baby HEMTT update

Well, the motor and trans mounts are done, installed and the powerpack is secured. The truck made it home today so I can just walk out my front door and go to wrenching; no more 1 hour drives until it's ready for paint. Fuel and air tanks on and mounts for the walkways are the first orders of business. Here's a few pictures for all to enjoy.

not that I could afford it, but when will you start taking orders?

Excellent! I'm starting to anticipate it moving under it's own power...

I don't know why, but I really, really really like that.

It reminds me of an insect... the big space between "head" and "body".

Yep - should be named "MANTIS"

Thanks for the kind words guys. BFR, I'll be taking orders as soon as they let me out of the home; sometimes, when this or that bracket doesn't quite fit, I feel like I know what it takes to create an ax murderer. Wick and Trango, the gap will be partially filled with walkways on either side of the engine doghouse along with battery box, air cleaner, exhaust and spare tire. Don't know what kind of name this'll end up with... I just know what I sometimes call it now.

Leonard, it looks great! Expert fabrication skills abound. That will be one class act truck! Love it!

"I just know what I sometimes call it now."

"Honey bring the kids inside - he's working on that thing again."

wow it's comeing along.

That is just insane-but in a good way. Rock on, Jones!

Leonard,
VERY CLEAN. Probably more military than even the military could have come up with.

And I concur. You SHOULD consider producing it. OR perhaps sell the design to OSHKOSH company that makes the full size HEMTT so THEY could sell the design to the US military.

BUT, they should call them "The Jones HEMTT"!!

Keep up the great work. What color(s) are you going with? Is that a 12 ft bed or a 16 ft bed? What kind of axles/tires/wheels did you go with?

that things looks awesome! I think most of us would want one or two of them for playing in.

Well, I'm gonna go with three color camo in CARC. It's the stock M35 12 foot bed; it just looks small because its sitting on 5 ton M900 series axles and HEMTT wheels and 1600X20 tires. Just to give an idea of size; I'm 6'3" and the floor of the bed hits at the top of my shoulder.
My neighbors already drag their kids and small pets inside while making the sign of the cross so this will just perpetuate the myth.
It should go faster now that it's just steps away from my front door and the only one I have to answer to is my roommate, who's only care is a fresh chew toy and that Dad hasn't forgotten how to operate the can opener since the last feeding.
All that's left to fab up is skidplate framework, walkway brackets, spare tire carrier, fenders/splash aprons and framework and sheetmetal for the engine doghouse, a few sheetmetal brackets for radiator and intercooler; and of course, plumbing and electrical. The remaining fab work can be knocked out about as fast as I can cut and form the metal. I'm thinking late spring and it'll be on the road. Already have it registered.

Nice work Jones. With the 900 series axle, does that mean you have the air shift front? Do those axles have lockers in them?

Skidplate? I assume you are meaning the one on the front of the cab? I would certainly add one of those. It gives the lamps a recessed look and sort of cuts down on the "bug eyed" look.

I'm assuming no lockers as I don't have any plumbing except for air brake lines and axle vents unless they're internally controlled. I could do a search based on the numbers off of the axle tag but that hasn't been real high up on the list of priorities.
Yes to the HEMTT style front skid-plate. I dimensioned one of our M997s and will bend up a piece of 3/16" plate after the frame work is done. Gotta have it for looks and because it's the only protection I have against front end crashes.

Jones, question for you on the Fabrication tasks. Couple of friends of mine and I are interested in fabbing up a few replica Humber Light Recce Cars.

How do you setup engine and gearbox mounts? Hang the engine in the right place, steady it and make some measurements and then go from there?

M assive
A ll terrain
N omadic
T actical
I nfiltration
S ystem

Ryan, Yeah that's pretty much it. With this particular project what was a god-sent was having a crane and 16K# cap. saw-horses at my disposal. I just position and securely block everything and attack it with a tape measure and sheets of heavy cardstock paper if I need templates. Doing it that way shows where I'll have clearance problems which I try to engineer out before assembly. Nothing like having to drop a major component to do a brake adjust or air filter change; especially since I'll be the one on the end of the wrench.
Wick, very clever. I like it! Better than it's old call sign which is still scratched on the inside door panel; "Clydesdale 9".

If the axles were from a marine corps donor truck, then good chance for the lockers.