The 5-Ton HMTT is home!

[wreckerman893]

(Wreckerman kicks the dirt with his boot)

I CAN'T HAVE NOTHIN!!!!!!!!!

Great save and recovery.

 

[srodocker]

great save!

 

[maddawg308]

Awesome save! I believe there are others out there like this, I have seen pics of two others of the same type, but different conditions. Either way, congrats!

 

[Stalwart]

Yup, it looks like M656 axles all right, NICE find!

 

[TedG]

Nice!

 

[saddamsnightmare]

December 28th, 2009.

What a very cool find. I always though the HMTTS were like the Oshkosh version with the lowered cabs and the engines behind the cab, this one is more like a Kenworth cab over in architecture. I bet Santa had a heckuva time getting that one into the chimney....

Now it's time to

Cheers,

Kyle F. McGrogan

 

[drdstny]

Wow that's nice.

Wow. I am in awe; both trucks depicted prove you should never say never.

Great thread, keep us posted.

 

[jcappeljr]

I want one.....

 

[fuzzytoaster]

That is awesome! Congrats....!! any ball park range what you go it for by curiosity if you dont mind me asking I'd love to have that in my collection...! :-/

I cant help but ask that same question, just for the sake of curiosity. Amazing save.

 

[paradeduty]

Hi Guys -

Finally back from another day in the trenches (frozen trenches). I do have to be careful to not sound like a wimp because I know that there are a lot of folks who have A LOT more snow/cold than us!

Maybe I can try to answer a few of the questions (if I know the answers!).

Q - Where did it come from (historically)?

A - Believe it or not, included with the truck came the HAND TYPED/WRITTEN Equipment Description/Operation Manual/Repair Manual (Very Cool - about 6 inches thick). It includes many of the Equipment Build Specifications (such as the Option Order Confirmation Forms for the Kenworth Cab - everything that was deemed "severe service" was ordered). According to the Preface in the "Manual" which is dated 1978, the "5-Ton HMTT Concept Test Rig" was built by Taradcom, Warren, MI "to demonstrate that a High Mobility Truck can be built using existing off the shelf commercial components." One odd question I have is which came first - this 5-Ton built by the Army or the XM977 10-Ton built by Pacific for the Army. The "Vehicles Bible" states that the 10-Ton came out in 1978 - the same year as the date on the 5-Ton Manual. However all of the paperwork that the previous owner had (other than the manual - not much) stated it as a 1975. I may be wrong, but something tells me that the Army built this one for initial testing being as they already had a 5-Ton 8x8 chassis to start with (M656). Tested it for a while and decided that, although satisfactory, it might have been a bit overkill for a 5-Ton, and decided to take their info and have Pacific make a batch of the XM977's on a 10-Ton chassis. This might explain why this one never got an XM number.

Q - How much was it?

A - Honestly, not counting the long wait and repeated "checking up on it", it was around the same price as a nice older truck from GL.

Woops - wife has dinner ready - got to go - I know what's good for me.

Thanks for showing some interest guys.

Dave

 

[DaveP]

What you paid for it doesn't matter.

It's a very unique unit.

you have the patience of Job! thats one heck of a long time to wait for anything!

I hope to see it one day. or better yet run with it in a convoy. your not that far away from me.

glad you got it and are saving it.

looking forward to the proggress reports and pics.

I do have to ask--- what does it have for engine?

 

[muddog]

Great save, mabey some more pictures when it gets a little warmer please.

 

[cranetruck]

Congrats Dave, great save!
Since it's related to my own xm757 (1969), I'm sure we'll have a few things to compare later. Here is an image downloaded from ebay a year ago or so (I may have more, I collect stuff/info related to the xm757...).
Note the "NL05BV" on both trucks and the smaller HIAB crane on this one.

 

[tcody]

Congrats Dave, great save!
Since it's related to my own xm757 (1969), I'm sure we'll have a few things to compare later. Here is an image downloaded from ebay a year ago or so (I may have more, I collect stuff/info related to the xm757...).
Note the "NL05BV" on both trucks and the smaller HIAB crane on this one.

