• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

New M35 owner in TN

clob mcstrunk

Member
35
44
18
Location
Hixson Tennessee
Im Clob, I live in Chattanooga and was fortunate enough to pick up a great condition M35a2 recently.

A deuce has been on the bucket list for quite some time; I flip/strip a few cars a year and recently cleared the shop of all the half-ass projects. And of course once the shop is cleared, the best thing to do is pack it full again.

I've burned through all of the TMs a few times, printed a few off, keep one in each of the bathrooms, etc.

Truck is 1972 AMG, found it in SC, (from member sgms18,) and after dealing with the headache of three different heavy haulers, got ol girl home.

As she is preparing to enter the thunderdome:
IMG_7540.jpg
69, but of course
IMG_7542.jpg

IMG_7547.jpg

Once dad's new truck pulled in, daughter didn't want anything to do with her jeep.
IMG_7557.jpg
Truck was running strong when I got her and drove into the shop under her own power. To work on the wife's approval, first order of business was cleaning it up: pulled the seats, detailed the cushions and frames, pressure washed the interior, got the windows crystal clear, and took a knotted brush to all of the flaking paint and surface rust.

Checked the fluids, replaced belts, squeezed a few tubes of PM600 into all of the zerks that werent damaged, replaced the rest. Got new air lines and spin-on filter bases ordered up, along with starting a list of all bolt sizes needed to replaced with grade 8 bolt, you know, for the bling.

Thankfully, sgms18 had already sourced the wheel cylinders and new hoses, because the brakes were non-existent. Fronts were knocked out last weekend, took about 2 hours for the first, then only about 40 for the second...figuring out which variety of which size wrenches was a real pain, but the 3714 trips back and forth to the toolbox were probably needed.

My budd socket turned out to be 3/4" square instead of the 13/16" so I hit a bit of a wall as I went to start on the rears. While it is in transit, I was able to get three of the NDT dismounted and the stock wheels cleaned up. Trying to decide if I want to spend the $ to powdercoat them or just a multistep spraybomb job.

Short term plans are to finish the brakes and get it on the road for the first shakedown run by this Sunday. Tag was picked up last Wednesday, before everything shut down for this whole corona nonsense, so as soon as I can get her stopped, Ill be out making noise in the neighborhood. I've got some concerns that the brake lights are going to need some work, but nothing that Im stressing about.

Once I've got the chance to break it in, Ill be throwing 395s on it and letting ol girl eat for a while as is. Gauge panel and interior lights are also on the short term plans, but that is nothing too involved. Next winter (likely) plans are to fab a new bed cover, followed by some form of a paint job. I will not be bobbing it at any point.

Anywho, glad to finally be able to do a first post and self-intro. I've already found a number of folks on here to be more helpful than I could have ever asked for and look forward to getting deeper into this community. Thanks for having me
 
Last edited:

USAFSS-ColdWarrior

Chaplain
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
18,539
5,834
113
Location
San Angelo, Tom Green County, Texas USA
Welcome aboard :grin:

Find a bunk, stow your gear, and prepare to get underway :driver:

Congratulations on your new-to-you Deuce! Looks like you are well on your way to enjoying this Green Irion Addiction!

Keep us posted on your progress. Hope your wife gets to enjoy it as much as you.


John
SS Chaplain
San Angelo, Texas, USA
 

fasttruck

Well-known member
1,265
633
113
Location
Mesa, AZ
You have already discovered the key to survival in military transportation ops: get the pubs and read the reading and lubricate everything. On M35s the most troublesome drive shaft in terms of u-joint failures and loose flange bolts is the one between the transmission and the transfer case. The handbrake has 4 grease points by itself. Neglect them at your own peril.
 

Karl kostman

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,305
889
113
Location
Fargo ND
Congrats on your new Deuce it looks like a pretty clean truck! I dont know if this is your first Military truck but like was said get the TMs they will become your savior in the future! Deuces and wives, I can tell you one of the things that helps to get the female members over to our side is riding in the truck, give her ear plugs. Next after she rides will be her asking you if you can make the truck a little quieter inside (that means you are golden) and when it gets to that point post up here and we all have many things we have done to our Deuces to make hearing protection not needed and you can actually hold a conversation driving down the highway without shouting!
Congrats once again AFTER the brakes are done time to drive and start enjoying the truck!
Karl
 
Top