Newbie Help

[Brbrooks83]

Gold evening guys I need some advice/help. I am looking at buying my first deuce. I have looked for weeks and found one close to me. Went and checked it out today the body is in pretty good shape. It still has the troop benches and trap on it and it’s in good shape. It’s a 1968 model it doesn’t have any brakes and all the rear axle seals are leaking. From crawling under it looks like the master cylinder looks new and the air canister looks new. Also all the bleeders on the wheel cylinder look new with a few new lines but the master cylinder is empty and the guy bought it without brakes and never worked on them. He couldn’t get it to start because the batteries were weak so I couldn’t hear it run and cant drive it. He’s wanting 5000.00 for it but Im not sure because I cant drive before I buy what all I mighty be missing. Is it possibly that some one just didn’t know how to bleed the brakes that why it doesn’t have any? This will be my first Deuce so any help is appreciate. Thanks Brandon

 

[rustystud]

Gold evening guys I need some advice/help. I am looking at buying my first deuce. I have looked for weeks and found one close to me. Went and checked it out today the body is in pretty good shape. It still has the troop benches and trap on it and it’s in good shape. It’s a 1968 model it doesn’t have any brakes and all the rear axle seals are leaking. From crawling under it looks like the master cylinder looks new and the air canister looks new. Also all the bleeders on the wheel cylinder look new with a few new lines but the master cylinder is empty and the guy bought it without brakes and never worked on them. He couldn’t get it to start because the batteries were weak so I couldn’t hear it run and cant drive it. He’s wanting 5000.00 for it but Im not sure because I cant drive before I buy what all I mighty be missing. Is it possibly that some one just didn’t know how to bleed the brakes that why it doesn’t have any? This will be my first Deuce so any help is appreciate. Thanks Brandon

What you have mentioned is common problems of the Deuce. The brakes bleed down unless the fittings are tightened tight (45 to 60 ft Ibs) I know that is tight ! Also the wheel seals are notorious for leaking, another cause of no brakes. So many causes of no brakes !
So forget the brakes, you will need to go through the whole system. That is a given.
Concentrate on the engine. Get it started and listen to it.
Also check the chassis. Is the frame rusted out anywhere. Are the torque rods Ok . Are the wheels in alignment. Look alongside the truck and see if the wheels/axles align up. If they don't then you could have bad torque rods or other serious suspension issues.
Once the engine is started check the clutch and transmission and transfer-case.
Check to make sure your alternator is charging.
I also like to have a good cab, so I check for rust and door alignment issues. Can you roll the windows up and down. That sort of thing can get really time consuming to fix.
There are many posts here on what to check for, so use the search function to find them .

 

[foxtrot]

Do you have pictures?
Positive point, near you.
In your place, I'll take two military-grade batteries.
Go see the owner and have the engine run.
Deduct the $600 of the batteries from the purchase price.
If so, Merry Christmas.

 

[18operator]

Yes, what Foxtrot said. If the sale doesn't pan out, you have a set of batteries for the next potential buy.

 

[cattlerepairman]

If I can't hear the engine start and run, I'd only offer what I'd pay for a non-running truck. Reason is, I am assuming all the risk in this transaction. That offer would be half of what the asking price is.

Sent from my SM-G991W using Tapatalk

 

[Barrman]

The multifuel engine will pull start with amazingly little effort or speed. Getting pulled in 1st low range will generate speeds up to around 5 mph when on the throttle and as long as you have a good sized flat spot. The truck will drag itself a stop pretty quickly. So, pull starting can be done if you don’t want to buy batteries.

The brakes might work for a few minutes if you pour in some fluid and just pump the heck out of them with the air system charged up. If nothing else, you will see the leak more easily.

Just saying a little time, effort and planning can tell you all the answers to your questions.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I appreciate the insightful answers and start to feel like a grumpy curmudgeon. I would not put any effort into getting something running or working BEFORE I buy it.

Once, I worked a day and a half on a vehicle I wanted to buy, got it running and driving and then the seller "changed his mind" and no longer wanted to sell it to me. He got to reap the benefits of my efforts. So, if you want to sell a vehicle to me for a "running" price, YOU get it running and driving and I watch. Burnt once......

 

[GopherHill]

Wise advice worth following.

 

[Barrman]

I have been burned by that situation as well.

