Barn find, M35A3?

[fungus]

Hi folks,
Newbie here, first time Deuce owner. I've been hanging around the forums for a week or so trying to pick up information along the way.

The machine in question has what appears to be a M109A4 technician shelter on the back, although I have found no ID tags to confirm its identity.
It's got an inline 6 diesel, naturally aspirated. Vertical exhaust stack. Dual fuel filters and oil filters. It's been bored 10 over on the mains and rods, cylinders untouched. Bit of discharge through the slobber tube, I need to get a better idea of "how much is too much".
Engine serial number: 383373, overhauled in Barstow CA in '87.
Engine castings:
FIRING ORDER 153624
6 30 67
10935254

According to dash tags, it's multifuel (a list of acceptable fuels is given).
No winch is mounted, it's not a winch bumper, but the PTO and associated controls are present.
Single circuit brakes.
A dash tag was loose in the glove box, so it could have come from another vehicle. It lists this as an M35A3C, W/W. NSN: 2320-01-383-2049 ID NO: (blank) Contract No: DAAE07-93-C-R110
According to the last registration, it's a 1975 model. And as we all know, that means almost nothing!

What the heck is this thing? Some of the tags and features point me toward M35A3, some of the features point me toward M35A2.

I guess the biggest first questions for me are oil & fuel filter numbers and confirmation of whether this is truly a multifuel engine.

Thanks for helping a newbie out. I hope to share some useful information with others as I upgrade the braking system, I'm considering at minimum a dual circuit master cylinder, possibly some form of hydroboost.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Dash tags aside, the M35A3 has a very characteristic front end, with headlights on the fenders. The A3 has a Caterpillar engine (often yellow) adorned with stickers to that effect.
In the cab, an A3 will have a shift lever for an automatic transmission.

All that should help you identify an A3 vs an A2 fairly reliably.

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[fungus]

Yeah, the automatic transmission really threw me off, I thought maybe the front clip had been swapped. This is a 5-spd manual, A2 front end. The engine is dark green, no signs of any yellow in the flaking. Thanks for the hint on engine color/tags.

 

[fungus]

Also, for what it's worth, the frame number reads 0325 12378.

 

[fungus]

From Wikipedia: "The first A2 trucks received the bigger LD-465-1 naturally aspirated 478 CID multifuel engines, keeping the OD transmission of the A1s. Through the years the trucks were upgraded to LD 465-1c engines, with 60Amp alternator instead of the 25Amp generator."

Interesting, that probably narrows it down. This has the 25A generator.
I'll take a look at the transmission and see if it ID's as an OD.

 

[cattlerepairman]

If the box on the back is original, it is likely a related M35A2 variant, such as an M109A3. With these van trucks, the M35A3 related van truck would be an M109A4.

We'd love to see pics of your barn find.

Also, is there a turbo on the passenger side of the engine or is it a "skinny exhaust stack" naturally aspirated multifuel?

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[fungus]

It's naturally aspirated, skinny stack. It's odd for me that the exhaust coming from the header is so big, then the exhaust from the muffler is so small.
I'll see if I can get some pictures posted soon, lightning struck our satellite internet dish and we're struggling to get a replacement.

 

[fungus]

That tow bar means business!
Somebody put a 100A panel in the shack, the original 24V fans and such are still in there.

 

[98G]

M35A2(M109A3), multifuel. Possibly USMC.

 

[cattlerepairman]

Looking good there @fungus . Lady will want a bath and be even prettier.

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[Guyfang]

Could be Army. We had lots of them. Look at bumper numbers.

 

[SCSG-G4]

Also, for what it's worth, the frame number reads 0325 12378.

The first part of that number is what it was built as 03-25, the second part is the serial number, which started with 10,000, so your truck was the 2379'th truck of that type delivered under that contract. A decade or more ago, there was a posting that identified the codes for the first part and their meaning. Someone with a better memory or search skills will soon chime in with that information.

 

[G744]

BTW, all G742 deuce bumpers are the same, just inverted for winch duty.

The winch extensions make for the different look.

 

[ToddJK]

Seems like a good barn find to me, with a little tlc, that truck will look real nice. From what others have said, the pictures, that's definitely a multifuel. Was there a year on the data plate on the left side of the engine under the intake? Usually that plate will say the manufacturer of the engine though sometimes the ink comes off, but the date is usually stamped in. It's quite common to see these trucks repowered with a newer engine compared to the year of the truck, so it's not very common to find multifuel engines that don't have a turbo on them.

 

[Guyfang]

As soon as I looked at THIS picture, it came to me like a flashback. We had brand new PLL clerk. He was from Mexico. Didn't speak a lot of English, but was a real fine clerk. I went up that back ladder, and handed him a parts request. I was very tired, we had been up about two days. I leaned on his counter and mumbled, "What I would not give for a shot of Tequila." He walked over and said, "Look in the filing cabinet, under T." I thought he was joking, and turned to go, laughing. He said, "Hey, no man, look in the cabinet!!" So I did. Sure enough, El Toro Tequila. With the red sombrero. Every time I look at a M109 van, that's the thought that comes to mind. Thanks.

 

[NDT]

Also, for what it's worth, the frame number reads 0325 12378.

This number comes back as a 1968 M35A2 wo/winch cargo truck. Mfgr would be Kaiser Jeep. Data from the Carnac VIN info thread.

 

[98G]

Could be Army. We had lots of them. Look at bumper numbers.

Yeah, but look at the cut paperclips on the bumper.

I say "possibly", not definitively.

 

[M813rc]

To really confuse things - it could have been USMC and then Army.

The cut off paperclips on the front bumper are definitely USMC, however in the early to mid 1980s the Marines gave up their deuces to the Army in favour of all-5ton fleet (for medium tactical transport). One of the few examples of the Army getting Marine castoffs (we got a lot of stuff the other way around).

Cheers

 

[SCM35A2]

Nice find!

 

[SCSG-G4]

This number comes back as a 1968 M35A2 wo/winch cargo truck. Mfgr would be Kaiser Jeep. Data from the Carnac VIN info thread.

What did I say about a better memory and search skills! Didn't take long!