Heath's M35A2... the beginning

[Heath_h49008]

Dennis lives up to his word. "No problem, just give me some lead time when you need it."

The two best decisions I have made with this truck were associating myself with this site and you guys for advice, and waiting to buy the truck from someone I trusted like Dennis.

I don't know how exactly, but I will find a way to thank everyone properly. It means more than I can express. And certainly more than I can properly repay.

For those who are lurking on this site and looking for a truck, read this and call Dennis first. It's worth the trip to deal with him. Trust me.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/salvage-yard-info/76146-unlisted-mv-yard-michigan.html

 

[gungearz]

Indeed heath... Lives up to every word he says. I will always do business with Dennis when it comes to buying my deuces.... He is a great man and I still speak highly of him almost a year later. Matter in fact, I talked to him for about a half hour on the phone last week just to say..."what's up"...

 

[Heath_h49008]

Maybe next summer we should convoy up to see him. Or drag him to the biggest SS rally we can find with our trucks loaded full of his wares... let him see his trucks and introduce him to people. (Most of the Michigan folks seem to know him already)

I don't know... I'll figure out something. At this point I'm just trying to spread the word about his business.

I'll at least be buying a bunch more of his stuff in a few months. (Tires for sure)

 

[gungearz]

Maybe next summer we should convoy up to see him. Or drag him to the biggest SS rally we can find with our trucks loaded full of his wares... let him see his trucks and introduce him to people. (Most of the Michigan folks seem to know him already)

I don't know... I'll figure out something. At this point I'm just trying to spread the word about his business.

I'll at least be buying a bunch more of his stuff in a few months. (Tires for sure)

Dennis has an offroad park by him like haspin but its more like a rustic dirt wooded area. $10 a day and MV's are allowed. I think I would be able to pull a weekend convoy off up to Twisted Trails Offroad Park in the near future.

 

[gungearz]

I don't know how Dennis would take it if we threw a rally at his pad though...

 

[Heath_h49008]

True... But I think he might like some help hauling a bunch of parts to a big rally to turn a profit some weekend.

I might try to make a list of common parts by photo, nsn & part number and new and used price for most of the common M35A2 parts I know he has. It would give him a leg up on his parts sales. (I'm an ASE Parts tech)

 

[gungearz]

are you going to the haspin rally...? I was going to try to get a hold of him for also the same for the haspin rally but the only thing is.... He's 280 miles north of me. I remember coming back from his place right after I bought the deuce, we ran out of fuel. I did top it off before I left but only eye balled it to the line on the fuel tank and a faulty fuel gauge... So I may have had a usable 25 gallons. It would cost a couple hundred in fuel round trip alone. That's why I haven't really enforced it yet. I would like to set up a rally at twisted trails in copemish next year sometime but we would have to camp at a local camp ground. So I guess we just got to see how this will go...

 

[Heath_h49008]

If you're in the mood to throw a rally, there's also Silver Lake dunes on Lake Michigan. Half the drive, double the bikinis.

 

[gungearz]

Nice... Guees the wife will have to sit this one out. Plus, unless were singled out. Our trucks will sink in the sand. I got some 11x20's if you want tires. I wanted to single my truck out but at the same time, reality hit me. Trying to wrestle a 200lb tire 5' in the air, getting a flat needs immediate attention, prices for replacements and just the overall pain in the butt for them stops me. 11x20's are the biggest you can go leaving it in the 10 tire configuration.... Plus they give you 3 to 4" of height. We can setup a rally if you want...

 

[Heath_h49008]

Got the Solargizer... still waiting for time and money to pick up my 1100s and new transmission.

Also picked up a gallon of the light grey paint for my camo job. Looks like it will have to wait until spring to get her blasted and painted.

My life is a circle of work and school for the foreseeable future.

Thanks gungearz for the 1100s... My 9.00x20s are just too cracked up to be trusted at this point. One steer-tire blowout on the highway is all it took for me to learn my lesson.

 

[Heath_h49008]

I have the Camo scheme and colors!

The scheme is Swedish M90... and the colors are light grey, dark grey and spruce green.

This is the closest I can come to finding a picture of something in the neighborhood:

 

[uriss]

Congrats Heath! Good Deal! Good of you to take in the K-9 too. With my five rotties I also have ten Katrina mutts that were going to be put down. Wasn't theiir fault so I took em in. So I know what ya mean about animal people. My offer still stands, if you roll this way during the winter, I'll take ya out on some trails out back in the swamps.

 

[Rambling Wreck]

I have the Camo scheme and colors!

The scheme is Swedish M90... and the colors are light grey, dark grey and spruce green.

This is the closest I can come to finding a picture of something in the neighborhood:

Heath, I think that camo scheme will look great! Nice choice

 

[Heath_h49008]

Ok.. minor updates. Solargizer installed and doing well.

Wiring harness issues are getting annoying. I'm going to give it another few weeks to source a few cannon-plugs and pigtails before I just use modern weatherpack connectors and call it good. I'll solder on wires directly to the flasher or wire in a Grote 24v 3 wire unit and be done with it.

New Speedometer showed up with a gauge face that is half clouded... I'll give it a week in a nice warm place and see if the desiccant pack clears it up before I try something to clear it.

EGT is on the shopping list as is a Stuart Warner mechanical Vac/Boost gauge. Putting the water injection parts together for spring.

Still need the parking brake cable... $50 odd from a few different sources.

Need to fix the fuel level issue. I haven't had time to test the sending unit and wiring.

Found an awesome low-buck gas cap lock mod on Youtube. Thought I might share...

http://youtu.be/pGr0-7JaJOM

 

[Dipstick]

Heath, nice truck! I hope you enjoy many happy miles with it! My trans shifts pretty well, but I seldom try to downshift into third at more than say 15 miles per hour. Sometimes I double clutch. Third is a pretty low gear in a Deuce. I can easily go around a corner at ten miles an hour in third without lugging. I have to be crawling before I can downshift to second.

 

[uriss]

Good going Heath, glad ya finally got the one you want. Many hours of enjoyment!

 

[caliber1]

Heath, I'll put up a pic of my locking cap answer. Easier, and a little more secure. I actually found it on here. I think it was Rayzer's build? I welded a piece of angle to the tank strap, off the truck of course. Bolted the locking bar to the angle, tacked the nut on with the mig. Drilled lock hole in the end of the bar and the cap tab.

 

[Heath_h49008]

Major score on the parts front! Looks like my cousins might have a 1970s Ford F600 on the farm that might be due to be put out to pasture. That would be steering column, gearbox, and pitman arm for the HF54 series power steering conversion.

There was much rejoicing.

 

[Heath_h49008]

EGT has arrived. Auber Instruments... red led, 1/8npt adapter, sealed tip probe.

More spares may be on the way...

I'll do a full install with pics when the weather breaks.

 

[maxxplanck]

You need to join us for a MV dinner some month