Steel Soldiers MV of the month 2022 - April 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. TheQuaker

2. naybrellim

3. cantwait

4. flyfishtrailer

5. Captaincarrier

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

My nostalgic gene kicked-in and my twitchin' votin' finger spasmed spontaneously!!!!

@Captaincarrier 's Jeep with that hardtop is almost the spittin' image of the first vehicle I ever drove (by myself). It belonged to a friend's dad and had a snowplow on the front. Of course, the one I recall was all original, faded paint and some rust too, not the beautiful specimen presented here.

As high school kids back in New Jersey in the '70's, Rusty and I would plow business parking lots and sidewalks on our "snow days" off school. Rusty, who was a bit older than me, would drive their Jeep J-10 pickup with the little Jeep in tow (since I didn't yet have my license). Once at the place to be plowed, he plowed the businesses' parking lots while I cleared the sidewalks with the narrow little Jeep. In the several years we did that, I "killed" only one parking meter.

Hence, when I saw that nomination I KNEW that was vote was unquestionable.

Good luck to all this month's candidates!

 

[TheQuaker]

I'll kick-off the campaign...

Here's my old girl when I found her. Looking sad and forgotten, tires sinking in the sand, lichen-covered and badly peeling paint.

Having grown up in the Lansing, Michigan area I was ecstatic when I climbed into the cab and discovered she was actually a REO built not far from where my family lived. I took that to be a sign and immediately decided she would be joining the farm motor pool.

She's an early M34/35 Deuce, built in 1952, and a great old girl who turns 70 years young this year!

She was procured by the "Navy Dept" according to the stamping on her dash plate so it would appear she was either a Navy or Marine truck originally. She was OD at birth and various shades of green since so probably not a Navy Deuce...but you never know.

She now has a 1986 D Turbo LDT under the hood. During my inspection I found the remains of the gasser exhaust bracket where it was torched off when she was converted from her original Gold Comet engine...

Amazingly, after a full mechanical inspection and fluid checks and some fresh diesel in her tank she fired right up and ran VERY well even after sitting for years since she was last run. No major leaks or other noticeable mechanical issues noted. Even her tires were OK and were all dated '03 or '04 so someone had shown the old girl some love in the previous few years before she was auctioned. She was in such good condition and all her systems were working so well that I had no concerns driving her the 200 miles back to the farm (of course with my well-stocked chase truck close behind - just in case). No drama of any kind on the recovery drive.

First order of business once she was at the farm was full filter and fluid changes all around, and a drain and clean of her fuel system. Even though she was running good and she easily made it home, I knew the fuel system was still a mess and I was not disappointed by the filters at the first change...

It is interesting that she appears to have both her original rear axles with Timken Axle tags but her front axle has a Rockwell Standard tag. The Timken and Rockwell companies merged in 1953, but the operations were not consolidated until later, so axles with Rockwell Standard tags would not be present when she was built. Neat things you come across climbing on and under a 70 year-old truck...

Other fun finds:

Original hinged mud flaps:

I personally have not seen this instrument panel setup very often with the speedo and tach placed on each side like this:

Her tail light and rear reflector groups are mounted outboard like on 5-tons. Most Deuces I have seen have the tail lights inboard near the bumperettes and reflectors up on the rear panel under the tailgate. No sign they were ever mounted anywhere else but where they are now. Something else unique to her:

 

[TheQuaker]

Now that I covered the finding and recovery part of my Deuce's story here are a few more "as found" pictures of my girl...

Lots of dirt, sand, grime, lichens, peeling paint, surface rust, missing parts and almost 70 years of use and abuse.

No wipers. She had been converted to electric wipers at some point but the vast majority of the kit had been removed so no air wiper components were left either. Needed to make sure I had good weather for the recovery drive.

The drivers' seat cushion was the only cushion either present or in semi-salvageable condition.

She was a radio truck and a speaker, handset and a couple of cables were left in the cab. She also had a pair of the large-diameter stainless U-bolts mounted on the back of the cab from either an antenna mount or a convoy beacon mount. No extra switches left mounted on the dash so not sure on the beacon. I found several splitters and hanging and unconnected hot wires under the dash so anything could be possible.

