tklm539
New member
- 423
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- Location
- Bolton Landing NY
Well, I thought someone might be interested so here it goes.
Just before Christmas I made the mistake of browsing through the SS classifides to find Armada's mint CUCV for sale. Well the addiction kicked in again. Yeah, some of you know just what I am talking about. I really want it, turned into I really need it and finally I must have it or I will no longer be able to function.
I started to contact Armada some time around the 20th of December by email. He was very helpful about providing pictures and information about every stage of the restoration he did. Around about the 23rd, I broke it to my wife that I was "thinking about" buying a new truck. I failed to mention the military part or the fact that it was 900 miles away. I figured I would save that as a surprise when I got home with it.
Over the next few days I spoke with Armada on the phone to deal with paperwork and payment details. Seemed like a nice guy but I figured I would reserve judgment until later.
I made plans to fly out to MI from NY on the 1/4. On the 24th I asked my Pops to drive me to the plane in Albany. He agreed on the catch that I tell the wife ALL the details. OUCH!!!
I finally worked up the nerve on Christmas day to divulge that it was a military truck in MI to she and her listening mother. All I got was a that figures. Ok, a little cold but it could have been a lot worse. As I figured the $$it was really going to hit the fan. Ahh, was waiting until her mother left. In fact the fireworks never came.
I flew out to MI on the 4th as planned that part was pretty uneventful. The only real highlight was hearing the pilot and stewardess announce 5 times (not exaggerating) to turn off all your electronic crap only to have the numb nuts in front of me have to wait for a personal invitation.
I met Armada at the gate as planned with little hitch. I must admit the idea of meeting someone I had never met and then traveling with him to a place I had never been caused me a little thought. I was pretty sure Jeffery Dalhmer came from this part of the country!! Wow I could not have been more wrong. Armada is one of the nicest guys I have met in a long time. I am not a very social person. We talked the entire ride back to his house (90min) about trucks, politics and life in general. Really a stand up guy, which is increasingly rare.
When we got to his house, I went through his deuce (Mr. Buyer in Washington State, you are getting one hell of a nice truck) and his new 818. Finally it was time to see the CUCV. It is rare that something is actually exactly the way it is described. Armada was right on the money. It needs nothing. He did a fantastic job with it. Looks like it just rolled out of the factory. For all you purists, I know you are going to say that that is not the real military look, but I like it.
Armada took the time to go over every inch of the truck and explain all that he did and how everything worked. It made me feel very comfortable with setting out on a 900 mile trip through the night. I finally got started around 5:30pm with Armada filming my departure while bemoaning the fact that I was going to drive it in the salt and snow.
The trip when without a hitch. I planned on driving through the night but found that I cannot do that any longer. I had to stop half way in Buffalo to sleep. The trip took me through Ontario. When I came back into the US, the border officer asked for my military ID. I actually had to get out to explain that it was no longer a military truck.
I finally got home around 10:00 on the 5th. To my shock, when my wife got home, the first thing she did was throw the kids in and ask for a ride. She even asked to take it to church the next day. As we were leaving church, my son leans into me and says " do not tell mom that I told you but she said that she really likes the truck a lot". Wow it does not get any better than that.
I really cannot say thanks enough to Armada. If anyone has the opportunity to deal with him, you will not regret it. As for the recovery itself, not a bad time for my first interstate experience. Now if anyone has a trailer that they want to unload for it, let me know!!
Tom
Just before Christmas I made the mistake of browsing through the SS classifides to find Armada's mint CUCV for sale. Well the addiction kicked in again. Yeah, some of you know just what I am talking about. I really want it, turned into I really need it and finally I must have it or I will no longer be able to function.
I started to contact Armada some time around the 20th of December by email. He was very helpful about providing pictures and information about every stage of the restoration he did. Around about the 23rd, I broke it to my wife that I was "thinking about" buying a new truck. I failed to mention the military part or the fact that it was 900 miles away. I figured I would save that as a surprise when I got home with it.
Over the next few days I spoke with Armada on the phone to deal with paperwork and payment details. Seemed like a nice guy but I figured I would reserve judgment until later.
I made plans to fly out to MI from NY on the 1/4. On the 24th I asked my Pops to drive me to the plane in Albany. He agreed on the catch that I tell the wife ALL the details. OUCH!!!
I finally worked up the nerve on Christmas day to divulge that it was a military truck in MI to she and her listening mother. All I got was a that figures. Ok, a little cold but it could have been a lot worse. As I figured the $$it was really going to hit the fan. Ahh, was waiting until her mother left. In fact the fireworks never came.
I flew out to MI on the 4th as planned that part was pretty uneventful. The only real highlight was hearing the pilot and stewardess announce 5 times (not exaggerating) to turn off all your electronic crap only to have the numb nuts in front of me have to wait for a personal invitation.
I met Armada at the gate as planned with little hitch. I must admit the idea of meeting someone I had never met and then traveling with him to a place I had never been caused me a little thought. I was pretty sure Jeffery Dalhmer came from this part of the country!! Wow I could not have been more wrong. Armada is one of the nicest guys I have met in a long time. I am not a very social person. We talked the entire ride back to his house (90min) about trucks, politics and life in general. Really a stand up guy, which is increasingly rare.
When we got to his house, I went through his deuce (Mr. Buyer in Washington State, you are getting one hell of a nice truck) and his new 818. Finally it was time to see the CUCV. It is rare that something is actually exactly the way it is described. Armada was right on the money. It needs nothing. He did a fantastic job with it. Looks like it just rolled out of the factory. For all you purists, I know you are going to say that that is not the real military look, but I like it.
Armada took the time to go over every inch of the truck and explain all that he did and how everything worked. It made me feel very comfortable with setting out on a 900 mile trip through the night. I finally got started around 5:30pm with Armada filming my departure while bemoaning the fact that I was going to drive it in the salt and snow.
The trip when without a hitch. I planned on driving through the night but found that I cannot do that any longer. I had to stop half way in Buffalo to sleep. The trip took me through Ontario. When I came back into the US, the border officer asked for my military ID. I actually had to get out to explain that it was no longer a military truck.
I finally got home around 10:00 on the 5th. To my shock, when my wife got home, the first thing she did was throw the kids in and ask for a ride. She even asked to take it to church the next day. As we were leaving church, my son leans into me and says " do not tell mom that I told you but she said that she really likes the truck a lot". Wow it does not get any better than that.
I really cannot say thanks enough to Armada. If anyone has the opportunity to deal with him, you will not regret it. As for the recovery itself, not a bad time for my first interstate experience. Now if anyone has a trailer that they want to unload for it, let me know!!
Tom
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