The Goat may be just what the doctor ordered.

Hi all,
This is my first post on SS so don’t beat me up too bad for trying to reinvent the wheel or anything. I’m glad to see a forum like this one. There’s a good deal of technical information and experience floating around in here.
So before I get into this too far, a little about me; I’m a tinkerer of sorts, I fancy myself as a skilled craftsman with metals and machine work. I’m an engineer by profession but very much a kid at heart. For me it’s more the doing than the having but my goal is the end result.
When I’m not busy building in my free time, old motorcycles and guns for the most part, I enjoy gold prospecting. I’ve been finding the limits of my off road van all too often these days and think it may be time to step up my equipment.
I think I may have been bitten by the Gama Goat bug but it’s too early to tell just yet. It would seem that in my absolute inexperience with these I see many shortcomings.

First, which is 100% me… I’ve never been up close and personal with one nor have I driven one. I came across a video and it just hit me that this was the ideal beasty for my adventuring. It will handle all sorts of terrain, could take a pretty big camper and it floats for those super sketchy river crossings… My van doesn’t swim… I know from experience.
Is there anyone near northern California that would be willing to show off theirs and possibly let me drive it?

Second; it’s noisy and slow. Has anyone swapped out the power plant for something more powerful and quiet? Isuzu makes a few different diesels that are both smaller/lighter and more powerful than the 3-53. Has anyone had success with other power plants and or transmission?

Third; and this may be my lack of experience, the steering isn’t self centering. I need something that can cruise on the freeway. I realize that the steering could be a problem… Self centering is usually a product of running some caster. Can the entire front end mounting points be rotated back 10-15 degree fairing easily or will new upper and lower A-arms have to be fabricated? What about power steering? Anyone tried it? Electric?

Forth; The brakes… I have seen a video that the gentleman described that the drums had been removed and replaced with wildwood disk. Is there a tried and true retrofit for these? Does anyone have the specifics of this upgrade?

I hope that I haven’t offended any purist out there; it’s not my intent to rub anyone the wrong way. The Gama Goat seems like it may be the easiest to outfit for my needs and possible the cheapest. I’ve looked into some of the higher end off road exhibition vehicles and for the price their asking… I can buy all the gold I’m looking for.

Thank you in advance.

welcome to the site and a recommend not using black on green background. good luck with the hunt

That black on green text is pretty hard to read on my display.

Sorry. Changed it up for ya!

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Thank you

Hi Samtech79,
To answer a few questions about Gama Goats, a stock vehicle in good condition will easily cruise at 60MPH on level ground. Hills will slow you down some. Here is a video I made in mine last year on the way home from the GA Rally: Gama Goat Cruising at 60 MPH - YouTube

Steering is not an issue at speed as long as everything is tight and in good condition.

I don't know why you would want to modify the brakes. People gripe about them being problematic (along with many other parts of the vehicle), but I have found that most of those people have little or no experience with a Gama Goat. I rebuilt mine 5 or 6 years ago and they still work just fine. When adjusted properly they will lock up the center and rear axles on dry pavement if you really stomp on it.

Also, I think it would be very difficult to retrofit any other brakes to the Gama Goat as the drum is also part of the drive line (similar to a drive flange on a normal axle).

1958 M274, I've seen that video before... along with your other ones. Looks pretty stable at speed but how long can you drive it like that? Is it hairy on curvy roads? Is the transfer case divorced?

NF6X, Do you have one? You're in Riverside... My brother lives there so I travel to socal every now and then. May I check yours out if you have one?

California is a state... Sorry if my attempt at humor offened you. Kaliforniastan is California minus rights and civil liberties. I'll save my political rants for another forum, my apologies.

keep watching this forum for updates on the Tower Park meet. I know there are a couple that will be there.

what the Dr ordered...

Some information is out there (maybe on this site) on 350 s/b conversions.

Do the homework on amphibious operations. It doesn't have much tolerance for currents or waves. Weight distribution is a pretty big deal when swimming.

Good luck with it, they're a lot of fun.

I've been looking for more about that actuelly. What I haven't been able to find is what is the bed max payload to still be operational in the water? I have seen a video or two with one in the water... Rides pretty low in the front but it didn't sink. I'm impressed!

I remember being carted around to the rifle range and such places in a troop carrying Gama Goat in the pre-VOLAR Army of the early 1970s. They did what they were supposed to do, but I have never had a yen to find one and own it. A tip of the Kevlar to those intrepid souls who make them work on Civvy Street.

So I've been looking for the loading and distribution manuel for amphibious operation and haven't found anything... I did find a thirty dollar manual which I will probably end up buying if I do buy a goat but for the evaluation stage I'm not too keen on parting with my money.
The question I'm trying to answer is; What are the safe limits to remain amphibious?
Will it still float with a hardtop? Maybe a modern light weight wench... What about the bed? I hear that they where dangerous to float while empty but I can't seem to find any info about what the ideal and max loads are.
Dry operation specs are easy to find but I really would like to keep it floatable... I may never try it but considering the problems I've run into in the past, floating or at least not sinking and then being swept away, is like cheap insurance.
Could someone post some specs or possibly email me some documentation?
Thanks for the help!
Oh and I think I found a fairly good one with a hard top... And the boss "Mama" has giving the green light... So long as she gets to name to...

Double post... Sorry.

What the Dr ordered...

I don't have my op manual nearby, but I remember a reference to max 4 inches waveheight. There was also a radar van that could be put in the back, and I think that configuration was prohibited from swimming because of the large surface for the wind to act on. As you referenced, having a winch was a factor.

Probably would be a good investment of $30 to know for sure. I'd foward my info, but the books are about 100 miles away from me right now.

I think the idea of the goat, insofar as floating goes, it to "cross inland waterways". It was never intended to play around in the water.
The other issue is that you need to lube the goat in a somewhat timely manner after swimming.
I have swam mine a few times and at best it is diffacult to manage and lumbering....I know of a guy that put an outboard motor on the back with better results. Hard top is a no-no when swimming, incase you sink. No more than 2 kits when swimming (winch, gun, top). Weight in the back improves swimming but keep it low profile.

I'm not planning on driving it to France or anything. The intent is that while fording some rivers up here in gold country, should I find a deep spot, it doesn't sink. You can't always see the mammoth size holes.
Currents are another thing, even the slowest, flattest water can pickup and thrash a sunk van... So long as it doesn't sink, odds of getting out the other side as intended are greatly improved. I still would prefer to not test it's swimming ability but I do have every intention of driving through a lot of shallow water ways. Most are only a few inches deep but some are hiding some very large holes...and boulders...and tree trunk... 6 wheel drive and floats? Sounds like a match made in heaven.