Just a warning, I'm going to be as detailed as I can so this will be a long read!


After I posted I had just purchased a surplus HMMWV in this thread, at the request of Schott8283 I'm starting this thread to lay out what I've gone through in the purchase process for people who may be interested in purchasing one too, with the hope that people who know more than I do chime in and fill in any blanks I'm sure to leave.

Here's my truck I just bought:




















She's a 1994 M998A1 with a 6.2L diesel with 38,669 on the odometer. She runs and is intact from what I can see in the pictures (minus a broken mirror). There were 50 bids on my truck with me winning it at $9,500, up from a $5,000 opening bid.


First where do you find HMMWVs for sale? Just head on over to GovPlanet, the company awarded the contract by the US Government to sell off these trucks, to find the current inventory. From what I have heard, this was a first batch of roughly 4,000 trucks released by the government to see how sales would go. Sales started about a year ago and they are more than half way to 4,000 (2,600ish as of my posting this).

From there you will be able to narrow the inventory down by state and auction end time. Auctions are held weekly on Wednesday. Inventory listed is typically out two weeks.

Definitely read through the FAQ thoroughly. It will answer almost any question you've got. That said I did run into a mistake in it that has yet to be corrected by GovPlanet that I will detail below.


Now you'll have to decide if you want to buy something close enough to pick up yourself or if you want to have it shipped to you.

Shipping will, of course, cost more the further the truck is from you. That said, picking it up yourself can be cheaper if you live close to where it is located or don't mind a little travel. My truck I just purcased is about 4.5 hours from me so I'm going to be making a day of picking it up with my brother and a friend.

If shipping it, you will have the option to get an estimate from Veritread on shipping it from where it is located to you. This can found on every truck's listing on the right hand side.

If you are picking it up yourself, you can either trailer it or flat tow it.

Trailering is preferable from what I've read from people that have done both. Flat towing can be a bit of a task as the HMMWVs can manhandle a truck that is not up to the task. To flat tow it safely you'll need the military tow bar setup designed for the truck. The complete tow bar package will likely cost you $400-$600 if you can't find one to borrow. You'll also have to disconnect the half shafts (shafts that connect from the differentials to the geared hubs that drive the wheels, also known as portal axles) to safely tow it without damaging the transmission or transfer case. Just putting it in neutral will not suffice as either the transmission or transfer case will not properly lubricate itself. I can't recall which off the top of my head without looking it up but, trust me.

If you want to trailer it but don't have a trailer you can rent a U-Haul flat bed transporter trailer. It must be one of the newer models (galvanized as opposed to orange painted). The newer ones are wider and have a higher weight rating than the older ones. Also, if you truthfully tell U-Haul what you are planning on putting on it, they will deny you the rental because they believe it is too big/heavy. You'll have to... *ahem* stretch the truth as to what you're putting on it. From what other people have said, the HMMWV will fit (albiet snugly) and the trailer can handle the weight.

If your truck is running, when picking it up, bring fresh batteries and an air pump so you won't have problems loading it.

Now for the error in the GovPlanet FAQ. You may see in the FAQ that if you have your truck shipped to you, you will not be liable for the sales tax for the state it is in if shipping it out of that state. This is incorrect straight from a GovPlanet rep I spoke with on the phone after I made my purchaes. They are collecting sales tax regardless of whether you have it picked up by a shipper or pick it up yourself. I was originally going to pick it up myself but found through the Veritread estimate on the site that it would have been cheaper to have it shipped if the sales tax wasn't collected. After the purchase I called GovPlanet to find out how to schedule the pickup since it can't be picked up until your EUC clears (I'll go into this later). That's when I found out about the tax situation. So, if you are having the truck shipped, factor the shipment cost and sales tax into your final price. That said, if you are tax exempt for any other reason you can get your sales tax you have to pay refunded. No idea how that works but there is a section in the FAQ about it and process for it.


Here we get to selecting the truck you want.

After you've found the truck you want, I recommend picking another one or two trucks you can fall back on should you be outbid. Then again, if you have enough patience, you can always just wait until the next auction. I didn't end up with my first choice truck! I had originally bid on a 1992 M998 that ended up selling for $12,750, above my $12,250 max bid (it had 10,000 fewer miles, looked cleaner, and had a 6.5L diesel and full cargo cover).

When selecting a truck, read the description and look over the pictures very thoroughly. Unless you happen to live close enough to schedule an inspection, that is all you'll have to go off of for vehicle condition. If you do live close enough, you can contact GovPlanet who will put you in touch with the local rep to let you on site to look the truck over. I did not go inspect my truck prior to purchase though I will try to sometime between now and when I receive it.

You will find the trucks listed in various running conditions such as "running", "needed jump started", "needed ether", "not running", or listed otherwise.

Advice I had seen given was that GovPlanet will typically do what they can within reason, short of replacing parts or making repairs, to get a vehicle running so that it will sell for a higher amount.  If it isn't running it could be missing vital parts or it could have a cracked piston/head/block or some other catastrophic damage. Needing a jumpstart is likely not a big deal, possibly a dead battery or at worse a faulty charging system. If it needs a shot of ether, it could be a fuel delivery issue or possibly bad fuel. These trucks have been sitting for a while so things like that and flat tires are not uncommon. Again, if loading it yourself, bring fresh batteries and an air pump for this very reason! But, if it isn't running at all, there's quite possibly a very good reason for that and you should bid accordingly while possibly going so far as planning on replacing the drivetrain. Since even if you can inspect it, you can't tear it down, any non-running truck is going to be a gamble.

