Building an xm381 style bobber

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Well... I haven't seen one of these done yet that looks like the original with the m34 style bed, so I guess I'll give it a shot.
The "victim":

Yes I'm aware an m36 is a rare truck compared to an m35 (I'm sure I'll hear about it anyway). According to the paperwork it has had 180 miles put on it since it was released from the military in 2002. The engine was rebuilt and the truck repainted in 1999. The hour meter currently reads 75 hours. It seems to run good after a little work under the fuel shut off cover. It currently doesn't stop so I had it trucked up here on a landoll.

The bed:

Yes I'm aware an m34 or m135 bed is rare compared to an m35 bed (I'm sure I'll hear about it anyway). This one is off an m135 that is in need of some work. The m135 it came from already has another restorable m135 bed on it so it can be fixed up some day. Yes it sucks to cut up a decent bed like this one but that's what the xm381 looks like it had so that's what I'm using.

The progress today:
The tires will be 11.00x20s on m34/m135 wheels. The hubs will be flipped.


The springs will be from this 1.5 ton trailer I picked up a couple weeks ago.
:
Most of the heavy lifting will be done with the m756a2 (another "rare" truck that is in no danger of being hacked up).

Feel free to post questions, comments, or general hate towards this project.opcorn:

 

[Recovry4x4]

Since you are already aware of the sins you committed, I won't comment. I guess the big question in my mind was what made you choose the 36 over any run of the mill deuces? Was it just the best truck you had? Fredo in on this venture?

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Since you are already aware of the sins you committed, I won't comment. I guess the big question in my mind was what made you choose the 36 over any run of the mill deuces? Was it just the best truck you had? Fredo in on this venture?

The m36 was chosen because it's the only m35 style deuce I've got. Winch deuces around here are 5k on the low end, if you can find one. I've got $2700 in this truck with shipping, tax, and tags included.

I'm sure someone on SS would want this truck as is but around here the only people I've had ask about a LWB truck are farmers, who only really want the 5 tons now (and they'll hack them up anyway). Fredo will be helping with this project (hopefully). And I'm gonna use his truck.

 

[Fredo Corleone]

Fredo will be helping with this project (hopefully). And I'm gonna use his truck.

Ha ha spreading the blame! I stop by to check on the progress and to make sure the fridge is full.

 

[rustystud]

I gotta get back there if a M36 is only worth $2700.00 !!!

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

If I remember right an SS member in the northeast had a pretty nice m36 with air assist for sale for about $3500. He had it listed a lot longer than an m35 would be in the same condition and price (in my opinion).

I guess the actual value is up for debate. To a few it's worth more than an m35, to most it's worth less. The one I'm hacking up actually sold for around $1650 with the buyer's premium. Shipping and taxes added a little to the cost.

 

[red]

If you were closer I'd buy the m36 bed from you (trailer project) but shipping it halfway across the country is a deal breaker

 

[11Echo]

As close I could get without the correct bed to cut down. Correct wheelbase, wheels, and tires though.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

If you were closer I'd buy the m36 bed from you (trailer project) but shipping it halfway across the country is a deal breaker

I thought about using the bed for a trailer project too, then remembered I've got enough projects and have no use for a trailer like that. Maybe an m36 owner is out there is looking for a good bed though.

As close I could get without the correct bed to cut down. Correct wheelbase, wheels, and tires though.

From some basic measurements I've taken it looks like removing section number 3 of the bed and sliding the last section forward will be in the ball park with the wheelbase listed in the spec sheet. It's hard telling from the one picture of an xm381 if that
is how it was done, but that's how I would do it and it all seems to line up.
I've got to look it all over again and take more measurements to be absolutely sure before I cut anything on the truck or bed though.

We flipped the hubs on the rear axle yesterday, very easy to do with the threads on SS covering the subject.


I guess I've got to figure out the blocks, u-bolts, and plates needed for a stock stance. I'm going to use m105 springs with the overloads.

