Overhauled Army Trucks Great For The Farm
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The Army calls them "deuce and a half" trucks. Farm customers call them work horses. With less than 50,000 miles, there's plenty of life left in them after the Army retires them, says Ken Kublo who buys, fixes and sells old Army trucks.
Built in the 1970's and well maintained by the military, the older technology in the 6-cylinder diesel engine makes it easier for mechanics to work on them.
The son of a mechanic, Kublo started buying and fixing Army trucks 15 years ago. The Brackney, Penn., native travels as far as Virginia to inspect trucks going up for sale at government auctions.
"I buy from Southern states so there's less rust," he says. "Each truck is gone through extensively to be in good shape for the customer. I don't want to ruin my reputation." Besides trucks, Kublo sells other used government and commercial equipment, including forks, generators and water pumps.
His main customers for the 10-wheel Army trucks are people in farming, logging and quarry work. Some turn the beds into dump trucks. Others adapt them for crop sprayers or to haul grain. A few replace the back double axle with a single axle for daily use.
Trucks start at $4,000 for a soft cover cab. Hardtop cabs, winches and other options add to the price. The all-wheel-drive truck's rear axle is rated at 28,000 lbs. and the front axle is rated at 12,000 lbs. The trucks can go up to 60 mph and get about 10 mpg.
"Demand over the years stays pretty steady," Kublo says, adding that he has sold to customers all over the U.S.
"I try to buy cheap and sell cheap," he says. Kublo has about 40 trucks and extra engines for spare parts - enough to make a few trucks from scratch.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ken Kublo, Kublo's Surplus, RR 1, Box 1788, Brackney, Penn. 18812 (ph 570 663-2805;
kkublo@frontiernet.net; www.kublossur plus.com).
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Overhauled Army Trucks Great For The Farm TRUCKS Conversions 32-2-4 The Army calls them "deuce and a half" trucks. Farm customers call them work horses. With less than 50,000 miles, there's plenty of life left in them after the Army retires them, says Ken Kublo who buys, fixes and sells old Army trucks.
Built in the 1970's and well maintained by the military, the older technology in the 6-cylinder diesel engine makes it easier for mechanics to work on them.
The son of a mechanic, Kublo started buying and fixing Army trucks 15 years ago. The Brackney, Penn., native travels as far as Virginia to inspect trucks going up for sale at government auctions.
"I buy from Southern states so there's less rust," he says. "Each truck is gone through extensively to be in good shape for the customer. I don't want to ruin my reputation." Besides trucks, Kublo sells other used government and commercial equipment, including forks, generators and water pumps.
His main customers for the 10-wheel Army trucks are people in farming, logging and quarry work. Some turn the beds into dump trucks. Others adapt them for crop sprayers or to haul grain. A few replace the back double axle with a single axle for daily use.
Trucks start at $4,000 for a soft cover cab. Hardtop cabs, winches and other options add to the price. The all-wheel-drive truck's rear axle is rated at 28,000 lbs. and the front axle is rated at 12,000 lbs. The trucks can go up to 60 mph and get about 10 mpg.
"Demand over the years stays pretty steady," Kublo says, adding that he has sold to customers all over the U.S.
"I try to buy cheap and sell cheap," he says. Kublo has about 40 trucks and extra engines for spare parts - enough to make a few trucks from scratch.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ken Kublo, Kublo's Surplus, RR 1, Box 1788, Brackney, Penn. 18812 (ph 570 663-2805;
kkublo@frontiernet.net; www.kublossur plus.com).
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