Buying first Deuce, Price?? Seller??

[rkleim]

Buying my first Deuce. I have been talking with Mark at Boyce Equipment about getting a truck. Mid 70's M35a, winch, 14ft bed, 12V system, 11.00 R20 military single tires and nice dark camo paint. He is quoting me around $13,000. Ive seen some nice trucks come out of there, but this price seems over the top. Is everyone happy with the trucks they have gotten from Boyce?? One thing, I do not have time to overhaul and fix one up, so Im willing to pay a little more, but is this a decent price?

Also I want to put 14.5R20 Radial super singles on. Ive herd that you can fit these tires on the stock 9" wide rims if you put radial tubes in? Cause obviously the tubeless tires wont seal. But is this a good idea? should they not be on a wider rim like 11" wide rims? Thanks.

 

[BKubu]

RKLEIM, $13K is high, but exactly what are you getting for that price? Is it a rebuilt truck? If so, that is not a bad price. With that said, you should be able to find a good runner from a private party for about $4-6K depending upon a lot factors (hard top vs. soft top, winch, heater, air shift vs. sprag, rust, tire condition, etc.). Auction prices vary from $1,200 or so up to $15K with an average in the $2-3K range...it always depends upon the competition and how badly they want it.

 

[DDoyle]

I've not bought from Boyce - but I've bought from private parties, DRMO, GL, GSA, and Memphis Equipment (Boyce's Competitor). In my view, it boils down to the following factors:

Do you have the money to spend?
How much free time do you have?
Do you think pulling wrenches is fun? If so, do you have the tools/facilities/time/skills to do the work?
What are you going to do with the truck?
Do you derive the pleasure of owning the truck from driving it, looking at it, or working on it?

I live in Memphis, TN - if I buy a deuce from GL in Smyrna , TN- I MIGHT be able to drive it home, or I MIGHT spend $2-3 per mile to haul it home, plus a wrecker to load it, or I MIGHT not have to do anything to it, if it needs a fuel injection pump, I MIGHT have one on the shelf, and in a month or two I MIGHT have the time to put it on, and I MIGHT be able to drive the truck to California.

If I buy a truck from Memphis Equipment, there are no mights, I can get in the cab on their lot and point the hood toward California, and be 99% sure that I'll get there. I've watched first hand the way they work, and I expect Boyce is similar. When processing the truck, EVERYTHING comes apart and is rehabbed. Whereas we hobbyists tend to think "Oh, that wheel cylinder is leaking, I'll replace IT" - their theory is - "We don't know when those wheel cylinders were installed, so we are replacing all of them, and the master cylinder, and the air-hydraulic cylinder, the brake lines and the brake shoes." And this philisophy is followed through the entire truck - when the truck leaves the shop it is for all intents and purposes new.

I can tell you from first-hand experience that the 13 grand is not unreasonable for a completely reconditioned truck compared to buying a truck yourself and paying a major dealer (Boyce, Memphis Equipment, Clark, M-series Rebuild) their shop labor rate plus parts to completely recondition it - but the later won't have the same warranty as buying the complete truck from them.

Also, in most cases the reconditioned truck includes free delivery to whereever you are.

HTH,
David Doyle

 

[OD_Coyote]

Alex at Idaho Motor Pool usually has some nice rigs in the $6-7K range and they are usually recent rebuilds. I bought my deuce from him 3 years ago with about 400 miles on the clock and now I have just over 2K and she still runs great! Aisde from routine maintenance and a set of batteries, I have not had to repair anything on my truck.
Good luck with your purchase, you will really enjoy it once you get a M35.

 

[OPCOM]

Memphis has a couple tiers and there is quite a gap in $.
1. everything checked and fix including rebuilding suspicious/known trouble items
2. full process (everything rebuilt -you basically get a "new" truck)
3. you can also get them pimped out with A/C and other stuff, if you have cash to burn.

