Gun Truck?... have a few questions before I mess up a good thing!

[mattwspeed]

Hey Guys, I have bought another truck and more or less bought it site unseen... I have a crew cab m35a2 that i almost have finished and came across another truck and bought it before i really had a chance to see it. It is what I can only describe as a Gun Truck? its an m35a1 thats been upgraded to an m35a2 with modern components but has a few extras.... like a mortar turret in the bed, armor plating and a 50cal mount(bed) and an M60 mount in the cab... My question is.... Should I try and part out this truck before starting another bobber project? Leave it alone and try to sell it as is? Is it worth more like this or as a regular truck? The mortar is demilled but moves and gears function perfectly.. The truck has great paint with a yellow nose, new tires and looks mean..? Any advise would be great... not really sure what I have hear cause im knew to the Green Metal fever and its hit hard! haha thanks ahead of time... here are some pics to see what im talking about cause I have probably not done a very good job of explaining the truck.

 

[tony99561]

Where did you find this truck and did a story come with it?

 

[mattwspeed]

it was a barn find by a friend, he got a price and I paid the owner. then went to see the truck.... no story other than it was parked 5 years ago until I came along and spent 6 hrs getting it to crank and moved it to my shop.... Sorry I wish I had more info for you guys..

 

[papabear]

We have GOT to meet before you do anything with that truck!! It has 523rd markings. I'll figure a way to contact you as soon as I figure out this new system.

 

[Atomic]

I would not under any circumstances part that truck out. Wait until you can find out more info on it. The gun truck guys, like Papabear above, will want to talk with you. Great buy and save.

 

[Driver523]

Another wannabe that couldn't fly----and now as with another truck some may think its real, there goes history and its gonna get worse, I have some photos of it as a wannabe but it wasn't even a good one-----Sorry

 

[papabear]

Another wannabe that couldn't fly----and now as with another truck some may think its real, there goes history and its gonna get worse, I have some photos of it as a wannabe but it wasn't even a good one-----Sorry

I'm a little confused I guess.
I thought the only "REAL" Guntruck left was Eve Of Destruction in the museum??
Aren't the rest "replica and tribute trucks"??

Maybe since Ralph is gone I will just get out of the Guntruck business and let history run it's course.

 

[Driver523]

Well---your right about only one REAL one around, so being its not a replica it must be something else and for me the tribute thing is a personal choice, the 523rd had deuces for gun trucks but it was early, before the yellow nose, and a mortar tube on a gun truck in a trans unit? that woulda been fun---ya may say primiter defence?---naw---no sense in wasting a truck for a motar when ya got as much fire power as we had on the regular gun trucks----

 

[mattwspeed]

Another wannabe that couldn't fly----and now as with another truck some may think its real, there goes history and its gonna get worse, I have some photos of it as a wannabe but it wasn't even a good one-----Sorry

Let me explain this again.... I dont care what the truck is or was! I was told its Gun Truck... Real?.... probably not and I never said it was but someone made a huge effort to make this truck look like one they used or saw or somethin like that? I was going to make it a crew cab which is not original either but gets a lot more attention than a regular deuce and is better than them rotting in a barn! If you cant say anything nice... dont say anything at all... I can part the truck out but wanted to make sure i wasnt messing up a part of history or even a copy, from what i have read A "cookie cutter" Gun Truck never really exisited any way... the trucks where added to by their crews as they saw fit and that each was different anyway! I posted this to get some info and a possible value in an attempt to conserve the truck if needed... not to have the truck criticized and put down... would love to see your photos of this truck as a wanna be!!!!!... I respect your opinion Driver but take it with a grain of salt! This post was in the "help" forum... what was helpful about your comments? Stinks that I have to be so nice on this site....

 

[Driver523]

Ok--I'll stand down---didn't mean to upset anyone I was just saying what I knew of the truck--shoulda kept my opinion to myself, after all the opinions about that malibu deuce I figured I was safe with an opinion---with this truck I only spoke of what it was, never suggested what you should do with it----sorry if I offended anyone----

 

[Cycletek]

I believe your opinion is always welcome, maybe your delivery could be toned down a bit, But this is a dialogue and we cannot all be on the same side all the time!

 

[Danger Ranger]

Driver- I think you touched a few people here the wrong way with your first post only because we know nothing about the truck, and your post was too short to get any real detail or story out of it. Real or not, it is unique now, and people want to know about it. Even if that knowledge means it should be rebuilt or taken apart.

 

[mattwspeed]

On my crew cab I did ask for opinions!... asked for help on this one... so what's the history on this truck and please share the pics. How did it find its way to a barn in GA? The bed is rough but I have one to go one it!...

 

[papabear]

Matt..I checked the GT book and that truck evidently was not a Vietnam "named" truck.
I suspect she was built by some well intentioned individual but as Driver said...she was not part of the "Herd".

Having said that, heck...I don't know what to say.

I guess you are "legal" doing whatever you want to do with her with no hard feelings from anyone.

I hope one day you can come down to Columbus, GA and see the CAMO Compound.

 

[mattwspeed]

Matt..I checked the GT book and that truck evidently was not a Vietnam "named" truck.
I suspect she was built by some well intentioned individual but as Driver said...she was not part of the "Herd".

Having said that, heck...I don't know what to say.

I guess you are "legal" doing whatever you want to do with her with no hard feelings from anyone.

I hope one day you can come down to Columbus, GA and see the CAMO Compound.

Excellent info... thank you... I figured it was a tribute truck since it was named Thunder Road which was an actual road in Nam.... still kinda hate to chop it up.. its a pretty cool looking truck and the mortar is cool... may just sell it and start with your average deuce! Someone I'm sure would appreciate what it is? What is the camo compound?... sounds cool.

 

[tony99561]

The CAMO compound is our fortress of solitude and a place where good ole american fellers hang out and have a good time share stories. And pretty much help each other and our community in any way we can.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Ive seen pics of this truck at a show before. If you wanted something neat and to make it worth something. I would clean her up, get it running and pull the mortar out of it. Now if you wanted to get creative and have a nice piece to resell. Find a quad mount and install it or maybe someone has a quad mount lying around to put in the back of it. The mortar definatly does not belong in the back.