So I got home from work last night about 12:15AM and
was up so we chilled with a couple beers. It was my Friday so we hung out a bit. She had taped Conan O'Brien, and I watched that with one eye. The other eye was fucking around in TuT like usual.
Somehow I slipped into Craig's List to shop for Snapper lawn mowers...and behold...
1966 M416 in Dawsonville (about an hour and half from me) for - drum roll - $500!!!
Here is a pic from the add:
Looked too good to be true. I got my panties in a bunch and posted to TuT and in normal TuT fashion was assailed with comments about the possibilities and if I did not purchase this gem I would be a fool! I agreed! (It was nearly 2AM by then) I sucked down the last of my third bourbon and ginger and told
I was going to bed so I could beat the snipers at the punch.
I rolled out of bed at about 8:30, which is waaaay too early for me after a 14 hour work day, the wind down and the three double bourbons.
said, "You are losing sleep over it, call the guy and if it is gone you won't have to worry about it anymore." My biggest concern was getting the thing home. I have a friend with a trailer but it is just over four feet wide and the M416 is five so I was wondering WTF I was going to do.
I wandered into the home office and dialed....one ring, two rings..."Hello?"
"Hi, my name is Hugh Heifer and I am calling about the M416 you listed in Craig's List [yesterday at 3:45PM and if it is sold I am going to have a horrible day
]. Have you still got it?"
"Yeah, I will be here all day, come on by."
"It looks like it has a ball hitch instead of a lunette?"
"Yep, somebody modded it. It's a 2 inch hitch."
"If I purchase it, I am considering towing it home, you think the tires will make it 80 miles?"
"Er, ummm, er, well, not at 80 miles an hour they won't. I think they are original form 1966. I have a Bobcat, I could load it on something."
"OK, see you in a couple hours. My name is Hugh...Hugh Heifer. If you sell it I will stalk you like a lon-u."
"Oh, okay. I know him so for you, I will hang onto this for a week to sell it to just you."
(OK - so the last part didn't really happen.
)
So I load my wife into the Hardbody - (yep, I have a 1995 Nissan DD) and we head to the bank. She is actually pretty giddy cuz she had a hernia operation about a week ago and this is the first time she has been out of the house since. It is a win-win!
We drive the old Nissan the 80ish miles following the back roads the ridiculous Garmin bitch is telling us to take and we turn down a long dirt drive and behold! A great looking 1966 M416 with all original parts. Parking brake works, third wheel works, all but the lights. The wiring is pretty fucked.
I meet Mark. Turns out to be a nice guy. High school teacher living on 44 wooded acres getting rid of the trailer because he now has the aforementioned Bobcat to haul firewood and trash around his 44 acres.
I fold my arms, we chat, I unfold them, I look at the trailer some more, I refold my arms and grimace..."How about $450?" I ask, knowing I will not feel like a man if I do not at least try to haggle even though
told me to give the dude full price because this is a smokin' deal.
"Sure, I'll take it $450. No problem."
I quickly pay Mark before he can change his mind. Comment how nice his spread is, we hook up the beast, I safety wire a triangle on the back since the lights don't work and safety wire the chains to the tongue. We are off!!!
I am elated! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find an M416 in this condition at this price much less so close!
We stop at the top of the hill to take the Nissan out of 4 wheel (dude's driveway was pretty muddy) and I click a couple pics to send to Yooper and the TuT clan and off again.
We make it to GA 20 and recall there is a new Taco Mac near I575 and the trailer is moving along fine. We stop for lunch and beers and
is having a great time having been cooped up in the house for over a week.
We enjoy a couple (I had a Dominion Millennium which I had never had and it was spectacular) and we were off again. I have to admit, the tires looked pretty dodgy and I was a bit concerned but they are US Army tires so FIDO!
The ride was uneventful after the beers and we made it home. I parked it behind the house, locked the functioning emergency brake and grabbed a beer.
I am damn pleased!!!
And now, here is what you guys wanna see:
Number 6-8384, born in 1966 by the hands of the fine folks at Johnson Furnace!
Note the sweet triangle I wired to the beast to make it at least somewhat legal
I figure the ball hitch is a good deal for me right now. Neither Cruiser has a pintle nor does the Nissan. I can easily replace this when I am ready since they bolt in place W00T!
Mark threw these in:
I think I will clean them up and put LEDs in them and go ahead and run them. Might be kinda neato!
So what are my plans?
Well, I really like what boctor12 did
>here< so I think that will be my model.
First thing it to tear it down and take care of the rust issues. The only spots are in the bed near the drain but the frame and springs need some attention. I plan on getting the major parts sand blasted, then POR15ing the whole thing after repairing the bed. The inside will be Rhino Lined and I am considering a spring over since it is easy and cheap on these trailers. After that the real mods can begin!
I am going to have to steal all boctor's pics!
Wish me luck! I am
STOKED!!!
Hugh Heifer
CT90 K2
The Mule
Hugh Heifer
ROAM Camper
The "Rig"
commuter scoot
Dobermobile II, 'the lifted rig'
lil car
scoot
yooper
1967 Toyota FJ40
2006 Dodge Megacab 2500 CTD
2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser
Nellie
Moonshine
Linear Mode
