have partnered with the OPERATION FINALLY HOME folks to build a home for a wounded warrior. As a fundraiser, they have been selling raffle tickets to give away 50 GUNS IN 50 MINUTES ! THIS EVENING they are going to draw the winners.... 1000 tickets sold, $50 per ticket, 50 guns to be given away, every ticket is in every gun's drawing so one person COULD win all of them (although that's statistically almost impossible). And, I hope to win at least one of them. HEHEHE!
BLESSINGS upon the good people at INTERSTATE BATTERY !
Between the local shop and the manufacturer's rep working some special miracles (Thank you, GOD!) I picked up FOUR BRAND NEW BATTERIES this afternoon. They are now in the car trunk waiting for me to get off work, attend a meeting (see note below), then get home and hopefully have enough human energy to put 'em in and p'wer 'er up!
Note: The meeting I'm attending is with the San Angelo Home Builders Association. They have partnered with the OPERATION FINALLY HOME folks to build a home for a wounded warrior. As a fundraiser, they have been selling raffle tickets to give away 50 GUNS IN 50 MINUTES ! THIS EVENING they are going to draw the winners.... 1000 tickets sold, $50 per ticket, 50 guns to be given away, every ticket is in every gun's drawing so one person COULD win all of them (although that's statistically almost impossible). And, I hope to win at least one of them. HEHEHE!
THAT is awesome!!! Keep up the GOOD work!!
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2215 hrs.
SITREP
Just returned to LZ after a nice supper with my bride.
The new Batteries will be sleeping in the trunk tonight. It's just TOO LATE for this hombre to be monkeying with any MVs safely.
As for the GUN RAFFLE.... I had bought two tickets to support the project. Total "investment": $100.00. I won ONE GUN - a Walther PK380 BLK .380 ACP, current price a Cabela is quoted as Regular Price: $379.99 - $419.99. Now for the paperwork to pick it up.
The owner for the funeral home for which I work also won one gun - a Franchi Affinity 20ga 26" BTML.... and he bought a WHOLE LOT more chances than I did. (snicker)
SITREP
Just returned to LZ after a nice supper with my bride.
The new Batteries will be sleeping in the trunk tonight. It's just TOO LATE for this hombre to be monkeying with any MVs safely.
As for the GUN RAFFLE.... I had bought two tickets to support the project. Total "investment": $100.00. I won ONE GUN - a Walther PK380 BLK .380 ACP, current price a Cabela is quoted as Regular Price: $379.99 - $419.99. Now for the paperwork to pick it up.
The owner for the funeral home for which I work also won one gun - a Franchi Affinity 20ga 26" BTML.... and he bought a WHOLE LOT more chances than I did. (snicker)
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Another Ahab
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Congratulations, ColdWarrior; that sounds like a nice score. Can you pop us a pic here, maybe?
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Here's a link to Cabela's site. I will actually be receiving the email instructions and "winner's certificate" to pick up the weapon at a local gun shop acting as the Licensed Arms Dealer for the Raffle. I'm not sure what their price will reflect.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/WALT...CENTERFIRE-PISTOLS/1631340.uts#tabsCollection
(Let's us be careful to NOT turn this into a Gun Conversation which is a no-no on the SS website.)
Another Ahab
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Yes, thank you for the note, ColdWarrior; I thought that might be the case but I wasn't completely sure. 10-4.