Stalwart 6x6 questions

[m715mike]

Granted, it's a big number, but $8K does not sound like much for a Stolly in decent condition! I sold mine (as a runner and a swimmer) for a lot more than that!

Although I don't know him, from what I understand, JimK did a complete rebuild on his.

 

[datadawg]

Granted, it's a big number, but $8K does not sound like much for a Stolly in decent condition! I sold mine (as a runner and a swimmer) for a lot more than that!

Although I don't know him, from what I understand, JimK did a complete rebuild on his.

I have seen photos of his Stolly, it looks nice. If someone is lucky to have the time and expertise, as well as motivation, to self restore one of these beasts, I suppose it can be done inexpensively. I can imagine hiring a shop to do the work is going to cost $50K+, assuming a shop exists that has the knowledge base to work on these. It's got to be easily 500 man hours of work, and I'm totally guessing on that.

I have heard anecdotally armor being restored in Eastern Europe for very low cost, apparently you can find a mechanic in some village in Ukraine that will work for $400 a month. But in US and UK, that will buy you 4 hours' shop time

 

[jimk]

If you buy a Stalwart and your wife doesn't leave you you've probably found true love.

 

[Heyitsmike]

Well I would be doing more or less my own shop time. But the about of maintenance that would be needed to not only restore it but to up keep it would be astounding. This one in particular is not a runner, nor is it in "fantastic" shape. So while it may be a decent price for the truck, it's kind of like saying 100,000 is good for a Lamborghini. Sure it is, but it's not really a practical buy for me atm.


By the way, If anyone is interested, I may be able to hook someone up. It's in Rhode Island aparently

 

[datadawg]

If you buy a Stalwart and your wife doesn't leave you you've probably found true love.

Ha, ha, she might leave anyway, so I might as well have a Stolly in the driveway So are you the one with the overhauled one, I take it it's the nicest in USA? Would love to know the story of the overhaul, purchase, ownership...

 

[datadawg]

Well I would be doing more or less my own shop time. But the about of maintenance that would be needed to not only restore it but to up keep it would be astounding. This one in particular is not a runner, nor is it in "fantastic" shape. So while it may be a decent price for the truck, it's kind of like saying 100,000 is good for a Lamborghini. Sure it is, but it's not really a practical buy for me atm.


By the way, If anyone is interested, I may be able to hook someone up. It's in Rhode Island aparently

To Jimk's point about wives divorcing guys who buy crazy military vehicles, my wife already is bitching that I'm spending waay too much time on the computer "looking at army trucks", so I dunno how I'd ever be able to do anything more, like actually work on them (even if I was capable of doing it). And to your point, keeping them running is an uphill battle. I only have a 5 ton, which I bought fully overhauled, and in 300 miles of driving half dozen things already are malfunctioning. And that truck is supposed to be simple (one solution to a common non-start problem is to hit a specific box with a hammer; if it doesn't help, hit it again, only harder).

I sometimes think this passion is a curse: you need to have enough time, money, expertise and space to enjoy it and most of us don't have all four and are therefore unfulfilled. So I keep reading, but it's only living vicariously.

 

[RodUSMC1962]

MMMM, hammers.

 

[jimk]

A Stalwart owner has an extensive collection of hammers. A 5 ton owner needs only one.

Tony (Milwaukee) had a nice one. Years ago he had it up for sale, maybe $30K (?). I figure it was transferred long ago. Here is a great photo of it.

BTW, the Stalwart is a 5 ton (5 metric tons land/ 4 marine)

 

[eaw46]

Stollys are great and lots of fun. They do requre a lot of maintanace and have a lot of strange little quirks that are to say the least INTRESTING. One thing you need to know is that you have to be in good shape to just get in and out of them as there are no doors. You enter and exit through a hatch in the roof. I sold mine as well as my DUKW as I am just too old and bust up to get in and out of them. Eddy

 

[jimk]

<cut> I am just too old and bust up to get in and out of them. Eddy

Yea, me too, that is why I got one with a crane.

 

[Stalwart]

Yup, I've had 5 of them but I'm down to my, last, best one. I started hoarding spare parts for them 15 years ago and even have 2 rebuilt B-81 RR engines still pickled . . . the last 2 we could find in England. Even have 2 NOS exhaust systems for them as well as new carbs and distributors.