Wreckerman's M915 update

[wreckerman893]

I have ministering to the 915's wounds since she arrived here a few days ago.

I have replaced the fuel filter, ignition switch, windshield wiper blades, and rear tail lights/turn signals.

I am waiting for an air tank so I can test the air system and see if the brakes will release.

The transmission shifts so I think it is OK.....won't know for sure until I can get the air tank installed.

Putting her on the road may be most of a challenge that repairing her.

I will have to get a DOT number and an apportioned license plate (with a sticker for each state I might want to run in).
Prob looking at 2 grand to get her legal.

I have a CDL and valid medical card so I am good in that respect.

Insurance is $1,470 per year for full coverage.

I may have to pimp the old girl off if she proves to be too "high maintainence"

I'll post some pics tomorrow if it the weather cooperates.

 

[timntrucks]

wow that would be sweet.. now you need a 200 ft trailer and you can haul eveyone to the rallys

 

[NDT]

Don't forget about joining the "drug testing consortium". That's another $150/yr. I have a newfound respect for all the independent owner/operators out there. There is no end to the cash outlay to get legal, and that is before you buy the first drop of diesel. Anybody complaining about $1.50 a mile to haul something needs to get educated.

 

[wreckerman893]

Well...a devious idea hit me last night....I did some measuring and a deuce bed would fit just about perfectly if I removed the 5th wheel.....then it becomes a BIG farm truck again....there's more than one way to skin a cat....there's just no way to make him like it.

Kind of ruins it for it's intended purpose but at least I could afford to drive it.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

....there's more than one way to skin a cat....

Now THAT explains all the SKINLESS CATS running around your place

Can't wait to see the photographic evidence

Keep up posted on the progress, please

 

[Speddmon]

Here's a thought...does AL have a provision for a "Farm" plate for the registration of the truck??

Here in Ohio, I can get a "farm" plate for any truck I want...WITHOUT a CDL!!!! Now there are some restrictions of course...But really they are only minor things. The vehicle has to be used at least 75% of the time for farm related use (not necessarily on the farm though), and within 150 miles of the farm. Not a bad trade off for being able to get a semi truck without a CDL or any special requirements or health checks. Then the other kicker is to qualify as a farm you must own at least 10 acres or have tax records showing you are making at least $2500 income from your property if you have less than 10 acres.

Just a thought.

 

[NDT]

An idea I was kicking around was to recreate the "gun truck" 915 variant you see pictures of, with the 105 bed. In my case I need to pull semi trailers, so that would not work.

 

[frodobaggins]

WM, I'm reading the AL codes, and if you aren't commercial, you don't need a CDL.
You also do not need a US DOT number unless you are involved in interstate commerce.

 

[Peepaw]

I will have to get a DOT number and an apportioned license plate (with a sticker for each state I might want to run in).
Prob looking at 2 grand to get her legal.

.

If it makes you feel any better, you won't have to have but one fuel sticker if you have to go commercial. Since IFTA took effect you only have a sticker from your home state with the letters IFTA on it(One on each side of the cab). The actual apportioned papers that you have in the cab is all that will mention what states you are good in.

I was really glad to see all the individual stickers go.

 

[Burgerboy13]

I vote for the gun truck too

 

[Csm Davis]

wreckerman I have talked to dot in al. fl. ms. la. and all have a execption for private owned and non commercial use vehicles don't register it as a commercial vehicle! unless u plan on using it to make money hauling with it. Now if you get stoped or asked, don't tell them you are going to a show to sell anything or your buddy is paying you gas to get his truck home for him. I am a LEO and do not want people to lie to lawmen but some DOT officers will take it to the extreme on what is commercial.

 

[wreckerman893]

I want to the DMV and explained all that to them.....(wasn't going commercial, farm use, go to shows occasionally)....they still say I have to have DOT number and apportioned plate.
I may go over to the next county and check with them...they seem to be easier to deal with than the one I am in now.

Here are a few more pics.

 

[Rattlewagon]

i vote for the gun truck too

oh, oooooh, i likey!!!

 

[frodobaggins]

I want to the DMV and explained all that to them.....(wasn't going commercial, farm use, go to shows occasionally)....they still say I have to have DOT number and apportioned plate.
I may go over to the next county and check with them...they seem to be easier to deal with than the one I am in now.