 

[wreckerman893]

I guess I've got to figure out the blocks, u-bolts, and plates needed for a stock stance. I'm going to use m105 springs with the overloads.

If you want a great brake upgrade SS member Steve 6X6X6 does an awesome disc brake conversion. He brings his modified bobber to the GA Rally every year and it is a fantastic piece of engineering.

 

[11Echo]

I thought about using the bed for a trailer project too, then remembered I've got enough projects and have no use for a trailer like that. Maybe an m36 out there is looking for a good bed though.
From some basic measurements I've taken it looks like removing section number 3 of the bed and sliding the last section forward will be in the ball park with the wheelbase listed in the spec sheet. It's hard telling from the one picture of an xm381 if that
is how it was done, but that's how I would do it and it all seems to line up.
I've got to look it all over again and take more measurements to be absolutely sure before I cut anything on the truck or bed though.

We flipped the hubs on the rear axle yesterday, very easy to do with the threads on SS covering the subject.

View attachment 645273View attachment 645274View attachment 645275 View attachment 645272
I guess I've got to figure out the blocks, u-bolts, and plates needed for a stock stance. I'm going to use m105 springs with the overloads.

I use M35 front springs. You get perfect ride height.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

If you want a great brake upgrade SS member Steve 6X6X6 does an awesome disc brake conversion. He brings his modified bobber to the GA Rally every year and it is a fantastic piece of engineering.

Thanks for the info. The brake shoes on this truck look new to me, so I'm going to roll with stock brakes right now.

I use M35 front springs. You get perfect ride height.

Yeah I like that about the front springs, but I also like the fact that the m105 springs have overloads and sit outside the frame. I don't care for using lift blocks though. Since I've got the m105 springs I guess that's the route I'll go.


We put the bed on the truck today to get a better idea of the amount to shorten it.


The wheel well is what makes this a little more complicated than using an m35 bed. If we shorten the bed more than a certain amount in the middle we have to move the whole bed back on the frame to keep the wheel well centered. Here is a high quality MS Paint mockup of the bed shortened around 37.5" (basically 1 of the 4 sections plus 1.5 inches). The wheelbase is at 136" as indicated on the xm381 spec sheet.


I really wish I had an m35 in the yard to measure the clearance from the front of the bed to the cab. On the GMC m135s the bed is right up against the cab. Right now I've got the bed forward to the point where convoy light poles or gun ring legs will not fit without notching the front bed rail. I can't find any good info on where it sits on the Reo m34 trucks.

Can someone out there with an m35a2 let me know the space from the front of the bed rail to the back of the cab at the middle of the bed? Also a measurement of the space from the back of the bumperette to back of the bed itself (right above the bumperette, not where the tailgate sticks out) would be helpful.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

We're hoping to have the suspension all done in the next couple of days, maybe cut the frame too.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Whats the sidewall height on that bed? It looks WAY shorter than a standard M35 bed.

 

[hndrsonj]

You should put a gas motor in it....

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Whats the sidewall height on that bed? It looks WAY shorter than a standard M35 bed.

I think it's about the same. It does look short in the pics but I think that may be because it sits a bit lower than the m35 bed.

You should put a gas motor in it....

I was thinking about removing the exhaust stack to make it look a little more like the original. Of course, that won't help with the rest of the differences between the gasser and multifuel trucks. Maybe I should have started with an m34. That would be even worse than cutting up an m36 though.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

 

[rustystud]

View attachment 646381

Looking mean and green there ! I like it !

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Looking mean and green there ! I like it !

Looking short!

We pulled the axle back out today to weld the lift blocks/ "extended spring perches" to the axle. As expected we'll have to move the air tanks a bit. There might be room for one on either side of the frame, or I could move them up to the stock location for an m35. It also looks like depending on where the final cut in the frame is, we may have an issue with the pintle supports and the rear spring hangers but that's another very minor problem.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

Can anyone get me a measurement of the space between the front bed rail and the cab on an m35a2? Measuring at the middle would be fine. We cut the first part of the bed out and that measurement will help decide the second cut.