Bottom line is they will build you a truck any way you want within reason. If I had my choices, I'd like:
1. LDS engine
2. 5-ton axles (better gear ratio and choice of wheels)
3. A/C (includes cab insulation etc)
4. winch
5. long wheelbase
6. power steering

I was completely satisfied with the repair they did. This means the knowledge and expertise of the men and the quality and quantity of the shop equipment. I was lucky to be able to chat with a few of the guys. Learned alot about their processes. They don't take any shortcuts.

I have not had time to check an oil leak I suspect from the turbo return line, which they did mess with. I've been told the little plate that bolts the line to the turbo drain is thin and the thing can get bent easily. Before I pass judgement though I have to check it, and to be fair they did it in one day as an emergency favor. The oil everywhere may have been from a little mishap, I asked them to change the 120PSI oil sender and they put a 60PSI in by mistake, where I need a 120, so the guage was pegging when we started it. The tech went to change it and forgot that I had told him the post-lube system runs for 6 minutes. He unscrewed it with 30PSI of hot oil on it and I wish I had been standing there to stop him. Therefore although they hosed off the truck pretty good, there still may have been a real big mess down low. Mondays! I have cleaned it all up now with several cans of engine cleaner, so we shall see once I have time to take a drive.

 

[DanMartin]

Alex at Idaho Motor Pool usually has some nice rigs in the $6-7K range and they are usually recent rebuilds. I bought my deuce from him 3 years ago with about 400 miles on the clock and now I have just over 2K and she still runs great! Aisde from routine maintenance and a set of batteries, I have not had to repair anything on my truck.
Good luck with your purchase, you will really enjoy it once you get a M35.

I'll second that on IMP...great place.

http://www.idahomotorpool.com

 

[MilitaryRestoration]

And I 3rd the motion Great place, great meets/shows yearly, great people, great prices!!!

 

[superburban]

I live just a few miles away from Boyce and have been there a few times to check out trucks. (I have not bought one from them yet.) They, indeed, do know their stuff. They are very thourough with all of their trucks. They have a very well stocked, very large shop. You get what you pay for.
That said, I have not bought anything from them yet, because I can get parts for a lot cheaper elswhere and I do my own wrenching. The parts that I buy are in unknown/questionable condition, while Boyce parts are in rebuilt/new condition.

 

[marriggipaving]

I just recently listed one on here check it out it is a rebuild from local army depot asking 5,000.00 dollars and it has only 8,000 miles on it email if you are interested at marriggipaving@yahoo.com

 

[bottleworks]

Location: Canada

I think this is your major problem. Wouldn't selling the truck to a Canadian national be a federal violation?

 

[rkleim]

Thanks guys, lots of good advice. No problems crossing the boarder. Just pay the 6% tax and go.

 

[littlebob]

If you just want to get in and go a rebuilt would be the way to go. I don't know about Boyce, but for me the joy is in working on it and paying as I go. I'll probably have half that in mine, but a couple of years of sweat in my spare time to see it come to a usable vehicle and something I can take pride in with the help I get here.
littlebob

 

[Boatcarpenter]

rkleim, I don't know where you are in Canada, but you could buy vtdeucedrivers and drive it home for a lot less than $13,000.00
BC

 

[Maverick1701]

I live just a few miles away from Boyce and have been there a few times to check out trucks. (I have not bought one from them yet.) They, indeed, do know their stuff. They are very thourough with all of their trucks. They have a very well stocked, very large shop. You get what you pay for.
That said, I have not bought anything from them yet, because I can get parts for a lot cheaper elswhere and I do my own wrenching. The parts that I buy are in unknown/questionable condition, while Boyce parts are in rebuilt/new condition.

Brett at boyce quoted me a price of 9500 for the M35 I was interested in. Do they really tear everything apart and replace proble parts?
I dont want to drop 9500 on a deuce w/out at least some new pars/seals/gaskets.