Here are a few more pics.

Explaining ain't gonna help with the morons at the DMV. Gonna need to bring the law and go up higher.

 

[Ruppster]

Yeah, DMV can be hit or miss when it comes to CDL requirements. They don't know how to deal with people that want to drive big trucks for fun so they treat everyone as if they are for hire/profit and tell them they have to have a CDL and all the stuff that goes with it. In some states it's true that a CDL is needed even for personal use (Alaska and Florida, if it's a semi truck, are two that I know of that make you get a CDL no matter what the use) but Virginia follows the Federal guidelines and don't require a CDL as long as it's strictly for personal use only (i.e. no compensation what so ever).

The best people to talk to are the DOT officials at the weigh scales and the commercial law enforcement people with the State Troopers. The general rule set by the Feds is that a DOT number is not required for personal use and I thought that was the same across all states till I read the thread the other day about owning a 5 ton 6x6 in Texas. Someone posted a link to a Texan DMV file that talked about cdl's, registration, and DOT numbers and if I read it right it said you had to have a DOT number if you were driving a vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more even if it's for personal use. Three years ago I drove a truck and trailer that did not have apportioned plates (did have an IFTA sticker though so I didn't need to buy fuel permits) cross country and had to go through Texas. Texas made me buy two trip (tag) permits, one for the truck and one for the trailer. Texas was the only state that made me pay for one for the trailer, every other state only made me get the trip permit for the tractor unit only.

When I made the trip I got a book from DMV that had the contact info for each state in regards to trip permits. Before I drove through any state I called the state a couple days ahead of time and asked if I needed trip permits at all since I was not for profit and was hauling my own stuff. Half the states took the time to research it and called me back saying I was good to go, no permits needed. But the other half told me right off the bat that I needed permits and when I asked for the specific state regulation that said so they would not quote the reg to me (they didn't bother researching it and just told me to buy the permit anyhow). I kept a log of every person I talked to and it came in handy at a couple of scales that I got stopped at. They asked for my permits and I told them I was told I didn't need one. After they told me I was told wrong and needed to buy a permit I would give them the name and number to the person with the state office that said I didn't need one and that the scale person better cal that person first and that I would not buy a permit till they talked to the person in question. Each time this happened the scale person would actually argue with the person at the state office telling them I had to have a permit and that they (the state office officials) were wrong. After these conversation went on for 5 to 10 minutes the scale person would end up hanging up the phone and tell me I was good to go.

Anyhow, as I said check with the people at the weigh scales or Commercial Law Enforcement officers.

Ruppster

 

[BKubu]

WM, nice M915!

 

[cundupa]

Michigan has historical plates for cars and trucks that are 26 years and older, good for several years, good for driving to shows, parades etc. Check that out in your state.

 

[wreckerman893]

Frodo...can you send me a link to that info.

I know about the historical plates but they will not issue them to anything larger than a deuce unless it is a civilian truck (go figure).
I also don't want to be hamstrung about what I can do with it and when I can drive it.
I have a valid medical card and a current CDL so those requirements are moot.
I just don't want to be gouged for commercial plates and insurance unless it it the only option for getting it on the road.
My goal is to be able to drive it to the Ga rally. That gives me about two weeks to get it together.

 

[jrou111]

Register it as an RV

BTW, I think you should go ahead and just pay Caesar for the commercial plates and everything. You could make that money back pretty quickly hauling mv's or on uship.

If you could only sell your expando van to someone at the rally, then you could haul it there in the 915.

 

[Cam Morehead]

Frodo...can you send me a link to that info.

I know about the historical plates but they will not issue them to anything larger than a deuce unless it is a civilian truck (go figure).
I also don't want to be hamstrung about what I can do with it and when I can drive it.
I have a valid medical card and a current CDL so those requirements are moot.
I just don't want to be gouged for commercial plates and insurance unless it it the only option for getting it on the road.
My goal is to be able to drive it to the Ga rally. That gives me about two weeks to get it together.

FWIW, I just got my 818 listed as a "private" vehicle and got a farm tag. I do not have to have CDL or commercial tags. The 2 issues are that I can not leave the state of SC and can only travel 150 miles from home with the farm tag. Does not matter to me though. I drive them locally. Cam