M35A3 Allison 653 - has anyone done it?

[Sgt Jiggins]

A couple pics.

11Echo,

Do you have access to this transmission to take additional pics/measurements?

I'm curious on things like: hose diameters, build tag/serial data plate, overall length as shown, hopefully a pic of the heat exchanger/cooler, maybe a 'head-on' shot showing the input flange.

The military tends to overbuild things, so I'm wondering if the stock cooler is sufficient to support the 643.

A good guy following this thread has offered a 643 housing to test-fit in my truck (that presently has no transmission installed). Part of me wants to do as Rusty suggested, rebuild the 1545 as a 545, and just drive it/put it to work. But the other part of me is the guy who had a '51 M37 with disc brakes, a 318 and chromoly axle shafts. So...

Thanks,
SJ/JD

 

[11Echo]

I don't have one and have never done this swap.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I know a yard near me that has two Canadian built M35 with the Detroit Diesel "Fuel Pincher" and the Allison 643. The Detroits do not run but I do not think the trannys were touched. This could be a good starting point...all the mounts and connections are made to fit the Deuce chassis. As you know, junkyard stuff immediately turns into gold as soon as you show interest in in; he wants CDN $ 3500 apiece but will very likely yield to a more sensible offer.
I was thinking of dragging one home for parts (complete power steering!!) but went a different route.

 

[oboyjohn]

Hey there Cattlerepairman, I am guessing by your name that you are somewhere west (way west) of Toronto? I am south east of Montreal. If I had the means, I would love to get my hands on one of those deuces. I worked on them my whole career of 27 years in the reserves here in Quebec. I would get a deuce, and strip it to a bare frame and restore every nut, bolt, and washer on it to the condition that it was driven off the assembly line. No stranger to rebuilding trucks, I work at 202 workshop depot and I rebuilt 28 HLVW wreckers.

Cheers from La belle Province!

 

[cattlerepairman]

oboyjohn, not at all...just outside Ottawa!

 

[Sgt Jiggins]

I know a yard near me that has two Canadian built M35 with the Detroit Diesel "Fuel Pincher" and the Allison 643. The Detroits do not run but I do not think the trannys were touched. This could be a good starting point...all the mounts and connections are made to fit the Deuce chassis. As you know, junkyard stuff immediately turns into gold as soon as you show interest in in; he wants CDN $ 3500 apiece but will very likely yield to a more sensible offer.
I was thinking of dragging one home for parts (complete power steering!!) but went a different route.

Guess I'm not surprised the engine was swapped out too. I'd love to find a CDN donor truck out there for just this purpose, but shipping that bad boy would probably be double what I have in the M35A3 in my yard now.

I'm going to bite the bullet, get the 1545 rebuilt into a 545 and run that. I know I loose a bit of fuel economy (haha) and some braking ability. This isn't going to be a daily driver for me, so I've decided I'll just live with it.

Good luck with rescuing one of them if you decide to go that route!