Mystery Deuce ?

[2manytrucks]

Hello all,
Yesterday I picked up two more m-35's from MCLB Barstow and one has me puzzled as to it's identity. It is an earlier deuce and has only one number stamped in the frame rail, "M35002". It's stamped in the same font style as the frame vin normally is. This is also not in the normal location but up by the front spring mount instead. There are no markings where the vin normally is and no grinding marks suggesting removal. There are also no markings further back where I've seen frame dates stamped on some 60's deuces. I blasted the rail to clean metal to see all this.

The data plate isn't much help either. The ID# box has "M-35002 4D5363" and the contract number box has "SCSMS APR.87 CONV" which I believe has to do with the bolt-on shelter in the bed or it's conversion from gas to diesel.

The truck's body is still all Gasser style with a good gasser cab and fenders. I think the bed is also gasser since it has no recess for the trailer plug and the rear lights are mounted outboard on the bed rather than on frame brackets.

I need to decipher this number to get a year of maunufacture for registration purposes. I searched the site with no luck. I've never had an M-35 that was older than mid-60's so I do not know much about the earlier ones. If anyone knows what I have here, please enlighten me. Thanks.

 

[Darwin T]

 

[Chief_919]

Yours is a 50's model gasser, later converted. Some of those had VIN's that started with M.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Make is Studebaker and the year is 53 or 54. M35002 is the complete VIN for your truck, not all that stuff on the data plate.

 

[73m819]

Is there a chance that M35002 IS the second M35 produced and up graded all these years, WOW what are the odds of this being the case. ??????

 

[tigger]

Its a 50's Studebaker mine is in the same place.

 

[SETOYOTA]

I believe that is the case.

 

[hndrsonj]

Is there a chance that M35002 IS the second M35 produced and up graded all these years, WOW what are the odds of this being the case. ??????

No, The 35 isn't referring to the M35 it is a number (like 35,002) My M59 is M32558. If you look there are all kinds of Stude gassers above and below both these numbers. Also they started making the M35's around mid 51 (IIRC), which this should be late 53/early 54.

 

[2manytrucks]

Thank you for all the information. Turns out you gents hit it on the head, I just wire-wheeled and found a date stamped on all the timken axles- May 14, 1953.

 

[sigo]

That's still a pretty early deuce if those axles are original. Cool it stayed in the system as long as it did. Wonder what it's been doing for 58 years in the service.

 

[armytruck63]

That's still a pretty early deuce if those axles are original. Cool it stayed in the system as long as it did. Wonder what it's been doing for 58 years in the service.

Carnac could answer at least part of that question.

 

[ranchhopper]

My 53 studebaker has M31239 for a vin it was retrofitted with a diesel and air shift TC but has later model axles.

 

[sandcobra164]

The Marines never really embraced the entire M109 concept. I've got 3 in the boneyard in Albany that were converted here and never left here. No miles at all on them since rebuild and the weather has not been kind to them. I tried a few weeks ago to slave start them, all 3 turn over but will not start as they were converted around 91 to 93 and the fuel in them must be pretty stale. The boxes have rust issues but it is neat seeing the smaller exhaust pipe. Of course, these are N/A trucks. They are probably still in the system as well. Lucky for the OP, he got a Barstow truck, the environment for storing stuff is much better out there with much less humidity creating rust. CARNAC is great for ARMY trucks, I don't think he has database access for Marine Corps trucks.

 

[Recovry4x4]

My 53 Stude is an M108. VIN M30708. Mine is also converted to multifuel by yours truely. It also has 3 original axles. Just to point out, my trucks axles are all stamped with the info, no data plates. Pics of housing and pig assy attached.

 

[runk]

Some collected early serial numbers and years (and manufacturer)-
M22008 - ?
M25420 - 1952
M26937 - ? mine (note below)
M30708 - 1953
M30798 - 1953
M31239 - 1953 (Studebaker)
M32558 - 1953 (Studebaker)
M35002 - ? O.P.'s
M42506 - 1957
M53355 - 1968

If I'd know then what I know now, I would have registered my truck with the early frame number (which was buried under about 10 layers of paint) instead of the 1970 date and numbers which were on the dash and all the paperwork (including turn in inspection and some of the maintenance records) that came with the truck when I bought it 2 years ago from GL (Red River). I have learned a lot over the last two years (mostly here on Steel Soldiers !), and can now spot a lot of the differences due to my truck's age. It has a modified frame/engine mount, gasser cab and probably bed (but modified with late ammo tie downs), and the smaller, different layout dash panel. 2 axles have 1967-1969 dates on them, but one of the axles is still a Timken with a probable date of 1951 (the tag is very hard to read). The engine and trans are dated 1989, and the transfer case is an air shift. Inside the headlight buckets are still the old style metal (Packard ?) electrical connectors. It still has an original style air governor (although it leaks and needs to be replaced).
It's interesting to be working on something and have to dig out one of the older TMs versions to figure it out (the oldest I have is the 1976 version), because it doesn't look anything like the drawings in the latest 2006 version, even though both parts do the same job. For instance, the Timken axle has different brake shoe adjusters (different bolts, lock slightly differently).