Roughwaterjohn
Member
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- Location
- San Diego, CA
My brother and I just just purchased a project M35. When I say my brother and I, what I mean is my non-mechanically inclined brother bought this truck, knowing I would be doing all the mechanical labor on it. The win for me is, once he gets bored with it, I'll buy the project from him and finish it. Works out nice for both of us. 
This will be the first truck of this kind for both of us, so we're both excited.
It's a 1953 Studebaker built M35 with a gas Reo engine. It runs and drives, but we don't know what shape the engine is in or the brakes, lighting, etc. We won't actually get it to his house until next week as the previous owner only had a single 12V battery to try and start it. We'll pick up a pair of 12 volt batteries this week and start it on 24 volt next week. Towing it home, but I'd like to be able to move it around on it's own power to park it.
Body is very nice, no rust, just a couple of minor dings in the M105 bed. The engine and drive train are complete. The wiring has been messed with a bit and a few OE switches are missing or replaced with generic aftermarket switches. I can't call the additions a 'rat's nest', as most of the OE wiring is intact, but the additions aren't done to what I would expect for a quality install.
We'll be going through the brakes and electrical, then check out the engine. Probably drop the pan and check the bearings, compression check, etc. I don't want him driving this until I feel it will do what it's supposed to do and bring him home safe every time. No rush. This isn't going to be a long term project, but I'm not trying to get it back on the road in the next three months either. A friend offered us a set of 42" tires with wheels, so we will probably go that route. Hard to keep a straight face and say we're going to keep a 'bobber' original, but that's pretty much the way the rest of the truck will look.
Here are a few pics of the truck when purchased.
This will be the first truck of this kind for both of us, so we're both excited.It's a 1953 Studebaker built M35 with a gas Reo engine. It runs and drives, but we don't know what shape the engine is in or the brakes, lighting, etc. We won't actually get it to his house until next week as the previous owner only had a single 12V battery to try and start it. We'll pick up a pair of 12 volt batteries this week and start it on 24 volt next week. Towing it home, but I'd like to be able to move it around on it's own power to park it.
Body is very nice, no rust, just a couple of minor dings in the M105 bed. The engine and drive train are complete. The wiring has been messed with a bit and a few OE switches are missing or replaced with generic aftermarket switches. I can't call the additions a 'rat's nest', as most of the OE wiring is intact, but the additions aren't done to what I would expect for a quality install.
We'll be going through the brakes and electrical, then check out the engine. Probably drop the pan and check the bearings, compression check, etc. I don't want him driving this until I feel it will do what it's supposed to do and bring him home safe every time. No rush. This isn't going to be a long term project, but I'm not trying to get it back on the road in the next three months either. A friend offered us a set of 42" tires with wheels, so we will probably go that route. Hard to keep a straight face and say we're going to keep a 'bobber' original, but that's pretty much the way the rest of the truck will look.
Here are a few pics of the truck when purchased.
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