Opinions on Vietnam "period" Correct restoration needed.

[jhooah]

I have been tasked (as a Virginia Military Preservation Association member) with painting a Fort Eustis Transportation Museum's M35A2 to Vietnam era colors.
Before I begin, I was wondering if we should retrofit it with some earlier parts to represent early 70's or such. Here's a description, and I would value opinions before I ask the museum for a decision on what to do with it.

1967 M35A2 turbo model
J-pipe up out the fender
Airshift front axle
Wood (or I could switch to Fiberglass) troop seats
Hardtop (as I have no top bows/canvas, this stays)
California Style Mirrors (I have a early forged bracket set I could install here for an earlier look)
No cargo bows or top available
Two bent driveshafts
No battery box

Should I remove the modular front turn signals?
Switch the rears out to round steel ones (I have plenty off old M151's)
Or keep the modular cluster units mounted.

No rush here, just lookng for what would be TOTALLY out of place (like the airshift front axle which I think came out in the 90's)
It's really hard to say "make it Vietnam Period" when you have a truck that's fitted out with so much, I wish I had my old non-turbo deuce to swap them and put a soft top on, then she could be "in theater" truck or CONUS (Continental United States)
Thanks for any opinions
V/R W. Winget
www.vmpa.us

 

[steelandcanvas]

I think the fiberglass troopseats were produced well after 'Nam.
The hardtop would be out of place for SouthEast Asia.
The elephant ears would be more accurate than the West Coast mirrors.
No big deal with the air shift axle, remove the dash valve/switch.
Forget the cargo canvas and bows, very few trucks if any had them.
Just my 2 cents, your results may vary.

 

[txdodge43man]

most pictures I have seen of M35 in Nam had the early style twin arm mirrors like the M135 and 211 trucks. I would leave the hard top on if the truck is out side if its inside I take it off as far as the exhaust goes leave it on there were a few A2 models that made it. wood troops seat are correct not fiber glass. the compsite front turn signal lights should be change to the older style and the rear ones changed to. To my knowledge the composite lights came on the m151a2 and some of the newer 5 ton trucks.

 

[maddawg308]

1967 M35A2 turbo model
J-pipe up out the fender
Airshift front axle
Wood (or I could switch to Fiberglass) troop seats
Hardtop (as I have no top bows/canvas, this stays)
California Style Mirrors (I have a early forged bracket set I could install here for an earlier look)
No cargo bows or top available
Two bent driveshafts
No battery box
Should I remove the modular front turn signals?
Switch the rears out to round steel ones (I have plenty off old M151's)
Or keep the modular cluster units mounted.

Should be:

remove the turbo, install non-turbo pipe (narrower)
sprag axle, not airshift
wood troops seats
soft top, I don't think any arctic tops survived the motor pools in sweaty Vietnam
elephant-ear mirrors
no cargo bows/top is fine, plenty of trucks in Nam without them
replace the driveshafts
steel battery box, not plastic
turn signals should be round metal ones, not composites
same for rear, separate blackout light

ALSO

box driver's seat and bench passenger's seat
vacuum wipers, not electric
take the heater out
bridge plate was yellow paint, not CARC
steel jerry can
9.00x20 NDT tires
pioneer tools with wood and metal handles, no plastic
canvas straps and cab cover, no vinyl
no ether start kit
no spin-on filters anywhere
mushroom air cleaner cover, smooth top, not ridged
no marker lights or lolly-pop lights

That about covers the conversion. Might be easier to do if you started with a M35A1.

 

[jhooah]

I have a totally different set of mirror arms available, they came of an early deuce and have forged arms bent in a "U" shape where one side attaches to the cab windshield pivot area and the other end holds the mirror. OR I could remove some of the West Coast bracing and make the simplified Elephant Ears as shown in the photo's.

I'm thinking leave the airshift controls in there, as who knows what the future of the truck may hold ultimately, and I'd hate to mess up the air shift setup...Perhaps unbolting the mount and tucking it WAY up under the dash with some zip ties would be a good clean up.

Thanks for the photos, they really help bring the point home about removing the hard top (it will be stored under cover) I was wondering if I could redo the fiberglass rails with wood, or are the parts totally different (anyone try this?)
My personal deuce has the Fibers and I hate to have passengers as they are starting to shred a little and end up as a hazard, especially 4th July when everyones wearing shorts...Ouch!
V/R Winget

 

[Recovry4x4]

Air shifts were out in 69 so no big deal. Springer seats in 70-71.

