sjohn116
New member
- 122
- 6
- 0
- Location
- Baltimore, Maryland
While waiting for delivery I've been reading through TMs and studying up on my new purchase.
After many headaches with trucking companies, namely brokers brokering deals with several downstream brokers, the M1081 I won on GP two weeks ago was loaded onto the trailer out of Ft., Bragg yesterday morning, and delivered roadside at 9pm last night. It fired right up, all lights worked, CTIS is actively monitoring the tire pressures, and then backed it down the semi trailer in the pitch black darkness of rural Maryland. 10pm it was sitting on the shoulder of the back country roads, idling, and once warm, we drove it the 1/4 mile up a hill to my house. In that short time, the only other vehicle driving in the area got right behind me and stopped in the road as the truck turned into the long gravel driveway. Coincidence...I think not.
Everything seems in line with the condition as reported on GP, just a few minor issues. The driver's door doesnt latch, and you can see that something is missing from the door itself, three bolts are partly reinstalled, where something was taken off the door, inside the jamb. I'll get a picture uploaded later today and see if anyone can point me in the right direction of where to buy the mystery piece that keeps my door from latching shut. Driver's side window is either missing or rolled so far down that the glass and track got fubar'd. I'll remove the inner door panel and see whats going on inside. One mirror was shattered between the auction and transport. But other than that, and my limited ability to give the beast a good look at 10pm in the darkness, I'm quite satisfied with the condition of the truck.
The best part of this whole scenario is the back story. I was in the market for a brand new Tundra (40k) that would only be used to drive to/from work in the snow, and the occasional short trips to HD/Lowes/TSC. I couldnt justify that money for something that would be used so infrequently, especially when I would still drive my 220,000 miles and county economy car to/from work everyday. I presented the logical argument to my wife: we can buy a Tundra, and watch $40k rot in the driveway, or we can buy a surplus military truck AND a subaru AWD for her, so she too can get to work in the snow, but still have good gas mileage year round. She being a person rooted in logic replied, "as long as the military truck doesnt cost $40k over the next 5 yrs (terms of a loan), and its something that I could reasonably drive, then I see no problems with this plan." I was expecting "NO, THATS STUPID." The hunt began. M35A2 was the first line of inquiry, well priced, parts are abundant, but the steering was not gonna pass the wife's test. LMTV was the next line of inquiry, and well, based on the title, won out. I showed her one, and said "it has power steering and a panoramic view." She smiled and laughed.
Unbeknownst to her, I bought one at auction two weeks ago. I was trying to get it here, delivered while she was at work, so I could surprise her when she got home, saw a 2.5 ton military truck in the back driveway, and asked "WTF is that?" My brilliant plan almost worked, the truck was supposed to be delivered today, but the truck driver requested to drop it off last night so he could get to Baltimore, get his next load, and get outta dodge. I obliged. So I got home from work at 2030hrs, walked in the door, spoke to her for 5 minutes about the day, then my phone rang..it was the truck driver...he was 7 minutes away. I had to spill the beans, to explain why I was walking back out of the house and down the road to help a man unload a truck off a semi parked on the shoulder. I spilled the beans as quickly as I could, and waited for the worst. She smiled, shook her head, and said, "well, okay."
skip ahead an hour...
She hears the airbrake pressure release and steps outside, sees the truck, and falls over laughing at its proportions. ITS HUGE!!! I"M SORRY, I DONT MEAN TO LAUGH, BUT IT IS HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE. She's a good sport, climbed into the truck like a baby spider monkey, and sat at the driver's seat, wondering "how many ghosts are contained within this truck." After posting about it last week, I felt like I wasnt lying or glossing over the truth when I told her, "this truck was restricted to training purposes on an Army base, and never saw action overseas." She climbed out, looked into the bed and saw the troop seats pulled out...more laughing..."more seats, yes, we definitely needed more seats."
We go back into the house, go to bed, say goodnight, and she says one last statement. "Youre NOT having a midlife crisis." It wasnt a question. It was a bold statement...like she was saying..."you are not allowed to have a midlife crisis at a later date, nor are you having one now, this is your one and only time to pull something like this and get away unharmed."
She's the best. Rooted in logic. Laughs at life.
I'll get pictures taken once the sun comes up, and post them up here. I know how much you guys get annoyed with posts about NEW TRUCK and there are no pictures. I'm the same way. I'll get them to you soon.
