rassd71 1970 Deuce Build

[rassd71]

Well, after many months, I've finally taken possession of my Deuce, now the real work can start. My plan is to rebuild and improve what I can to make it mine, then who knows. Ideally I'd like to build a custom rv body onto it, but that's a ways down the road. First I have to get it road worthy!

And the questions will also begin, of which I'm sure there will be many.


This is how it looked when it arrived.

The guy I got it from did a number on it. So far I've been able to mount the sheet metal to the front end and clean out the interior.

My first question is what would go below the passenger headlight? I know it's supposed to have a blackout light under the drivers, but there's a different shaped hole under the passenger.

Thank you in advance.

 

[rassd71]

And this is how it stands with the sheet metal mocked up (some fitting will be needed, before paint) and with a 4 headlight modification (which still needs to be wired in.

The bumper was cut with a torch because it 'interfered with the winch', according to the previous owner. So, I will need to either replace it or fabricate something custom.

But this pic shows the hole under the passenger headlight.

The Drivers side headlight bucket isn't installed as the rubber mounting pieces are broken off. How often should those be replaced? Or is it an only as needed item?

Thanks,
Robert

 

[gimpyrobb]

The newer trucks had nothing there, that hole was eliminated. Older trucks had a 24v electric horn. Those "vibration dampeners" get old and crack. Replace as needed.

 

[nchittendon]

"Did a number on it" is putting it lightly! Glad you gave her a good home.

 

[wreckerman893]

Looks like she was run hard and put up wet.

Since you are in CA are you going to have to repower the truck to meet CARB?

If you can find one close to you the MRAP bumpers look pretty good on a deuce.

Again since you are out there are you going to bob it to avoid the CDL requirement.

If you do what kind of bed will it have?. My bobber had a custom flat bed and twin exhaust stacks.

I think the M105 bed on bobbers is old hat.....but that's just me. The dropside could be cut down to make a nice flat bed with or without sides.

I'd also try to find a hard top.....a lot quieter and keeps out the elements better.

Just my thoughts.....it's your dog and you can whoop it iffen you want to.

 

[rassd71]

Thank you an electric horn makes sense. I'll just block it off.

I'm not sure how much was done by the previous owner or the military. The previous owner told me nothing but 'stories', many of which have proven to be BS. I'm still trying to get the paperwork & dataplate from him. I've given up on getting the 'extra parts' it was supposed to come with, which included: a bumper, the top bows for the back, a missing piece above the window inside, the turn signal switch, all the service manuals. After trying to work with him for 5 months, I finally gave up and had it towed (which even that took more than a week to get done).

Wreckerman893,

Well, it was my understanding that registering it historic, would keep it exempt from CARB, and that the weight was still under the CDL requirement. I may be wrong, or they may have changed things as 'they' are want to do! So, I will deal with the various issues as they arise.

I'll take a look at MRAP bumpers.

IF I have to bob it, I'd like to do a custom flatbed.

I would LOVE to put a hard top on it. In a perfect world, I'll build a custom cab enclosure. Something more like the 'hightop' or 'Franken' deuces. Time, health and budget will be the determining factors to a LOT of my choices.

 

[turnkey]

That is really a labour of love you have ..Best of luck on her...

 

[rustystud]

That is really a labour of love you have ..Best of luck on her...

If you go with Historic plates you don't have to worry about CARB. As for the manuals, they are all here on this site free of charge !!!! The very first thing I would do is make sure your brakes and wheel bearings are in good shape. From the look of it, he abused it pretty bad ! and maintenance was (I'm sure) at the bottom of his list. The good thing though is these trucks can take a lot of abuse ! So clean her up, fix her up and enjoy the ride !

 

[rustystud]

The newer trucks had nothing there, that hole was eliminated. Older trucks had a 24v electric horn. Those "vibration dampeners" get old and crack. Replace as needed.

You can get new vibration dampeners at "McMaster-Carr" on the internet. Good prices too.

 

[rassd71]

Thank you! I've already downloaded all the TMs I could find relating to the Deuce, but I'll be honest, I haven't invested the time, now that it's here, I'm definitely more motivated. Now it's real. Despite having paid for it back in Sept, it wasn't real until it was in my yard. It most certainly is a labour of love. And I really don't know if he abused it, or the military and he just did nothing. But it most certainly was not maintained by him at all!

The brakes... yeah I've been able to get them filled and bled and with the engine running, they seem to build pressure and hold against the engine.