The cargo cover was a lost cause and the cab soft-top was also a basket case. The cab top did not have any holes and did not really leak, surprisingly, but the front was falling apart and I needed to use two tubes of silicone caulk on it to seal it down and hold it for the drive to the farm.

Engine/trans/hubs were all dusty with the years of accumulated crap but there were no major leaks or major areas of concern. Belts looked brand new and the coolant looked like it was just freshly filled and never circulated. The radiator looked like a recent replacement as well. Even the tires still had air in them and had not gone flat as they initially appeared but had just sank in the soft ground. Brakes were low, of course from years of sitting, but they bled easily and pumped right up with some additional fresh DOT5. The compressor worked great from the get-go and she built and held air with no leaks.

I was very surprised and happy with how good she was mechanically. It was a great start with a good, solid old truck. Just needed some attention, a little TLC and a lot of elbow grease.

 

[TheQuaker]

She has come a long way in a short time.

Here are some additional things that I accomplished back in 2020/2021 on my old girl...with some before and after pics.

Remote brake reservoir - installed before the recovery drive to the farm:

Bed is solid but had a lot of normal surface rust from good use over the years. Prep, red oxide primer and some coats of black low-gloss enamel (just painted in the pic so looks very glossy). Very durable combination:

I picked up a hardtop in pretty good shape as well when I bought her to replace the worn-out soft top. Disassembled it, prepped it, knocked out a couple of the bigger dents, primed, painted and reassembled on the truck with new gaskets:

Typical Deuce J-pipe rust-out at the elbow. Replaced:

The air shift switch housing cracked and the whole assembly needed a refurb. So I replaced the switch, the unreadable plate and installed an amber lens that can be easily seen in full sun:

Alcohol air dryer plumbed in above the spare location as she is a Michigan girl and needs to be drivable in below freezing temps (Pioneer tool rack was removed):

Lollipop front amber/rear red lights were added as turn signals and for better visibility to other drivers to the sides and rear. I converted the original marker lights to be constant-on parking lamps along with the headlights. I also added side marker lights at the same time as the lollipops:

I sourced a combination of NOS and new-production seat covers. I found some NOS driver and passenger backrest cushions to replace the missing driver and ratty passenger bench seatbacks:

Spin-on conversions done for fuel and oil:

And, obviously, lots of time addressing the peeling paint and surface rust, prep, primer and coats of 23070 semi-gloss. It was her original color when she left the REO plant just a few miles away from where she resides now. I added a little contrast by painting her grille and tow hooks black. Still a work in-process:

 

[Guyfang]

Man. This is a tough one. But ................... No but's. I have changed my mind so often, man. OK, Cantwait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a sucker for the drop side.

 

[Mullaney]

She has come a long way in a short time.

Here are some additional things that I accomplished back in 2020/2021 on my old girl...with some before and after pics.

Remote brake reservoir - installed before the recovery drive to the farm:

Bed is solid but had a lot of normal surface rust from good use over the years. Prep, red oxide primer and some coats of black low-gloss enamel (just painted in the pic so looks very glossy). Very durable combination:

I picked up a hardtop in pretty good shape as well when I bought her to replace the worn-out soft top. Disassembled it, prepped it, knocked out a couple of the bigger dents, primed, painted and reassembled on the truck with new gaskets:

Typical Deuce J-pipe rust-out at the elbow. Replaced:

The air shift switch housing cracked and the whole assembly needed a refurb. So I replaced the switch, the unreadable plate and installed an amber lens that can be easily seen in full sun:

Alcohol air dryer plumbed in above the spare location as she is a Michigan girl and needs to be drivable in below freezing temps (Pioneer tool rack was removed):

Lollipop front amber/rear red lights were added as turn signals and for better visibility to other drivers to the sides and rear. I converted the original marker lights to be constant-on parking lamps along with the headlights. I also added side marker lights at the same time as the lollipops:

I sourced a combination of NOS and new-production seat covers. I found some NOS driver and passenger backrest cushions to replace the missing driver and ratty passenger bench seatbacks:

Spin-on conversions done for fuel and oil:

And, obviously, lots of time addressing the peeling paint and surface rust, prep, primer and coats of 23070 semi-gloss. It was her original color when she left the REO plant just a few miles away from where she resides now. I added a little contrast by painting her grille and tow hooks black. Still a work in-process:

.
She is gorgeous!
Lots of work definitely went in to what you have today.

