Choosing the Right MV for the Job - Need Ideas, Experience, & Opinions from MV Users

[Commander5993]

Choosing the Right MV for the Job - Need Ideas, Experience, & Opinions from MV Users

Hi all, I have been doing research for the past several months on MV Vehicles, but I can't decide on what is really needed for the type of Uses I need the vehicle to do. I have never owned an MV, So I need some help from those of you who have some experience with MV vehicles. I need the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tell me what types of vehicles I want to stay away from also.

Here is the base of what I want the vehicle to do:
I need a vehicle that can drive on road at a decent speed, and have good torque and hauling capability. Would rather have a manual transmission. Would very much like to be able to use multiple fuel types, if a situation arose that required it.

It must also be very good in off road use. It must at least be 4x4. It would also have to go up steep terrain, through mud, possibly low water like creeks and such, etc etc. I also need it to carry multiple people, kind of like the back of a deuce, into these remote locations. As I know there cars won't make it. I will most likely also be pulling a trailer, not super big or anything, just a decent size "box" military trailer or similar.

I have looked through tons of vehicle info and such over the past months, and I just am not sure what will work. I thought an M715 might do the job, but it seems they would have to have quite a few modifications, such as changing the engine, axles, transmission, and more. Might be one thing if I could find one for sale that is already set up to take the task.

An M35 2 1/2 ton Multi-fuel, seems to be the closest thing that I can come up with. But I was hoping for a more "normal size" vehicle to do other "daily" tasks, like snow plowing, or just driving to town to get supplies or such, when we are out there on the trip. Besides having to drive it the 1000+ miles one way to get it there.

So, what do you think? Is there anything that would seem to fit what I need it to do? Give me some feedback and help steer me in the right direction on what I should be looking for.

Thanks to Everyone in Advance for helping out an MV Newbie!

 

[dmetalmiki]

The Ultimate spec!

Hmmm....well now...this Lamborgini 4x4 (military version) WOULD (just about!) do all that.
Lamborghini LM002

by Chris Hafner on July 17, 2008
The Lamborghini LM002 is just about the only vehicle on Earth with the ability to make the military Humvee look wimpy. Yes, the Humvee can be ordered with armor, a swiveling minigun or grenade launcher, a natty camo paint job, and all kinds of other high-tech weaponry, but all of those baubles pale in comparison to what the LM002 packs under the hood--the wildly exotic V-12 lifted directly from the Lamborghini Countach. The LM002 has your weapons of mass destruction right here--450 horsepower worth.

 

[Commander5993]

Hmmm....well now...this Lamborgini 4x4 (military version) WOULD (just about!) do all that.
Lamborghini LM002

by Chris Hafner on July 17, 2008
The Lamborghini LM002 is just about the only vehicle on Earth with the ability to make the military Humvee look wimpy. Yes, the Humvee can be ordered with armor, a swiveling minigun or grenade launcher, a natty camo paint job, and all kinds of other high-tech weaponry, but all of those baubles pale in comparison to what the LM002 packs under the hood--the wildly exotic V-12 lifted directly from the Lamborghini Countach. The LM002 has your weapons of mass destruction right here--450 horsepower worth.

LOL - Not exactly what I had in mind

 

[midcounty]

What about a M1008 with a lift kit and 37" HMMWV wheels and tires. The larger tires would help cruising ability and off road. The truck can pull a reasonable trailer reliably. If that isn't enough of a truck, I would go Deuce.

 

[DieselBob]

I tend to agree with midcounty. If I was looking for a everyday driver, snowplow. trash hauler and medium trailer puller I would be looking at a M1008 or M1028. You could also get a 1031 and change the bed. Nice thing is they use mostly off the shelf GM pickup parts.

 

[chicklin]

M1008/M1028

Or, depending on what you want to spend, you could find an HMMWV. It may not meet all your criteria, but it would be the best combo of street plus off-road capability.

 

[drgreg]

" Besides having to drive it the 1000+ miles one way to get it there."

I think an F-250 would be the correct choice.

 

[Commander5993]

M1008/M1028

Or, depending on what you want to spend, you could find an HMMWV. It may not meet all your criteria, but it would be the best combo of street plus off-road capability.

HMMWV would be nice, but probably a little more than I want to spend

 

[midcounty]

" Besides having to drive it the 1000+ miles one way to get it there."

I think an F-250 would be the correct choice.

Do you not like the fella? Trying to get him stranded on the road a couple hundred miles from home?

 

[DieselBob]

" Besides having to drive it the 1000+ miles one way to get it there."

I think an F-250 would be the correct choice.

Here is my F250 with 48K on the clock and piston cooling jets breaking off. So much for job 1.

 

[Commander5993]

Do you not like the fella? Trying to get him stranded on the road a couple hundred miles from home?

 

[DieselBob]

You could also go the bobber route. They are multifuel, manual transmission and with the larger tires they cruise pretty good.

 

[Commander5993]

You could also go the bobber route. They are multifuel, manual transmission and with the larger tires they cruise pretty good.

Yes Thanks for suggestion. I was looking into that possibility just today. I'm starting to lean that way, as I think it could do the job.

 

[John S-B]

A 1,000 MILES?!? Just exactly which continent are you gonna be on? But no matter where, a duece sounds like what you need. You can always add an extra fuel tank and carry spare parts in add on compartments.

 

[Truckoholic]

I think this is what you need! Just put a cargo bed on it with troop seats, and you have the perfect daily driver, people hauler, off road powerful vehicle!
M911

Ha ha. Okay, so maybe that is just my personal idea of the perfect daily driver. I plan to own one of those eventually.

But anyway, yeah, I agree that maybe a bobbed M35 might suit you well. Maybe even a bobbed M35A3 so you have power steering, but then you'd have an automatic transmission. If fuel mileage was not too much of an issue, a bobbed M813 would be awesome. Because then you would have power steering, and plenty of power, but it's a lot heavier and doesn't have a multi fuel engine.

Bobbed M35's


Bobbed M813's

 

[Cleptomaniac]

Yes the Bobbed Deuce is great I have driven mine threw the river over trees and about any where else my "friends" could think of With 395s she likes 62 mph

 

[Commander5993]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
They have really helped a lot!

After considering your suggestions, and looking through more vehicles, I have come to the conclusion that a bobbed deuce is probably going to be the route to go. It should cover all the aspects that I need, plus maybe even have some additional perks that I hadn't thought of.


I have never considered buying a deuce until now, so I'm not real familiar with them personally. But I have been trying to read up on them, and reading through some of the posted topics today here on SS.

Is there any hits or tips that you guys suggest that I should be looking for, like particular models, or ? Or is there things that I should stay away from, or things that I should check out first, When considering or previewing a Deuce, before purchasing?

Thanks Again All!

 

[midcounty]

Try to find one with a LDS465 engine. It will give you about 40 extra hp, and it has a slightly different oiling system to help it live longer under more strain.

 

[mcmullag]

goggle is your friend

google your different questions and topics in different forms and/or wording, and threads from this site, will pop up on goggle, for you to read and study.
best of luck on your quest.....

 

[Commander5993]

Try to find one with a LDS465 engine. It will give you about 40 extra hp, and it has a slightly different oiling system to help it live longer under more strain.

Ok, Great! That will be something that I will take note of.
Thanks