RDUKW
New member
- 582
- 11
- 0
- Location
- California
-
Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!
Dukw progress thread
- Thread starter papabear
- Start date
- 4,806
- 723
- 113
- Location
- Liberty Hill, SC
PB- I'd leave the radials on the DUKW!!!
- 34,014
- 1,814
- 113
- Location
- GA Mountains
Bob that sucker and put duals in the back. Maybe dual 353 Detroits (Aluminum of course) with big stacks. That would be the sportiest DUKW in Columbus.
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
Naw Ferro, she will go back on combat rims and 18" NDTs when I can find some semi good ones.
opcorn:Kenny I was thinking about a 350 Chevy w/auto trans til I can get the ole 270 six banger and 5 spd trans whipped into shape...but time will tell...I'm pretty sure she will be at the GA Rally under some kinda self power.
You better ask Clinto about bobbing and stacks etc...
- 4,806
- 723
- 113
- Location
- Liberty Hill, SC
Glad to hear it will be at the rally, just make sure you stop at the RR crossings and look both ways...
- 3,923
- 75
- 48
- Location
- Comfort, Texas
Hey PB. I am signing up for the second year at the Compound for the rally. I have to see this. 
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
Thank you Sir! patracy also sent me that info and I poked around on the site some. It looks like that's where I'm headed for tires I guess.
FatBuddhaBoo
Member
- 330
- 8
- 18
- Location
- Jacksonville, Fl
Man, I am sooooooooooo envious of you right now!
Grew up in Wisconsin and road the Dells Duck tours numerous times, and my 8 year old drove one on Lake Delton when we were there last summer! Had a chance to buy one back in 97 for about $18k, but it was a bit much for me then (like $80k isn't either in this day and age either!).
I guess someday maybe when the kids are out of private school and college....unless I am fortunate enough to happen across a rebuild like yours. Looking forward to watching her come back to life!
Grew up in Wisconsin and road the Dells Duck tours numerous times, and my 8 year old drove one on Lake Delton when we were there last summer! Had a chance to buy one back in 97 for about $18k, but it was a bit much for me then (like $80k isn't either in this day and age either!).
I guess someday maybe when the kids are out of private school and college....unless I am fortunate enough to happen across a rebuild like yours. Looking forward to watching her come back to life!
If you need some to pick them up and hold them i can help you out if there in Chicago!!
RDUKW
New member
- 582
- 11
- 0
- Location
- California
I would stay away from those nos tires for on Chicago dukw they are gama goat tires and they will crack immediately or in shot time. I have a set of nos goat tires one my second dukw and they are rotten with zero miles on them. Also watch out for the tubes from coker theory are Chinese crap! I installed two of them to wake up to explosions in the garage in the middle of the night. One tube blew out 360 degrees. Cooker refunded all of my money on the tubes. Church g503 there was another guy with the same tube problems. I am running nos dukw tubes currently with no problems. I would start looking for nos tubes if I was you.
Ryan
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
Thank you for the offer Sir but I didn't actually mean to say I was heading up there, I mean't I was prolly going to buy from them and have the tires shipped.
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
Well poop...back to square one...I've heard the same thing BTW.
No problem! If you want to use steel soldiers express i can hold them for u or whatever i can do to help out.
- 10,142
- 5,801
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Agreed! The gama goat tires would hold up under a duck when they were about 15 years younger. As for engine, drop in a good running 302 from a M-series GMC. Worked great for Jack Tomlin (RIP). The 270 is kinda pitiful in a duck.
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
That's another good idea NDT and I do have two excellent running 302's here...but they are both in nice M211's.
One has an "iffy" trans though and I've thought about using that engine for the DUKW and the hard top and seats for the other M211.
Gosh...this project is taking too much thinking before it even gets started good!!
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
We made a little progress today. I just gotta tell ya...I can't get REAL excited til we get this ole rascal blasted and all one color! An ugly DUKWling is a hard thing to get excited about...LOL.
So...today we swapped some tires, took off some parts that we didn't wanna get "lost" and got her ready to head to the blaster on Monday.
Pics:
1. Crane truck ready to move to the shop to swap the new T831 Firestones for the 11:00X20's...that go on the DUKW
2. Swapping 11:00X20's for the T831's on the crane truck
3/4. Moving the DUKW to the shop for a little TLC.
5. 11:00X18's come off the DUKW and 11:00X20's go on..(I don't have any 9:00X20's to swap)
6. Freeing up the winch/removing the cable...yes...the winch works...we checked.
7. Prepping to load the DUKW for transport to the blaster.
8. And here she comes outta the shop.
9. Loaded and ready to secure.
10.Ready to roll to the blaster on Monday.
Prolly won't be anymore DUKW updates til we get her back from the blaster...but tonight I made a deal on a WC3. Details classified until Wednesday evening...so stand by:
So...today we swapped some tires, took off some parts that we didn't wanna get "lost" and got her ready to head to the blaster on Monday.
Pics:
1. Crane truck ready to move to the shop to swap the new T831 Firestones for the 11:00X20's...that go on the DUKW
2. Swapping 11:00X20's for the T831's on the crane truck
3/4. Moving the DUKW to the shop for a little TLC.
5. 11:00X18's come off the DUKW and 11:00X20's go on..(I don't have any 9:00X20's to swap)
6. Freeing up the winch/removing the cable...yes...the winch works...we checked.
7. Prepping to load the DUKW for transport to the blaster.
8. And here she comes outta the shop.
9. Loaded and ready to secure.
10.Ready to roll to the blaster on Monday.
Prolly won't be anymore DUKW updates til we get her back from the blaster...but tonight I made a deal on a WC3. Details classified until Wednesday evening...so stand by:
Attachments
- 3,923
- 75
- 48
- Location
- Comfort, Texas
Standing by ready to pounce on the next update. opcorn:
opcorn:
- 10,142
- 5,801
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Do you plan to make this a static display or a floater? If you want to fix it to where it will float, you still have DAYS of disassembly before it is ready to blast.
papabear
GA Mafia Imperial 1SG
- 13,508
- 2,383
- 113
- Location
- Columbus, Georgia
Agreed Sir...and the "final goal" is not yet decided.
For now... I want to stop further deterioration and get her somewhat stablized. The CAMO Crew wants her to swim, but my personal goal is to just get her stabilized, running, driving, stopping safely etc. and to get her out to be seen by folks who used them before they all pass on.
This is not a "money making" project...it's a project of love for the Veterans that used the DUKWS and I want to get her out there for them before they are all gone.
I will take her as far as I can, personal preference and financially and then I will turn her over to a younger CAMO member to take her further.
Truthfully, she looks rough...but the hull, bellows etc are not that bad...but yes...there's LOT's of disassembly and new stuff needed to make her so she will reliably float/swim and yes it will cost extra to do some of that stuff later, but for now, this is what I can do.
On a sad note...we did discover that the prop shaft is bent...but that is easily (not cheaply) repaired.
Hey...it's a project in the works...she won't be "bubba'd" for sure, but she may not be a museum piece either...