 

[jhooah]

Thanks, even easier to keep it all in place. Anyone know when the Fiberglass troops seats came out?

Kinda wish someone wanted a hard top in trade for a canvas with bows, even used would be more representative on this truck.
V/R Winget

 

[wb1895]

Does your truck have a winch???

If it does or you would be willing to let me keep my winch, I would be willing to do an even trade on my 1971 M35A2. It is a non turbo, soft top, with wood troop seats, and the old elephant ear mirrors. I Also have an original canvass cab cover, It just has a small tear that I have'nt had repaired yet. I live just south of you in NC.

If you are interested PM me and we can try to work out some details.

 

[Bob H]

I too, am painting my 69 M35A2 back to its original colors.
I would trade my hardtop for a canvas soft top setup also.
You can switch wood and fiberglass boards, everything else is the same on the seats.


wb1895,
actually not a bad offer, but the truck is "Fort Eustis Transportation Museum's M35A2 "

 

[jhooah]

Trade

Does your truck have a winch???

If it does or you would be willing to let me keep my winch, I would be willing to do an even trade on my 1971 M35A2. It is a non turbo, soft top, with wood troop seats, and the old elephant ear mirrors. I Also have an original canvass cab cover, It just has a small tear that I have'nt had repaired yet. I live just south of you in NC.

If you are interested PM me and we can try to work out some details.

As I haven't started working on anything I could always ask them. The one I picked up had a forklift come up under her and bent both driveshafts (would have to swap in yours) It's not a winch model, and they already have one with winch in early MERC (can't remember the abreviation) Camo for a latter transition piece. Certainly sounds interesting though, would you have a few photos of it you could shoot me to send to them? william.winget@jfcom.mil would be the quickest link.
V/R Winget

 

[wb1895]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLPixL96Jwg[/media]

Here is a short video that I shot several months ago when I was thinking of selling it.

Oh, and the VIC-3 system would also stay with me.

 

[jhooah]

Potential trade option

Well just like a woman...They now think it may be better to paint it up as mid 80's three color.
I'm not rulling out a trade for parts though, your Deuce is MUCH better than what they are starting with, so you would REALLY want to keep your nice winch model.
V/R W. Winget

 

[wb1895]

Well, that sounds like they dont know what they want!!!!!

If you need anything else you know where I am.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Well if you do go ahead and do Vietnam for the trans museum, this is LINEHAUL. 1st Logistics. NO TROOP SEATS!!!! Non turbo truck, No hard top. Canvas top, early mirrors, YES to composite lights if you want. I have pics of trucks taken in 1971 that had em. If you go earlier, cats eye lenses. Leave the airshift. But make sure you take off the extra grill guard!!!!! I hate it when guys leave it on! Check out my page
Rolling Line Haul Museum
Ive built them up a time or two!!!

 

[jhooah]

WILCO on the grill guard. But then again they are stillin the mulling stage. I'd really HATE to restore it to the 80's, as you (they could) can go down to DRMO and draw a nice clean one out and put it on display a LOT easier than stripping this old girl down and repainting...
Nice Web Site you have there.
I've done our M543A2 Wrecker up in Vietnam period, still have to hit unit markings and name her "Miss Virginia" when I get a shop or time....
V/R W. Winget

 

[roger-wilco-66]

I built a Vietnam deuce like that, if you want, you can have a peek into my album here:

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/members/roger-wilco-66-albums.html

The only thing I would like to change on it are the turn signals / rear lights for the old style types and correct the location of the right unit numbers on the front bumper (I must have had my brains up and locked when I painted that...). Or maybe yellow headlights (might be a problem with the LEOs over here...).

Regarding original Vietnam looks, as for stuff like wooden seat racks, whinches, VIC-1-or-not, antennas /radio equipment or old style gun rings, I wouldn't care too much as long as it is contemporary 60ies / early 70ies equipment. I've seen tons of pictures of deuces in Vietnam, and there were all sorts of field mods or original equipment on them. I even thought about adding the "poor man's" machine gun mounting on my deuce - an angled tube with the m60 cradle on top which just got mounted on the original base next to the exhaust. A perfectly contemporary field mod with reference to historical pictures.
Of course, vtdeucedriver is right, if you want a typical bare ass line hauler you need to strip it down to it's basics.

Cheers,
Mark