The Untouchable rebuild

I have been working on the ole girl since I bought it from Parker. Wed I happened to check my mail and saw a Red Ball member was selling his 69 M54. It is a dropside and has only a little rust on one of the rocker panels in the right side. We will be picking it up shortly. I went to look it over as soon as I saw it was for sale. I know the owner to be a dedicated collector and just knew this truck would be a great find. So We bought it on the spot.
Good thing too cause I'm sure a lot of guys are looking for this truck. (Sorry Jeff)
Our plans are to swap the trans, front tires from the old truck with what is on the new truck. Then put a new box on the dropside like the original had. I will be putting the old nearly rebuilt truck up for sale with the exsisting box in case someone wants to recreate Ball of Confusion. That was the original truck that became The Untouchable and finaly Proud American. If any one is interested in doing that I will let the old Untouchable go very reasonable. The engine is rebuilt and sports a new Pyronomenter.
It won't be started or at least ready for this coming Gathering but by the next one after that we will be up and running.
The truck has a minor issue with the brakes but since I am a self described expert on the repair and replacement of every **** thing that can go wrong with the brakes on a five ton, it won't be much of a problem
I also have learned how to get picture onto the computer from the camera so I will be posting pictures so those of you that can't relate to project without pictures can follow along. ( I'm bragging a little here)

Way to go Vinny, Maybe the new Untouchable and Poison Ivy can make their debut together, Poison Ivy being son of Untouchable. JT

m816 said:

I have been working on the ole girl since I bought it from Parker. Wed I happened to check my mail and saw a Red Ball member was selling his 69 M54. It is a dropside and has only a little rust on one of the rocker panels in the right side. We will be picking it up shortly. I went to look it over as soon as I saw it was for sale. I know the owner to be a dedicated collector and just knew this truck would be a great find. So We bought it on the spot.
Good thing too cause I'm sure a lot of guys are looking for this truck. (Sorry Jeff)
Our plans are to swap the trans, front tires from the old truck with what is on the new truck. Then put a new box on the dropside like the original had. I will be putting the old nearly rebuilt truck up for sale with the exsisting box in case someone wants to recreate Ball of Confusion. That was the original truck that became The Untouchable and finaly Proud American. If any one is interested in doing that I will let the old Untouchable go very reasonable. The engine is rebuilt and sports a new Pyronomenter.
It won't be started or at least ready for this coming Gathering but by the next one after that we will be up and running.
The truck has a minor issue with the brakes but since I am a self described expert on the repair and replacement of every **** thing that can go wrong with the brakes on a five ton, it won't be much of a problem
I also have learned how to get picture onto the computer from the camera so I will be posting pictures so those of you that can't relate to project without pictures can follow along. ( I'm bragging a little here)

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LOL, dont be sorry vinny. Im impressed on how quick you reacted!!! It was 6hrs that we got the e mail to you sending yours that you bought it.........that has to be a record!!! There is no way I could have reacted that quick!! Im just happy that someone did not get it to only have it shortened and modified for something that would strip it of its history.

jatonka said:

Way to go Vinny, Maybe the new Untouchable and Poison Ivy can make their debut together, Poison Ivy being son of Untouchable. JT

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John, Lets make that a debut of three as a 3rd of the team is coming from the north east.

Poison Ivy? Sounds like there are details here that should be disclosed!!! Someone building it? Big truck or little one? Can't find any info other than the name and unit.

had to be done............

soon as I warm up the camera

Just the pics pls.

How much for the existing 5-ton? Although it may not be Ball of Confusion, it will be a class act.

Meanwhile, does anybody have info on Highland Raiders?

new guntruck

Ball of Confusion was built on a deuce.Erik added more steel to bring it to its finished length. The Untouchable finished its tour in the spring of '72. It was turned over to the ARVN and stripped of its weapons, ending its service.
We plan to swap the winch and commercial tires off the steer axel. the mounts and all accessories over, add new steel and duplicate the paint and graphics on the new truck. I will be leaving the old box on the truck if anyone wants to build another truck.. It will be a good solid truck and a great platform to make another build. Cheap too. I thought Of swaping the OD trans out but I'm now undecided on that. Dropping transmissions on these trucks is getting old for me. Bad enough when you have to do if for clutch replacement but just for s---and giggles is no longer fun.

Ball of Confusion

Keep up the good work guys, we're still working on a recon. of "Godzilla", Not the most impressive gun truck, but has a meaning for me. During a rocket attack in country, a couple buddies and I had been trying to drown our situation in "jungle juice" and were wondering what would make the d---ed attacks stop. The battleship "New Jersey" was mentioned as well as an AC-47 or AC-130, and I mentioned my hero, "Godzilla" because of what he could do to downtown Tokyo is short order, "Just think of what he could do to this sh----le of a country if he got loose here"...... Its obvious that "homebrewed" stuff is dangerous to your mental stability......
Guess I own about all the Godzilla movies, and there is a magnet of a GZ movie poster on the desklamp over my desk at work. My co-workers don't bother me much...... But the idea of a gun truck of any size named for my "hero" was cool so its in the planning stages, we've go the truck and part of the stuff needed. I'd like to convert my own 5 ton but that just isn't going to work financially.

Huh?----Yeah---This Godzilla also had a mini for a bit-----

Looks like i better rest my back. You guys should see him upload the pics he is like a little kid.

Driver523 said:

Ball of Confusion

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Vinny, Just so you note that this pic that larry posted. Thats a 5 ton bed.

The OD trannys that I know of that the replica gun trucks are running is the #6453---they are out of the M54 macks----The Macks don't turn the RPMs a multifuel will turn and they had to give em something to make them keep up when we got them----so now days----put the mack tranny behind the multifuel and you have about a 25% overdrive---turn up the fuel a little to carry it and your in like flint----I have many miles on that Ace truck and I'll tell ya, that truck runs---65 all day long, and its ran like that over 15,000 miles now with only replacing the belts and I'll also go as far to say she'll do it again, that ole truck never has had a easy mile, and thats also loaded---guns, armor, crew and all-----------Two trips were over 2000 miles 2418 miles being the longest, 11 days in the back of that truck---Guntrucking across America

Saw the pic before the post.. I assume you have done something different as you have it pegged at about 27-28prm which is above redline for a normal deuce.. Nice AR (I assume) hanging there which is what first caught my eye..

5 ton---Sammy don't run quite that hard much but we pass alot of vehicles-----that Untouchable truck runs---Vinny runs em like he stole em----

Better keep that tranny Vin

Here are some pics of the start of the new gun truck. Ill take some more tomorrow.