Military trucks have always been what dreams are made of. Built to survive a war zone, carry missiles, and mobile hospitals, all while driving over the toughest terrains imaginable and with utmost reliability. No civilian truck can even come close to the capabilities that a military truck 6x6 can provide. Unfortunately, military trucks have always been as frugal as they get with little to no creature comforts to make them bearable during day to day driving. At the same time, getting your hands on one and especially maintaining it required a ton of patience, resources, and time. Luckily, that’s no longer the case because thanks to Acela, you can now buy a virtually brand new military truck that’s also been extensively adjusted for civilian use. That means you get air conditioning, more comfortable seats, a radio, cruise control and even a few touch screens. At the same time, the truck keeps all the original hardware making it just as capable as it was in the hands of the military. But before we go into more detail on how these trucks get a revival, take a quick look if any are available here at Exotic Car Trader.
The military truck from the family of medium tactical vehicles (FMTV) have been an integral part of all battlefields since the second world war. Our military in particular had two types of these 6x6 beasts, the first type is the standard truck, and the second is that same truck but with extensive shielding. And with their recent decision to switch to the shielded trucks only, around 80,000 of the standard trucks were decommissioned and went up for sale. That’s where Acela saw an opportunity to start converting these trucks for civilian use. Acela hand picks each truck with rigorous requirements, one of which is that the base can’t have over 15,000 miles. Then, each truck undergoes thorough inspections of the chassis and the drivetrain to make sure it doesn’t have any major issues. The next part of the process includes rebuilding the drivetrain regardless of the condition which includes installing 650 new OEM components through an extensive process consisting of 1,600 individual steps. By the time Acela is done, the military truck 6x6 is essentially brand new. Acela also installs all kinds of different specialized equipment depending on the customer’s demands such as snow plows, water tanks, lifts, and campers just to name a few.
The interior is where most improvements can be found in these Acela military trucks, and that’s where they were most needed. One of the most important additions is the AC system which very few of these trucks originally included. Since most of these trucks will be driven on public roads just as much off road, Acela also includes cruise control and a backup camera making it much easier to live with. As far as luxuries go, customers can go for a wood grain steering wheel and special seat upholstering, although each Acela truck gets new cloth seats. Comfort is another major issue with military trucks and Acela solves it by installing air ride seats as found in civilian semi trucks, as well as adding extensive sound insulation. The original tire inflation system is retained and the driver can adjust the tire pressure on the go, including inflation and deflation. To top it all off, all trucks get an aftermarket touchscreen radio with Bluetooth connectivity and Android Auto. Despite all these changes, the Acela still looks like a military truck inside with tall floors and a third seat mounted on what looks like a gun turret platform. But that just adds to the cool factor.
How much an Acela conversion will differ from the original military truck depends on the additional equipment. The one we are talking about is built for flood rescue teams and gets an auxiliary lift mounted to the back which makes it easier and quicker to load those who are badly injured. But even with that, this military truck 6x6 still looks like it’s a paint job away from a war zone. The tall ride height and huge 46” tires make that obvious despite the fact that all Acela trucks are repainted into more civilian colors. And the spare tire sitting between the bed and the cabin coupled with nearly two feet of ground clearance adds to the Dakar Rally aesthetic military trucks are synonymous with. Additional light bars are found on the roof plus a 150 gallon fresh water tank for emergencies. Ultimately, the only thing this military truck 6x6 has in common with normal civilian trucks is the paint job. Everything else looks much more extreme even though it’s not that huge. With a length of 270”, it’s shorter than most box trucks.
At the heart of the military truck 6x6 is a turbo diesel engine built by Caterpillar. The huge 7.2 liter straight six makes a healthy 330 horsepower which is more sufficient for a truck of this size and not only to make it move, but to have some fun as well. Even more so when the power goes through a 7 speed Allison automatic transmission. Acela also installs a longer final drive for better highway speeds, giving this 6x6 beast an impressive top speed of 76 mph. The power goes through all six wheels with a 30:70 torque split between the front and rear wheels, although it can be manually switched to 50:50 when needed. More off road aids come from the tire inflation system which allows the driver to deflate the tires when he needs more traction, and inflate them once he’s back on the road all with the flick of a switch. And with the ability to drive through 4 feet of water, this military truck 6x6 really doesn’t lose any capabilities the original truck had, but it does add a lot to it.
How much an Acela military truck 6x6 will cost largely depends on the auxiliaries mounted over the rear wheels. Used prices can range anywhere between $60,000 and over $600,000. Those on the lower end usually have a simple bed with no tarp constructions, while most of them don’t even have a bed and come with an exposed chassis. For around $150,000 you can find them with integrated shipping containers, while for $250,000, you can get a basic but well equipped camper. On the other end, Acela trucks with luxury campers mounted on the back can easily fetch half a million.
For those who always dreamed of owning a military truck 6x6, there is no better choice buying one with an Acela badge. What you get with Acela is an essentially brand new military truck with a ton of creature comforts found in modern passenger cars and most importantly, they come with full aftermarket support regarding both parts and repairs. Lastly, if you are after an Acela truck, or any other 6x6 off roader, luxury vehicle or sports car, buying one through Exotic Car Trader is one of the safest and most convenient methods out there. Exotic Car Trader offers escrow protection, first inspection and delivery just to name a few perks, and the entire buying process can be finalized online. The same is true if you sell a car with Exotic Car Trader, only in that case you save even more of your time.
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