Besides being in various running conditions, you will also find trucks in various states of repair. Some will be nearly 100% complete while I've also seen stripped bodies on frames with partial engines being sold. A good bit of advice I once saw posted is that if it is missing parts, there could be a very good reason the unit it was with decided to start cannibalizing it. Maybe the transmission is slipping or maybe it doesn't stay running. Regardless it was seen as a more expendable vehicle for a reason. I'm sure a lot of readers, military or otherwise dealing with keeping fleets running, have experienced this first hand. Of course, you will pay more for a more complete and well running truck. Then again if you don't mind a challenge you can potentially save a lot of money. Just know that missing or broken parts that need replaced can add up and potentially be hard to find! My truck had a broken passenger mirror. I figured it wouldn't be a big deal finding some new glass for it since I've done that before on other vehicles. After several hours of searching I turned up nothing and was forced to buy an entire mirror assembly. Individual mirrors were around $90-$100 with eBay being the best source. Given that the individual mirrors were priced what they were and the driver side mirror's paint was pretty faded, I decided to purchase a pair which ended up putting the price of both mirrors at about $80 each since it was a package deal. I also have an ignition instruction plate that is unreadable. Finding a replacement was a chore but was located.

From people with experience, trucks with body damage or paint damage will require extra care in repairing them so bid on those accordingly as well. The bodies are aluminum so typical body repair shops may or may not be able to make repairs. The paint is CARC (Chemical Agent Resistant Coating) and is typically nasty stuff when applied or sanded and requires certain precautions some shops might not be able to handle.

Another thing to keep in mind is that despite what the odometer reading is listed as, it may not accurately reflect the mileage on the truck! Speedometers are switched out without much regard to the mileage except it being recorded in the maintenance logs (which you will not have access to). Compare the trucks typical wear spots with the mileage to see if it matches up. Also, sometimes trucks are put through a depot rebuild and this may be reflected in the odometer reading, especially if it is very low. These trucks will have placards/stickers to reflect the depot maintenance but I have seen that GovPlanet tries to avoid advertising these placards/stickers because they cannot verify if the trucks have actually been through the depot repairs. The part with the placard/sticker may have simply been cannibalized off of another truck that had and if they sell it advertised as having been done, only for the buyer to find out it hasn't, they're libel.


Now we come to the actual purchase.

As I mentioned, auctions are held weekly on Wednesdays.

Each truck is listed at a starting price based on condition. Running trucks are now being started at $5000 (down from $7500) and non-running and salvage trucks are being started at less than that.

The acutual auction time for each truck only lasts for 4 minutes and below is why.

The bidding process is a little bit different than most places you may have participated in. On GovPlanet you can bid at any time before or during the auction using what they call PriorityBid. Here is the FAQ section on what the PriorityBid is:

PriorityBid is our system for placing bids during the preview period of an auction. A significant amount of all bidding in our auctions occurs with PriorityBids; more than 70% of items typically have bids on them before auction day. Because they are placed during preview, PriorityBids have a delayed effect on the price of an item: the price does not change until the auction opens. There are several advantages of using PriorityBids:

   You do not have to be at your computer on auction day. When you place a PriorityBid, you specify the maximum you are willing to pay for an item. You will be told immediately if yours is the highest bid placed so far, but you will not know how much of your bid amount remains to protect you from later bidders. Your bid amount is confidential and our auction software will keep you in the lead against competitive bids through the preview and on auction day or until your maximum amount is exceeded. If you get outbid by another PriorityBid, an automatic email will immediately be sent to you.

   You can win the item for less than your maximum amount. In our style of auctions, the price the winner pays is determined by the price the runner-up was willing to pay. The final price is never more than one bid increment greater than the next-highest bid. So, if you have little competition, you can win an item for less than your maximum amount. We recommend you determine your "no regrets" price—the price at which, if someone else were to win, you would not regret the outcome—and then bid one increment below that.

   Bidding early helps ensure that you are the winner. When competing PriorityBids are placed for the same amount, the earliest bid takes precedence (it has Priority at that price), so submitting your bid early gives you an advantage. You can place a PriorityBid online any time day or night, or by fax during our Customer Care hours.

   Freedom to keep an eye out for other bargains. PriorityBids give you the freedom to browse and track other items on auction day without worrying about your "must-have" items. Our system acts as your assistant, constantly monitoring your PriorityBids and keeping you in the lead until the price goes beyond your designated maximum bid amount.

As auction day approaches, you can check the status of your PriorityBids in the Buying List of My Account. Make sure your email address and notification settings are correct in My Account Profile so that you can receive outbid notification emails. Before even being outbid, you can increase the maximum on any of your PriorityBids by placing a new PriorityBid on the same item for your new maximum amount (don't worry, you can not outbid yourself). Like all bids, PriorityBids are binding and can not be retracted nor reduced.


That pretty much lays it out. Bid what you're willing to go to before the auction starts. You won't know what the actual price is but if you get outbid at any point they will notify you via email and you can up your max bid if you want. If you bid a certain amount first, you get priority if someone else bids the same amount after you.

Also, bids are in $250 increments.

When deciding how much to bid, as I mentioned above, you will have to add in sales tax and transportation costs. That's not all though! You'll also have to factor in title costs as well as a 10% buyer fee! The title option with a Florida state off road title, a SF97 (essentially a federal government title), and a bill of sale will run you $150. Just the bill of sale and SF97 is cheaper but, you'll have to know if your state has any problems with dealing with SF97s. The Florida state title option was developed to help buyers deal with states that have problems with SF97s. Just the bill of sale is cheaper still but that may not be enough for some states. Know what is good for your state or err on the side of caution and get the full package!

I bought my truck for $9500. Between the 6% Kentucky state sales tax, the full titling option, and the 10% buyers fee I ended up with about an extra $1750 added to my purchase price. Then I've got to add in trailer rental and fuel costs to go pick it up.


And here we get to the post auction process.

So you've won your auction! Congratulations!

There are now some steps to take to finalize your purchase.

