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BACKGROUND INFO:
I'm anticipating a recovery in the very near future of an ex-Volunteer Fire Department M35 Cab and Chassis, along with an extra still-in-the-crate rebuilt multi-fuel engine. The VFD has replaced their 1968 AM General with an M35A3.
In the process, they pulled the A3 Bed (dropside? with troop seats & bows) so they could reuse the Brush-Fire unit from the older truck. They then GAVE the A3 Bed to a local "pack rat" who dropped the bed into one of his goat pens.
I have only seen the bed from about 250 ft away, but it looks great. I'm figuring that an appropriate CASH offer will "recover" the bed from the goat pen to go onto the Cab&Chassis Deuce that I'll be picking up.
There will be a forkfilt available near the Firehouse for lifting the engine and "misc. parts" crates onto the truck. I hope to set the bed onto the deuce first though.
QUESTIONS:
1. Other threads state the A2 bed weight at about 2000# - Does anyone have an accurate weight for an A3 Dropside bed with Troop Seats and Bows?
2. The ground conditions in the goat pen probably won't support the forklift, so I'm going to have to GRUNT-Labor-Lift the bed to the 40-42" Deuce frame height. Any suggestions on how best to do this would be helpful.
***My initial thoughts would be to lift the front end of the bed (hydraulic jack or long timber/pipe leverage) and blocking it up enough to get the deuce under that end. Then lifting the back end while either backing under the bed or using pipe as rollers, rolling the bed onto the truck frame. For the trip home, I'd strap the bed down if unable to align the bolt holes to bolt it down.*** Any thoughts?
3. Any other input on such a recovery????
Thanks in advance.
I'm anticipating a recovery in the very near future of an ex-Volunteer Fire Department M35 Cab and Chassis, along with an extra still-in-the-crate rebuilt multi-fuel engine. The VFD has replaced their 1968 AM General with an M35A3.
In the process, they pulled the A3 Bed (dropside? with troop seats & bows) so they could reuse the Brush-Fire unit from the older truck. They then GAVE the A3 Bed to a local "pack rat" who dropped the bed into one of his goat pens.
I have only seen the bed from about 250 ft away, but it looks great. I'm figuring that an appropriate CASH offer will "recover" the bed from the goat pen to go onto the Cab&Chassis Deuce that I'll be picking up.
There will be a forkfilt available near the Firehouse for lifting the engine and "misc. parts" crates onto the truck. I hope to set the bed onto the deuce first though.
QUESTIONS:
1. Other threads state the A2 bed weight at about 2000# - Does anyone have an accurate weight for an A3 Dropside bed with Troop Seats and Bows?
2. The ground conditions in the goat pen probably won't support the forklift, so I'm going to have to GRUNT-Labor-Lift the bed to the 40-42" Deuce frame height. Any suggestions on how best to do this would be helpful.
***My initial thoughts would be to lift the front end of the bed (hydraulic jack or long timber/pipe leverage) and blocking it up enough to get the deuce under that end. Then lifting the back end while either backing under the bed or using pipe as rollers, rolling the bed onto the truck frame. For the trip home, I'd strap the bed down if unable to align the bolt holes to bolt it down.*** Any thoughts?
3. Any other input on such a recovery????
Thanks in advance.