I Took the Plunge: 71DeuceAK's 1986 M928A1 Project

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[71DeuceAK]

Did more recovery planning today. Tentatively planned for about the 7th/8th of October. Stay tuned...

 

[71DeuceAK]

Slight change of plans. Going to go recover her in the spring and at least get her as far as Kansas, if all works out according to plan.

Was having a bad day and put it up for sale yesterday. For all of maybe four hours tops. Started getting PMs on Facebook of "You're selling it already?!" and "I am extremely disappointed in you" so I was convinced to pull my ad.

 

[Mos68x]

Don't lose faith just yet. The emotional pain from losing that much money when you purchase it is only temporary, the permanent financial drain on your wallet just for owning one is a completely different story lmao. All jokes aside, just get it home, or at least someplace where you can work on it and you'll feel much better. I'm sure that once you start turnin some wrenches on it and you'll be giddy as a schoolgirl. hopefully i'm only a couple paydays away from getting mine runnin and back on the road again.

 

[71DeuceAK]

That's what I was persuaded to do. Not lose faith yet. 3000 bucks is a lot when you're a broke college student, but one day or another I'm looking into it. Should be interesting.

Do keep me posted on yours. I'm curious to hear that goes. I was talking to 98G about mine and the subject of your truck came up as it happens.

I don't think may people can say "Yeah, my first vehicle was an old army fire truck" much less an M928A1. I've only seen or heard of about three others.

 

[Mos68x]

That's what I was persuaded to do. Not lose faith yet. 3000 bucks is a lot when you're a broke college student, but one day or another I'm looking into it. Should be interesting.

Do keep me posted on yours. I'm curious to hear that goes. I was talking to 98G about mine and the subject of your truck came up as it happens.

I don't think may people can say "Yeah, my first vehicle was an old army fire truck" much less an M928A1. I've only seen or heard of about three others.

I have plenty of threads for it. If you ever have any questions, just go ahead and ask on any one of them.

 

[71DeuceAK]

I absolutely will! I've always had a very soft spot for the M939 series trucks, particularly the XLWB models. Many other enthusiasts have even told me I'm nuts with this one, but given their relative rarity it's worth bringing this one back to life.

The only fear I have is if the frame is toast...then I'd have to part her out. But even in that case, I'd have a parts truck I might keep for when I got another, running, M939 variant.

 

[wheelspinner]

So when do we get to see some pics of this truck? It would be interesting to see what is causing so much consternation.

 

[pontiac62]

So when do we get to see some pics of this truck? It would be interesting to see what is causing so much consternation.

I second the motion.


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Man of few words

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[71DeuceAK]

Pardon the awful screnshot of a photo taken during an inspection by fellow member Lindsey97...

 

[71DeuceAK]

OK! Latest plan of attack is to sell or scrap the funky fire department bed on the truck. It's custom built so I don't see much market for it, sadly. My plans are to either (1) find a proper 20' bed or (2) make an R/V out of it.

 

[71DeuceAK]

OK! Dead thread revival! Recovery got delayed for a year. Finally sold the stupid fire-truck bed in June, man that was a wonderful day! I've bought a handful of parts she needs...PCB, master switch, fuel tank, air intake, springer driver's seat, spare tire carrier, headlights. Got a lead on a motor but moolah is the issue. Got a lead on a soft top. Still need glass (it's cracked on the front windshields), a starter, a motor/engine rebuild. Figured out apparently it sat for six years before the gentleman I bought it from acquired it, which was two years ago, and I've had it for a year now...so I suspect the motor is done.

Found out the truck came from Diboll, Texas originally. The idiots who designed the funky custom bed the truck had decided in their infinite wisdom to merely unbolt the rear frame crossmember and take the cutting torch to the back couple feet of frame. Idiots...ugh. When the bed came off, and after another enthusiast got to visit the truck and take pictures, which I posted in some of the Facebook groups, I became famous practically overnight. To outsiders, it appeared I had bought a complete parts truck, sight unseen, a year ago, and was nowhere near doing anything with it. For every person who would tell me to sell it, part it out, cut it up for the axles, or scrap it, though, I've had another tell me to not throw in the towel yet. The Frame did make me panic, but I've talked to several people who would be qualified to offer opinions on welding options, which I am taking into consideration.

And so...in October it looks like I'm going to the KAMO rally and going to visit this thing at some point. May not move it this year, it's fine where it's at, but I can't wait to at least tear the shredded soft top off so it is no longer flapping in the wind.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Andy, I've seen a maximum of two people tell you not to give up, and no less than 30 people not including myself honestly tell you it is a parts truck, and I'm in all the same groups you are. The first step to fixing a mistake is accepting that you've made one. Be honest with yourself. All us guys telling you what you don't want to hear have beeln around the block a time or two. Now I understand this is your first military vehicle and you have that attachment to it, but you need to move on and start with another truck worth fixing.

 

[NDT]

Diboll TX whatever you do, don’t speed through that town!! Yup FD’s love to whack frames, my LWB deuce which also came from the Texas Forest Service had a similar frame whack. The only time I part out a truck is if it’s rusted to bits. Don’t give up on it.

 

[Jeepsinker]

There is more truck missing than is there, and what is there isn't any good. The engine isn't any good either, transmission may not be any good, transfer case could be damaged, lots of the air brake system is gone... it's a parts truck.

And it's 4,000 miles from his house. If you want to piece a basket case like that back together for whatever reason, you at least need it at your place, or close enough to go work on it regularly.

 

[71DeuceAK]

OK! Finally went and touched this thing myself for the first time. Stuffed a used but fixable with lots of Gorilla tape soft top on it and did some similar general cleanup that could be accomplished with my bare hands in the space of like two hours (Between visiting with other MV enthusiasts in the process). Got another truck coming down the pipe so I think I'm selling this particular project as it's too much to take on right now. It was my first but I have a lead on something cheap that runs and moves on its own, so it's a somewhat obvious choice. However, if it doesn't sell, it'll just sit and be a later project, although its condition isn't getting any better.

In the process of going through all the trash in the cab (Picture throwing rotting 2x6 boards and plastic water bottles and shredded homemade soft top out the doors left and right) I found some of her history. Old insurance card in the glove box from '97, expiring in '98, an emergency preparedness guide from 2000, one from 2008. This thing evidently also did duty in Missouri in the early '00s. So I surmise it last ran in 2008. We theorize it became a parts truck after the motor went, but the motor isn't locked up, or at least wasn't a year ago. Obviously that stupid hack job of a bed is gone, but now the frame and the motor are the biggest killers. If I could never sell it I'd slowly piece it together, but it's gonna be awhile. I'd say it's available but I know discussing available items outside of the classifieds section is frowned upon so I will refrain from doing so.