Newb in Western NY Looking for help

[x-ray]

Hi,

I am a new member and ever since I was a young lad (now I'm 40) I wanted a Deuce for no real reason other than they were so fascinating.

Now I have some farmland and can actually have a place to keep a truck and run and play with it So I am seriously interested in taking the plunge.


Now I've checked GL's website and as luck would have it, Fort Drum (merely 150 miles away) has some trucks that run right now. OK So I signed up for an account and get the gist of bidding, But I'm not sure on how to get a deuce 150 miles west to my home.
The trucking company they list on the website doesn't service in NY for some reason and local car movers kind of just laughed and said can't do it.
Temp plates aren't available in NY unless you take it out of state??WHats up with that?

OK so If I bid, I'm sort of concerned I won't be able to get it home. What options do I seriously have. So close and yet so far.

Thanks up front for any help or guidance you guys can offer.

 

[drgreg]

Drive it. Search threads for Deuce recovery.

 

[surfdog]

You could get historical plates in NY for about $40/year. It might require you go up to Drum, get some pictures of the data plate or the actual data plate) (or a unstamped dataplate off ebay that you stamp with your truck's serial numbes) and then get Historical Insurance from JC Taylor or Hagerty for about $100/year. You do not need the SF97 to register it - NY DMV will just give you a "nontransferable " registration first, and then you will get the transferable reg in about 1 month.. No title needed if older than '73.

Make sure you tell the insurance companies that you have an enclosed locked building you will store it in.

Would also join the local military vehicles collector club (NY Penn Military Vehicle Collectors Club ) - there web site is Home

You will find some others that share your hobby and might help with the recovery. I'm in the Albany NY area - send me a PM if you are ever out in this part of the state and stop on by and see my trucks - I have several deuces.

Can also put you in touch with the trucker I use. PM me and I'll send you his info. He will haul just about anywhere in NY state.

 

[LanceRobson]

Welcome to the site.

I'm in Sennett, halfway between Auburn and Skaneateles. We, also, have a farm and a construction business so our trucks sometimes work for their feed.

Many of the folks on the forum are experienced enough, or lucky enough, to check out their truck and drive it home. Some take the chance of heading down the road without benefit of insurance. Some get insurance first.

In NY you can get insurance without having the vehicle titled first.

Do you have any experience working on or operating these? Can you get to Drum to inspect them before the auction?

The GL guy at Drum, Kevin Smart is a straight shooter. If the ad states "starts", he's seen it run. If it won't start, he might try to jump it but will not attempt to troubleshoot the problem. As you can see from his pictures, he shows the damage and rust when he finds it.

If the ad states "starts", that may be all he knows. That dosen't mean it makes air pressure, charges the batteries or moves.

If you don't have experience with these things, go easy. It's easy to buy an inexpensive truck but it can sometimes be difficult to get it home without breaking the bank.

If I can fit a trip into my schedule, I'd be willing to ride up with you or meet you to help with an inspection. It's about a 120 mile hike for me. There are others who may be willing to help you, too.

Lance

 

[x-ray]

Guys - Thanks so much for the offers to help. Really impressed with the great folks on this board!

I think Lance is right - I will take it slow and get some more learning under my belt before I take the actual plunge. I don't have that much auto mechanics under my belt - more gunsmithing and "light" auto mechanics. I've never worked on a diesel truck before. Two of my close gun buddy's that I hang with are auto mechanically inclined - one is an auto mechanic and the other is a machinist who works on Cars & trucks as a hobby. He recently sold a sherman tank engine and knows a little about Deuces. In fact when I mentioned I wanted to get a deuce, it sparked his interest too. So I think I can recruit some local help to do some fixes and learn a little more.

A couple more questions for you guys that might know:

1) Does Kevin Smart in Ft Drum have contact info? - I gathered from the website you can't preview the items or is that not exactly true?

2) If I go the route of historical plates - That sounds like it would require going up to Drum after winning the auction, getting pics of the data plate, then go through the process - get plates and get back up to drum to pick it up - Will Drum hold it that long?? That could be more than a couple weeks I imagine??

Surfdog - Thanks for the offer to stop in - I don't get out that way very often. I spend 99% of my time in Rochester area (just west of Rochester actually). If I get a snag, will definately PM you about your trucker contact - Thanks again!

 

[LanceRobson]

1. Kevin's # is:602-377-5184. You can preview them. Make an appointment early-Kevin travels to other locations, too.

2. I've never gotten plates without having the SF-97 and didn't know you could do it. I did not need pics for the DMV but did for my insurance company, J. C. Whitney. They wanted a clear color photo of the truck, preferably from the front quarter. The GL pics might do. They require that the vehicle is stored in a locked building. Recently, one new customer was asked to send the picture of the deuce actually inside the building. GL is contractually obligated to get the vehicle out within 14 business days of your EUC being completed. Sometimes you can stretch it a few days. Ask Kevin early. Don't wait for the last minute.

