M35A2C circa 1968 Strange Bracket

[blisters13]

Doghead, are you kidding me??? You think 90% of these guys know what a TM is?

The TM quoted above is not available on the centralized page:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?77607-TM-s-for-the-Deuce

 

[gunboy1656]

I say give the guy some slack, at least he didn't ask about the bracket behind the exhaust like a lot do.

 

[steelandcanvas]

I say give the guy some slack, at least he didn't ask about the bracket behind the exhaust like a lot do.

Or the empty threaded hole on the bottom of the bellhousing. But still, as a minimum everybody should be familiar with the Operator's Manual.

 

[brianp454]

I picked up a pair of ¾ inch x 4 foot long straps at a local shop for $2. They were made in China, but it’s all I can find. Now I have a way to properly retain my bows when not in use. I think they retain them well enough and I think I did it the way the TM suggests. I think I'll cut about 2 feet off of them because they only need to be about 2 feet long.



On the subject of my ‘incorrect headboard” I found a pic in the Classifieds that seems to help me understand the issue. It seems my C truck with drop sides is missing a bracket that bolts onto the front side of the wooden slats in the top of the headboard. Anybody up to taking a couple better pics of your C headboard?



For the record, I like the Operators Manual with the snow bunny in the Santa outfit, now that’s a TM! The non-PC of it is classic, no way it would exist today.

 

[Woodsplinter]

Here are some pics of the brackets looking down from the top. There are two of them.

 

[brianp454]

Thank you! Now I understand that it's not that I have the wrong headboard, it's that I'm missing a bracket (or two). I had a hunch that there should be some sort of bracket like that to hold the verticals in place. I don't see much value in having two of them as there appear to be in the pics; one at the top should suffice since the slots in the forward end of the bed can control movement down there. Is this bracket unique to C version trucks with drop sides?

I may take some careful measurements and fabricate a bracket like that, or perhaps see if a local guy or surplus outfit has a couple to send me (one right and left as it looks like each bracket holds 5 verticals.

Your truck looks VERY clean!

 

[Woodsplinter]

Brian, you are correct there are a right and left bracket. The upper and lower sections are all part of one bracket. For some reason they were particular to the drop side bed.

Your headboard did not have the brackets because it probably came from a non-drop side truck.

Thanks for the compliment- the pics were taken before I painted the truck it's current color, Marine Corp. forest green circa Vietnam.

 

[clinto]

Thank you! Now I understand that it's not that I have the wrong headboard, it's that I'm missing a bracket (or two). I had a hunch that there should be some sort of bracket like that to hold the verticals in place. I don't see much value in having two of them as there appear to be in the pics; one at the top should suffice since the slots in the forward end of the bed can control movement down there. Is this bracket unique to C version trucks with drop sides?

I may take some careful measurements and fabricate a bracket like that, or perhaps see if a local guy or surplus outfit has a couple to send me (one right and left as it looks like each bracket holds 5 verticals.

Your truck looks VERY clean!

Although you're on the right track, you (probably) still have the wrong headboard.

First, here is a clearer picture of the brackets.



Ok, there is an additional difference between an A2 headboard and an A2C headboard.

The standard, non dropside headboard has a bracket, a tab if you will, that slides down into the loop that's on each end of the troop seats. It looks like this:



But that wouldn't work on a dropside-you couldn't drop the bed side(s) without removing the headboard. And the military designed the dropside to be droppable with the seats still installed, that's why the pins on each end go into the troop seats legs.

So the correct A2C headboard has a removable pin. When you want to drop, you pull the pin(s) and the troopseat(s) can disengage from the headboard.

A2C headboard:

 

[Woodsplinter]

Clinto, thanks for the info on the removable pin- my truck did not come with them and I had no idea what went there. I put some large bolts there to keep it from rattling.

 

[59apache]

http://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-10-7200-200-13.pdf

now i know what i'm missing in my life....a jerry can cleaning machine! Thats it!

 

[brianp454]

Wow thanks Woodsplinter and clinto! Yesterday I made similar brackets to what you provided pics for. It would be nice to have the correct headboard, but I doubt I'll find one anytime soon. The brackets I made hold the verticals nice and straight!

Flat patterns of the brackets:
View attachment M35A2C Vertical Mounting Bracket Long Version.PDFView attachment M35A2C Vertical Mounting Bracket Short Version.PDF

Pics of the install:

 

[Castle Bravo]

Lookin good!

 

[caliber1]

Nice job Brian. Might have to copy that.

 

[Woodsplinter]

Brian, those are very clever- good job!

Mark