I wonder if it´s possible to convert AFV Club M54A2 into M809 series truck by just modyfiing the engine hood and grille, I don´t want to spend extra money on AM cab.
Yes, the only difference is in the front hood area to make room for a larger engine, while the rest of the trucks are basically the same. The M809 is about 6 inches longer in the hood area. The front of the nose is also pointed, as opposed to flat like the M54. The wheel base (179") is the same on both
You can compare them here.
M809
M54
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Thanks Gino, very helpful. I actually started modifying the hood, its quite easy. I also found more ddifferences like the stowage boxes under the cab. Tankograd book on M809 is very helpful. I think about a USMC prime mover with single tires and the new cargo area. Is the cargo area similar to the MTVR?
No, from my understanding, the cargo bed/area is the same as an M54 or M939 series. The MTVR is totally different.
Tankograd M809 book shows an M813A1 from SFOR in 1998. The cargo area is similar to this photo.
https://topworldauto.com/cars/am-general/am-general-m813/photos.html#gp/4
Maybe it was experimental/test vehicle or something. The standard truck had a standard cargo bed and the 10 smaller tires.
A lot of times, these non-standard trucks (different bed, bigfoot wheels, double cabs, etc.) are surplus vehicles that have been changed by after market companies and are being sold as surplus, but were never used by any military in their current/new configurations.