You will start by going through the checkout process. Here you will decide if you're shipping your truck or transporting it your self, selecting your titling options, and then finalizing the invoice total based on the options. After the invoice is finalized you will pay GovPlanet via wire transfer. Payment must be made within 3 business days or you may incur late fees usually $25-$50 per day depending on final sale price. If you go past a certain time, your item may be considered abandoned and you get charged an even bigger fee. There's also other stuff listed here.

But paying for it isn't the only thing you have to do!

On your account page you will be sent links (on the right hand side of the main account screen) to fill out your Hold Harmless Agreement which gets sent to one email address. You can print it out, physically sign it, and then physically mail it in. You can physically sign it, scan it, and then email it in. Or you can digitally sign it and email it in.

Most importantly, since the HMMWV is a defense article, you will have to fill out an EUC - End Use Certificate. This basically lets Uncle Sam know the final disposition of the item you're buying - if you're going to keep it, sell it, exporting it or not and if you are you have clearance to. This may seem to be a daunting part but GovPlanet has conveniently set up a form wizard that will assist you in filling it out correctly with descriptions of each field needing filled out. You will also need to send in a copy of your driver's license (preferably) or other government issued ID. Make sure your scan/photo of your license is crystal clear or your EUC may get kicked back after a very lengthy initial time period delaying you even further! Just like with the Hold Harmless Agreement you can send it in using one of the previously mentioned methods. It will be emailed to a different email address than the Hold Harmless Agreement though.

Directions are included with both forms.

First time EUC filers like I am can expect a 8-12 week wait. If you've previously filed an EUC with GovPlanet (GovLiquidation not included!) within, I believe the last year, your wait will be considerably shorter. This part is a bit like the whole NFA application and waiting game!


Here I'm getting to the pickup process and since I haven't yet picked up my truck, can only relay what information I've gleaned.

After your payment is received and your EUC is cleared you have 8 business days to remove your truck or you'll incur storage fees. Now, not to worry, if there are incidental delays GovPlanet will work with you so long as you are making a good faith effort to pick it up. This is word straight from a GovPlanet manager on Steel Soldiers. They simply put that there to keep people from abusing the time given to pick up the truck.

To pick up the truck you'll have to schedule a pick up time. If you are picking it up, it should be as simple as it sounds. If you're having a shipper pick it up, the pick up time will have to be coordinated between GovPlanet, your shipper, and you. You don't need to be on site for the shipper to pick it up.

Since I'm fuzzy on this part if you have any questions it would be best to call GovPlanet for clarification at 1-844-225-8799, Monday-Friday 6am-5pm Pacific.


Once you've got your truck at your site, it is not recommended you hop in and start cruising around! Your truck may have been sitting for months or a year or more!

A full fluid change is recommended. Since these are diesels, Shell Rotella T is a good motor oil. Replace other fluids as recommended by AM General. Specifications can be found in military TMs which are available at Steel Soldiers and other sites. Add fresh fuel, draining as needed to get a good mix to burn off the old stuff.

Check all of your important fasteners like lugnuts to make sure they are secure. Some very important fasteners unique to the HMMWV design are the bolts that connect the differential to the half shaft and the half shaft to the geared hubs. These can work their way out and should have some blue Loctite applied to prevent that. If they come loose they can damage brakes and other equipment!

Check for any leaks GovPlanet may have missed.

If you run into anything that was not on your inspection report, report it right away to GovPlanet to take advantage of their Iron Clad Guarantee which basically states they will disclose any problems as best they can. If they examine your claim and find it valid, they will refund a portion of your purchase price. If it's something internal and you knowingly bought a non-running truck don't count on any sort of refund. If you bought what appears to be a complete truck and it's missing say a mirror or seat, or it has some other problem that wasn't listed, you will likely see some money coming back to you. When in doubt file a claim. Worst case they deny it.


Now at this point we get into a topic that Steel Soldiers will not permit on their site: Titling, plating, and insuring for road use.

If you do bring it up, the topic will be deleted and you may be banned. For some reason they think that violating the purchase agreement and putting these trucks on the road will cause Uncle Sam and GovPlanet to stop selling them.

When you sign the Hold Harmless Agreement with GovPlanet, part of it states that you acknowledge the HMMWV is not roadworthy. The Florida title and SF97 are also stamped "Off Road Use Only":




That said, in many states, there are methods of titling off road vehicles for on road use. Check local laws! We've tried to compile instructions for various states below.

(Old Ohio registration information contained within)
Click To View Spoiler

For insurance, a number of companies out there will insure military vehicles. You'll have to call around. Although Steel Soldiers doesn't allow discussion about insuring the HMMWVs for road use, they do have a list of companies that have been known to insure military vehicles.


If you want technical information on the HMMWV there are two great resources

Steel Soldiers
G503.com

Despite my thinking that banning certain discussions about on road use of HMMWVs on Steel Soldiers is stupid, both have excellent information on HMMWVs and other military vehicles. Steel Soldiers also has one thing G503 doesn't which is a section dealing with the intricacies of purchasing from GovLiquidation and GovPlanet. A GovPlanet manager with the username of "Jwade" also participates in the HMMWV purchasing threads there answering questions and helping clear roadblocks you may run into. This thread is a good place to find him. (Update: "Jwade" is no longer with GP, Phil Hasty has filled his role.)


While waiting for my truck I've already started picking up accessories for it. If anyone wants me to I can go into what I've been picking up and why but customizing your truck will come down to what you like!


So, this is where everything currently stands with me. If anyone who has gone further in the process or has more detailed knowledge spots missing/incorrect information could contribute, it would be most appreciated!

