M925A1 recovery from Barstow success:-)

[Truckoholic]

Okay, so I managed to get my M925a1 from Barstow yesterday. Won the auction a MONTH ago but GL's lot was apparently so busy, they could not give me a pickup appointment til yesterday, June 22nd. So I left my house in Quincy on Thursday afternoon and drove down to Bakersfield and spent the night, then the next morning drove over to Barstow. Appointment was for 1pm, but I showed up at Noon, and was glad I did. They had me go straight out to the lot after signing in, and Brian showed me where my truck was. I opened the hood, and checked the oil and coolant, then climbed in, turned the battery switch on, then turned the start switch, and it started right up no problem with plenty of power in the batteries.

This truck was missing all of the gauges in the dash, so I bought all new ones and brought them with me just in case I needed to install the air pressure gauges in order to be able to build up air pressure to release the brakes. But to my surprise it allready still had both air pressure gauges shoved up in the dash hooked up to the air lines so it built up air pressure just fine. So I released the brakes and put it in drive, and what a thrill that was to drive that thing out of it's parking spot for my first time!!! What an awesome massive machine! The power steering was so nice, and it sits up so nice and high! I just love it! I scored BIG TIME with this truck!! The psychology of people bidding on these things just kind of blows me away. I know for a fact that the missing gauges in the dash was the primary reason that I had such little competition when bidding on this truck. If people had actually gone and previewed this one, they would have seen that it is in absolutely incredible shape! They would have seen that it was rebuilt in December of 2001 and has not seen ANY use since. I bought all new gauges for it for $450. And it just blows me away, that $450 worth of missing gauges caused people to bid $3,000 less than they should have on this truck! I mean, don't get me wrong! I am absolutely stoked out of my gourd that nobody bid against me anymore than they did, but I think they REALLY missed out on an awesome deal! I feel almost bad for stealing it from the government and my fellow tax payers! Rebuilt in 2001! The interior is just amazing! Absolutely perfect seats, and paint on the dash, and perfect floor mat material and everything. It's almost ridiculous! The 14.00R20 tires that are on it have amazing tread on them, it's got the fording kit, and the lockers in the differentials. The oil is so clean you can barely see it on the dipstick! It's got the troop seats and side racks stored underneath and everything!

Thank you thank you thank you to whoever did not outbid me on this truck simply because it is missing it's gauges and is an od color!!!!

So anyway............... Onto some pictures... These ones were taken right after I got it loaded, and right before Brian saw me and came over to tell me not to take pictures until after I get off the lot







After I got the truck loaded, I drove down to Lucerne Valley to 100DollarMan's place and got me 7 16.00R20 Michelin XZL's because even though the 14.00R20's that were on it were really impressively big, I wanted as big as possible! Within reason anyway So here are some of the 16.00R20's being loaded in the bed of the truck.



Stopped at a truck stop on the way home, and just thought this was kind of a cool size comparison picture.



Just a pic of it when I was almost home.


Here's all the 16.00R20's after I rolled them out of the bed into my shop so I could start the major job of mounting them in place of the 14.00's.


Here's a comparison shot showing the 14.00R20 on the front, and the 16.00R20 on the rear.


And then a shot of me standing next to the massive tire! I've never owned anything with this big of tires on it before! I am just totally Ha ha



I managed to get the first one dismounted, and mounted okay, but when I went to do the second one, like an idiot I damaged the valve stem end bad enough that I could not get the valve core back in, and I do not have any spare valve stems that size, so that brought my tire switching operation to a screeching halt. So I came inside and ordered 4 new vlave stems just in case I damage anymore doing the other ones.

Gonna go see about installing all my new gauges in the dash now. Just absolutely thrilled with this truck!! I scored big time!

 

[wsucougarx]

Wow great score. So are you going to share what you stole the truck for?

 

[Truckoholic]

I stole it for $3977 before fees. I realize that price is not unheard of for these things, but the reason it took me over a year to get my hands on one of these is because everytime I'd tried bidding on an M925a1 over the past year, they usually went for closer to $7,000. And here I finally had the money and was ready to bid that high if I had to, and to my utter surprise, $3977 was all it went up to. I couldn't believe it! So that's why I immediately purchased the 16.00R20 tires. Because I all of a sudden found myself with enough "extra" money to afford them. ha ha

I'm kind of partial to the US Navy Seabees trucks like this too because both of my Grandpa's served in the Navy, and I know a few guys who were Seabee's.

I intend to paint it the three color camo, and put the US Navy Seabee's lettering and insignia back on it.

Here's a pic of it in my shop this evening.

 

[armytruckdriverddsso]

You suck I can't have one yet.

 

[cornrichard]

That is a great looking truck. Congratulations. Looks like you have all the stuff you need to keep it running .

 

[oliver28732]

Great looking vehicle, congrats! I am also wanting a M925A1 but am on the east coast. Hopefully I will be able to find something as nice as yours!

