Steel Soldiers MV of the month 2021 - August VOTE HERE!

[patracy]

Welcome to the MV of the month poll sponsored by Consolidated Press. If you need decals, magnets, stencils, or anything printing related, please give them a call!




Now, onto the vote! Please vote for MV of the month! Feel free to campaign in this thread, but please keep it here and not via PM.

1. kendelrio

2. pmramsey

3. muthkw25

4. Tracer

5. m715mike

 

[kendelrio]

Here she is in her glory.... I humbly submit Big Berthas story...

I picked her up February 13, 2021 from a field where she had sat for 3 years.

The first item of business was getting her and the trailer home, which consisted of new batteries, airing all the tires up and whacking some brakes with a sledge...

Then the trip home, where we stopped about every 50 miles to look, smell, feel to ensure everything that was supposed to be moving was and everything that wasn't... wasn't.

After getting her home... time for a bath...

Then it was time for the seats to have a little attention... my girlfriend was awesome enough to re-cover them for me...

The next major up grade was the backup camera, overhead console w/Bluetooth speaker, power port and dome light...

Finally, a few weeks ago we decided to give her a deep clean and paint...

And today I went ahead and tinted the windows...

Tomorrow I will be building and routing new battey cables so I can permanently mount the battery shut off.

I've also gotten the NOS chain fall, utility chain and tire tool for changing the tires.


Here she is 6 months from the day I picked her up:

 

[kendelrio]

Today I spent several hours permanently mounting my battery disconnect.

 

[Tracer]

Pickup day March 2007 at Victorville California.

 

[Tracer]

When your driving long distance you want to be as comfortable as possible. The original steering wheel had cracks so I installed a new one, along with a new horn button.

My CO found the original passenger bench seat to be unacceptable. So I was under orders to improve passenger seat comfort. So I installed a driver side spring seat with new cushions on the passenger side, along with a new shock absorber (Monroe 66104). I also put one on the driver seat.

To help eliminate drafts, I installed canvas shift boots on the transmission and transfer case shifters.

I found that driving at night with a flashlight in my teeth, map in my right hand, steering wheel in my left hand wasn't really safe. So I purchased this APC light from CARNAC when he was out West a couple years ago. With four 7/8 clamps you can mount the light on your soft top rails behind your head. Then wire it in to your electrical and your good to go. The light is bright so I wired in a dimmer switch so I can fine tune the light.

You have to have a cup holder with you when your on the road. This is one of the Harbor Freight cup holders, it was red and I gave it a shot of o/d.

These cup holders come with magnets on the back side. Trouble is, in the cab I couldn't find a spot to hang the cup holder where it wasn't in the way. I looked at the top of the transfer case tunnel and it was nice and flat. So I installed a 3" round flat magnet on the bottom of the cup holder and problem solved.

Most of our driving is long distance, MV Shows, Parades, Veterans Fund Raisers and so on. So we like to have a little comfort in a truck that isn't known for comfort. When we purchased this truck is showed about 28,000 miles on the odometer. Fourteen years later the odometer shows 63,359 miles. So the old girl gets driven, and with Monroe Gas Shocks up front she's not a bad ride. The CO is Happy.

 

[kendelrio]

Taking Bertha exploring

And of course warnings had to be posted...

 

[german m1008]

....... the sticker is great

 

[Tracer]

Some people mistake the M35A2C for an M54A2 due to the 5 Ton air filter. I originally installed the 5 Ton air filter with the idea of installing an LDS 465 engine. I have an LDS engine lined up so that will happen. Right now the LDT engine is still purring along, so until it gives up, it'll stay under the hood. Here are some pictures of how to make the necessary modifications to make this work. Either the M54A2 or M52A2 air filter, and air intake pipe will work.

Mount just the air cannister on the fender, and do a clearance check between the canister and engine side panel. I used a 5 Ton side panel as a template to locate and cut the hole for the intake pipe in the M35 side panel. Cutting the hole was the hardest thing to do on the whole operation. Under the hood you will need to make some modifications to the intake pipe. Here are some pictures of the mods to the intake pipe, I found having a carbide cutter and welder will allow you to do the whole operation yourself.

Before I drilled any holes, I put everything together as a loose fit to make sure everything was going to go together as planed. The rubber boot between the intake pipe is Part # 11677095 that usually goes between the turbo intake pipe and air cleaner on the stock configuration, you'll have to shorten it a little. With some hi temp RTV applied, I installed a piece of high temp hose over the end of the turbocharger, then slide # 11677095 over the top. Once everything looks like it's good to go, start lining up your holes to be drilled in the front fender for the filter cannister, and the engine panel for the air pipe. I have close to 10,000 miles on this modification with no problems.