Lance

 

[surfdog]

I have registered my last 2 deuces in NY without SF-97's. There is no need to spend the $60 for the SF97 (in NY State at least). You initially get a nontransferable registration with or w/o the SF-97, and then a few weeks later after the Title Services has checked the serial number they automatically get a transferable registration. NY State does not issue a title on any vehicle older than (I think) 1972.

I have used the GL pictures to get insurance. I have not had Hagerty ask for pictures of the deuces in the building but I do have barns I keep them inside.

Lance - you called the insurance company JC Whitney - I think you mean JC Taylor - I had difficulty with them as if the vehicle shows any rust they tend to not want to insure it. And they also want multiple pictures (one of each side of the truck). JC Taylor is a little cheaper though.

There are 2 DMV offices in Watertown. If you already had your insurance cards you could get the data plate and then go to the local office there.

Jefferson Jefferson Motor Vehicles
County Building
175 Arsenal St.
Watertown, NY 13601 M, T, W & F 9:00 - 4:45
Thursday 9:00 - 7:00
July 1 - August 31
M - F 8:30 - 3:451-315-785-3023


Jefferson
Fort Drum branchFort Drum Office
Clark Hall Building,
10720 Mt. Belvedere Blvd., Room C-134
Fort Drum, NY 13603Monday - Friday
8:30 - 1:00 and 2:00 - 4:00
July 1 - August 31
M-F 8:30 - 1:00 and 2:00 - 3:301-315-772-0543


I have never driven a truck back right off the lot. It would be ~ 200 miles for me and I guess I'm just not brave (or foolish) enough to do that . If it is your first truck, I'd advise you to truck it or have a friend with a deuce (or 5-ton) flat tow it back for you.

You wont regret buying a deuce - they are (6 1/2) tons of fun!!!!!

Kevin is a great guy to work with at Fort Drum and he will list problems that he knows of on the trucks. Unfortunately one I bought this winter that was listed as "starts and runs" which it did - but the transfer case only worked in low gear. I'm sure Kevin never even messed with the transfer case so he didn't even know there was a problem. This was a fluke but if possible try to get up there and inspect/start/drive the trucks yourself (he will sometimes let you back them forward and reverse a short distance).

 

[Recovry4x4]

One more consideration here. Some folks drive them home without tags, some without insurance. I've gotten away with the no tag deal, I NEVER run them off my property without insurance.

 

[moose53]

How do you register them in NY without an SF-97? They won't do it just on a bill of sale...

Jim

 

[surfdog]

The bill of sale and I think the other form was a MV51 - I cant remember for sure. The DMV clerk always just gives me the other form to fill out.

I find it is usually helpful to bring a picture of the truck (especially with flags or kids around it) and they become a little for helpful.


http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/forms/mv51.pdf

 

[x-ray]

Thanks for all the help guys! Great info. I'm going to learn as much as I can and get organized before a purchase. If I can find a rig that can haul two Deuces, maybee one of my local friends will pic one up too.

Thanks so much you guys are great! This is a great forum I wish I found it sooner.

 

[mangus580]

Thanks for all the help guys! Great info. I'm going to learn as much as I can and get organized before a purchase. If I can find a rig that can haul two Deuces, maybee one of my local friends will pic one up too.

Thanks so much you guys are great! This is a great forum I wish I found it sooner.

x-ray... I am about an hour east of you in Williamson. C'mon out if ya want, check out my trucks.

I could probably be convinced to towbar a deuce home for you if you win one. I know Doghead would most likely help you at least get it back to his place (about 30 min or so from Ft Drum)

 

[KaiserM109]

x-ray,
Jump in, the water's fine.

I have been watching deuces coast to coast and I have noticed 2 things about Ft. Drum: A lot of nice looking trucks go through there and they seem to go cheaper than most. My advice is to pick a nice one (hopefully one that says "Runs" but not necessarily) and go for it. You will have a month or 2 while your EUC clears to check with your insurance guy; you may be covered on your current policy. That is how I drove one 450 mi across Kansas.

I just looked at GL and there are several nice rigs that close tomorrow, June 11.

Mangus580 sounds like a good resource. Remember, if you get there one day and it won't start, you can come back another day with more help. The GL site guys I have met at 4 different states have been great.

ONE BIG WARNING: Pump up your air tanks and drain them TWICE. Water in the air lines can cause your brakes to suddenly fail completely and these trucks have been sitting around for as long as a year. I had a pucker factor 5 incident in Manhatan, KS after I had driven it 50 mi.

Hope to hear more from you.

Arlyn

 

[frodobaggins]

Don't use the antique insurance companies unless you never actually want to use your truck.

 

[atilathehun]

x-ray if you are ever in my area drop me a pm i have a 5 ton u can try out to see if u want one i am in west edmeston ny 13485 i know u will buy one after one drive all it took for me was a ride in one as for the sf97 mine was regesterd in ny by the former owner so i had the old reg and the truck is a 1956 so no title in ny i have regular insurance and farm plates on her as i have a cdl B