My old Amphib Dukw is now painted yellow!

[M5Clive]

Jack has been on at me to officially join HMVF for ever and a day, but we have just updated our pc from my 1995 vintage machine which has literally melted into a pool of moulton plastic after I tried to install talktalks new broadband - So now we have a nice shiney silver one which plays brilliant flight sims!

 

First got into the Military Vehicle scene when brother Neil bought a WC-51 in 1989 and then Dad bought a GMC 352 a few months later. Was only 14 at the time so all I had to do was help pool my pocket money towards the fuel bills!

 

Since 1993 I have owned a GMC 353 non winch, GMC 353 ex Norway, Dodge WC-51, GMC DUKW, Stuart M5A1 Kangaroo, GMC 352 winch, Willys MB, GMC 353 with Maxson turret, Dodge WC-56 Command - And soon to be another GMC 353 ! Well after reading Pete Ashby's vast list of 33 years in his welcome message, I thought I better pull the stops out! :-P

 

 

Now at the grand old age of 31 I still have the Stuart M5A1, which I bought from John Marchants retirement auction in 1999 and its still in a million pieces, although it was all together and running when I first got it. Have spent many many many hours on this project but still keep getting sidetracked.

 

Still have the Dodge WC-56 which is bags of fun, particularly in the summer and is more reliable than any modern car. (Nice pic of it on HMVF at the Debach Airfield Open Day - Events picture section. Rebuilt this in 2003 and completely took the front end off and tidied all the panels. Have used it so much since then it really needs doing again!

 

My GMC DUKW that I bought off of Bob James in Evesham in 1998 after he had rolled it (Literally) on the M6 going up to the Lake District for the amphib weekend when an artic lorry hit him up the rear and launched him upside down onto the central reservation is sadly now painted yellow. (He got out shaken but not stirred) After I finished the restoration of this vehicle in 1998 abily assisted by Uncle Steve and Rex Ward, I finishing it off in an olive drab, but after only one seasons use was made an offer for it from a Dukw tour operation in Dublin Harbour that I just couldn't refuse, so sadly it had to go.

 

Its untimely sale did however finance me getting on the housing market in my home town of Marlborough, Wiltshire which was no mean feat for a single chap of 23! If you happen to be in Dublin and you see a bright yellow dukw go chugging past on the River Liffy, don't mention my name as it won't get you any discounted tickets - I think I may have failed to mention to the chap that bought it that it had been upside down at one stage during its chequered career!!! :-o :-o

 

Just like brother Neil, I also have a soft spot for the classic American GMC 6x6 truck and just can't resist them. The last belonged to the late Malcolm Parker of Lincs and had the maxson turret mounted in the rear cargo body. I actually saw it at Beltring this year and the new owner has given it more love and care than my limited storage/workshop facilities would have permitted. Good on him!

 

My local Suffolk MVT buddy Howard and myself have just put a deal together to buy a Diamond-T 969 Wrecker and GMC from Norway, which should hopefully be here by Christmas, so thus the GMC love affair continues. We decided as OPERATION BOLERO - Tour of the Dromes is aimed at this heavy US kit, we better get ourselves fully equipped being the organisers! :wink:

 

Be sure to check out the postings that will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead with regard to this event. Word on the street says that Jack has already started filling his spare jerry cans with juice and stock-piling them in his outhouse ready for the journey in June 2007 :wink:

 

Maybe if I gave organising events a rest for a while, the Stuart M5 would finally get finished - but then how would I afford the fuel for twin V8 Cadillac engines? - I don't drive a 1.1 Peugeot 206 and live on the flatlands of East Anglia for no reason you know!

 

Good on you Jack and the entire HMVF crew for this site - Its far more vast than I first realised, and keep getting lost!

 

Clive D Stevens

 

[Joris]

Wow you sure have (had) a huge amount of vehicles! I'd love to see the Stuart, must be great fun to drive!

[Jack]

At last.........good to have you here Clive.

 

So pleased that you have now made it to the 21st century - Clive used to send me emails.......by printing them off and sending them to me in the post :schocked:

 

Clive just for clarifaction could you list what you have owned and what you know own......as I am lost and how come you have such an understanding wife? :-o

 

And the good news is that I have found the dancing girls for you and they are on there way over..

 

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/richmorris/VVCanCanGirls.jpg[/img]

[Jack]

 

 

Good on you Jack and the entire HMVF crew for this site - Its far more vast than I first realised, and keep getting lost!

 

Clive D Stevens

 

 

 

We don't actually muck about mate - we are a 'can do' sort of site! :-D and a great deal of it is down to the imput of our members - this site will only ever be as good as its members.

[Enigma]

Jack mate, are you sure they are Girls??? :rofl:

[ArtistsRifles]

I reckon they should be sent over to Essex to be vetted for authenticity!!!

 

This will obviously be a difficult and dangerous job for the person doing it but in the best traditions of military insanity - I'll volunteer to do it!! :-) :-) :-)