Can't get no respect- the G749

[Ed Storey]

This photograph taken at CFB Petawawa in 1984 shows a large number of G749 vehicles that have been earmarked as range targets.

89-16 copy.jpg

[Darrell Zinck]

Hi

Nice photo, Ed.

In 1985/86 I was occasionally tasked with towing them from behind the Range Control bldg out to the various ranges. Usually Juliet/Hussars Tower Range for direct fire destruction but sometimes to way out in the back 40 for the Engineers to blow sky high.

The task was for x2 Troopers to use a Lynx from Recce Sqn 8CH. Every time I did it was an adventure since all we had were x2 tow cables. In many cases, one of us would drive the track and one would be in the cab to keep it on the road. They didn't like us "dragging" them around the trg area roads!!

Good times.

regards
Darrell

[rob love]

I have a message in the file cabinet somewhere that was talking about the various fleets, and mentioned the sales of the old deuces. In the beginning, they were fetching a good price that the army was happy with. But, in this area at least, prices had dropped to around $600-700 towards the end. I, and a few friends, moved a batch of 12 or so out to the surplus guy's yard. He even sold one while it was still in the supply lot. It was to an Indian band, and he had to go pick up a cheque from the Department of Regional Economic Expansion downtown for the payment. The $635 dollar deuce had turned into a $3250 deuce with no real work done to it.

The majority sold over the years, but he still has a short lineup of them for sale at his yard. Two of them left last year for a Halloween display. There remain several M135s, a couple of the shop vans, and an M211 with the flat cargo box. The amazing thing is that with some work on the fuel system, they will still run after all these decades.

[m606paz]

The first time I paid attention to this truck, it was in the movie Rambo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__QyvnqBW-c

[BCA]

A great action shot of an ex-Canadian army G749 (note the hardtop). It was filmed in British Columbia and maybe are some MLU’ers from the west coast who can fill in details of that stunt. Amazing how the truck recovered its balance.

[rob love]

From the web: http://www.firstbloodfilminglocations.com/army-truck.html

Yes this is one of he original four trucks used in the movie (Serial number matches jump truck (IMS) International Movie Studio records)

From what I've been able to research there were 4 'Rambo' trucks Two were
rented from a local militia unit (15 Fd Arty), And two more were purchased
from the logging company Macmillan Bloedel having acquired them in a
surplus sale a decade or so prior to filming. (My truck) The vehicle which
did the jump suffered only minor damage to it's front grill, gas tank and
suspension. It was also the truck that side swiped the cop car and was set
on fire at the end of the movie.
3 trucks were given to Don Harris as partial payment after production. My
truck that was burned in Hope BC and was the better of all four trucks. Don Harris wasn't thrilled about the director setting it on fire! It was actually still in pretty good shape after the fire, a front tire, interior"

If you watch the jump scene, you will note the fuel tank actually detaches on landing. You will also see the differences in the movie between the in service trucks and the early release trucks, most notably the mirrors.