Starting a 5 Ton M813 GT

Hi guys...As you can see I'm a newbie here. I got my M813 about a year and a half ago and am thinking about turning it into a deep water fordable GT. Are there any books or websites that would give me some facts about doing that? Also any lists of the names of GTs as I'm going to build a tribute truck and don't want to step an any toes. Is there anywhere that I can get the extended air intake, rear axle lockers, and the rest of the gear to make it like the ones the marines used? Also was there ever a deep water fordable gun truck?

Would this be from the firsf gulf war ?????

To be honest I wasn't sure what war this would have been used in. Was looking to make it as accurate as i could with the resources I have and was looking for advice and knowledge on doing that. Was there a 5 ton GT that was also deep water fordable? Also this truck could serve as a bug-out truck if necessary, but hopefully never needed. Thanks for any info.

Nice wrecker Ron

You may want to purchase the book "Hard ride" by James lyles. He was a guntruck driver(?) in Vietnam. His book seems to be the goto source for those who want to research/build guntrucks. Here's a link to some for sale; http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Ride-Vietnam-Trucks-Vol/dp/9719303719

Just my observasions here, but your rig is an 800 series 5 ton which was introduced around 1969/1970. I'm not sure if any of the 800 sereis ever made it to RVN or not. Again, I'm no expert but if I had to guess I would say that deep water fording equipment was not used on guntrucks. I'm not even sure if anyone else but the Army operated gun trucks over in RVN. Towards the end of the war, we turned over all of the GTs to the ARVN who removed all the armor & weapons and truned them back into cargo trucks. Don't think the gun truck concept was used in the 1st Gulf War but is/was certainly revived for the second. I also know that the (by now) older 800 sereis 5 tons were also used over in both Iraq & A-stan so maybe you could build one of the newer pattern GTs?
Matt

If you want locker axles for a 5ton, there are some near London Ohio just off I70. PM me for more info.

Timm813 said:

...Was there a 5 ton GT that was also deep water fordable? ...

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I thought just about all the 5T trucks were fordable through fairly deep water - with appropriate maintenance afterward of course. How deep do you plan on fording your truck?

I didn't have any particular depth in mind. I've just heard the 5ton trucks the Marines had, had deep water forging kits on them that enabled them to go through at least 5ft of water. I figured if I could fix mine up with one of these it would be ready for anything I ran into...within reason.

Marine fording kits

I assume you mean post-Vietnam Marine Corps vehicles. I can't help you there, as I don't remember ever seeing any.

In Vietnam, the Marines stationed up near the DMZ used 2-1/2 ton trucks, as the bridges couldn't take the extra weight of the 5-tons. Further south, the bridges were better, and bigger trucks were used.

Considering the fording depth of a standard 2-1/2 ton is 43 to 48 inches, five ton trucks are slightly over that. So, a f foot fording depth would not require specialized gear.

I seen some specialized fording gear, but that was to solve a particular problem, and wasn't a production piece.

Perhaps the easiest method is to use a rubber hose large enough to fit over your air intake, and lashing the hose to the windshield frame, run it vertically.

good luck with your build. Post pictures of your progress.

Hey Timm, Do as much research as you can before you start to build. Build the factual story about the truck you want to build. Stick with post VN since the m813 The Gulf Vets need to be recognised for their efforts and you won't have to appologize for making a truck that wasn't. My guntruck was as acurate as posible in every way that we could make it. The crew who served on her helped out with advise on the build and no one has to make up stories about it when we display it. We never have enough guntrucks, They are expensive to build, maintain ,and equip. I am going to re build my own guntruck because I found out it is the wrong kind of body under the gunbox. Guntruckers appreciate historical accuracy but I have found that they won't give negative comments about anyone's build. They are too classy for that. Owner the Untouchable

You need to research it but current conflict gun trucks are being field modified to weed burners because the gunners are getting sick breathing the fumes. I do not know if they modified the exhaust in the past.

A lot of the guntrucks modified the exhaust to go straight down and out right behind the front wheel. The Untouchable had an extension on the standard pipe to bring it up and over the cab by about four feet. I always tell my favorite passenger to stand on the left side of the gunbox. It is much better now that we have turned the fuel down but the multifuel engine does smoke. We convoyed from Rogersville to Pigeon Forge one year and I started out in the number two position. At the first stop everyone was complaining so bad I was moved to last position in the convoy. ( bunch of cry babies) haha. But I got the greatest view of all the trucks winding their way through the smokey mountains. It was great. Vinny

m816 said:

. We convoyed from Rogersville to Pigeon Forge one year I got the greatest view of all the trucks winding their way through the smokey mountains. It was great. Vinny

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Sounds like it was a lot of fun.
Matt

The deep water kit should have a extended air intake, the valve system to cut off the crank case breather and pressureize the bell housing, Also you will need the power stearing pump with the plug type cap and the hose that runs to the air cleaner tube from the power stearing pump. If you decide you would like one PM me as I might be able to find one.

L1A1 said:

Sounds like it was a lot of fun.
Matt

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No headlights were needed that day, everyone was grining from ear to ear!! I remember it well.