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mrhp

New member
6
0
1
Location
upper Michigan
Hi all. I am new to the site. I am in upper Michigan and would like to purchace a m35. With them in stock trim, are they legal for the road? How do you go about licensing one? What class vehicle would it be? How about insurance? I did some searching but did not find what I was looking for. Michigan has different laws than other states. I would license it in stock form and then shorten the frame and put singles on later. Or should I do the modifications and then license? I want to make sure I get it done right. I would consider one already done if close and reasonably priced. I am sure glad I found this site, and I believe it will be quite helpful. I hope I can also return the favor. Thank You!
 

mrhp

New member
6
0
1
Location
upper Michigan
I will probably shorten it. I am replacing my Willys jeep and need the truck to be more nimble offroad. The shorter the truck, the better in tight offroad conditions.Not sure how good it will be offroad and for my hunting needs, but I hope it will do good.
 

citizensoldier

Active member
3,981
17
38
Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
You can tittle and insure them easy in the state of Michigan. Some I have are insured as a 2 1/2 ton pickup truck.. My M109 is insured as a 13,000 lb Jeep.. Dont ask I got lucky.. But I plated most of them as Historic vehicles because as of now its to shows or MV recovery missions.. For a deuce this runs me 8 dollars a month.. If the truck does not have a title or SF-97 form I had to fill out a registration form and have a officer out to check the serial numbers then apply for a tittle.. I have heard they did away with the vehicle inspection but dont know for sure. I would do the mod then license it with a new weight certificate.. I know this is a vague explanation.. My hands are tired of typing and it darn cold!
Welcome aboard its good to see another UPer! Where are you at in the UP?
The one to talk to here about Michigan vehicle law is ida34.. Maybe PM him or he will chime in if he see this.
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
27,786
755
113
Location
Cincy Ohio
Probably will have a mod move it there soon anyway. Yeah, its easier to find one made, but you don't get to know the vehicle as well as you would building it.
 

citizensoldier

Active member
3,981
17
38
Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
They do good I here

mrhp said:
I will probably shorten it. I am replacing my Willys jeep and need the truck to be more nimble offroad. The shorter the truck, the better in tight offroad conditions.Not sure how good it will be offroad and for my hunting needs, but I hope it will do good.
I have chatted it up with many guys with shortened M35's. These are there comments.. Better off road, better mileage, more power and speed with big tires, and so on. l will be chopping a M35 myself for the above reasons. Plus there are tons of them around its not like a modified WWII truck that there are only 2 left in the country.. :wink: If you couple this with air steering, good tires, and a locker you have one nice trail truck that will go allot of places a full size would not think about going.
I can help you find a good truck drop me a PM.. :D
 

Recovry4x4

LLM/Member 785
Super Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
34,012
1,808
113
Location
GA Mountains
RE: They do good I here

Lane, you're not going to chop the Curtiss Wright truck are you?
 

citizensoldier

Active member
3,981
17
38
Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
RE: They do good I here

No! I know I went round and round about that truck.. I have just purchased a good fixable M135 bed along with the rims. Looks like she is destined to become a M34 gasser with 1100/20 NDTs.. Should be a nice site at shows and it is just to nice and rare to chop.. I still need a good exhaust manifold for it. DDoyle said he has one and tried to ship it to me but that has been 2 months ago! David you reading this?
I will chop a multi GL special if I can get lucky on one..
 

beaubeau

New member
622
2
0
Location
Salisbury,N.H. 03268
RE: They do good I here

Hey Citizensoldier!, I have heard about the UPERS, do they all look like U?!! LOL!! U look identical to my younger brother. I was thinking about shortening a Deuce, but I got to sell a couple to pay for My Toys! Have A Happy! Phil
 

mrhp

New member
6
0
1
Location
upper Michigan
RE: They do good I here

Hey citizensoldier, do you know of any locally. Within 200 miles or so? I am in L'Anse, the middle of nowhere. I will be putting my Willys up for sale soon, then I hope to get looking. Will probably use it a few days a week rain or shine. Thats how I use my Jeep.
 

ida34

Well-known member
4,120
33
48
Location
Dexter, MI
RE: They do good I here

Welcome to SS. Are you going to use the truck for just personal use or are you going to use it for any type of money making work?

First for the DL issue. You should not need a CDL even if you are operating commercially. A commercial operator is anyone that uses the truck to make money.