HMMWV How-To Tech Links:

• Cutting Down 2 Man Troop Seats To Fit A 4 Man Truck


• Making Soft Half Doors

HMMWV Reference Material:

• HMMWV Operator and Technical Manuals

UPDATED 7/19/2017: State Registration Instructions

Ohio:
As of April 21, 2017 The State Of Ohio Department Of Public Safety, Bureau Of Motor Vehicles, Title Division sent the following Title Broadcast to all state title offices:



This is being used as justification by the BMV to (incorrectly) deny accepting the 3803 forms mentioned previously (to the point of claiming the form no longer exists). There have been conflicting reports of whether the BMV is continuing to accept registration for HMMWVs with valid, on road out of state titles. So far there has been no rescinding of on road titles for currently titled trucks.

THE BELOW IN THE SPOILER BOX FOR THE STATE OF OHIO SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ON THE PREVIOUS PROCESS!


Click To View Spoiler


Georgia: (Thanks to Lawman734)
The Georgia procedures manual states that to register a former military vehicle, it has to have been titled elsewhere (like a FL or MT title) or an SF97 needs to be provided. You'll need a VIN verification regardless (form is available at the tag office).

SF-97 - Even if it's not in your name, a bill of sale is sufficient from the original owner (GovPlanet) to the new owner (you). This works ok, but you're at the mercy of the clerk regarding the "Off-Road Use Only" part. Many are ok, others get a hassle.

Off-Road Florida titles - These don't seem to be an issue, but again - you're at the mercy of clerk on how they want to handle it given the fact its an off-road title and offroad vehicles in GA don't require registration.

Montana titles - These seem to be the easiest to work with and the most hassle free.

Prepare yourself so that it appears you know what you're doing. Bring the Title/SF97 along with your completed (signed by LEO) VIN Verification form and proof of insurance. It's a good idea to bring a photo of the vehicle and the vehicle data plate for good measure, even if not needed. The sales tax you paid will do you no good for the Georgia taxes and fees, but with proof that you paid in Georgia - contact Iron Planet because they say they'll refund your taxes - I'm still waiting on my check after 3 weeks.


Iowa: (Thanks to beef1911)
In Iowa you can get a Bonded title. All you need is a bill of sale or paid invoice. You have to apply to the DOT (2 weeks to respond), sign a form for military vehicles saying it meets FMVSS standards, get a bond for 1.5x the value of the humvee ($113 for $7500 bond for 3 years), wait for the DOT for 2 more weeks, then they say you can go get it registered. Same process for if you bought a car and did not receive a title. All this was done over email. Except for the registration.


Texas: (Thanks to EagleArmsHBAR)
In Texas, vehicles like a military surplus HMMWV can be registered under several categories:

1) normal registration;
2) antique (if over a particular age); and
3) former military vehicle

If registered as an antique or for more military vehicle, they don't have to pass inspection, but they are then limited on road use. If the vehicle passes inspection and is insured, it can be registered as a regular vehicle.

If all else fails in Texas and they won't accept an SF97 for some reason, a title can be obtained by going the bonded title route. Of course there are additional details with any of these registration methods, but that's the basics.


New York: (Thanks to kevin101)
My experience with NY was pretty simple.

1. I called Geico and was able to insure it pretty easily. It's insured as a normal vehicle with full coverage and didn't cost too much.
2. Brought my insurance card, SF97 marked "off road use only", my reassignment letter from GovPlanet, and the paid invoice from GovPlanet.
3. I handed everything over to the motor vehicle clerk who looked everything over. She mentioned the off road use only stamp but didn't seem to give it much thought and it didn't come up again.
4. Due to the truck not having a standard VIN she had to enter the vehicle manually. The only problem she had was having the computer accept the 6 digit ID number. She called a supervisor over who also looked over the paperwork quickly and the supervisor was able to override the system to enter the 6 digits.
5. I had to pay NY sales tax for the purchase price of the truck. I paid a 6% tax for Kentucky but NY doesn't have a tax agreement with that state. I'm hoping to get a refund from GovPLanet for the KY tax I paid.


Michigan:
Sorry, but anyone in Michigan seems to be out of luck with any sort of surplus HMMWV. Your state hates you. Not only are they denying on road registration of newly purchased auction vehicles but, if you buy a HMMWV legally titled out of state they will contact the state of origin in an attempt to get the title revoked and still refuse to title it on road. I'm betting you'll still run into some sort of issues even with the clear titled M1123s too due to ignorance but, who knows.

I suggest you all get some legislative action going to fix this!


South Carolina: (Thanks to An51960)
for the registration process, in SC, I would avoid the Greenville (University Ridge) location (that's where the lady told me I needed a title rather than a "certificate to obtain title"--she clearly had never seen an SF-97 and did not know what to do with it). After the one lady made several trips to ask other agents how to proceed, she said, "My boss will have to call headquarters." HQ was also clueless about how to proceed, however, they did get on a high horse about the off-road notation and state that there was no way to convert an off-road vehicle to an on-road vehicle (though they did admit that you could build a dune buggy in your garage and get it on the road). I ended up leaving there and going to Woodruff.

At the other location, I buried them in paperwork. I showed them my email where I won the auction, my invoice from gov planet, my email certifying my payment, my notice that my EUC was approved, my bill of sale, my insurance paperwork, my SF-97, and the notarized form transferring ownership from gov planet to me. The attitude at this office was much more figuring out how to help versus how to shut me down. The lady was very confused, but asked a fellow employee how to do things and pushed everything right on through. They told me I was going to have to pay sales tax all over again and get a refund from gov planet for the tax. They said the policy went into effect on 1 July. I pointed out that I had purchased before this date and they let me out of that even though the computer insisted that I pay it again. They kept my invoice showing the payment of state sales tax in case they needed to defend themselves again their own bureaucracy. The lady who issued my temporary tag works at this office and she knew enough to tell me that I would need my government certificate (SF-97) to get a title, so she clearly would've known what it was if she had been the one behind the desk that day.

I would also avoid the Blythewood location since this is where the Greenville office called.



UPDATED 8/7/2017: Insurance

Here's a list of insurance companies that will insure the trucks. Some more easily than others. You should probably call since these aren't standard trucks.

