Late Model USAF Contract M35A2C Spotters Guide

[emmado22]

All,

Here is some info I have been compiling on the later model (1986-1989) USAF M35A2C's. It has all come from my own observations, seeing trucks on the internet, talking to other USAF truck owners, and paperwork from USAF and AM General. It is not a complete work, but should help in ID'ing USAF trucks.


the 1986-1989 run of M35A2C's made under contract DAAE07-85-C-J047 By AM General were made for the USAF.
All the following trucks I have seen made under this contract has the following features from the factory: (please remember that as maintaince occurs, some items may of gotten changed out for earlier/later style parts, repainted, etc, but this is "how it left the factory looking like" list

Serial #'s start with 10XX-XXXXX
Bumper/Registraion # should be 87,88, or 89KXXXX
Doors have U.S. AIR FORCE and Registration Number
Dropside
Wooden sideboards/troopseats
LD-465-1D motor with a D turbo
Lecee-Nevile 60 amp Generator, Model 3004AD or AF model
"Tabbed" head gaskets
Airshift front axle
Hardtop
Dual brake system (look for 2 airpacks underneath and BRAKE light on center of dash)
Metal battery box
Air ride seat
BF Goodrich Silvertown Tires
Personell heater (intake on lower side of engine compartment, drivers side
No pioneer tool rack (sometimes added at unit level upon delivery)
No slave cable connection (sometimes added at unit level upon delivery)
Blue warrantee data plate on dash, stamped with date of delivery
Rustproofing sticker on bed and inside glove box
Plastic turn/brake lights
"Old style hydraulic" brake light switches
Painted OD Forest Green, X14
USAF stickers on dash/doors (flightline signals, seatbelts, etc)
Large horn button
Stone guard
Curved tear drop shaped "handles" on the frame, not bent U shaped
Pintle instructions on rear of truck

Other indicators (NOT hard and fast rules, but if these are present, it's a good sign)
GL'ed at or nearby an Air Force Base
Reflective Tape
Front mounted Pintle Hitch
Flapper valves on the exhuast were NOT factory items, but very commonly installed at the unit level. Flappers seem to be mainly a USAF thing.
Some have "push and hold" starter levers
Green vyinal seats
Small Alcohol evaporator located on firewall
Very very few had factory winches, and these serial #'s started with 1041, instead of the 1040 that the non winch trucks have.

Hope this helps, it is still a work in progress.

The pics are taken off the internet and of my truck, Kenny's and others.

If you have a Late Model M35A2C, please post your info here:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?79736-Late-Model-USAF-M35A2C-Registry

 

[oifvet]

RE: Later Miodel USAF M35A2C Spotters Guide

...and a set of golf clubs behind the seat!

(JOKING!! EASY NOW!! I'm AF. Just trying to make a crack!)

Wow! emmado22, great research! That's awesome! I'm going to start paying closer attention. Pretty interesting!

For entertainment purposes only, I did read that list to the tune of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

 

[emmado22]

More pics

 

[emmado22]

More Pics

 

[chuck500cc]

Great post. I will pay close attention to the pics at GL.

Chuck XD Fan

 

[JohnnyReb]

Thanks so much for the post! Exactly what I was hoping for!
JR

 

[DanMartin]

Wow! Great post!

Just a few differences for mine (1988 M35A2C) that I thought I would throw in:

small horn button
No front pintle hitch
No vinyl seats
No evaporator (could have gone when new engine was swapped in)
Plastic battery box
NATO slave cable (clearly installed after delivery)

I think a few of the other things went when the truck was painted, such as the door/bumper markings, reflective tape, and pintle instructions.

Other than those minor things, everything is spot-on!

 

[David_4x4]

Im gonna have to copy this. Our Vietnam Vets picked up a new M35A2C late 80s truck with most of these features. I'll see if I can snap up some pics and run it against the list above.

 

[DanMartin]

On a somewhat related note:

I'm interested in getting a snapshot and measurements of existing rear pintle instructions on the back on one of these USAF deuces (I'm trying to get a stencil made). This is painted on the rear of the vehicle right next to the pigtail on the back of these USAF deuces. If someone who owns one of these trucks with the original lettering still intact, could you get me a snapshot of those letters along with a measurement of the letter size? That would be wonderful. I'm working with Rick Larsen at MilitaryStencils.com to get custom stencil made up and for those interested in restoring their later-model USAF deuce markings we may be able to get this added to his "stock" list.

Anyways...looking for any help here.

Thanks,

 

[jwaller]

can somebody figure out and let me know how the brake light works. ie where the switch is mounted that turns it on and off? I've been wanting to add this to my trucks after smoking a few parking brake shoes.

 

[DanMartin]

They are down on the air pack(s) under the truck. One of two kinds are used...older ones tended to leak so newer style (relocated) switch is used. You could have either.

If you need to replace yours, do the upgrade to the new style. Saturn sells a kit to do this correctly with all of the pieces needed.

 

[jwaller]

They are down on the air pack(s) under the truck. One of two kinds are used...older ones tended to leak so newer style (relocated) switch is used. You could have either.

If you need to replace yours, do the upgrade to the new style. Saturn sells a kit to do this correctly with all of the pieces needed.

I'm not talking about the low air warning light or the tail light stop switch.

I mean the brake light you have between your speedo and tach; how is it wired?

isnt this thing for the parking brake?

 

[DanMartin]

Oh...yes, that is the parking brake switch. There is a switch on the handbrake handle. One wire comes in from under the floor, into the switch, then a wire out from the switch to a bolt in the floor (ground).

I can take a pic if you like...

 

[emmado22]

That light also lights up if the purportioning valve in the brake system senses a problem.

 

[DanMartin]

I would love to see a schematic diagram of that wiring...all of the wiring diagrams that I've found online don't show that circuit.

Is that in the addendum for the dual-brake system trucks?

 

[emmado22]

It's in the "split brakes" TM.

 

[jwaller]

very cool. thanks for the advise and yes if you can get a pic of it that would help me greatly.

it looks to be the very same light/switch thats in the hummers. and pretty easy to get.

 

[2deuce]

Who made the engines for these trucks? Were they all made by White or were there Hercules and Continental in them too? I was wondering if there was a way to know if it was the original engine, so you could tell if it was swapped out.
Thanks,
Greg

 

[Recovry4x4]

Split brake TM
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=1&fid=file&pid=85

 

[NDT]

Has anyone seen an Air Force truck 89XXXXX with 10XXXX serial with the A3 bed from the factory? Except for not being dropside, this would be a neat feature, clearance lamps.