NK0242-72's Build Thread (Rmgill's deuce)

[rmgill]

So, as several other members have some build threads on their trucks and folks seem to find those ideas interesting and useful, I figured I'd start my own here. I have a bunch of thread of piecemeal things I've done over the years, so I guess I'll see about re-posting those here or referring to them.

First the basics, I bought NK0242-72 from frequent David Scheaffer back in 2006. My basic purpose was to use it as a primary transporter for my WWII British Daimler Dingo (now since sold).

She's an AM General built in '72. Contract no was DAA E06-70-C-001. She has as far as the MWO tag, just had that one. 9-2320-200-35-1.

Dave bought her from GL out of Forest Park back in 2003. Per Dave it was apparently a GaNG truck for it's whole existence which makes sense.

 

[rmgill]

Dave added a winch while he had it and took very good care of the truck. Dave and Joe are restoration nuts (that's a good thing). It was in its original MERDOC camouflage when I bought it from him.

As I am generally a restoration type, I didn't want to make major changes to this truck. Almost all modifications are easily returned to stock save for the odd hole here or there in the cab/frame or bed. Wiring changes have been minimal so as to ease any return to stock should I decide to make it a pure vintage truck OR sell to someone intending the same.

Current list of modifications:
Standard PTO Winch mounted to the front.
Repainted in Gillispie 383 Green
G177 1100x20 tires running as singles and with flipped hubs
Ouverson Engineering hubs on the front axles
Front mounted pintle hook for spotting trailers
2 driving lights mounted under the bumper up front
Civilian type brackets added to the wiper arms for better wiper blades
CB Antenna added to front right of hood brush guard
Silicone hoses for radiator-engine connections
2nd Fuel Tank installed to the left side in place of the spare tire carrier.
Pioneer kit relocated to the bed at right rear
Spare tire located to front of the bed at front right
Marker lights added to underside of bed, amber leading and red trailing.
Rear backup/work light under the bed at left corner of bed.
Hoist in the bed at the right rear of the bed for lifting loads (like spare tires) out of the bed.
5ton cargo type right side tool box instead at the head end of the bed for lockable tool space.
12 Volt power feed on spare pin of the 12 pin trailer socket
12 VDC Brake and Ground return on secondary cable for trailer
90° Elbow for Mushroom (who doesn't do this?)
Flow Through muffler added to the stack to soften the sound of the exhaust on long drives to PA from Ga
Fisheye mirrors added to the mirror brackets

Changes within the cab:
24vdc to 12vdc converter with 20 amps capacity.
Tekonsha Inertia Type brake controller for supporting a trailer with electric brakes
12vdc accessory socket
Armored vehicle dome light in the cab
Foot well lights under the dash
In Fuel Tank Pump Power selector switch, valve (from M818 for switching flow from either tank and a second fuel gauge to indicate levels for both tanks.
Switch cluster to support the various external lighting/internal lighting loads
(Front floods, rear flood, foot well lights)
Cut door carpeting sections laid in to ease some of the noise/draft in the cab.
Bracket on the dash for a GPS unit and mount.

Future ideas:
Install second antenna bracket for support of a 144/2 meter band radio when I get my ham license.
Wet line for hydraulics (the PTO is a double facing unit with a rear facing output). A wet line to run some tools would be REALLY nice.
Over Cab Light Bar for marker lights and more floods for bad weather OR off road
Front right/left corner marker lights and turn signals so drivers next to me can see me better.

I would like to convert it to a crane truck but that seems unlikely at this point.

 

[rmgill]

 

[rmgill]

 

[rmgill]

Chains, Harbor Freight Hoist, pioneer kit, moar chains, chain saw, fuel for same, lighting kit for when out camping and when I bring a generator along and even more chains.



Spare fuel cans.
Snatch blocks (3:1 pull is no problem)
Other tools and stuff.
The Black bag contains a 4" tow strap and shackle. Plus extraction gloves for fire fighters. I've decided that these gloves are the cat's pajamas for when you're working on towing/recovery work. they're bright so your assistants can see your hand movements in low light and they're armored/cut resistant so you can avoid hand injury from stray wire rope threads or general injury from bumps. All kept in the bag so you have a fast grab for getting someone out of the ditch if needs be. It also keeps the strap clean.







No, I'm not a packrat, why do you ask?

 

[clinto]

As seen at the 2013 Ga. Rally:



And as seen, in 2006, at the cookout that became the Ga. Rally:



And very few of you know this, but rmgill is actually the one to blame for the Ga. rally. He's the one in 2006 who said "all us army truck guys should have a get together".

And 8 years later we have 130+ trucks.

 

[red]

Looks good. How did you modify the windshield wiper arms?

 

[rmgill]

Looks good. How did you modify the windshield wiper arms?

The wiper arm end get's cut off to get a flat area. Drill a hole in the flat arm and tap that with a fine thread screw (#10-24). A wiper arm end adaptor that has a pin type end is then installed on the arm and then you can istall standard arms onto your wipers and get slightly larger sweep's of your wind screen. As well as fit better blades.

The parts were out of a wiper arm assortment from the auto-parts store. I figured I'd get the whole assortment because it was oddly cheaper than a few of the types and I had a complete set to examine various types.

Is that close enough of a view to show how it's done?

 

[red]

Thank you yes that helps. What size wipers are you able to run now?

 

[Another Ahab]

And very few of you know this, but rmgill is actually the one to blame for the Ga. rally. He's the one in 2006 who said "all us army truck guys should have a get together".

And 8 years later we have 130+ trucks.

Great to hear the story of how it all began. Very cool.

 

[rmgill]

Thank you yes that helps. What size wipers are you able to run now?

I honestly don't recall. The one's I'm running are slightly too long but the very end bumping the windshield seal seems to be a low order issue.

 

[rmgill]

I haven't yakked about it much but I got married in December to a woman I've been chasing for 5 years. She's into performance art, burlesque and fire dancing and such. She had a new (to her) neighbor over for some mutual performance art photography and she, Natalie, the wife, wanted to use the Deuce for the setting as it were. Here's one of the photos. I figured you guys would enjoy the scene.

 

[Another Ahab]

Congratulations, and Best Wishes!

I haven't yakked about it much but I got married in December to a woman I've been chasing for 5 years. She's into performance art, burlesque and fire dancing and such. She had a new (to her) neighbor over for some mutual performance art photography and she, Natalie, the wife, wanted to use the Deuce for the setting as it were. Here's one of the photos. I figured you guys would enjoy the scene.

https://youtu.be/barWV7RWkq0