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Help Figuring out what kind of truck I have

NDT

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I agree with Jatonka, the engine is a LDS-427, making the truck a M-35A1. Those are scarce as hen's teeth. Your truck must have been surplused in the early 1970's. All M-35A1's were made into A2's when they went in for depot overhaul. Yours escaped that fate and is a unique survivor.
 

Mister Sunday

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I'm by no means an expert on these MVs, heck I'm hardly a novice. But if I could suggest putting it up for sale or trade so someone who would like to restore it to original could have that opportunity, so that then you could buy or get in the trade something you could chop up like you want to. I plan on heavily modifying an M35 also and if I gained possession of one that these guys say is rare, I would have to hold off a little while longer. But its yours, so do as you please. I won't hold it against you, But I would be really disappointed. Kinda like the way I felt when Boyd took that all original Model T Ford that he drove up on a trailer to his shop just to chop it up.
 

Firefighter1303

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Well Carnac didn't find any info, seems like NDT was right about it leaving the service in the early 70's, does any one know how I can reg. it Tennessee or where I can get a vin or title? Thanks for all of the help everyone.
 

CARNAC

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I couldn't find anything but I also looked under the straight M35 nsn provided. If it is an A1 then I would have to go back and check. Will have to do that tonight. Heading out the door in less than an hour.
 

Engine5

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Not sure what that is.......but....... if you want to leave it with me for say .......oh 10 / 15 years or so... I might find out.:razz:
Nice score. It is a good looking rig.
All I need to find is an ex FD M109. And I would be very happy.
 

NDT

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You can get a title from Broadway Title for about $375 with no prior paperwork. BUT . . . Your FD should provide you with a SF97, which is a form from the state that allows you to get a title from your local DMV. They will try get the SF97 from the State of Ten, who will tell your dept they were supposed to turn the truck in for sale by the GSA. So there you go.

Vin is either on the dash plate or stamped into the left frame rail between the front spring mount and the shock mount.
 

madsam

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HDT has a point. Be careful who you ask what in what office. Some one could say that needs to go back and you are then in possession of that property. I don't think you can get in trouble, but it could get messy. Some states let you title with a bill of sale. Or sometimes you can get a salvage title with the bills of sale from a salvage yard.
 

Firefighter1303

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Thanks E5 but this is my first MV and I would like to keep it...... Nice big red ride though,,,,,
Well HDT and madsam I really don't know what to do. I went with my EMA director and Fire Chief to look at the truck, it was in an Auction from the City of Chattanooga it was the Fire Department's reserve tanker that sat at the Chattanooga Airport for who knows how long till it went to surplus and it was sold at auction, the reason we (as a Department) bought it was for the tank as I said eariler. The only thing that we got from the City of Chatt was a half done bill of sale that listed it as a 1954 Kaiser truck with a vin of DA20089 which I have given to Carnac and he is looking also I give him the number on the frame..... Maybe....
Other wise I have no clue about when Chattanooga got the truck originally or what?
As far as a SF97 form I have not a clue, Can I get one myself or can I reg it as homebuilt or something like that? I don't know..... I would like to drive it somewhere other than in my town,,,, I dont have a problem driving it here in Decatur cause I know all of th Cops and they are not going to cite me for it. They like the truck I would like to take it to Windrock or Tellico somewhere like that I live about an hour from both.. If any one has heard of them that is./// SO if anyone has any ideas I would welcome them gladly!!!!!!!!!


O one more thing... When I start the truck it idles fine nice and smooth.... but the exhaust will almost burn your eyes, be it that it dosen't have a muffler or any thing like that just straight pipe, is it getting too much fuel or is it normal? I have put some fuel treatment in it to try to clean it out alittle along with a friend give me a gallon of A2.
 

CARNAC

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We need to get David Doyle in on this. He can id the truck and provide info on where the sn is at. The DAxxxx number is not the military issued sn from what I can tell. I found no sn series for any vehicles in the system starting with da.
 

DDoyle

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Looking at the photos I can provide you with only a few bits of information - and some questions. First, the truck is definately on a M44A1 or M45A1 chassis. If it had been built as a military fire truck (class 530B), there would be tell-tale holes in the windshield frame where spotlights would have been mounted. The passenger's side battery box would have been replaced with one much larger, holding two batteries. The later 530C would not have had the LDS-427 engine that this truck has.

Is the rear-facing PTO mounted on the transfer case, or the transmission (in which case it would be a double-ended PTO)?

I presume other people have told you to look for a VIN embossed in the area of the driver's side front wheel. I believe the VIN on this truck will be found on the passenger side of the vehicle. Whatever the location, it will be either a 6 digit number, a five digit number preceded by an M. or a 9 digit number beginning with 0. Some of these trucks also have the date stamped in the frame rail - in plain terms such as 12-13-66 or July 7 1967.

If you find a number meeting the description above, send me a PM or email. I'm dealing with some other issues at the moment and not able to participate in the forum regularly for the time being.

Best wishes,
David Doyle
 

pwrwagonfire

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HDT has a point. Be careful who you ask what in what office. Some one could say that needs to go back and you are then in possession of that property. I don't think you can get in trouble, but it could get messy. Some states let you title with a bill of sale. Or sometimes you can get a salvage title with the bills of sale from a salvage yard.

Very true. According to my boss, if the fire department gets rid of it and the FEPP (Federal Excess Property Program) people (be it forestor, fire warden, etc) come calling to do an inventory.....it isn't a HUGE deal, but it is a pain in the a@@ and kinda embarassing.

The department needs to write a letter on letterhead saying that they disposed of the property, yada yada.


Not 100% sure of the particulars....just figuired I'd pass on my limitied knowladge on how this stuff works!
 

m16ty

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Very true. According to my boss, if the fire department gets rid of it and the FEPP (Federal Excess Property Program) people (be it forestor, fire warden, etc) come calling to do an inventory.....it isn't a HUGE deal, but it is a pain in the a@@ and kinda embarassing.

The department needs to write a letter on letterhead saying that they disposed of the property, yada yada.


Not 100% sure of the particulars....just figuired I'd pass on my limitied knowladge on how this stuff works!
This is true. There was a local FD that got in two m715s from the Gov. that needed some work. They had a guy that fixed one of them up and gave him the other one for payment with no paperwork. To make a long story short, something came up and the m715 they gave to the guy was still on the books. Some people in the Dept. and the guy that had the m715 got in some hot water. I think it also came up that if a FD gets a vehicle from the Gov. (at very little cost) they are required to keep it for a certain period of time before they can despose of it.

For a title, I've been told that you can get a title in TN for a vehicle that's over 25 years old with a bill of sale. I haven't tried it personally but that's what I've been told.
 

snakeater

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Firefighter...........bring that deuce over to Jackson, tn. and we will bob the snot out of it. LOL, just finishing one of my own and the shop is never gonna be the same. If you need parts for the bob, gimme a shout. I have a guys number that i can give you that is pretty close to you that will have everything you need. Snakeater
 

m16ty

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I am of the feeling that it's your truck, you paid for it, do whatever you want with it. I would ask you to think long and hard about bobbing this truck if it turns out to be as rare as it could be though.

I'm sure somebody would trade you for a more common truck to bob if you want to go that route.
 
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