- State Farm
- Geico
- Liberty Mutual
- USAA
- Progressive
- Hagerty

There are other insurance companies that are out there that may insure these trucks so, if you are able to use one not listed, please let me know and I'll add it to the list.



Reputable Parts Suppliers:
So you've got your new HMMWV and are probably now looking for parts to fix one thing or another. Beware there are a lot of new companies popping up to make a quick buck off all of the new HMMWVs hitting the market and may be selling substandard parts.

If you're looking for OEM HMMWV parts there are a couple good sources sources:

- Mac Motors - They carry a couple handy pre-assembled filter kits. Just search for PM-A, PM-B, or PM-C depending on what you need. Otherwise search for your needed part number
- Hummer Parts Guy - Can search by name or part number.
- AM General Direct - Parts direct from AMG. Some good prices, some decent prices on some hard to find items, and some items priced like they're selling them to Uncle Sam.
- Kascar is a popular HMMWV parts dealer but, a number of buyers including myself, believe we have received out of spec reproductions and non-OEM substituted parts. In some instances, Kascar might be the only option available but they I can't really be recommended them as a primary my first go to source.
UPDATE 8/23/2017: Updating this section as Ron from Kascar contacted me personally today after seeing this post, looked me up by my name and order history, and assured me they always supply OEM parts and, to contact them if there are ever any issues with parts quality. In fairness to Kascar, I'd say after several purchases from them since this was made, my experience could best be classified as a "mixed bag" though I hope any and all future purchases are all positive
UPDATE 2/17/2020: I've made several orders with Kascar since the last update with all going well and everything exactly what it was supposed to be.
- Adventure Accessories is another great OEM option but they're geared more towards civilian H1 parts since they're the former Lynch Hummer group.
- BlueHummer Outfitters also sells OEM parts for both HMMWVs and H1s but also has some in house upgrade parts like upgraded spindle nuts, reusable half shaft bolt kits, and flexible caliper side brake lines. BlueHummer has closed up shop. Their items are now carried by Mod Mafia.

Not generally recommended:
Wolfer Parts/ComTac/MotoFino Truck Parts/Augusta Engine Parts has a combination of surplus OEM parts as well as in house manufactured driveline parts like half shafts and suspension parts like ball joints. It appears their "in house" parts are Chinese manufacture but they don't disclose this.

There are some surplus parts dealers out there that are great to deal with like Equipment Parts Sales. If you don't see it on their site, email them direct about what you're looking for. They've told me they don't always have their full inventory up on the website. They'll also work on prices on bundle purchases.

There are a number of surplus parts dealers also selling on eBay. Of them, the most reputable are beltfed34/Austin Aviation and amtak2/Arrowhead Lake XS Surplus. hdps_corp and militarysurplusparts deal in surplus parts but may have limited HMMWV parts. As mentioned, there are a number of others selling surplus parts. Just make sure if you're buying from them and they're claiming new surplus, they have correct military stickers on the packaging with the NSN or, at the least they have good feedback on the surplus they're selling.

Lastly, for surplus and especially hard to find parts, get in touch with Steel Soldiers and G503 member 86humv.

When in doubt though, post here and ask!

 

I'd love to find one of those Banks kits - too bad they stopped making them.

While it'd be nice to have, I won't lie in that simply adding a 4-speed transmission into these things makes a huge difference.

I dropped a 4L80 into the guntruck and don't hardly drive the softop at the moment. That's the next project.

Looking very good Lawman!


Saw that a couple weeks ago! Amazing performance out of an 8 ton truck offroad!

The suspension system is pretty interesting too. Really wish they would have spent more time going into that.

I now want a Banks powered 6.5 in my truck... Not going to lie. I've recently been eying the Banks Sidewinder for the 6.2L as a future project.

6.2L CUCV with Sidewinder kit...





My only concern is long term reliability with it, but supposedly Banks did the research and came up with 10lbs of boost being safe for the stock engine. And, they have been making the same kit for 30+ years...

About $2k for the basic kit sans exhaust from Summit, plus costs to custom fit it and exhaust to the HMMWV.

I do wonder if a 6.5's turbo system can be installed on a 6.2 though. Going to have to compare engine setups between my truck when I get it and a friend's 6.5 powered Chevy dump truck. I suppose at some point though you start getting into territory where it just makes more sense to change the whole engine to a 6.5 and of course if you're at that point, besides cost, why not go to a better engine all together?

See my post above. Summit has them but they're not cheap: http://www.summitracing.com/search/Product-Line/Banks-Sidewinder-Turbocharger-Kits

Some info on the kits.

I know they still make the Sidewinder, but my understanding was that the Humvee needs a specific kit due to the minimal height of the hood over the engine. Banks no longer makes that specific kit.

I have heard that a Chevy van turbo will fit, but have no experience or knowledge on how well it performs.

Ah, gotcha... Like I said, will be very interested to compare my truck with my friend's 6.5 turbo to see what options there might be.

someone might be interested
http://eastnc.craigslist.org/cto/5486135432.html

Yesterday I made a 4 hour trek to Hopkinsville to inspect my truck.

Overall, it was about as I expected and am pleased with my purchase!

The folks at City Salvage and Recycling couldn't have been easier to work with. Told them why I was there, told me I could just go ahead and head to the yard and find my truck.

It didn't take long. There were between 2-3 dozen trucks there in various conditions.



Interestingly I also found EagleArms' truck there even though it was supposed to be on base at Fort Campbell. I'll let him share whatever info he wants or pics I sent him.

Batteries are 2012 manufacture if I'm reading the date code right and the truck did start right up so, I guess I'll keep them for now. Trans fluid was a nice bright red. Oil was very black and will need changed. No date on the oil filter I could see. Already have a case of Rotella T, just need to pick up a filter.

