From: Jim Newton (jnewton@laurel.com)
Date: Wed Jul 02 2003 - 21:51:16 PDT
Hi List...
Several people asked me today about my project of installing a second
set of troop bench seats down the center of my deuce, in addition to
the outboard bench seats, so since I just posted a few pictures of the
finished project:
http://www.cucv.net/deuce/double_troop_seats_01.jpg
http://www.cucv.net/deuce/double_troop_seats_02.jpg
There is not quite enough knee room for two people to sit exactly
opposite each other on one side, so they would have to offset their
legs. It will work fine...better than people sitting on the floor,
tailgate and front fenders when the benches are full! Here's some pix
from last weekend:
http://www.cucv.net/deuce/troops_in_deuce_01.jpeg
http://www.cucv.net/deuce/troops_in_deuce_02.jpeg
(The bar along the ridge of the bows shown in the photos is to hold a
cable used for simulated para drops that we sometimes perform from the
back of the deuce with the cargo cover and end curtains installed ...
there's even a jump light operated by the jumpmaster.)
I did not have time before Friday's parade to design and fabricate the
reproduction center-mount troop seat kits from steel, so I built
mounts out of wood. They actually worked out great, and use the same
bolt hole pattern and placement as the official steel mounts will use.
These wood ones were painted with Weatherbeater floor paint mixed to a
perfect 383 green match. I didn't want to use up my Gillespie rattle
cans on temporary wood mounts.
Lots of people on this list told me earlier they would like to find a
set of the official-style steel center bench seat mounts, so we (Ike's
Surplus) are planning to reproduce them and sell them in sets of 5,
all welded and powdercoated in 383 green or 30277 sand and ready to
bolt in. They should be ready in a few months, and will be exactly as
specified in the TB. They will also be a LOT cheaper than the NOS
kits that are still around, and will not require assembly, welding or
painting. Plus, we've designed a unique bottom reinforcement/captive
nut plate that allows one person to bolt and unbolt the top mounts
without crawling under the truck, and when the mounts are out the
holes are filled with flush-fitted aircraft screws go gear won't get
hung up in the holes. These mount sets will be really nice! We'll
also make the cargo bow upright tubes that slide down into the bed
pockets and hold up the cargo bows if you decide to actually move your
troop seats inboard rather than add a second set. The TB instructs
you how to build these tubes, but few shops have the equipment to
fabricate the tubes, and they are a non-standard size of rectangular
tubing.
Thanks!
--Jim "Ike" Newton
o 1984 M1007 CUCV Military Suburban 6.2 Liter (378 CID) Turbo-Diesel Engine 5/4 Ton Cargo Capacity, 4WD
o 1971 M35A2 Military Troop/Cargo Truck "Deuce and a Half" 478 CID Turbo-Diesel Multi-Fuel Engine Air Shift Front Axle 2 1/2 Ton Cargo Capacity, 6WD
See These Trucks at www.CUCV.NET Keyword Searching of 22,000 Electronic TMs at www.MILDOCS.com
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