Deuce and a Halfs and 5-tons changed my life, influenced who I am as a person.
Eventually, I am hopefully picking up an original American General M923 5 ton 6x6. I'm a broke college student right now, but when I get this particular one I have a lead on, I would frankly make it my daily driver. Love those trucks- I wouldn't trade it for all the money in the world.
I've also got a lead on an old Kaiser M51A2 multifuel 5 ton dump.
I almost bought (and daily drove) a Kaiser M35A2 (the infamous "Deuce and a Half") as my first vehicle as a college freshman.
The MV hobby has frankly been life-changing for me. My first encounter with an MV was as about a 14 year old, living in rural southeast Alaska, in a small island community of sub 100 people, on an island, with no roads or cars. It was an old Deuce modified into a propane truck, owned by a family friend who lived elsewhere but ran a fuel delivery business there. I knew it was an old Army truck as a 12/13/14 year old, but that's all I knew. The guy would start/run it, while filling propane tanks, and the classic 'Whistler' turbo had me baffled for the longest time...and many other people, ironically even people who were Veitnam vets! Later, I heard it run and learned what it was. Later, I got to ride in it.
Later, I learned what one actually was, and immediately wanted one. Originally I wanted a Deuce just as a mud toy, but it was a slippery and steep slope to "Oh, what the heck, I'll make it my daily driver".
I was 17 at the time that happened.
Later, when I finally started running into other hobbyists, it changed my life- my first college roommate, when I was 18/19, was a fellow MV enthusiast. Had bought an M923A1 as the first vehicle he ever bought with his own money, at about age 16 (!), and later a Deuce. He daily drove the Deuce to high school for awhile, and worked the M923A1 over extensively. There is a hilarious clip on YouTube of the local 6:00 news where he grew up, of him pulling semi's out of ditches with it- the anchor's mind is totally blown. We met because of that truck, long story but it became the world's smallest small world story- we had the same birthday and everything.
The hobby, the vehicles, and the people have arguably changed my life.
I could tell you stories for hours...
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