Test drives beginning Friday...

[Heath_h49008]

My first M35A2 purchase is becoming a reality! I have a test drive scheduled for Fri at 1pm here in Kalamazoo, and I'm talking to some farmers who have a truck for sale out in the Saginaw area. The farmer doesn't know what kind of 6x6 it is, but they bought it years ago from a fire department who told them it was an airforce base firetruck. They had been using it as a liquid manure spreader for a hog farm until they went out of business. I have a feeling it's a 5ton. 2800gal tank would weigh about 20,000lbs, and I don't think a deuce would haul that. But we shall see.

Any advice would be great, I've been reading about the brakes, oil in the air tanks, safety wire around the fuel pump to see if it's been cranked to heck, and rust issues with the tops and doors, contamination/algae in the fuel tanks. I'm going to take a breakerbar to check fluids, a flashlight, and camera to take pictures which I will post here.

If anybody wants me to ask about parts or anything they might want, just tell me and I will try to take pictures for you when I go.

Wish me luck.

Heath

 

[91W350]

Good luck! I have five deuces here you can test drive if you like! Glen

 

[Heath_h49008]

I would take you up on that in a heartbeat if I was closer. I can't wait for the next get together around here... especially if I a have a drivable rig!

 

[91W350]

Miles and miles and miles..... what is a few miles? I hear you though, I had high hopes for a M818 at Malstrom, but the 1800 dollar recovery cost kind of deterred me a little! Somehwere, sometime, a M818 or M916 will blow by within grasp and I will snag it. Good luck in your search!

 

[Heath_h49008]

I have $3000 to buy a toy... I will find one that runs, and can be gotten to Kalamazoo Michigan for that ballpark. I'm not picky, just impatient.

I'm pretty certain one of these is a 5ton... the manure tanker... and I think I can get it for <$2000. It's in the thumb, so I'll keep on him for details if you want. You might be able to sell the hydraulics and tank for more than the shipping cost. I don't know about such things myself.

 

[RetiredNavy]

Glen, you should have bid on that 818 from Malmstrom. You and I know it was prime.

 

[Heath_h49008]

Friday, 9-30-11
Well.....

My GF and I stood in a light drizzle for over 20 minutes watching "Joe" the owner screw around and talk to an employee/son who was working.

The younger guy actually was polite and spoke with us as soon as we showed up, even though he was driving a forklift at the time. Joe looked at us and then chose to ignore our presence.

This MUST be stressed: I had spoken with Joe earlier this week, and had made an appointment to test drive a few trucks, and had $1500 on me for a deposit, in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood.

We simply left after standing in the cold for 20 minutes. I have a large number of pictures of the conditions and a few trucks. Which I will post later. I must finish a few emergency repairs to cars before running to another M35A2 dealer in Cadillac. Pics to come.


Update: Sun. 10-2-11 Just home after a six hour drive...

The dealer in Copemish, Mi was GREAT! This guy made time on a Sunday, had a truck picked out that he thought fit what I was looking for (It was, I'm buying it.) No pressure, no hassles, and was willing to answer all of my stupid questions as we walked around his trucks. She had been sitting for 6 months before he moved her this morning. At 7-8PM Dennis hit the button and she fired right up on the first turn... no buzzer... the tanks were still full pressure. Very little if any smoke.

He knows the machines, has parts on hand, and the trucks he has parted out looked better than the stuff the "American Surplus Salavage" guys "inventory!" Again, I have a ton of pictures. I'm going to try to get them all uploaded tomorrow...