M135 line truck

[cmpman]

There is an interesting variant of the deuce at a farmyard about 20 miles from me. It has the line truck body. When I first saw it I thought it might have been a deuce/DUKW hybrid. These were used by the line troops in Canadian service for telephone line installation and repair. It would originally have had a hydraulically operated hole auger at the back, but the fellow who owns it transferred that onto a more practical vehicle.

The data plate on the body makes me think this pattern may have been US originally. Has anybody seen a US version of this truck, or were they strictly Canadian?

Here is link to one in the Kingston museum that is complete: http://s661.beta.photobucket.com/us...euce and half Cdn Line Repair Truck?start=all

 

[hippiedude]

That should be worth trying to save ........Cool truck .............

 

[cmpman]

It won't be me saving it....the stable is already too full. The biggest downside to a specialty truck this size is that it has no cargo capacity, yet will drink fuel like there is no tomorrow.

 

[APM215]

The line body itself is probably an “off the shelf US design” and the truck is most likely one of the M207 cab and chassis that Canada had GM build for them. A quick check of the passenger side frame rail just ahead of the shock should give you the serial number for the truck. First 3 or 4 digits should be the “M” number for the truck. Cool find!

 

[cmpman]

Data plate on the dash is M135, and the truck only has single wheels. But according to a listing of vehicles in the Cdn Army, these trucks were built on both M133 and M207 chassis.

There was a data plate on the line body that made me think that it may have been a US pattern.

 

[APM215]

Didn’t see the singles.
Kingston museum is in Onario?

 

[cmpman]

Yes, I believe it is on the base in Kingston Ontario. It is the National Museum for the signal branch of the Cdn Forces.

 

[m1010plowboy]

cmpman you are the best. I would like to have that truck please. What are your thoughts about the changes that were made to it? Any chance it's worth saving?

There would need to be enough there to put the rear section back to original.

I'll send you a PM and we can chat.

 

[cmpman]

Here are a couple shots I took today of a lineup of other deuces nearby. Most are the standard M135 but there is a M211 in the yard, along with a couple of the van style trucks at the back end of the row. The white stuff on the hoods and on the ground, for those of you who are in the South, is snow. It has pretty much settled in for the year.

These were all bought by the surplus yard back in the late 80s directly from the military, and have not really moved under their own power since. They are nice in that they are unmodified. On the other hand, they need a lot of work to make them roadworthy again. It was from this batch that mine was chosen a month or so back.

 

[APM215]

I want all of them! If I had the money and a spot to put them that’s what my yard would look like.

 

[m1010plowboy]

Good to see I'm not alone in my insanity Andrew. The only difference is, I see 2 rows, one on either side of the driveway a 1/2 mile long, all in steel weather proof sheds, all of them 'serviced' and running and half of them OD.

If we're 'seeing' fleets of G749's sitting, makes a guy wonder how many more un-touched units we can find up here.

 

[APM215]

I share your dream
m1010plowboy, I would also add all the yellow iron to that list that I have a love afar with. Cat D9 cable dozer, Wabco 440 grader (Detroit powered), bucyrus erie 22B shovel, 1954 LJX Mack ect…….. I think I need to go for a cold shower now *hangs head and lets out a SIGH*

 

[Stan Leschert]

Rob, where did you find this Gold?

Let us know which one will be your next Prime Mover!

 

[cmpman]

The lineup of trucks are along the Yellowhead highway at Westbourne surplus, here in Manitoba. They were located in two yards....we moved them all into the lineup a few months ago. There are still a half dozen parts trucks in the yards, along with a M211 that had a wheel locked up so we were unable to move it.

Mine is a nice clean and low mileage M135 with about 25,000 miles on it. I just got it running last weekend after pulling the head to free up severely stuck valves. I had it out for a spin in the back 40 last night to test out the transmission and all seems good. After sitting for 25+ years, it is coming along better than I expected. Body and brakes will wait until the spring mind you.

I used to work on these as a young military mechanic back in the early 80s. The deuce was always the workhorse of the military, and the M35Cdn which replaced it made a good thing even better. Shame they are being destroyed rather than sold to the public.

Here is a shot of my truck, along with a shot of the reason I picked it up. I need it to tow this item which I restored last year. Somehow I think it will look better being towed down the highway by a deuce rather than my 3/4 ton pickup.

 

[fireball]

I think that line body might be a Kovatch Corp creation. They are located in Lehighton, PA. Back in the seventies they had a lot of military contracts to retrofit or repurpose a lot of canadian and USAF trucks. They mostly do fire trucks and fuel trucks today.

 

[Superdave]

There is one just west of Edmonton pretty complete we looked at a year ago in running condition but needs work.

 

[Superdave]

a couple more pictures

 

[cmpman]

Thanks for those pics Dave.

I wonder why they mounted the front winch so high? They used some kind of drop box to power the winch, since the input shaft would be through the radiator at that position.

On another forum I was told there were at least 11 of these trucks made. Interesting that at least 3 of them have survived....pretty amazing odds. I would have to look in my old photos, but I think I saw a rusted out one at the Elliot Brother's wrecking yard in Southern Ontario some 20 years back.

 

[Superdave]

No problem, Yes the winch is mounted high ?? But it looks like it was done with the rest of the of the body. the guy that has this one had two he purchased surplus in the day and used them for digging water wells. The other one he gave to a museum in Ontario I believe he said. A couple more pictures of the winch.

 

[cmpman]

The setup is original to the line trucks...it shows in the manual as well.

The one he sent to Ontario is likely the one in the Kingston museum.

Any chance you took a photo of the body dataplate located on the box just behind the exhaust stack?