For the title issue. If you get an SF-97 take it to the local SOS office and get a regular title. If you do not have a title or sf-97 you would need to apply for a bonded title. You would also need a vin inspection by a law enforcement officer. I have not heard about the equipment inspection going away but they should only be needed if you are making a vehicle. A bonded title should only need a Vin inspection. They are done on the same form. A form tr-54 if I remember right. If the vehicle is worth under $2500 then no actual bond is needed. If it is worth over $2500 then you would need to pay extra money to get bond when you get the new title.

Lastly registration.
You have two options. One is a declared weight title. This would be your max weight of any thing you are hauling along with the weight of the vehicle. In other words, your vehicle GVWR. On a stock deuce it would be in the area of 24,000 lbs. This would allow you to use the truck for any purpose. You could also get a historical plate but this limits your use to going to parades, shows, weekend rides, etc. It kind of implies you can't haul a load since you would be using it as a truck not a collector's vehicle. The law is kind of vague so you could get away with it once in a while. If you are hauling 10,000 lbs every weekend a LEO might stop you and ticket you as violating the historical plate law.

A third option is a farm plate. You could get by with this but I don't know what the SOS wants you to show to prove you are a farm. If you are more than 150 miles from you house you would need an F endorsement. I am not sure if you would really need one as you would be less than the GVRW that requires a CDL. By getting a farm plate you are also declaring the vehicle is for commercial use on a farm so other restrictions might apply. If you think you are going this route I could check it out for you.

The last issue is shortening the deuce and taking one axle off. If you change the truck that much you would be making a new truck by law. This means that you would have to get an inspection and a state issued vin. The year would change to the year you made it or modified it. This would make it not eligible for a historical plate anymore. This is strict letter of the law. Most of the time you would be OK since most people would not know that you modified the truck. Think the cars with the body of a car on the chassis of a blazer. When you modify a truck this much it is considered a new truck built by you. Some officers in the state know the difference and will impound the vehicle until you get the paperwork straightened out. Do I think you can get by without getting a state issued vin? Probably. Is it legal? No. I have an F-350 that has a rusted out cab. I am putting a rust free cab on it. I will need to get an inspection and a new state issued vin. If I just used the title to the new cab the vin would show an F150 while the chassis is clearly an F-350. This is the kind of stuff crooks do with stolen vehicles. Why not change the vin from my old cab? It is a felony to remove or deface a vin no matter what teh reason. Even if the vehicles are not stolen and you have not criminal intent.

I know we see people selling titles with data plates from time to time. Especially with the Jeep guys. This is technically a felony. Even though our data plates come on and off with a screw driver it does not matter. Jeep guys that change a full tub technically not legal to change the data plate from one to another. The vehicle would be considered a new vehicle built from parts and would need a new vin. Boyd Coddington got in trouble because he was rebuilding vehicles and titling them as say a 1929 ford with an old title. The correct way to title it is as a 1929 replica built in 2008. Most of the time most cops will not know the difference but there are auto theft task forces that do know this stuff and when they find something like an F-150 vin attached to an F-350 they will impound it to check for stolen parts and fine you for not doing things right.

Ok. I am now getting off my soap box. Anyone is free to PM me for any clarification or questions.
 

citizensoldier

Active member
3,981
17
38
Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
Re: RE: They do good I here

beaubeau said:
Hey Citizensoldier!, I have heard about the UPERS, do they all look like U?!! LOL!! U look identical to my younger brother. I was thinking about shortening a Deuce, but I got to sell a couple to pay for My Toys! Have A Happy! Phil
I am actualy better looking than most UPers.. And am still tech a Troll under the Bridge.. Not a flatlander but a troll.. Man your bro is one good looking guy!
My lineage stems from 1st generation Finish in the UP and MN.. But I unfortunately grew up in Flint! Shot my way out of that place and headed north.. The UP was a job waste land so I staked a claim in what we call Fudgy alley.. Or second home baby boomer rich people servants... But made a good living here until the last couple years.. Now just a crazy OD troll lurking on this site all the time. :D

I do know of trucks here locally PM me I will help you.
 

goldneagle

Well-known member
4,497
989
113
Location
Slidell, LA
RE: Re: RE: They do good I here

Hey citizensoldier, your AVATAR remind me of ODDBALL (Donald Sutherland) as the Sherman Tank Commander!!! An old WW2 Movie..Kelly's Heroes
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
27,786
755
113
Location
Cincy Ohio
RE: Re: RE: They do good I here

Yup, Kelly's Heroes gets quoted here quite a bit. I'm pretty sure thats why he took that picture.
 
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