new enthusiast pre deuce purchase help please

[mvformoe]

First off i have to say its so nice to find this community of information i hope someone will have the time to help, thank you in advance.I have found a deuce for sale for 500.00 i have searched for information and have found lots of great info but i have not been able to find the details i need to make my decision to purchase.Here is what i know about the truck,data plate says year of manufacture was 1954,didnt know enough when i looked at it to know that there is a plate that says the manufacturer so i do now know for certain.The truck physically looks the same as the pictures of the m34's on the site except for the oil filters being mounted externally on the drivers side fender at the front.Another thing that i am wondering about is the engine it is a cummins diesel no turbocharger i cant find any info on a cummins option for the duece anybody know anything about this?possible replacemant motor but that is hard to believe seeing as the odometer reads 3943 miles!The owner says the truck runs and has good tires everything else will have to be found out if it warrants a second look.My biggest concern i discovered after looking at photos i had taken of the truck when i got home,the front axle is missing the drive shaft and also the differential section, on the top of the axle is covered with a flat plate i would appreciate opinions and cautions about purchasing this truck it is my first large truck and i do not want to get in over my head.I have restored several vehicles so i am mechanically experienced but i will have a learning curve to deal with.I am concerned that the parts to complete the front drive system may make it very costly in the end to have true six wheel drive,and thats what i want all six wheels a spinnin!Thanks in advance and any and all knowledge and information is greatly appreciated thank you and have a good day
Morgan

 

[Armada]

Quick response.... I don't recommend it for a first truck, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th truck either. That rig is somebody's Frankenstein!
For a few dollars more you'll be able to get yourself something you can work with. You don't want to spend ALL your enthusiasm working on it, you want to be able to enjoy driving it too. There are good trucks out there, take yout time and just keep looking. In the meantime, learn all you can about them, ask questions (this forum is a good first step), go to a Military Vehicle show, they'll be glad to tell you what to look for and answer any questions. Check out the GL website and get an idea as to what they go for in your area, better yet, go to a base near you and screen a few. But whatever you do, run, don't walk, away from that thing.

 

[mvformoe]

thank you so much for your opinion,point well taken i had a nagging feeling that it may be a mistake please keep the information and opinions coming i value them all and would like as much information i can get the thing that appeals to me is the low milleage and the early year,anybody have more to share?

 

[clinto]

I agree with what Armada said. That poor thing is toast. Sure, you can ressurect anything with enough effort and $, but by the time you do that, you could have spent the same amount of money buying a nice runner.

If it looks that bad on the outside (nice clearance job for the air intake ), I can only imagine the nightmare under the hood.

There are deuces available in almost every price range, from the direct from surplus condition to show quality trucks with all of the accessories and toys everyone want. I suppose it depends upon what you want and what you can afford, but for sure, stay away from that poor critter.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Well, thats not much of a picture! Diesel eh? I agree with Paul as it looks like someones Frankenstein but for $500 its probably worth that in parts and scrap value. On the other hand it might be a treasure too. Might even have a nice 5.9 Cummins in it. For $500 you could play with it for a while, learn some things about the truck, but be mindfull of sinking too much money in it. When the better truck comes along you have a parts truck or you can strip off some of the better stuff and recover most of your money in scrap metal. How are the tires? Might have $500 there. Again, not a keeper or a restoration project but a small investement as a starter truck and a learning vehicle. BFR did something similar with buying an old truck, fiddling with it for a while until a better truck came along and now he's getting good parts off the old truck.

 

[Elwenil]

Definitely looks like there has been an engine swap. Hood is obviously sloped upwards to cover a larger radiator and the air and oil filters outside are definitely something odd. I'd skip it also. I've run into a few Deuces like that around here that were used as pulpwood trucks or misc construction trucks and they are normally so hacked up and taped together that it's a nightmare trying to figure out what is stock, what's not and what's just another part laying on the floor to a totally different vehicle. Get a nice stock Deuce needing a little TLC. That way you have a nice starting point, and a good baseline to work with. with a frankenstein like that one, the only person that could answer your questions about it would be the guy who built it and they are normally long gone.

 

[Jimmy]

I agree with Recovry4x4, that is a very rough truck but you could get your money back in parts sold off of it. I don't know of many military vehicles that arn't worth $500. Just look at the prices of scrap metal today.

 

[WillWagner]

I think Armada and Recovery are both right. Yes it looks like a cluster, BUT, there are still parts on it that if one were to buy from Memphis, AV truck, e-bay or what ever, would be $100.00 or more, + shipping. Doors, fenders, any glass, stupid little items like knobs, handles, window regulators, door latch mechanizims. I think if you have the room and you can get it to your place, do it. if nothing else, it will give you an idea of how the thing is put together soy ou can test yourself on this truck and be more knwledgeable when it comes to working on your "good" truck.

 

[BFR]

Even though I am a glutton for punishment I would not buy that as a "deuce", but I would seriously look at it as a possible parts source depending on what engine/tranny are in it.

 

[colyork]

For $500 I'd buy it for parts.

 

[mvformoe]

hey everyone thank you for all the great opinions.I am so glad to have found this site and caught the deuce bug!these things are the baddest trucks.I have an update on the truck i was looking at.Turns out to be an REO the specification plate says it applies to m44 on up but still says its a 2.5 ton duece.I have taken some more pictures and will put them up for historical reference purposes for the site when i have a little more time.I have made my final decision i am going to pass on the truck, I checked it over more thoroughly and discovered the fram had been cut and welded back together halfway down the truck i appreaciate all the great advice and warnings it appears you guys where right as far as buying it to build and drive it is more than I think it would be worth for me to put it back together and i dont know i could ever trust that frame.The gentleman selling the truck is a great guy and in a bad pinch so if anyone is interested in buying the truck i would be very happy to pass on the contact info there are lots of good parts on the truck it only shows 3900 miles on the odometer and has a running cummins diesel in it and good tires all around,wish it was something i could work with but its beyond my resources at the moment.But the hunt is on! I am hooked these trucks really are impresive and i have never even been in one i will own one.Hope to hear somemore opinions and if anyone is interested in this truck it is 500.00 dollars located in sacramento California the owner is a great guy and willing to help move the truck for a short distance just for gas money leave a post if anyones interested i will be checking here daily and doing research for what model is right for me take care guys and thanks again
pics to come tommorrow.
morgan

 

[SETOYOTA]

buy that truck for parts and start looking for your runner

 

[rdixiemiller]

I would wonder if the front chunk is gone because of pan clearance. Of course, they may have pulled the transfer case out to allow a larger engine/tranny to fit under the hood.
If the stock deuce rears are still there, you have some good parts. Doors might be OK. Depending on what engine and tranny are in there, it might be worth $500 if you wanted to take the time to part it out.
I definately wouldn't try to make a runner out of it.

 

[rizzo]

1 steer and 1 drive axle is worth @ $1000. If it was here in MI I would buy it cheap and part it out. Mudbogger guys want the axles all the time. Chucks Trucks in FL will buy as many as you have for $1000.

 

[mvformoe]

I have another question for everyone,i just cant seem to forget about this thing.Will the differential from the rear axles work on the front axle?

 

[doghead]

Yes!

 

[mvformoe]

Hello everyone I got some pictures loaded up finally of this truck.It was stuffed in with a bunch of crap so it was hard to get pictures from any distance,thought i would post them maybe somebody would find something interesting about them.Also a pic of my gmc,I know its not an mv but its a good old truck,take care everyone.