Post sale inspection Barstow CA

[Lonekazoo]

Post sale inspection Barstow CA - Successful recovery!

If anyone will be headed to Barstow for a recovery or preview in the next week or two, and might have a moment to do a post-sale inspection on an M109A3, I would love to enlist your help.

I've assisted in a couple of truck recoveries and now I'm waiting for my own first EUC to clear, possibly within the next month. I will be prepared for worst-case, but my plan "A" is to make a 200 mile trip under it's own power.

Having experienced total brake failure on the freeway during a recovery (would not have been discovered during a thorough preview), I'm primarily interested in the brakes, but any information would be a great help.

Will PM the details and hope to return the favor someday.
Thanks!

George
72 M109A3 WO/W (if all goes well)

 

[markmontana]

Hi George, welcome to the site. Hopefully someone will chime in and help you with the inspection, or maybe someone took a look at that truck before the auction. You've got some time before your EUC clears.

I'm planning to help you recover the truck when it's ready for pick-up. I hope she is a keeper and you can do a camper conversion!

 

[2manytrucks]

I'll be there Tuesday morning to pick up a few things. PM me the info on the truck and a list of things you would like me to check out. I'll PM you on what I found when I return Tuesday night.

 

[Dave Kay]

Sorry I couldn't be of any help, but wife & I are headed out of town and won't return until Nov 2nd. If that's still in time for your schedule let me know, I'm only 30 miles from B'-stow and would be glad to go.

regards,

Dave

 

[Lonekazoo]

PM's sent. Thanks for the offers!

I'll post some followups later on how things turn out.

 

[Lonekazoo]

Mission Accomplished--Everything was in pretty good shape, decided to carry out the entire 650 mile trip.

Thanks to MarkMontana for picking me up at the airport, taking me to Harbor Freight, and then out to Barstow. It was great to have an experienced deuce owner there, as my mental checklist went out the window as soon as I got to the truck. We checked fluids, topped off fuel, tested brakes, temp, pressure, etc. Batteries were bad, and tires marginal.

The issues so far are mostly cosmetic, but the thing that is bugging me is that there is not a single good window in the shop van. They are either missing the latches, or in the case of one of them, the entire frame. Also missing 5 blackout shades. The A/C unit was sitting in the van, but is shot--From the looks of it, I'm guessing it got launched out the front, onto the hood, and into the mud. The electrical boxes had been removed, but most of the holes nicely patched. Also, one of the D-rings was stolen off the front bumper. On the plus side, it had a brand new driver's door, fuel tank, battery box, and the lightweight ladder.

It came from Ft. Irwin (Army's National Training Center). Scribbled on the walls are things about checkpoints and Officer's phone numbers...

Thanks also to those who offered to inspect it.

 

[3dAngus]

That would be sooooo cool!! Congratulations. I hope I'm as lucky some day.

 

[Dave Kay]

WOW---- SHE'S ROLLIN' STOCK! Great to hear about the success story... and BTW, those road signs in the photos look familier... guess I've been down that lonesome road a time or two.

Best of luck on your project!

 

[markmontana]

This is a pretty decent truck, and a strong runner- very tight. It did a lot more sitting around than driving during it's active duty days. Best of luck on the restoration, I'm hoping to do some offroad camping with you guys.

And my F450 got about 22 mpg's following you home- a new record!