M813 Recovery while Scrapping Westech's 915

[swbradley1]

So JW4x4 runs into a guy at the DMV who says he has an MV he wants to unload. He wanted to scrap it but waiting for the EUC scrap prices dropped so JW says he can sell it for the guy with a couple of calls.

The guy didn't believe him but they exchanged info anyway. JW makes one call to Gimpy (JW's one call) and Gimpy calls me and the JW texts me the phone number. I call the guy with the truck and asked if I could see it. My wife and I went over the next day and drove. The guys Father and Mother were both really nice and said we could drive it anywhere on 50 acres and their yard. The air pack wasn't the greatest but it stopped okay.

Even with the bumpy ride my wife said she liked it better than my two Deuces and she said I could get it if I sell a truck. Deal!

I call the guy back and negotiated a final price and said I'd pick it up Saturday (yesterday). Gimpy said he would go. I got an air pack from Jesusgatos shipped in Friday and was ready.

Saturday arrives and we decided to take Westy's burned out 915 to the scrapper so we loaded everything up in the Dodge and dropped off the scrap.

We get there and while waiting for the owner Gimpy works on the air pack with some phone tips with no luck but he test drove it and said we could get it home.

These first pics show what it looked like.

 

[swbradley1]

How we got it home.

Notice you can't even see the Dodge in front of the M813 towing it down the interstate. We got pics from the chase vehicle.

The 1/2 ton Dodge did a great job towing the big truck at 55MPH. It was a little hard on stopping but it does have a Hemi.

 

[sak00]

Very Sweet!

 

[swbradley1]

We spent the rest of the day changing out the air pack and after bleeding it out and Gimpy exercising it the brakes were good to go. I took some pics of Gimpy playing with the truck on the farm working the sprag a little.

I'll paint her up and get her on the road when the paper work is done.

Big thank you to Gimpy and Doghead (for keeping track of us on the phone) for all the help. It was only a four beer afternoon and he got himself another crane but that's another story.

Thanks to JW for the heads-up on the truck.

 

[eddiec]

Heck of a find

 

[gimpyrobb]

I was surprised the dodge pulled the 813 so well!

 

[doghead]

How much did the burned out M915 bring, over the scales?

Have you been licking the concrete floor again?

 

[gimpyrobb]

He got about $700 for the 915, wasn't much left of it after all the parts we sold. He only tasted the floor ONCE!

 

[swbradley1]

Although it weighed a lot because it was burned so badly they only gave us $700 which I'm sure will cover what Westy paid for it.

At least it wasn't anti-freeze....and only once because doing it twice would just be stupid.

 

[EMD567]

When does the front bumper get to Ferro's? I will have to go and help Ferro put it on.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Looks good Steve. Did you get my PM? I'll try again on Wed. As far as the 813, JW has really jumped in to this big truck side of the hobby. Good find JW. Oh, regarding pics. Please, when posting, please take pics on the highway with signs in the background. I love to look at signs from the area, makes me homesick. JW used to get me all the time with pics of the Rte 128 Hamilton Cleves exit off 275.

 

[EMD567]

Welcome to the 5 ton club.

 

[jw4x4]

That's a real nice truck. If I wasn't so busy with my 932, I would have had more interest in it. Glad it went to a good home instead of the great grinder in the sky.

 

[gimpyrobb]

When does the front bumper get to Ferro's? I will have to go and help Ferro put it on.

As soon as the funds clear...







Since he paid with a CHECK, it will probably be Haspin next year!

 

[swbradley1]

 

[Ferroequinologist]

As soon as the funds clear...







Since he paid with a CHECK, it will probably be Haspin next year!

Screw you buddy!

Steve, sorry I missed your call that day about the airpack- I had the same thing happen with the 818 and just taking it apart and putting it back together helped it still works fine to this day.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Hey, no one has told you guys how dangerous towing a 16,000lb truck with a 4,000lb pickup is! Hemi or not!

 

[swbradley1]

No it isn't. If it will move it it's just fine. Just look at some of the threads that have been posted the last few years.

Besides, 16,000 was when I pulled the Deuce home with my Dodge, the M813 is more like a tad over 20,000lbs.

If you ever get stuck I can pull your 915 with trailer home for you.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

It ain't getting it moving that's the problem! It's the stopping!!


If you ever get stuck I can pull your 915 with trailer home for you.

Good, you're on speed dial.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Wait till I post a pic of the coupling!