I have also been burned the other way. Not running vehicle well below market value with what I think is a simple fix. Everything I see looking at the vehicle supports my preconceived theory. I don’t dare mention it or attempt the fix until the vehicle is on my trailer and off the sellers property. Then I find the seized piston, bad head gasket, fuel tank full of crud with more holes than steel, Etc….

Both situations are part of owning a used car, classic car restoration business. I don’t like either one.

 

[bprzyw]

Umm, yea, what everyone said. I got mine 28 years ago for 4500. Perfect running condition , no rust, new canvas, new brakes, fluids, filters and tires. It’s been barn kept all its life….except this year.. so sad. I need a building.

 

[rustystud]

Umm, yea, what everyone said. I got mine 28 years ago for 4500. Perfect running condition , no rust, new canvas, new brakes, fluids, filters and tires. It’s been barn kept all its life….except this year.. so sad. I need a building.

I so want a building to house my Deuce. I thought I was finally going to get it, but the "county" put an end to that dream. Still got the shop though.

 

[porkysplace]

The multifuel engine will pull start with amazingly little effort or speed. Getting pulled in 1st low range will generate speeds up to around 5 mph when on the throttle and as long as you have a good sized flat spot. The truck will drag itself a stop pretty quickly. So, pull starting can be done if you don’t want to buy batteries.

The brakes might work for a few minutes if you pour in some fluid and just pump the heck out of them with the air system charged up. If nothing else, you will see the leak more easily.

Just saying a little time, effort and planning can tell you all the answers to your questions.

Probably need to find out what brake fluid is in it , so DOT 5 and DOT 3 don't get mixed . Or maybe that's part of the brake problem , it don't sound like the current owners knows anything about what was done to them in the past .

 

[HDN]

In your place, I'll take two military-grade batteries.

I don't think military-grade batteries are necessary. I know they're popular among the crowd, but running the truck on two 12-volt car batteries with the highest CCA you can afford are a good less-expensive option. That's how I've been running my truck anyway It helps to have battery maintainers on them too!

@Brbrooks83 any pictures of the truck?

 

[Brbrooks83]

I don’t have any very good pictures of it. Here are a couple the guy sent me but picture quality isn’t great.

 

[HDN]

I don't think it looks terrible. I do agree it's on the seller to show that the truck runs. If it doesn't it's not worth $5000. The value of these trucks isn't affected by the general used car market, which is absolutely crazy right now.

 

[WolfgangKromhonger]

I don't think military-grade batteries are necessary. I know they're popular among the crowd, but running the truck on two 12-volt car batteries with the highest CCA you can afford are a good less-expensive option. That's how I've been running my truck anyway It helps to have battery maintainers on them too!

@Brbrooks83 any pictures of the truck?

I run two commercial truck batteries from Interstate and a Battery Tender maintainer...my first set lasted me a few months shy of 10 years, and it cost me less than the military batteries.

 

[GopherHill]

I don't think it looks terrible. I do agree it's on the seller to show that the truck runs. If it doesn't it's not worth $5000. The value of these trucks isn't affected by the general used car market, which is absolutely crazy right now.

I agree
If the seller wants that price, it's up to the seller to show that it runs. A couple of batteries is worth demonstrating runability.

 

[msgjd]

I don't think military-grade batteries are necessary.... running the truck on two 12-volt car batteries with the highest CCA you can afford are a good less-expensive option.

I concur.. We have replaced the military batts with a pair of normal automotive Group-65 1000ca/850caa batts in the cummins 5-tons in summer and install 4 of them for winter (it's usually zero to 25 degrees when we need them).. In the multifuels we get away with just a pair of normal Group-24's (600ca) in warm weather .. We have two junkyards that offer good used batts for 1/3rd the price with a year's free replacement .. We haven't bought a brand new battery for the excavating/construction side of the business in over 15 years and have saved many thousands $$ ... Very rarely we get a battery that craps out within 4 years.. A pair of 1/2T pickup truck batts will crank that deuce... For the money the guy is asking, he should at least pony up a pair

 

[rustystud]

Like all the others I agree the seller should have a running truck for $5,000.00 . He's asking top dollar for a truck in that condition, so the bare minimum is at least a truck with good batteries and a running engine.

 

[bprzyw]

Yep, I run commercial truck batteries in mine.