 

[bigmike]

WOW. I was watching those trucks and, although I'm not ready to pull the trigger, I did notice what a nice truck that one was. Great score! Too bad Quicy is so far from Sac. I'd say we can get together.

 

[Truckoholic]

WOW. I was watching those trucks and, although I'm not ready to pull the trigger, I did notice what a nice truck that one was. Great score! Too bad Quicy is so far from Sac. I'd say we can get together.

I plan to bring it down and have it on display at the California Capital Airshow on September 8th.

 

[Mike929]

I just started my research into the 900 series trucks, is there a reason you wanted the A1 over an A2. Main differences (that I am aware of) are the Engine and the CTIS.

Congratulations on the new truck, it looks great!

 

[Truckoholic]

I just started my research into the 900 series trucks, is there a reason you wanted the A1 over an A2. Main differences (that I am aware of) are the Engine and the CTIS.

Congratulations on the new truck, it looks great!

Actually, for a while there I insisted I was going to get an A2 because I wanted the CTIS and the turbocharged engine. But over time I began to realize that the CTIS sometimes appears to be more trouble than it's worth. With my use of the truck, I would never have any reason to change the tire pressure on the fly. And since the CTIS won't inflate a completely flat tire, it wouldn't be of any use to me that way either. So I decided that the CTIS was just more stuff on the truck to go wrong that I didn't want to have to deal with.

And as for the turbo on the engine............ I happen to have almost everything I need already sitting around my place to put a turbo on the NHC250. I've got an old NTC350 that I stole the turbo, and exhaust manifold and things off of to put on the engine in my M925A1.

So yeah, it just came down to me realizing that the reasons I wanted an A2 were not worth it to me.

 

[DJones]

Nice truck!

 

[Mike929]

Makes sense. I think the idea of the CTIS is really cool, but I have heard a lot of maintenance issues with it that have me a little concerned about the effort and expense of keeping it.

I am less concerned with the engine since I plan on eventually replacing it with a Detroit or at least that is the plan. If everything is working on my eventual purchase, I my just enjoy it, and hold the Detroit as my rainy day option.

So how common are the lockers you mentioned on your truck. Are those standard on A1s or A2s, or did you just luck out?

 

[Truckoholic]

It's my understanding that the Navy trucks typically have the lockers, and some others but that it is not standard.

 

[area52]

Are you selling the 14.00's tires? I am looking to buy some if so.

 

[Truckoholic]

Are you selling the 14.00's tires? I am looking to buy some if so.

Im not really sure yet. I'm kind of wanting to hold onto them in case I get another truck I want to put them on.

 

[groundog]

TRUCKOHOLIC----YOU SAID YOU LIKE NAVY TRUCKS---I HAVE A M-931 NAVY SEABEE TRUCKK OUT OF GULFPORT====NAVY ID PLATE ON INSIDE DRIVERS DOOR

 

[nf6x]

I stole it for $3977 before fees.

Wow! What a steal! I paid a lot more for my M923 out of Barstow.

Actually, for a while there I insisted I was going to get an A2 because I wanted the CTIS and the turbocharged engine. But over time I began to realize that the CTIS sometimes appears to be more trouble than it's worth. With my use of the truck, I would never have any reason to change the tire pressure on the fly. And since the CTIS won't inflate a completely flat tire, it wouldn't be of any use to me that way either. So I decided that the CTIS was just more stuff on the truck to go wrong that I didn't want to have to deal with.

That was my thinking, too. I was hung up on the idea of an A2 for a while, but I finally decided that I could do without the CTIS when a very clean M923 appeared on GL. I did want ABS, though, and my truck has the ABS upgrade. I like the singles on the A1/A2 trucks, and I may single out my truck at some point. I'm leaning towards 395s instead of 14R20, though.

It's my understanding that the Navy trucks typically have the lockers, and some others but that it is not standard.

I don't know if my truck has lockers; I assume it doesn't, but what would I look for to verify that?

 

[M35A2-AZ]

Nice!!!
Glad you got her home safe and sound!!!
I saw the truck on GL and it looked great.

 

[Truckoholic]

I don't know if my truck has lockers; I assume it doesn't, but what would I look for to verify that?

I'm not really sure if you can look at the outside of the axle housings and tell that way if there are lockers in there or if it is entirely internal. If they were air lockers I know you would look for an air line, but they aren't.

Mine has this data plate on the inside of the drivers door:




And here is the plate on one of the diff housings. Not sure if one can decipher from it or not.

 

[Mike929]

Wow! What a steal! I paid a lot more for my M923 out of Barstow.




That was my thinking, too. I was hung up on the idea of an A2 for a while, but I finally decided that I could do without the CTIS when a very clean M923 appeared on GL. I did want ABS, though, and my truck has the ABS upgrade. I like the singles on the A1/A2 trucks, and I may single out my truck at some point. I'm leaning towards 395s instead of 14R20, though.

Was the ABS added to all A1s or just selected examples?