updated pics of my hemtt restoration

Pretty cool. I've had several HEMTTS, but none of them looked as good as yours will look when you get done with it. I have a couple now. One had to have a lot of work done to it and I know what that cost, so I can imagine what you will have in yours when you get done with it. I just bought an old Oshkosh airport crash truck with two 8V92s in it. I plan to use the engines to go in a couple of MK48 LVSs that are eventually going to be put back together. I do have a HEMTT wrecker body if anyone needs one. I sold the cab and chassis to a guy in Australia to go to the mines there. HEMTTS.... If you can't go where the tanks go, you're just driving a truck.

Greetings, Ted! I spoke to you almost a year ago when I bought this truck. Good to see you here. From the amount of buzz about hemtt's I've been hearing lately I think there will be more and more joining the ranks in the future.

Oh, yeah, I remember talkin to ya, now. The HEMTT looks really great! When you said you were going to fix it up, I had no idea you were going into such detail. WOW.

Here's a couple more pics. I have been working hard on getting the steering gearbox/column in place, and located and installed the intercom/mp3 system next to the light switch.

I'm going to start on the roof hatch and interior insulation as soon as it arrives.

Beautiful! Of course, if you mess up one tiny detail, it'd stand out like a sore thumb.

Are you going to paint the fasteners?

How is the engine brake activated on the HEMTT?

I don't think I'll be painting the fasteners on the interior. They are all stainless steel, and I think I will just leave them alone. I realize (much to the displeasure of you purists out there) that my interior is not going to look 100% stock MV, so I am focussing on making the interior something I (capital I) will be comfortable in and enjoy. As I've said before - the next owner of it can easily throw a coat of 383 green and call it good. I want something that is perfect for ME.

The Jake Brake is activated by the on/off switch on the dash, and will engage whenever you lift off the throttle above 1200 of so rpm. It disengages as soon as you apply throttle again. You can select between engaging 4 cylinders of braking or all 8 if you need max braking. It's very effective, and not very loud at all. I find myself wishing it was even a touch louder for that sweet jake sound.

This resto is amazing. dma251, you have a top-notch HEMTT there, plan on bringing it to local MV shows when it's done?

Incidentally, because my sleep schedule has been complete out of whack lately, and because I normally work nights from 10pm to 6-7am, I felt that tonight was one of those nights where it was more important for me to work on my truck then to go to work....

I started out in the garage at about midnight when the wife went to bed, and after taking an Ambien to get me in the mood and a bottle of left-over wine from my wedding, I was able to make some real progress!

Of course I have no idea how much progress, until I go out to the garage sober later on this afternoon and check out what has been done. That's the beauty of Ambien. If you take it and intentionally DON'T go to sleep, I find that I do the most intricate and amazing work on my projects, and have absolutely no memory of it the next day. I once completely rebuilt the engine on my race-boat overnight with Ambien, and had no recollection of it afterward! I think it allows me to focus much better on what I'm doing, since most of my brain is asleep while I'm working!
Anyway, here's a picture I took late last nightwhile working on the project. Peacefully enjoying the silence of having kids and wife asleep, and me left to work on my other baby....

Scared to show off those pasty white legs? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Naw, I have beautiful legs...... I'm not sure what that was in front of the camera. I was in no condition to be operating a camera.....

Hey Damon... Once again, you take 'a little restoration work' to a whole 'nother level. Have you ever considered a job with the Smithsonian?

That's it........ I'm done showing pictures of my "restoration work".

is that a fresh air vent on the passenger side of the tunnel?

Impressisive work Damon.
Whew... I'm glad I'm not the only guy who lines up the screw head slots.

Nice truck. One of the best restoration jobs I've ever seen! I live up in the San Juan Islands, if its alright with you I would love to come take a look at your masterpiece sometime this summer.

readyman said:

Impressisive work Damon.
Whew... I'm glad I'm not the only guy who lines up the screw head slots.

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If you mean this literally, it's one thing to line them up for show since they probably wouldn't line up if torqued to spec.

Hey Damon, Great restoration on the HEMTT. The detail work is coming out JOB #1......!!

I really enjoy seeing the pic of the work in progress......Please keep us up to date with the latest and greatest....

Keep up the good work.

Cheers,

C'dub

cleb said:

Nice truck. One of the best restoration jobs I've ever seen! I live up in the San Juan Islands, if its alright with you I would love to come take a look at your masterpiece sometime this summer.

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ABSOLUTELY!!!

As most people that are interested in military vehicles already know - your truck may be the most impressive piece of equipment you have ever owned, but the actual population that are really interested in these things beyond "Gee whiz, that's a neat truck" is quite few and far between. I'll take advantage of any opportunity to talk face-to-face with someone that actually shares a genuine interest beyond obligatory compliments.

Anyone that is in the Arlington, WA is welcome to give me a call and plan a meet to talk about green trucks. The first two beers are on me, then your on your own.

Damon 360-403-3144

BFR said:

is that a fresh air vent on the passenger side of the tunnel?

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No, that is an air-line manifold. There are about 10-15 air hoses that connect to that from the outside and the inside, and it is a way for almost all the cab's pneumaitc systems to have one single junction point. I bet I could swap out a cab in less then an hour start to finish because of the modular way these were designed. There are also 4 big electrical cannon connectors, and the shift and transfercase cables. Aside from that, there are only 4 big bolts holding it to the truck.

dma251 said:

.......There are also 4 big electrical cannon connectors, and the shift and transfercase cables. Aside from that, there are only 4 big bolts holding it to the truck.

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Very similar to the xm757/m656, only 4 bolts plus an alignment "bolt".