Talk me into, or talk me out of this deuce.

[sparkflky88]

My background is mechanics and restoring firearms.. Its only natural I want a duece.
This popped up local to me and I'm in the process of asking for details on it aside from what he has posted.

Reasons for needing it

My father is a beekeeper and moving mass amounts of hives with this would be a breeze
We are planning on buying a bunch of acres North of where we live currently, and it could be used for relocation and moving of a single wide or trailer of some sort I end up buying.
Plus, it's flat out awesome.

 

[Valence]

Welcome to the forum and the madness!
(PS, you'll want to put your State of residence in your profile location, it's part of the forum rules and will be chewed out later if not)

I'm always of the camp that very few "need" a deuce or any former military truck for work or even recreational reasons. Most will likely find it easier and especially more comfortable to use a normal "civilian" vehicle.

But this is 'Merica, where we have First World Problems and WANT them awesome trucks!


Ensure you read this forum sticky:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?128479-So-You-Want-to-Buy-a-Deuce


I will also point out:

• In the picture I didn't see a spare tire.
• Hard tops are generally more desirable/harder to get (but tend to be rusty)
• The bed will be at least 50" off the ground (mine is 48"-49" with 9.00x20 tires, which are about 1.5" shorter than that truck). I'd encourage a ramp or stairs, lifting stuff up that high can be quite tiresome - especially climbing in/out without an easier way to get in. Keep in-mind that this increases the "stuff" you have/like to have and deal with if you want to make the truck "easier" to use.
• I know next to nothing about bee keeping, will the bees enjoy a likely rougher ride in the deuce bed?

 

[swbradley1]

A few items.

One, please change your location to a state, not all of them.
Two, spell Deuce correctly. It helps with searches later.
three, we had a member who used several MVs to move trailer loads of bees to farmer's fields for pollination. So get it and use it.

 

[greenjeepster]

Awesome yes... Has heater and hardtop a plus. Whistler turbo is a no go IMO... They are loud and as a semi-commercial beekeeper myself, the bees will not be happy with that thing screaming near them while in transit. (look for a D turbo instead of C) Also I would go with an M35a2C if you want to transport bees due to the drop side bed for ease of loading.(see attached pic) I would really recommend a 5 ton though which could be had for similar money and has a dropside bed. Look at an M923.

 

[Bunkerbuilder]

when you said you wanted a Deuce all I thought of was a Ma Deuce M2HB But then you would want and need a ring mount and that would look much better on a 5 ton than a Deuce or Duece or simply a 2.5 ton truck speel it how ever yew leik It don matter to moi. Last one I bought (the M2HB that is) I paid 3500 for it and sold it for about 48K Thats what happends when ya buy title 2 weapons and resell after 20 years in possession.

 

[sparkflky88]

Profile updated. I'd love a ma-deuce as well. I'll take either.
Heater don't matter to much to me... If anything I'd love A/C.
Now that Yall know I live in Florida you'll understand.

 

[sparkflky88]

I've been through most of the stickies before registering for the forum. The knowledge base made me wanna register.

I've been interested in these, and jeep since I was little.
I've already bought and sold my jeep, I used it more off road than on, so it had a good life.
Onto way bigger and better things!

 

[greenjeepster]

Deuces have A/C, just unlatch the windshield and push outward while flooring the accelerator.... the faster you go the cooler it is.

The heater is worth about a grand, pull it off and sell it if you don't need it, there are plenty of people who want it.

 

[Valence]

Deuces have A/C, just unlatch the windshield and push outward while flooring the accelerator.... the faster you go the cooler it is.

It is suggested you open the Passenger window (if no passenger) to avoid bugs in the face, or worse, still alive angry hornets.

 

[FloridaAKM]

There are lots of good stuff & a little bad on this deal. Just being a Deuce is good stuff & the one you are looking @ seems to be restored to a nice looking truck. A/C, thats a negative in a Deuce unless you want to put out lots of cash for a custom installation & seal up all the air leaks in the cab. The bad would be the extra maintenance that the military trucks require, above & beyond what commercial civilian trucks do. The rest of the guys have covered most of the other items, so I'll leave that alone for now. Are you in North, Central or South Florida?

 

[sparkflky88]

My 1989 yj jeep... Used to use the same system! Doors off... Top off... Windshield folded down! It was an ATV on steroids.

Sarasota.

 

[VPed]

Most deuces do not have power steering and the parts to give you that feature are relatively expensive. If you have close quarters maneuvers planned, that will give you a workout. This is just so you know, since in my case, I still prefer driving my deuce to my 5 tons. It is a real-man's truck.

 

[sparkflky88]

5ton requires cdl doesn't it?

 

[greenjeepster]

5ton requires cdl doesn't it?

No, you can tag it under 26001 lbs and as long as you keep the gross under that and don't haul for hire you are fine. Or you can put an Ag tag on it.

 

[Bunkerbuilder]

I have a 53ft trailer I pull with a 88 pete coe tractor and I dont have a cdl and I do it legally.

When I owned a m54 and m52 I had a cld but wasnt driving comercially so didnt use it unless I was driving for the company I worked for.

Operating your private property does not require a special lisence.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Buy the deuce. You won't regret it. They are only going up in value.

 

[CARNAC]

Eh, skip it. If you aren't 100% sold on buying one, why bother.

Read more on the forums and make your decision.

 

[Bunkerbuilder]

I lived northwest of orlando in 2010 for a while but didnt like the humidity, Weirsdale was the name of the town.

Profile updated. I'd love a ma-deuce as well. I'll take either.
Heater don't matter to much to me... If anything I'd love A/C.
Now that Yall know I live in Florida you'll understand.

 

[m16ty]

The only disadvantage I see in using a deuce to haul bees is the cab isn't very air tight (read bee tight). I would worry that bouncing around on rough ground the bees might get angry and come after you.

 

[greenjeepster]

The only disadvantage I see in using a deuce to haul bees is the cab isn't very air tight (read bee tight). I would worry that bouncing around on rough ground the bees might get angry and come after you.

Honey bees are rarely aggressive; I travel every year from GA to VT with a load of bees (about 100 K worth) and always end up with a bunch in the cab of the truck. Once I stopped for fuel and there were so many in the cab that the people at the pump opposite of me looked over and jumped back in their car when I opened the door to get out. Unless one crawls up your leg and you pinch it between your leg and the seat, they don't sting. I often work hives with no suit or veil on.