Couldn't get under the truck. The yard was an absolute mud pit thanks to rain we've had in this area recently. I could see all of the tools were still in the pioneer kit though!

I did find out my truck does have the 10k halfshafts so once I get the truck and can inspect the boots closer, I may have a set for sale. I had picked up a set not knowing if they were the heavier ones. Not sure if I should keep them for spares or if I should swap them and sell/keep the old ones.

Very dirty inside. And since it's been wet, that dirt covering everything had turned into a a muddy slime. Definitely glad I've got a good pressure washer!


Some other things I noted...

Very glad I picked up new seats! The seats weren't in nearly as good a shape as they looked in the listing. Also, wet and mildewy. Probably because someone left some of my doors partly open.






Found a small crack on the hood near the passenger side lift shackle. No pictures of that area in the listing so, meh.




Tires look about like I expected. Not much life left on them but enough to get a little use. Will probably change them sometime this summer but definitely before winter.

The doors look decent. Some of the clear vinyl on the edges of the windows past the stitching is starting to get yellow and crack. They probably have a couple more years on them.

The top isn't dry rotted so far as I can tell but is definitely getting near the end of it's life. There may even be a tear on the top but I couldn't get a good look, they had the trucks too sandwiched together. I probably should have gotten up in the bed...

(Possible tear on the left side ahead of the right most piece of rope. Going to see if a local upholstery shop would be able to patch it if it is.)







A question to anyone who might know... Is there any paint or coating I can spray to recolor it green and possibly help reseal it?


Some other questions...

Besides the jerry can carrier it comes with, it has this tray on the other fender. Any ID on it? Ammo can carrier I assume?




I found this in the rear passenger seat storage compartment. Any ID on this?




Found this too but it was soaked so I didn't mess with it. No idea what it means. Don't think it's for my truck though given the "M1083A1" 5 ton truck mentioned on there.




Lastly, the unit markings have been mostly painted over but I can make out some of them. Not enough to get a clear idea of who had the truck though. So, anyone have any insight on them?









The griffins are going to stay for sure.


It sure sucked having to leave her behind when I left.

A 5987E is the dispatch form.  (I was a dispatcher in the motor pool).    I will walk you through the dispatch process I did.  So Private Snuffy comes in and says I need HMMWV bumper # HHS-15.  I checked their license and dispatch the truck to them in the system.  But I wouldn't give them the keys or dispatch yet.  I gave them the second page of the form you have there (5988E) and the PMCS (Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services) book that goes with the truck.  After they conduct their PMCS and they annotated any faults with the trucks, I would give them the rest of the dispatch/keys.  I am guessing what you have is an example of the way it should correctly be filled out.  I put an example copy of each of the forms in the dispatch folders so they could use them while they filled out the paperwork.   Most still brought back the paperwork jacked up or incomplete....

Very nice insight! Thank you!

I'd bet you're right about it being an example copy. The signature looked photocopied and I'm guessing that might be why there is a big "CORRECT" stamp on it.

I did find it near this small document binder that is on the seat as well (it was empty).

Chain piece under seat is 1 of 2 used with tow bars. Wraps around axles, not sure why it would be with a hummer.

Looks like a good truck

The fact that yours have the A2 front seats is a huge deal. Even if the seats need to be replaced, that drivers seat base is a bitch to install if you want to upgrade later and don't have it.

That tray is definitely not an ammo can tray - but that's a good looking truck!

Is that a radio tray that has been flipped over and mounted to the rear?

There are several trucks in today's auction getting zero bids!

I was thinking a radio or battery tray of some sort also - it looks like it's purpose built for that spot though since the metal is folded over to fit the fender, as well as to provide a lip for whatever gets stored on it.

Are these trucks sitting at a private business? That seems weird. I'm still learning about how gov planet works.

Also, if your unit numbers are spray painted over, you might be able to use some carb cleaner or thinner to get it off without bothering the carc paint.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

That's what I love about this place. Of course, I was also waiting for responses of "dickfer" and "henway".

I don't think I've got any use for it so I'll probably just sell it or trade it. I'm sure someone here or on SS could use it.



For sure! Was very glad when I found it that it had the highbacks installed.



So the mystery continues... It seemed to be made of aluminum, by the way.

It's getting removed anyway. I'm putting a locking box on that fender.

Other fender will be jerry can storage. The existing one is being relocated and 3 more are being installed. My water/ration heater is also getting mounted on that fender. I figure near the rear tailgate is a good spot for it since everyone always hangs out around the truck bed/tailgate!

When I take it off, I'll check for any ID info. Anyone want to call dibs on it?



Yep, private business. Local businesses are subcontracted for offsite storage in some cases.

Exactly what I was thinking with the carb cleaner. That or some acetone. Carb cleaner is probably a little more persistent though. Hopefully it's just spray paint and not CARC sprayed over it.

I used acetone on both of mine - mine belonged to a SC National Guard Engineering unit. No wonder they were in as good of shape as they were-they probably didn't get used much.

I did it! After a bit of searching online I think I've managed to trace the lineage of my truck.

Working off the pics I took of the hood markings, I had come up with "181 F ABN".

Turns out this was actually "181 FABN" which should be the Tennessee Army National Guard 1-181 Field Artillery Battalion.

Their "Distinctive Unit Insignia" certainly matches the logos on the side of my truck.





Also, been doing some research into how I might be able to repaint/recoat my soft top. Got a lot of results on Steel Soldiers, of course. Looks like my best course of action is to pick up some custom mixed Behr exterior paint from Home Depot and spray it down.

Right now I'm sure you're as skeptical as I was at first thinking there's no way a house paint from Home Depot could be used to paint a military truck. Incorrect! Home Depot is able to color match the Federal Standard color codes so you can get pretty much an exact match for 383 Green, 383 Brown, Black, Tan, and a whole bunch of others. Plus it is apparently quite durable and will go on with something as easy as a $100 airless sprayer. It's even diesel resistant from what some have reported.