In your research did you find out what model knuckle boom was put on the XM977?
thanks
tcody

 

[OPCOM]

wow! I'm really happy for you,that is a one of kind find. I have a few pieces of military electronics SN 1 or 2 (they don't take room in the drive way), and just to say, pls restore that monster, there may not be another just like it!

 

[Armada]

Great save! Glad you kept your eye on it all these years and that it was bought by someone who appreciates it for what it is and will keep it as original as possible. I would also like to see it up close one of these days (after the weather warms ). Congrats!

 

[73X]

Envy I has it...... Seriously I love it and great save. If you do not mind some time I would love to see it in person. If you need any help Farmington is not very far at all from you I would love to jump in and help. Weather is irrelevant just let me know. Ron Beatty

 

[Scarecrow1]

That is truly a very large truck what in the world are you going to haul with it ..?

 

[paradeduty]

Hi CraneTruck!

Thanks for posting that picture!

Actually, that is a picture of this(my) truck during testing in Aberdeen.

My truck still has the Army assigned numbers visible and are the same as that on the one you pictured (see att.).

The only difference is that they have re-painted over all of the Kenworth Chrome/Stainless (which is beginning to show through - might clean it up and leave it chrome as original - an original MV w/ chrome! - not sure how that would work with camo???).

In your picture, if you look at the cutout at the cab end of the dropside bed (which is for the crane valve controls), the cutout has been elongated to the rear (up to the dropside gate) to make room for the pull-out manual outrigger supports. This change also seemed to require the changing of the boom to a slightly different HIAB boom.

The changes can just be made out if you compare the pics that I posted with yours.

As far as motorvation - it still runs the Detroit 6V53 (V-6) Turbocharged, Supercharged Diesel with an Allison 5speed Automatic.

As far as I can tell, this engine was in the military catalog used in mostly tracked vehicles (M113, M741, M125A1, etc.) but the Turbocharged version (6V53T) was only used in the M551 (Armored, Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle, Full Tracked).

When the Army had Pacific make the XM977 (10-Ton 8x they used the V-8 Version for the additional weight (8V92).

Tank to ya soon, Dave.

 

[paradeduty]

Well, time seems to have flown by since I last posted to this thread. I finally got a chance to do some work on the old girl. Amazing how a little thing like a DEADLINE can make things get done! The deadline of which I speak is the upcoming Military Vehicle Show in Warren, MI hosted by the Detroit Arsenal of Democracy Museum. This year's show is focusing on celebrating TACOM's 70'th anniversary. This prototype HMTT (the later production trucks were labeled HEMTT) was actually built at the TACOM facility (a rarity in itself), so getting it done for the show would be cool.

Anyways, I finally got the two pieces of the original front bumper that had been torn apart in years now long past (thank goodness both pieces were still with the truck) down to my welder/fabricator buddy to do his magic and put back together. All things considered, he did great - remember, I did refer to the damage as being TORN apart. Tote it back home and put a 4 1/2 in. grinder w/ paint stripping disc (x7) to it. Get some primer on it before it got too late. Leave it on the tractor in the barn overnight to dry. Install the next day (pain in the butt - attachment is with 6 long 3/4" fine threaded bolts through milled holes (no play) through the 2 solid arms out the back of the bumper that thread (theoretically) into welded-in-place captive nuts inside of a boxed frame. Ye-ha! But, the wife, the tractor, and I got them all to start finally (I think the wife might finally be getting used to the colorful language the green iron can tend to bring out). Just have to touch up the primer and get some temporary paint on it for the weather (the whole truck will get painted before the show).

Interesting tid bit to note. The Kenworth cab mounts are not symetrical to the cab. They are a little bit involved castings that incorporate some steering mounts as well. The frames on the Kenworth K100's must have beed about 1.5 to 2 inches favoring the passenger side (to slide the doghouse over for more room for the driver and trans shift linkage maybe?). Must have not been worth the effort to rectify for a test bed truck, so the cab ot the HMTT sits a little off to the driver's side. I knew this before in sighting down side of the truck bed and cab sides - but it is more obvious now that the (centered) front bumper is back on the truck!

Now on to the next project. The truck shop is open till noon tomorrow and the accellerator cable is sticking - sounds like a good afternoon project. I want to drive it down there the following weekend so they can start wrenching on it, so that would be a very good investment I should think! Dave.