Project "Thumper" began in Sep. "96. We bought a military 2 ½ ton truck complete with a 30 ton winch. First we shortened the wheelbase to 117" (the same length as a Chevy short bed), then lifted it with 8" blocks. A set of springs from a ‘52 Ford 2-ton (don’t tell Dad!) softened the ride. To accommodate a set of 1600-20 Military tires (52" high), we had to make our own wheels. We used four military wheels and four Daytons. They were cut and welded together to form four wheels, 20x14" wide. We were running the original cab (1950) and motor. We were very pleased with the performance until the flywheel came off and fractured the bellhousing. At this point we decided to start over.

5-ton truck equipped with a 671 Detroit was reworked to accommodate the V671 and the short Chevy clip. Dual flex-fans from Summit are controlled by an adjustable thermostat. We raised the suspension to 12". The body was mounted on 8" channel iron. The driveshafts were reworked and tiebolts were made. The motor and tranny were installed on the new 8" frame. Total lift is 20". A pair of large chains from the frame to the bottom plate of the tiebolts holds the front end in place (this enables mounting large obstacles). A pair of heavy eyebolts on each end of the truck are for the unforeseen or uh-ohs. A pair of 3" aluminum straight pipes remove the fumes and smoke from the nasty 2-stroke supercharged diesel. This motor produces enormous torque at idle (500 ft/lbs): with the gears engaged the tires slip on gravel each time the cam rolls over. And I did say "roll" as in roller cam! Steering is by John Deere: the pilot-actuated steering valve came off a combine, the pump from a cottonpicker. These control a 24x2" cylinder with a 10" stroke. Fluid coupling enables excellent control of the 52" tires in the woods without steering-wheel shock or jerk. The battery compartment is located under the bed and welded to the frame. This allows easy access for service. The original brakes were removed and a single disc brake from a Ford LTD was installed. We positioned the rotor between the transfer case and the rear driveshaft. This device works great! In fact it will completely lock the rear tires on asphalt. The main advantage is the brakes stay "high and dry".

       The entire project is not yet complete….. many thanks to all my friends’ free labor and advice. Special thanks to my Dad for all his time, labor, and advice. I’d also like to thank the girls (Tammy and Mom) for not killing us, as this many-month adventure took place. As for the cost, it wasn’t stated for the above reasons!!!!