Some instructive threads on SS for anyone getting one of these trucks:

Behr Paint Jobs- Show me your MV's

1968 JK M35A2 Restoration Project!

Paint Information (Codes and Sources)

The biggest thing with the Behr paint is that it cannot get wet for 3-4 weeks after application.

Definitely thinking of giving my truck a fresh coat of paint, especially with it being as cheap as it is to buy and as easy as it is to apply. My only hangup is keeping the 1-181 griffins on the sides. The unit markings can be masked off but that would be a real pain with the logos. Maybe I can get in touch with them and see if they can hook me up with a stencil or possibly even make one myself.

If you're thinking of using some rattlecan Rustoleum/Krylon camo paint, you probably could if you didn't mind the colors being off. Speaking for the green only, the Rustoleum Dark Forest Green camo paint is too dark compared to the 383 Green. I know because earlier today I took the deep water intake stack I bought, cleaned and prep sanded it, sprayed with 3 coats of primer, and then sprayed with 4 coats of the Rustoleum. After it cured to the touch, I compared it to a couple of truck parts I've got that are 383 Green.

The other solutions are some CARC substitute paints like RAPCO's and some others on eBay but they are pricey compared to the Behr.

Also, TB 43-0209 is a good reference.

I did my cucv in behr paint. I rolled it on with a 4" roller. It is easy and hard to screw up. My carc was all faded and ugly. The Behr has held up for 3 years now.

I only use Rapco out of the cans on my trucks. About 7 bucks a can shipped. Quality paint, comes with 2 nozzles and is an exact match.
I just painted my M1009 for about 50 bucks.

It would be cool to see a recent pic of the Behr paint after have being applied for a while.

It has some blemishes from tree branches and mud but still looks decent.

Not bad for being 3 years old a truck that looks like it gets used!

Did you do any prep before applying it? Sanding/scuffing, primer, etc. or did you just clean and apply?

Also, which Behr did you end up using? I'm thinking of going with the Marquee since it is supposed to actually repel dirt and water.

Favor to ask of someone with a truck...

I took a couple measurements when I was inspecting mine but neglected one spot. I need (in inches) the area from the rearmost part of the seat belt anchor to the edge of the tailgate indent on the fender and, from the innermost part of the soft top hoop bracket to the fender edge in the bed as per my crude MS Paint.



Much appreciated!

If someone doesn't get it to you beforehand, I'll get that info for you this evening when I get home.

After reading some more on Steel Soldiers, I decided to stay away from Behr paints and will be going with Sherwin Williams CARC. Latex looks good, but it's the worst for a repaint or dings and scratches to cover back up, you can't sand latex the way you can CARC, polyurethane or enamel based finishes. Once you go latex there is no going to another paint without stripping it off. Another option is Rapco paints.

Are all of the M998's for Off-Road Use Only?

My father has been wanting a surplus Humvee as a weekend toy, but wants to be able to drive it around town, maybe the occasional off road use but nothing serious.

Earlier in the thread there's a link on how folks got around the off road use only. They can titled for on road use, with some work.

That is most appreciated!


I saw some of the same when reading up on it and I've been meaning to look into the best way to do touchups and repaints, if there is one.

Do you happen to know the going rate for that Sherwin Williams CARC? If it's not outrageously priced, I may go with that on the body and go with Behr on the soft top and doors since I'm sure the latex paint will help with the sealing and water resistance on the canvas.

I don't really have anything set in stone yet and am open to options.

37". What are you trying to do?

Trying to find out how large of locking storage box could fit there.

What about from the inside of the hoop bracket to inner fender edge?

If you mean the blue line in your diagram, I would go with 14". The top fender is 16" wide from outer lip to inner lip.

Excellent! Thank you very much!

I would be more careful painting a humvee or other high dollar/rare military vehicles with Behr. I'm not worried about the cucv. Nothing hides paint imperfections like flat camo.

I think I just used whatever exterior base they said on SS. Just scuffed and rolled on one coat.

I have read prices vary from $70 a gallon to $120 a gallon. I have been unable to get a price at the store by my house. I left a message at another store that seemed to at least know what I was talking about. Per some of the posts on Steel Soldiers it should take about 2 gallons to do the entire vehicle if doing 1 color.

Your post had me curious so I stopped into my local Sherwin-Williams today to get some info and prices.

The assistant manager ended up being the one that helped me. Told him what I was looking for and got a funny look at first. I guess it was the whole "Chemical Agent" thing. Told him what it was for and then it clicked.

So we went into their office to do some searching of their system. He knew they made military paints but mentioned he also knew there were proprietary military paints they can't sell and didn't know if these fell into that. I told him I knew of a number of people who had bought it from them and after some looking we found the paint in their system and found it was indeed okay for sale.

He asked how much I was looking for so I told him 2 gallons of 383 Green, 1 gallon of 383 Brown, and 1 gallon of black. Checking the system further he then wasn't sure if he could sell me any less than a complete case of 4 single gallons. So he made some calls around to see if anyone had single gallons available. After speaking with a store in Columbus, OH the person there informed him it was actually one of their products that could be sold by less than a complete case.

He also told me that it is a 2 part paint and will require a catalyst in a 2:1 paint to catalyst ratio.

With all of this info, he checked prices. He told me that prices will vary based on locale and how much margin each store has to sell products for and, since he was really curious about this paint and wanted to see the end result, he'd sell me the paint for $60/gallon and the catalyst for $80! For just $400 total for genuine CARC that's a lot safer than the old stuff, I've pretty much got to go with that over the Behr.






Told him I'm still waiting on the paperwork for the sale to clear so I probably won't be up to get the paint for another month or two and probably won't have the truck painted until some time this summer. I think I'd like to try getting the interior Lizard Skin/Monstaliner and exterior  paint done around the same time.

