Steel Soldiers MV of the month 2024 - March VOTE HERE!

[patracy]

Welcome to the MV of the month poll sponsored by Consolidated Press. If you need decals, magnets, stencils, or anything printing related, please give them a call!

Now, onto the vote! Please vote for MV of the month! Feel free to campaign in this thread, but please keep it here and not via PM.

1. kendelrio

2. MatthewWBailey

3. ToddJK

4. Migginsbros

5. Joe Betram

 

[Migginsbros]

This UNIMOG 406.145 is build as aircraft tug. Although you can get in rough terrain. Build in 1975 fitted with the 6 cyl. Diesel OM 352 Mercedes Engine.

 

[kendelrio]

Where to begin?

Big Bertha is a 1990 BMY M923A2.

I picked her up from @Trailboss in February of 2021.

It was a matter of putting batteries in, airing up her tires and freeing some brakes, but we got o the road!

The very first thing to do was give her a bath

Re-cover the seats (which my sweet lady @IRIS_Always did for me!)

repair the canvas cover

and have her registered as a "Historic Military Vehicle" (Note the VIN on the hood).

For Father's day that year, my lady was kind enough to buy me the overhead console/backup camera kit:

Which I still use to this day.


Then, one day I woke up and decided to paint her.

I asked my boss @IRIS_Always if I should go back to tan or 3 color camo, and I got my marching orders.... she will be flat black...

So off to Lowes I went and bought an airless sprayer and 7 gallons of Sherwin-Williams Weathershield in Tri-corn black....

3 days later.... she was flat black.

And I figured a flat black truck needed tinted windows...

More later!

 

[Guyfang]

Clean looking machines!!

 

[Joe Bertram]

This 1970 XM816 was brought to life a couple years ago after sitting for 6-8 years in the weeds. It was originally od green, tri color camo applied, and lastly desert sand color. Got running, cleaned, painted, used it around our area including dragging home our newest project M-51 dump truck 70+ miles

 

[Guyfang]

Spent a lot of hours on a M816, simple to use, workhorse wrecker.

 

[Migginsbros]

The engine is half in and half out of the "firewall". The inner is covered with the "doghouse" ( grey cover in front of the levers) The 6 speed foreward lever, the turn to 2 speed reverse L., the PTO l. and the 2/4/ Locked all lever.
The engine/trany connection is a clutch/converter one.

Later more.....

 

[Migginsbros]

 

[MatthewWBailey]

2004 M1078A1

been a couple years. My wife let me have it as long as the RE logos went on the side. Always produces random conversations with strangers at Lowe's. The local Tesla drivers give me the finger often, as do the CA drivers going across I70 to Denver. The flags hurt their feelings. Of course I'm sad about this.

mods:
ECO hubs of course (has 3.07 gears but those are getting swapped back to 3.90s with lockers front and rear, screw it.) getting 9.5mpg now
Has the swapped HO 110a pad mount alt 24v only with Victrons connected as the 12v source. 2batts+ 1 for 12v.
Roof rack is nice for parades
4 camera system helps to record zombies
Gps speedom
Upgraded tire lift cylinder
Class3 hitch receiver addition
Fire engine air horn that makes zombies jump high.
Standard commercial mirrors
I put the sound insulation under the cab first thing.
And of course the Audi prestige leather seating, with Heaters and full recline functions. Effing awesome ride
(I opted not to connect the air bags installed in the seats lol)
I can get 6 flags on there for parades

 

[Migginsbros]

The fob from duty is still on the keys.Call sign, tons towing, registration/numberplate.

 

[Migginsbros]

Due to the crew cap is the perfect family MV.

 

[Migginsbros]

Early morning at devils hill, field station Berlin -Germany not long ago. The last pic shows the place early 70th.

 

[Migginsbros]

It´s not a fun to drive more than 100 clicks on one direction a day in this multi purpose truck.
So we piggy back her to meetings , sometimes.

 

[Mullaney]

View attachment 919323

View attachment 919324

View attachment 919325

It´s not a fun to drive more than 100 clicks on one direction a day in this multi purpose truck.
So we piggy back her to meetings , sometimes.

.
That is a cute little green piggy!
Looks like she could haul some real weight too!

 

[Guyfang]

Kinda like driving a British made vehicle! Looks cool, but a butt breaker!

 

[kendelrio]

Next on the list was a "want". I really felt I needed convoy lights, so....

Here is how it was unboxed...

It didn't take long for it to go sideways...

I painted the hardware to match...

After many hours of phone calls and messages with forum members, I had them working!

The next day was mounting, which took a full freaking day....

And of course I had to test them...

What was really cool was I had posted Bertha "Pre-paint" in a local FB group, and one of the veterans who was in the unit she was in in Iraq lived local! He came by to visit and gave me a run down of the different deployments he (and Bertha) went on!

After that was shoes. I got in touch with @fuzzytoaster and asked about 16x20s and of course he came through...

Next, I brought her and them to a local tire shop and had them installed.

Before and after...

More later!!!

 

[Migginsbros]

.
That is a cute little green piggy!
Looks like she could haul some real weight too!

Yes , she can piggy back about 16 tons. And she has a cab with two very confortable sleeping beds inside. That was a great effort in the early 90th.

 

[Robo McDuff]

This 1970 XM816 was brought to life a couple years ago after sitting for 6-8 years in the weeds. It was originally od green, tri color camo applied, and lastly desert sand color. Got running, cleaned, painted, used it around our area including dragging home our newest project M-51 dump truck 70+ miles

I really thought at a first glance that the orange M51 was the candidate for this month's vote, so I was ready to pull the trigger (I am a sucker for Orange and for M51s) .

Then I realized it was the wrecker. Whatever, it was under he right name. I will vote early for once, so I don't forget. The wrecker it is.

 

[Guyfang]

Yes , she can piggy back about 16 tons. And she has a cab with two very confortable sleeping beds inside. That was a great effort in the early 90th.

Is that where you and Oli slept out side of town?

 

[kendelrio]

After the convoy lights, I picked up a camo cargo cover and fender antenna from @Csm Davis and convoy signs from another member.

The it was pretty quiet for a while, until my PCB decided it had enough of life and chose to poop out, so following Wes' video, I rebuilt it...

After that, I decided I wanted to add an MRAP EYECON light kit to the beast... which is what @canadacountry was asking about in the nomination thread.

It was about 3 12 hour days, but I got them installed.... the full install thread is Here. I was VERY pleased with the results!

After that was various camping, mudding and trips to car shows...