Right now I'm working on the headlights & turn signals, then I'll verify the rears. My next project will be 'securing the cab'. Relocating the batteries, installing door locks, a lock on the e-brake (to keep it engaged), a lock on the engine kill lever, battery disconnect, etc.

 

[rustystud]

Filling the brakes with fluid and having the system hold is all well and good, but you need to physically check the condition of the brakes and wheel cylinders and the wheel bearings. You don't want to trust the safety of your family or yourself to something that has not been checked in "who knows how long". You yourself just mentioned how no maintenance was done by the previous owner. You need to check this ! The cab and engine kill switches and all the other fun stuff you want to play with can come latter. Basic maintenance first.

 

[rassd71]

Thank you Rusty,
I'll need to go through the TM's for that maintenance, but agree with you, on the safety first. It's not going to be leaving the yard until it's been gone through front to back. A friend is a reservist in the army and her mos is working on these things, well not these as the units she's been with and the A school didn't have anything near this old, but she's agreed to help me go through it.

My concern with securing the cab is should someone get in it to 'play around'. While my girls won't without permission and I've shown them what NOT to touch, that's not to say others won't. The other reason to secure the batteries into the cab, is the tweakers steel batteries out of trucks, RVs & equipment because there are plenty of shops that will buy them no questions asked for cash and they get more for the bigger batteries. But I definitely hear you on making sure the maintenance and safety checks are done before putting power to the wheels!

 

[tamangel]

old thread but curious, rassd71, what did you actually have in mind when you mentioned

Ideally I'd like to build a custom rv body onto it, but that's a ways down the road.

any examples on the net of what you are contemplating.. I have that in mind also but haven't pulled the trigger yet on a m35/m36 , I have been thinking along this line:



with deuce front clip and chassis under.. obviously, some mods would have to be accommodated on a deuce platform.. pretty much interested in cowl back on body type..

anyway, any progress on your truck as a whole..?

mike W

******

 

[rassd71]

Sorry for the delayed response, I'd actually forgotten that I had started this thread. The seller never did follow through on the commitments made for the missing parts. The great folks and 'Those Military Guys' were a great help in putting some needed pieces together. The progress has been slow, I've been trying to get the seller to do what was right, and have now just given up on that all together. Still trying to straighten out what the seller had done. It seems the more I get into it, the more I find he mickey moused. The wiring is a disaster, so I'll be spending a lot of time on that, with nothing to show, except for working lights & signals I hope! My priorities are to get the lights working, go through and check each axle and brake, so I'm sure she'll stop and run safely... oh, and replace the fuel lines as he used ice maker line, but then stuffed into a piece of regular cotton reinforced so it will start and idle, but under a load it comes apart! I was told by a big rig mechanic that there are reinforced lines for these, any help on the right size and a supplier would be great. Then patch the front bumper where the seller cut out a chunk with an oxy/ace torch! Once that is done, then I'm hoping to get into the CA DMV and get an historical tag for it, I could use some help and suggestions on that as I've heard horror stories.

It will be a LONG time before I work on the RV portion, I was originally going to go with a body similar to the one above, just coming off behind the doors. After talking to a man who drove these in Korea, I'm going with a separate cab over box, with a passthrough like the older semi sleepers. The reason is the amount of flex and I don't want to limit where this can go. Although it's sheer size is a limiting factor! But I don't want a little bumpy road to stop it.

 

[rustystud]

I would just use DOT Nylon hose for the fuel lines. Their cheap and plentiful and easy to work with, plus they will last your lifetime ! You will need 1/2" line from the fuel tank to injection pump booster pump. Then you can use 3/8" line to the filters and then back to the injection pump.

 

[rassd71]

Thank you Rusty!

 

[rassd71]

In the nature of some type of an update I've installed battery trays into the cab and made battery box seat bases for both sides. The truck batteries will go under the passenger seat (like the do in an arctic kit) with the 'house batteries' or 12v system under the drivers seat. The previous owner had just the busted up frame on the passenger side and a milk crate with a loose seat on the drivers side!

Before you judge too critically, this was the first welding project for myself, my wife and our 11 year old daughter! So, warts & all, I love em. As for the mismatched seats, these are temporary. Just wanted to actually get two seats in it.

Oh, and I love my cupholder center console, it's out of a Sienna minivan, and tilts down to allow a passthrough space!

 

[rustystud]

Before you judge too critically, this was the first welding project for myself, my wife and our 11 year old daughter! So, warts & all, I love em.

QUOTE]


Any weld that holds is a good weld.