I'd say if your local place is having trouble figuring it out, give my guy I dealt with a call at the number above since it's all fresh in his head. Again, not sure you will get it priced for what I did but good luck!

To be honest, I'm a little curious about the "Woodland Desert Sage" color they have mentioned too...

For application, I'm thinking of picking up this Harbor Freight HVLP System. For $120 (minus the obligatory 20% off coupon!), that it handles polyurethane fine, and the generally good reviews, it seems like the way to go.

Did some looking into that "Woodland Desert Sage" color since I was curious and found a good example:




Looks like an interesting color!

Seems really close to the color of those MRAP seats I've got.

How well do the paint and catalyst have to be mixed and how will you mix it to get the proper consistency?
 

Buried in the data sheet it mentions that A and B should be mixed with a mechanical mixer so, I'd imagine any drill attachment would be okay.

As for proper ratio mix, Sherwin-Williams should have (and might even include free) a mix cup that shows the ratios.

This morning I decided to check into oil filters for my truck and realized I forgot something simple for initial maintenance - air filter replacement!

I figured it's a cheap and easy bit of maintenance so why not just take care of it when I'm doing the oil.

Got on all of the major auto parts stores' sites (O'Reilly, Advance, NAPA, and AutoZone) to check prices and they of course need year/make/model to match parts. No direct option for HMMWV but I put in 1992 Hummer since it was the earliest, most similar to the HMMWV, and came with the 6.2L (the air filters are the same across all engine types though).

Turns out air filter replacement on these aren't all that cheap after all!

Cheapest I found was $77 for a Wix (my go-tos for my filters are usually Wix, Purolator, Mobil 1, and Napa Gold/Platinum anyway) at O'Reilly. I did find a $74 Fram at AutoZone but I don't buy Fram.

Thankfully there are other options like eBay and Amazon! Not only did I find surplus air filters priced almost half the Wix on eBay (look up "HMMWV air filter") but, I also found the actual Wix filters priced nearly half on both eBay and Amazon (Prime eligible by the way). Found the NAPA Gold nearly half priced on eBay as well. I suspect since the part numbers are nearly identical, the Wix and NAPA are one and the same.

If any one needs them here are the air filter part numbers:

Wix: 42105
NAPA Gold: 2105

Thankfully the oil filters are much more reasonably priced and you can buy those locally without getting raped. Oil filters are the same for 6.2L, 6.5L, and 6.5L Turbo.

Here's the part numbers for those:

Purolator PureONE: PL34631
Purolator Classic: L34631
Mobil 1 Extended Performance: M1-302
Wix: 51060
Wix XP: 51060XP
NAPA Gold: 1060
NAPA Platinum: 41060

Anyone know any tricks on how to refurbish plastic Windows on the soft doors?

Ryan,

I ordered all of my filters and seals in one kit form Mac Motors. If you watch they will throw the Preventative Maintenance Kit A on sale for around $75 and the Maintenance Kit B on sale for under a $100.

Mac Motors (look at bottom of their home page)

EagleArmsHBAR,

These are some products that you can find at most auto parts store in the cleaner sections for soft tops and the windows. Depends how far gone they are to see if you can polish them back. Usually the stitching fails and needs to be re-sewn.

I found some videos on YouTube the other day on refurbing soft windows on convertible tops and Jeeps when I was wondering the same thing.

I saw Plexus plastic cleaner and Meguiar's PlastX recommended and both seem to have good reviews.

I'd be interested in hearing anyone's experiences with those or other products as well!



Thank you! Was not familiar with them.

Anyone know if a rear curtain for a four man is the same as a rear curtain on a two man? I've got everything to convert my truck from four man to two man, and back again, except for a two man top, rails, and curtain.

The curtains are different. As for the parts you are missing, the best process I have found is at Equipment Parts Sales

Wooo hooo!

EUC APPROVED!

Way ahead of schedule too!

Going to be going down to pick her up tomorrow!

Must be nice!







congrats!  Hopefully I can post the same next week.  Post lots of pics!  I read online that some have sprayed WD40 on the CARC to make it shine instead of repainting.  That might be something you consider.  I sprayed a bracket last night with some WD and it looks really pretty compared to the dry brackets.



 

Now the real fun begins. Have you picked a configuration you want (keep it like it is, cargo cover or no cargo cover, turn it into a slant back, or go to a GMV style vehicle)?

I found a few issues with mine when I got it, mainly pain and some dents in the bed that were not noticeable in the pictures. You will find that there is a lot of dirt hidden in these vehicles especially the A pillar.

I guess you could say I'll be going for a bit of GMV/expedition vehicle setup. The soft top and soft doors, and being able to take them off, are one of the things I really like about the truck. Cargo cover was one of the first accessories I picked up for it but, I do have the cargo partition and am ordering the seal kit for it so I can run it without the cargo cover and not have to worry too much about rain getting in. May have to add some industrial Velcro as well to close off any gaps.

A thorough spray down and soap scrub are one of the first things planned. Top priorities will be seats and exterior lights though. I'll move on to bumpers and tire carrier after that.

Going to have to take a week off work in the near future.

That was how I originally started out. But then decided to go with the full GMV/SF type vehicle with the hard roof and half doors (still have full x doors to switch back and forth). Will still have the soft top rear curtain to drop down when needed and 4 man crew divider with seal to keep water from running into the cab area. Main reason was the price of tan soft tops and soft tops in general is outrageous and I don't want to be buying another soft top in a few years. Also gives me another shooting platform and place to mount more lights.

Will look like the one in this link or I will go with the new style roll bar and side slats that require less drilling into the body.

As for you upgrading the lights and adding the bumper, I recommend if you are going to paint to remove the old ones, paint, then put the new ones on. Lot easier to clean and paint with them out of your way.