 

[TheQuaker]

.
She is gorgeous!
Lots of work definitely went in to what you have today.

Thank you very much, @Mullaney ! I really appreciate it.

Yes. It has taken sweat, some blood donations, a lot of time, more money than I want to even think about but ZERO regrets or hesitation with any of it.

Here's a couple more recent Deuce porn pics (post-G177 tire swap) for your viewing pleasure:

 

[Mullaney]

Thank you very much, @Mullaney ! I really appreciate it.

Yes. It has taken sweat, some blood donations, a lot of time, more money than I want to even think about but ZERO regrets or hesitation with any of it.

Here's a couple more recent Deuce porn pics (post-G177 tire swap) for your viewing pleasure:

View attachment 865215View attachment 865216
View attachment 865217

.
Mighty Fine!!

 

[Tracer]

She has come a long way in a short time.

Here are some additional things that I accomplished back in 2020/2021 on my old girl...with some before and after pics.

Remote brake reservoir - installed before the recovery drive to the farm:

Bed is solid but had a lot of normal surface rust from good use over the years. Prep, red oxide primer and some coats of black low-gloss enamel (just painted in the pic so looks very glossy). Very durable combination:

I picked up a hardtop in pretty good shape as well when I bought her to replace the worn-out soft top. Disassembled it, prepped it, knocked out a couple of the bigger dents, primed, painted and reassembled on the truck with new gaskets:

Typical Deuce J-pipe rust-out at the elbow. Replaced:

The air shift switch housing cracked and the whole assembly needed a refurb. So I replaced the switch, the unreadable plate and installed an amber lens that can be easily seen in full sun:

Alcohol air dryer plumbed in above the spare location as she is a Michigan girl and needs to be drivable in below freezing temps (Pioneer tool rack was removed):

Lollipop front amber/rear red lights were added as turn signals and for better visibility to other drivers to the sides and rear. I converted the original marker lights to be constant-on parking lamps along with the headlights. I also added side marker lights at the same time as the lollipops:

I sourced a combination of NOS and new-production seat covers. I found some NOS driver and passenger backrest cushions to replace the missing driver and ratty passenger bench seatbacks:

Spin-on conversions done for fuel and oil:

And, obviously, lots of time addressing the peeling paint and surface rust, prep, primer and coats of 23070 semi-gloss. It was her original color when she left the REO plant just a few miles away from where she resides now. I added a little contrast by painting her grille and tow hooks black. Still a work in-process:

Great looking truck Quaker. Love the early style hinged mud flaps. I have a 1971 M35A2, and I know how much work it takes to get one where yours is.

 

[SCM35A2]

Voted, best of luck to you all!!

 

[papabear]

Wow...just 32 votes from 100,794 members????

 

[Guyfang]

Well, I guess I could vote again.

 

[18operator]

TheQuaker... Very nice truck, you did a fine job. She looks awesome. Thank you for saving her!

 

[TheQuaker]

TheQuaker... Very nice truck, you did a fine job. She looks awesome. Thank you for saving her!

Thank you!

 

[TheQuaker]

A few more updates on my old girl...

New rubber pedals:

GPS speedometer (needed after installing the G117's) and a pyrometer (I turned up the fuel just a couple of flats - made a nice difference):

Rebuilt the original, rotted out wood headache rack with fiberglass boards:

Built front "1/4 Side' fiberglass sections:

Modified the pioneer tool rack to store wheel chocks to free up space in the toolbox and for quick access: to them:

Replaced the old, improperly functioning passenger seat belt:

New tail light lenses and rear reflectors:

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

HARK ! ! !
Have we another TIE ? ? ?

 

[Guyfang]

Comeback of the year!!

 

[patracy]

I've opened this one up again. I haven't voted. But I'll let people vote until tomorrow to see if we break the tie.

 

[TheQuaker]

Don't forget to vote for the REO!!!!