So I moved out to Moab, UT from Richmond, VA last February. Change of pace, about as big of a change of scenery as you can get while staying in the lower 48. I'm a diesel mechanic and welder with a number of project vehicles sitting around. A month ago a nice 86 M1008 came up on the local radio's classified ads for a decent price and I jumped at the opportunity. The previous owner bought it at a GL three years back, and he mostly used it to pull a raft down to the river and haul rocks. I gathered he did some work as a flooring guy or something. He was a bit of a hippie, so he gave the truck a bit of a "custom" paint job...he called it the Anasazi National Guard. Actually a really good representation of the local petroglyphs this area is famous for, but probably not something I'm going to leave on there for terribly long. Said the original paint job freaked out the neighbors. Regardless, I suspect the house paint lowered the price a bit, and I plan on rattle canning her matte green somewhere down the line anyhow. Aside from some ex HMMWV 36" bias plies, she's pretty much stock. 59k miles on the clock isn't a whole lot, unless the Utah NG was pulling a trailer the whole time. Seems to have been sitting in the desert a long time. Not much rust at all, but everything rubber will probably need going over/replacing.
My plans for her? I have a list:
Bottom end cradle at the webbing, possible whole motor rebuild
700r4 trans build and swap, plus a lockup torque converter
Sidewinder turbo
Install a radio, maybe do some sort of sound deadening if possible (already pretty deaf from work, don't need to make that worse)
Repaint, probably green, maybe desert camo (fits the area...)
Hopefully figure out a two tank system for some alternate fuel experimentation. I can get my hands on all the waste 10w I want, so there's always the possibility of running a 50/50 of that, plus I think it would be cool to get a WVO-blend running well, but I'll need a good supply of fuel pumps for if/when I f that up. Injectors too, from what I hear. Thankfully parts for these 6.2s are ridiculously cheap compared to a cummins or powerstroke. Kindof the reason I've been looking for one for so long. That, and my trade school had one as a snowplow. Fell in love with the thing when I saw the blackout light switch.
If I get the WVO system running reliably I'd like to paint a giant biohazard symbol on the side and take a road trip. Maybe put a camper shell on top or get some waterproof boxes for carrying my gear so my dog and I can have space up front. But that's a bit in the future.
Glad to be here, Happy Veterans Day
My plans for her? I have a list:
Bottom end cradle at the webbing, possible whole motor rebuild
700r4 trans build and swap, plus a lockup torque converter
Sidewinder turbo
Install a radio, maybe do some sort of sound deadening if possible (already pretty deaf from work, don't need to make that worse)
Repaint, probably green, maybe desert camo (fits the area...)
Hopefully figure out a two tank system for some alternate fuel experimentation. I can get my hands on all the waste 10w I want, so there's always the possibility of running a 50/50 of that, plus I think it would be cool to get a WVO-blend running well, but I'll need a good supply of fuel pumps for if/when I f that up. Injectors too, from what I hear. Thankfully parts for these 6.2s are ridiculously cheap compared to a cummins or powerstroke. Kindof the reason I've been looking for one for so long. That, and my trade school had one as a snowplow. Fell in love with the thing when I saw the blackout light switch.
If I get the WVO system running reliably I'd like to paint a giant biohazard symbol on the side and take a road trip. Maybe put a camper shell on top or get some waterproof boxes for carrying my gear so my dog and I can have space up front. But that's a bit in the future.
Glad to be here, Happy Veterans Day
