M35 vs M36 or should I chop up a M36 to make an M35?

[tarnx]

I am on the verge of committing to this hobby. There are seven possible buys in my area. They run the gamut of $1000 parts heap to an unbelievably nice one. It looks like it has a brand new green camouflage paint job. The only one I am sure is for sale that I can afford is the M36. Unfortunately it is way too long to be safe where I live. Or I think it is. I live in the mountains and the roads are narrow and very twisty. I think this is one of the more rare models. I would rather not cut it up to get what I want. Should I go for it anyway?

 

[doghead]

What are yout needs or desires? How do you plan to use it?

What's your budget?

Without more info, how can we suggest what to do?

 

[SCSG-G4]

M36's are rare, they were made to transport rockets, hence the dropside on one side only. Sounds like you would be better off with a bobbed deuce, with only a single rear axle on twisty trails. No deuce is going to be good on narrow trails. You would need to drop back to an M37 for that.

 

[Tracer]

tarnx on both of the above posts.

 

[TaylorTradingCo]

I have a few Deuces left. I would trade you one of mine for the M36 just to see it kept from getting cut up, like they said, not too many of them out there. That being said, I have two of the few.
Derek

 

[Flyingvan911]

I wouldn't cut up a M36. They are rare. Be patient and wait the the right truck. It will be worth it.

 

[M35a2duece]

Cutting up a m36 would be allot of effort.... You'd be farther ahead buying what you want

 

[av8or]

If you do end up with M36 bed that you want to sell, let me know.

 

[porkysplace]

What are yout needs or desires? How do you plan to use it?

What's your budget?

Without more info, how can we suggest what to do?

Some of your questions may be answered in these threads.
[h=1]Moving the tandem axles.[/h]
[h=1]Removing the spacer between the bed and frame.[/h]
[h=1]Hydraulic fuses for brakes[/h]

 

[98G]

Let me rephrase some of your questions -

"I have found one of the rarer variations, worth a bit more than the standard variant. I could trade it for a standard variant, and put $$ in my pocket. Instead, should I hack it up and spend time and money to convert it to the standard variant? "

"As per above, I think the factory truck is too long to be safe on public roads (where much longer combination vehicles are operated). How can I go about moving the tandem rearward and extending the frame to make the wheelbase and the whole vehicle longer?"

"I'm looking at trucks that are designed to go 45mph, and corner at idle speed. However, they have great off road performance and lots of clearance for tires. I would like to remove the clearance in order to make the aerodynamics and handling more like a maserati."

When the questions are properly rephrased, the answers should jump out at you.

 

[tarnx]

All of you are right sort of. The road I am talking about is the main highway between Franklin and Highlands NC. Semi tractors are not allowed. There are a lot of heavy dump trucks pulling heavy machinery however. The road has a straight wall up on one side and a straight down drop on the other side. It is only about twenty foot wide total with no shoulders or even ditches. It scares the bejesus out of the tourists. They have a bad habit of running down the yellow line rather than being on their side of the road. I worry that with the rear over hang on a M36 that even with the truck in my lane in a tight inside curve the tail end might stick into the traffic going the other way. Most of my concerns are with driving one of them although a M35 is what I really want. Changing the wheel base was to make a M36 into a M35. Nah that is too much work.

Now for an interesting day. I decided to take a look at the M36. Well I could see it from the road and it was definitely not an M36. It was huge. Much bigger than a Deuce. I think it was a five ton. I went by it looking for a place to turn around. Then I spotted another one that looked like a Deuce. I checked it out on the way back. It was a restored Dodge military truck. It was nice looking and the other truck was definitely a five ton. Then I had spotted another Deuce in an RV storage location. Before I had only seen the trailer. It too had to be a five ton. It had a huge box on it. I am thinking one of them with the sides that crank out. Very nice looking truck. Then I stopped at the Whistle Stop Antique Mall. I knew that they had a Gama Goat. Well they also had two of those monster eight wheel drive trucks with two the front axles that both turn. One was a cargo truck with a hydraulic arm for loading and the other was a tanker. Them puppies are huge. I then walked around the mall. In the back in sort of a park they had an original Deuce I think a Studebaker. I think they are an M135. It seems the more you look for Deuces the more you find. I am going to have to hit the back roads. Most big farms have an equipment dump on them. I might get lucky. Thanks for you interest.

 

[98G]

I know the highway of which you speak. I picked some stuff up from Franklin last summer and drove through there with a 20+5' gooseneck with two M105A2s on board.

The 8x8s you mention are HEMTTs.

The expansible truck is an M934.

I suggest some more looking before you settle on a deuce. You may find that a 5ton or lmtv is a better fit....