After many headaches with trucking companies, namely brokers brokering deals with several downstream brokers, the M1081 I won on GP two weeks ago was loaded onto the trailer out of Ft., Bragg yesterday morning, and delivered roadside at 9pm last night. It fired right up, all lights worked, CTIS is actively monitoring the tire pressures, and then backed it down the semi trailer in the pitch black darkness of rural Maryland. 10pm it was sitting on the shoulder of the back country roads, idling, and once warm, we drove it the 1/4 mile up a hill to my house. In that short time, the only other vehicle driving in the area got right behind me and stopped in the road as the truck turned into the long gravel driveway. Coincidence...I think not.
Everything seems in line with the condition as reported on GP, just a few minor issues. The driver's door doesnt latch, and you can see that something is missing from the door itself, three bolts are partly reinstalled, where something was taken off the door, inside the jamb. I'll get a picture uploaded later today and see if anyone can point me in the right direction of where to buy the mystery piece that keeps my door from latching shut. Driver's side window is either missing or rolled so far down that the glass and track got fubar'd. I'll remove the inner door panel and see whats going on inside. One mirror was shattered between the auction and transport. But other than that, and my limited ability to give the beast a good look at 10pm in the darkness, I'm quite satisfied with the condition of the truck.
The best part of this whole scenario is the back story. I was in the market for a brand new Tundra (40k) that would only be used to drive to/from work in the snow, and the occasional short trips to HD/Lowes/TSC. I couldnt justify that money for something that would be used so infrequently, especially when I would still drive my 220,000 miles and county economy car to/from work everyday. I presented the logical argument to my wife: we can buy a Tundra, and watch $40k rot in the driveway, or we can buy a surplus military truck AND a subaru AWD for her, so she too can get to work in the snow, but still have good gas mileage year round. She being a person rooted in logic replied, "as long as the military truck doesnt cost $40k over the next 5 yrs (terms of a loan), and its something that I could reasonably drive, then I see no problems with this plan." I was expecting "NO, THATS STUPID." The hunt began. M35A2 was the first line of inquiry, well priced, parts are abundant, but the steering was not gonna pass the wife's test. LMTV was the next line of inquiry, and well, based on the title, won out. I showed her one, and said "it has power steering and a panoramic view." She smiled and laughed.
Unbeknownst to her, I bought one at auction two weeks ago. I was trying to get it here, delivered while she was at work, so I could surprise her when she got home, saw a 2.5 ton military truck in the back driveway, and asked "WTF is that?" My brilliant plan almost worked, the truck was supposed to be delivered today, but the truck driver requested to drop it off last night so he could get to Baltimore, get his next load, and get outta dodge. I obliged. So I got home from work at 2030hrs, walked in the door, spoke to her for 5 minutes about the day, then my phone rang..it was the truck driver...he was 7 minutes away. I had to spill the beans, to explain why I was walking back out of the house and down the road to help a man unload a truck off a semi parked on the shoulder. I spilled the beans as quickly as I could, and waited for the worst. She smiled, shook her head, and said, "well, okay."
skip ahead an hour...
She hears the airbrake pressure release and steps outside, sees the truck, and falls over laughing at its proportions. ITS HUGE!!! I"M SORRY, I DONT MEAN TO LAUGH, BUT IT IS HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE. She's a good sport, climbed into the truck like a baby spider monkey, and sat at the driver's seat, wondering "how many ghosts are contained within this truck." After posting about it last week, I felt like I wasnt lying or glossing over the truth when I told her, "this truck was restricted to training purposes on an Army base, and never saw action overseas." She climbed out, looked into the bed and saw the troop seats pulled out...more laughing..."more seats, yes, we definitely needed more seats."
We go back into the house, go to bed, say goodnight, and she says one last statement. "Youre NOT having a midlife crisis." It wasnt a question. It was a bold statement...like she was saying..."you are not allowed to have a midlife crisis at a later date, nor are you having one now, this is your one and only time to pull something like this and get away unharmed."
She's the best. Rooted in logic. Laughs at life.
I'll get pictures taken once the sun comes up, and post them up here. I know how much you guys get annoyed with posts about NEW TRUCK and there are no pictures. I'm the same way. I'll get them to you soon.
