M-543 "The Ugly Duckling"

[Greasy]

A close friend (mentor) lets me store, play, operate and maintain his M-543 wrecker. The owner (my boss at the time) and I rescued her and brought her back to the yard. She was purchased from another local tow company that had given up on her (left to sit in the corner of the yard, sinking into the ground). When the girls in the front office saw what we drug home, one of the girls stated "What an Ugly Duckling!!!", needless to say the name stuck. After changing all fluids, belts, cooling hoses, and replacing the mismatched front wheels/tires (part of her problem with the other company) along with TONS of loving care and maintenance she runs like a "Swiss watch". This weekend I put the "Ugly duckling" to work at a local museum I volunteer at that happened to need several heavy steel beams and a aircraft (A-17/T-50) fuselage moved to make way for new storage containers. It felt good to put the old girl to work. I have several pictures of her the day of purchase and being used in "Off-road" recoveries if anyone would like me to post them.

 

[Ajax MD]

Wow, it's a swan now!

 

[Greasy]

I have attached several more pictures of the "Ugly Duckling" when she arrived at the shop, during her refurbishment and being used in off-road recovery. The recovery photos do not do the location justice, with the steepness of the incline climbing out of the riverbed.

 

[BKubu]

Which transmission is in your truck, the overdrive transmission or the direct drive transmission? I had an M543A2 with the direct drive transmission and that truck pulled hard all the way to max speed, which was about 46 MPH. The OD tranny will give you more top speed, assuming you can get there.

 

[Robo McDuff]

Nice truck, but I also like the airplane. You're going to restore it like the wrecker?

 

[F18hornetM]

Great looking truck. Came along way from when you brought it home. Its fun to use them doing something useful. Mine has direct drive transmission but the OD transmission data plate. What year is yours? Mine is a 1967

 

[Greasy]

Which transmission is in your truck, the overdrive transmission or the direct drive transmission? I had an M543A2 with the direct drive transmission and that truck pulled hard all the way to max speed, which was about 46 MPH. The OD tranny will give you more top speed, assuming you can get there.

The Duckling has a direct transmission, the shift pattern is a standard "H", but yes, she is wicked slow but will get you there! With her weight, I do not know if the turbo'ed multi-fuel could handle the overdrive.

 

[Greasy]

Great looking truck. Came along way from when you brought it home. Its fun to use them doing something useful. Mine has direct drive transmission but the OD transmission data plate. What year is yours? Mine is a 1967

Thank you! Her data tag is not stamped for the year, if memory serves me right, Kaiser-Jeep is the manufacturer. The only dates I have found were on the crane operators compartment stating 1968 certifications (riveted plate) along with boom certifications done 11/91 stenciled on the boom. The owner and I have countless hours welding, patching, sanding, prepping and painting her.

 

[Greasy]

Nice truck, but I also like the airplane. You're going to restore it like the wrecker?

Thank you! Currently the museum has no plans to restore the T-50 (airplane). Sadly, it is in pretty bad shape, over the years this air-frame has donated parts to keep other T-50's going. Being largely made up of wood (wings, spar, elevator, etc.) it did not hold up well over the years.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

APPLAUSE ! ! !