Hello from North Carolina

[CBR Metalworks]

I was at the beach this past week and was telling my wife I would like to have a deuce, specifically mentioned that I might would buy one sometime in the future when I ran across a nice one. Yea, I shouldn't have even thought about all that.... So I called a friend that has a deuce to see if he thought I was crazy for wanting to buy one too and what do you know, he's gonna sell his. Problem was he hadn't even listed it for sale yet, and already has had a couple people come to look at it, one guy drove it and 3rd gear came out of it while he was driving so it will need transmission work. So anyways, stopped on the way home from the beach to look at it and ended up bringing the M105 trailer he had and 46" XML's on 5 ton beadlocks home with me. His friend should be bringing the deuce on a lowboy tomorrow. It is a 1968 M36A2 (long wheelbase, 17' bed), has air actuated frontend, recently painted tan, Hercules Multifuel, 4spd transmission. I will be recentering the 5-ton beadlocks and running the 46" XML's, and I am THINKING of doing a Crew Cab conversion as well. I had thought about bobbing it but since the M36's are rare I don't really want to chop the frame, but the bed that is on the truck has been hacked up by a previous owner so I figure I may try and find a ~14' bed and do a crew cab conversion. Plus, I want to keep the bed long enough to haul my off-road truck (a regular cab Tacoma). Here are some pics of the trailer and tires.

 

[daddy2]

You can always make a camper out of the long bed. It should only take 2-3 years and half of your sanity. If not thats ok just don't chop it.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

don't chop the cab up or the frame? I am not going to cut the frame at all, but the sides have already been cut off the bed so that's already worthless.

 

[w3azel]

Im not a truest so I say do whatever you'll enjoy driving. I'm thinking of doing a crew cab too over the next week or two.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

A crew cab with a normal deuce bed would look good on that LWB truck.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

Oh jeez what have I gotten myself in to???? (why does the 'enter' button not work on this site???) The Deuce has arrived, I drove it the last 1/4 mile after unloading it in first gear, transmission is horrible sounding. I found a transmission a couple hours away for $400 so I will probably just put a 5 speed in it (my buddy I bought it from is a dummy, it already has a 5 speed in it, not sure why he thought it was a 4 speed...). I think I am going to go ahead and pull the master cylinder and Air Pac out to rebuild them both, it has ZERO brakes and he has already spent a lot of time trying to bleed them, so I figure I won't waste anymore brake fluid. The engine is 134hp and was installed in 1991 (based on the tag on the engine). The truck needs a lot of work, but the first priority is brakes/transmission, then I will recenter the 5-ton beadlocks and install the 46's, drive it awhile, then eventually crew cab it with a shorter bed.

 

[Scarecrow1]

Good luck with your project and welcome to the club...........

 

[wheelspinner]

Good luck with the project from a soon-to-be NC neighbor. He may have not understood the "odd" shift pattern? What are your plans for the bed once you remove it?

 

[porkysplace]

Wlcome , when you start on the brakes build yourself a power bleeder , here is a link on how to do it . Deuce Power Bleeder R4x4 Style

The military uses DOT 5 break fluid , you need to determine what is in it . If it has been mixed with any other brake fluid it could be part of the problems .

 

[Smokinyoda]

Welcome aboard, sounds like you've got a great plan!

 

[215Dave]

Welcome aboard! Take LOTS of pics during your build, we'd love to see 'em

 

[Cleveland Iron]

Crew cab on a long wheelbase sounds great. What you put behind it is up to you. If you are swapping out the tranny, peashooter is selling a nice tranny mod that will allow you to add backup lights to the rig. Just remember, by admitting you have such plans, you are duty-bound to post lots of pictures to show us what you are doing to the rig. ( Not to mention a picture on the valet's face when you drop it off for that log-awaited celebration of finishing the project...)

 

[FrankUSMC]

Welcome from Newport, NC.
On the problem you are having with the ENTER button, if you are trying to start a new paragraph, click on the two little "A"s in the bar (that shows the font and stuff) above this when you post again. I went crazy for months till some one posted that for me.
Take care.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET.

 

[michigandon]

Welcome from Wake Forest!

 

[tigger]

Your a cuple hours east of me. You need to go to the GA Rally in OCT.

 

[DeucesWild11]

How did you make out with the transmission? Also curious on how NC is for an MV friendly state? Thinking of moving down there some time in the future.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

How did you make out with the transmission? Also curious on how NC is for an MV friendly state? Thinking of moving down there some time in the future.

I bought one a few hours away for about $180-$200 I think. I tore it apart, cleaned it, replaced all the seals on it before installing it in the truck. The transmission I bought had the PTO box on the side which I sold for $125 I think, so got out pretty cheap. Changed it out by myself with an engine hoist in a gravel driveway, which was not much fun!

NC is MV friendly, you can always go the route I did and convert them to an 'RV', but you can get historic tags for trucks 30 or 35 years old I think.