Hey everybody, my name is Alan and I a member of the 101st Airborne serving in Ft Campbell KY. I am about to head back over to Afghanistan and want to spend the next 9 plus months researching and picking your brains on a project I have going.

First my experience - very little. I owned a 2003 6.0L (I will post pics after I get this cookin') and I feel like I built it right for my needs. Mostly looks I have to be honest in that I lifted it up - made it look cool but left the engine pretty much alone except for minor upgrades, but that is all I wanted and didn't want to mess with reliability.

Now...my project....and this is where I will need your help. I am building a project called the MRAT. A play on the term MRAP and Rat Rod. Please be clear that it will not be a "rat rod" in the sense of many of the hunks of garbage we see on the internet. I simply apply it here because it is a hodge-podge of different parts and not meant to look like a fancy street rod.
It is a 31 Buick (think of a big Model A sedan) that I am making to look like a MRAP - in this case a mix between a MATV and a MaxxPro - similar to what I commanded in Afghanistan. You see, I owe my life to these vehicles and those who designed and built them. As the weapons squad leader of my platoon, it was my job to run point on missions. I have a knack for picking good routes both in terms of making life tough on the enemy and I was normally able to keep us from getting stuck. Where I operated the term "road" referred to any three or more motorcycle tracks. Basically it was ALL offroad driving and that is not easy to do with a 15+ ton truck made for the roads of Iraq...but she did it. I took my MaxxPro to places the engineers never imagined she could go. I sent to big truck heaven after hitting two...ummmmmmm BIG.....IED's and two took the lickin' and kept on tickin.'
I actually have the blast scarred International emblem from my last one and that is going to be mount on the dash. I hope this helps anyone reading this long winded mess the inspiration for the car. There is a lot more to this, but I will save that for another time.

Okay....so why do I need help? Well...it's the entire powertrain.

I am using a DT466 for the engine. It is the old mechanical version not the DT466e. I did that because I wanted to stick to the RAT theme of low brow parts.

I also have an Allison 545 that I am told should mount up to it fine. Is that true? Is the 545stout enough? My plan was to get it all togther and running (stock power output) and once I get that dump some real power into it. How much can the 545 handle? Can it be beefed up? Is there a better choice? I plan to drive this vehicle long distances, so I don't know that I will ever go too high on the HP, but I am curious how high I can go and maintain some sort of reliability? There simply isn't the same level of aftermarket support for the DT466 as the cummins etc have.

I really need your help guys/gals and I know there are folks out there with mountains of knowledge, so dump it on me. I gotta learn and I gotta learn fast. When I get back I am going to dive into this thing and hopefully get it on the road before winter '14.

Thanks in advance! I have been a diesel fan for years and this is my first big project, so I am really glad I found this site!

Alan

 

to DB!

Thank you for your service!!!

 

Thanks Sir! I will make sure I submit my questions in the proper areas from now on.

 

Thank you for your service

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome and Thank you very much for making it safe for me and my wife to raise our family in this great nation. I can't shake your hand but here is the next best thing. Sorry I dont have the knowledge you are looking for or I would give you everything I have.