In the 2006 Great Scale Modeling, on page 57, is a guntruck made up of Italeri's M925 chassis, Real Model's resin cab and an Academy M113.
Can anyone comment on the amount of surgery required on the M925 to do this conversion? I have wanted to do this for some time.

Thanks.
Chuck

Have a look at this Dave has put together a nice feature it may help answer some of youre question.
https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/301

Thanks Keenan,
Dave's article will be a great help.

Chuck

Yup, the above article is great. I did just that to build the M54/M113 guntruck King Cobra. It wasn't too bad to do. Build the M54 as Dave describes, also cut the side and front troop rails off the bed. On the M113, build it as per the directions, but leave/cut the roadwheel arms off. I used an Academy M113A1, so I was able to leave them off. You would have to cut them off a Tamiya M113. I also stripped things that would have been removed from the M113, like head/tail lights and guards, engine, exhaust, driver's seat, instrument panel, heater, etc. Use two of the turnbuckles from the shelter on the M925 kit to secure the M113 to the bed, and you are set.

Here is how mine turned out.



More here.

thats a really neat Gun truck. With the real thing I am guessing they would use a disabled M113? and does anyone have pics of the real thing?

Yes, they were disabled M113 hulls.

The real McCoy.


I found while researching it that the guntrucks went through many different paint schemes and details. They basically changed whenever a crew rotated on and off them. I chose to model mine after an earlier pic that did not have the armored windshield glass, gunshied, or silver rear wheels.

Thats a great model Gino.

These gun trucks are really interesting. A shinning example of ingenuity.

Love the silver rims on that pic. Looks kind of neat in a Pimp My Ride sort of way.

Here are some more actual APC Gun Trucks




Here is a link to more photos. http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/13870
The APC trucks were very top heavy and it took a really good driver to keep them on the road. The APC's were stripped out to a shell to get off all the excess weight that they could. They were held in place on the cargo bed with chains and cables. Some of the crews would use the engine compartment for storing the important things like beer and ice chest. Also the floor was completely lined with 50 cal ammo cans filled with either 50 cal or 7.62 ammo.Depending on what type of weapons were on board. The drive usually had the M 79 grenade launcher along with his M 16 or M 14 up front in the cab.
Here are some additional photos of other vehicles in Nam. http://photos.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php/cat/12306

thanks for the photos guys