 

[pmramsey]

I purchased this M35A3 in July 2008 at auction in Richmond, VA. Its entire previous life since a 1993 production had been spent in and around Blackstone, Virginia. For the next six years after acquisition , this truck looked the same with little or no changes. The one significant change was to remove the 15-40 motor oil from the transmission ; its replacement came in the form of Dextron III. About five years on, the fuel solenoid fell off line, and finally, after 24-years, the beautiful grey Hawker NATO batteries finally pooped out. in 2017. This truck worked 3-4 or more days a week year in and year out. The next post will detail the late 2014 maintenance refurbishing observed in the photo above.

The attached video is a typical day in its civilian life before restoration.

 

[SCM35A2]

Voted, best of luck to you all!

 

[Tracer]

My toughest challenge on building my M35A2 was installing the winch. I purchased this winch from a person in Ohio that was parting out an M35 that was badly rusted. The winch was blow torched off at the ends of the frame, and arrived with the bumper as a complete unit. Like the rest of the truck, the extensions, supports, and bumper had heavy rust everywhere. It took the better part of a week, a full can of PB Blaster, and a sledge hammer and a punch to get everything disassembled. Then off to the sand blaster to get everything cleaned up. Then once back home I gave everything a coat of rust proof primer. I got the PTO and Winch rebuilt, and the drive shaft they sent was brand new.....imagine that. I apologize for not having taken some pictures of the winch assembly as it looked when it arrived from Ohio.

Next Page.

 

[Tracer]

A couple months after installing the winch I installed the cable, I thought winding the cable on would be a nightmare, but I followed the TM and it went smoothly.

 

[Tracer]

Parades are always fun. Especially 4th of July Parades.

These pictures are of the Huntington Beach 4th of July Parade taken over several years.

 

[Mullaney]

Parades are always fun. Especially 4th of July Parades. View attachment 843207 View attachment 843201 View attachment 843203 View attachment 843204 View attachment 843205 View attachment 843206 These pictures are of the Huntington Beach 4th of July Parade taken over several years.

.
Really NICE looking truck - and showing your truck in the parades and supporting the American Legion members!

 

[Tracer]

Thanks Tim. Here in Hawthorne NV. We support American Legion Post 19.

 

[Tracer]

I made up this Front Tow Bar mount using axle clamps. I came up with this type of Tow Bar mount due to lower back and neck surgery I have had over the last decade. I used to keep the Tow bar stored in the truck bed. What I found out was, when removing or replacing the tow bar in or out of the bed, it caused me pain and fear of hurting my back again. I had a couple of Tow Bar mounts laying around and it dawned on me that I might be able to use them in a way that I could mount my Tow bar up front where it's going to be mounted and used. So, I played with things and found that I could install the axle clamps on the front of the truck, without modification to any of the parts. I also keep the Tow Bar feet stored in the truck tool box so everything is up front. Also you can still use the winch by swinging it up and out of the way. This modification will also work on trucks WO/W.

 

[kendelrio]

Tracer has done an AMAZING job on his truck! Sincerely. That is dedication!

Sadly I don't have pictures of me in my 5 ton delivering food and puppies to an orphanage that was snow bound... I was too modest to have them taken...

 

[marchplumber]

Next snow storm in Louisiana, I'm sure she'll get the job done with video and still photography!! LMBO!!

 

[Tracer]

Sometimes on a holiday, we hop in the M35, hook up the M105 trailer with the S-250 shelter and head someplace for a couple of days. Here we are at Walker Lake about a 15mi. drive from home to spend the weekend with family. Guyfang did a great job helping with the interior of the S-250 Shelter. When we picked the shelter up in Yermo California, it was a box with a door. Guy used to live in these shelters in his Army days so he had some good ideas on how to turn one into a comfy camper. The CO is happy!

 

[Aussie Bloke]

G'day everyone,....


What a fantastic job you have done with your M35 Tracer.

I especially like the way you have mounted the tow bar.

I also take it the flow rate of the 5 ton air filter is better than the original (410 CFM) filter?

To be honest the only thing I would do now would be to add the fording air intake

to raise the intake higher.

Did the change make any noticeable improvement?



Aussie.