Need info on pipeline trucks...anyone familiar with them?

[71DeuceAK]

So while perusing my local Craigslist last night I stumbled upon another Deuce. Of course I've already replied to the ad. I showed the ad and pictures to my roommate, another Steel Soldiers member who is also a Deuce owner, and they think it might be a pipeline truck.

So...I'm trying to find out more about these. I know posting of Craigslist ads themselves (the links) is frowned upon but are screen shots OK? It would be super helpful if someone could tell me for sure what model I'm looking at. Of course the first that comes to mind is an M756A2.

It's a soft top, and the "top" is literally a tarp and some 2X4s, as seen in the pictures. Convertible in the winter in Fairbanks, Alaska, anyone? That's what'd it'd be at first if I end up with it.

It's supposedly a '79 according to the ad.

It has some 12.00R20 wheels/tires sitting in the bed, I see a NDT replacement in the future! Not sure if it's 4 or 6, the guy was apparently going to bob it but never did.

From what my Deuce-Familiar roommate has been able to tell me, it definitely looks like it's missing some parts (outriggers, etc). I imagine that stuff is just about Unobtainium. I'd love to get it working fully again, but if not I wonder what sort of value the remaining parts would have for somebody else's project? I wouldn't be laying pipe, it'd just be a driver...although at the same time I'd love to restore it to full originality.

Anyone familiar with these who could look at pictures and tell me what I (might) have?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Pics are OK to post. There are a few of us wbo have been intimate with oilfield trucks.

 

[Fredo Corleone]

opcorn:opcorn:

Bridge truck?

 

[cattlerepairman]

Evil Dr. Porkchop is the newest pipeline truck expert - he just restored one and put it to work.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

After taking a look at the ad, it's definitely not a pipeline truck. It is either an m764 earthboring machine and pole setter, or it's a regular cargo with parts from an m764 on it. A pretty rare truck still.

 

[Fredo Corleone]

After taking a look at the ad, it's definitely not a pipeline truck. It is either an m764 earthboring machine and pole setter, or it's a regular cargo with parts from an m764 on it. A pretty rare truck still.

You are right it has the outriggers and the notch in cab protector for the auger to rest and no we shouldn't drive to Alaska to buy another rare truck.

 

[71DeuceAK]

Haha! If I don't end up with it, somebody should. Good to know that it's what's left of an earth boring truck, or at least had that stuff added to it. I'll still add screen shots for those who have never seen it:

 

[winfred]

my new 109a3 started off as a 1954 gasser auger truck, still has plate on dash and holes in cab floor for non existent controls

 

[Recovry4x4]

View attachment 648356
my new 109a3 started off as a 1954 gasser auger truck, still has plate on dash and holes in cab floor for non existent controls

That would have been a V18A/MTQ.

 

[71DeuceAK]

I'm really curious if "mine" (because it isn't at least not yet) was maybe a gasser, rebuilt in '79 with a multi fuel engine? What years, approximately, did the gassers get multi fuel engines?

 

[Recovry4x4]

There are a number of tell tale signs of gassers repowered to multifuel. One dead giveaway is the right rear engine mount. If it is bolted to the frame, it was likely a repower.

 

[winfred]

torched out fender for diesel exhaust is another good sign

 

[71DeuceAK]

Very interesting! Those are things I'll have to look for for sure! Did the data plates ever get swapped during rebuilds?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Very interesting! Those are things I'll have to look for for sure! Did the data plates ever get swapped during rebuilds?

For sure they did.

 

[winfred]

mine started as a 1954 reo auger truck, appears to have been turned into a multi fuel in 67, not positive but think it's been a shop van since then, seems to be fairly low use as it's pretty tight and is fairly spunky on the road, doesn't take forever to make it to 55, last deuce i played with struggled to get to 50 and required you to drive it down the road, mine you can take your hands off the wheel at 45 and it looks after itself, initially i thought power steering was a requirement based on the other trucks performance, now i'm gonna wait and see how it does when i get my mrap wheels and 395s on it as it's just fine on the ndt's

 

[71DeuceAK]

Yeah, I'm curious to see how the "Armstrong" manual steering is if I get this one, since as a first vehicle even after driving school I'll still be learning some nuances in the Deuce...

My first experience driving a manual transmission, as well as the second vehicle I ever drove, was trying to bump start an M49 fuel tanker Deuce. Although I have nothing else equipped with a manual transmission to compare it to yet, I thought the clutch was really stiff! It'd be an interesting experience having the Deuce as a first vehicle; even I realize how crazy I am but you have to start somewhere!

Really excited to go hopefully look at it and see the data plates, those might tell more of the story! (Whether it's an M764 or an M35A2 with the earthboring/pipeline stuff added).

 

[71DeuceAK]

Well, it's a month and a half later and I never heard back, but the Craigslist ad got reposted, I just so happened to be looking again. I of course did reply. I'm still getting ducks in a row (won't be driving until at least February). I'm sure it's been talked about a million times and I know there's sticky threads on this (I've read them, believe me!) but I'll ask it anyway: What to look for? What to be prepared to fix right off the bat? What's a deal breaker I should RUN, FAR, FAR AWAY from?

 

[71DeuceAK]

I heard back from the seller! He wants it gone before temps drop below zero, which will be probably this week, but it may be for sale again in the spring...at which point I plan on buying it. Wish me luck!

It needs a wheel cylinder but apparently otherwise the brakes work, though of course with a Deuce they need to be gone through anyway. Yep, there's a few scary things about a Deuce, one of them being the brakes, or possibly lack thereof.

And the original exhaust needs to be reinstalled, right now it has one of those ones you'd find on a Zoom Boom or something, with the little flap. Looks horrible.

And...the soft top currently consists of a tarp and a couple 2X4s...That'll have to change, but not right away on this college student budget. LOL.

But, other than that, it sounds like a solid truck. Pretty excited at the possibility of owning one! Only things that scare me are maintenance and a storage lot during the summer months when I'm on an island with no roads...LOL.

 

[71DeuceAK]

Sounds even more like I may be pulling the trigger this spring. Excited but also terrified at the same time, I think everyone would understand why LOL. I'm mechanically what you might call less then inclined, it would be my first vehicle, list goes on and on, but I can also see it being the beginning of an enjoyable and memorable experience working on it and learning about it. It wouldn't be a daily driver necessarily, despite being a first vehicle, since I'd be primarily still taking the bus and walking, but it would still be an only vehicle.

Suggestions on first things to work on, other than the obvious? (Brakes, etc).?