65 Kaiser M35A2 project starts

[Gunfreak25]

Hard top back deskined. Straightened it out and next is rust removal and prep for new skin…

Also folding the windshield for the first time in 50 years has turned into a can of worms. Removed hinges and frame. Frame looks perfect but the cab is showing her age.

With all the rotted corners I’m debating on just replacing the cab entirely if I can find one cheaply enough.

 

[cattlerepairman]

The line between comprehensive rust repair and spending oodles of time and effort to fix something to almost 80% is blurry. I think you are making the right call with a replacement cab.

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[Mullaney]

Hard top back deskined. Straightened it out and next is rust removal and prep for new skin…

Also folding the windshield for the first time in 50 years has turned into a can of worms. Removed hinges and frame. Frame looks perfect but the cab is showing her age.

With all the rotted corners I’m debating on just replacing the cab entirely if I can find one cheaply enough.

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I have already sent an email asking - and sadly my source has no more... The hard top that I purchased about a year ago had an aluminum skin. There is a military part number on a black plate riveted to it so it wasn't a "repro" part. I don't know if sheetmetal or aluminum was your plan if you decide to rebuild but I was thrilled to find ZERO rust on mine when it arrived (repeat after me: Aluminum is good!). I have seen fiberglass versions as well. Obviously, neither are cheap .

 

[Gunfreak25]

It may come as a shocker, but ive seriously considered selling the truck. I’ve put 1000 miles on her and it is a lot of fun to drive. But I look at the work that still needs done, and how it’s fitting less and less into my lifestyle. It doesn’t have enough room for my family, it eats tires rapidly due to the nature of rear duals, it rides like a stagecoach off-road and is terrible in any kind of soft sand. I’ve used it once as an actual pickup and loading furniture 5 feet off the ground into the bed is challenging.

Above all else, I hate how much it takes me away from my kids, and more often than not it’s money we can use for more important things. So after 1000 miles, the novelty is getting a little thin.

Im going to think on it for awhile but in the meantime if there is any interest here, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

 

[Mullaney]

It may come as a shocker, but ive seriously considered selling the truck. I’ve put 1000 miles on her and it is a lot of fun to drive. But I look at the work that still needs done, and how it’s fitting less and less into my lifestyle. It doesn’t have enough room for my family, it eats tires rapidly due to the nature of rear duals, it rides like a stagecoach off-road and is terrible in any kind of soft sand. I’ve used it once as an actual pickup and loading furniture 5 feet off the ground into the bed is challenging.

Above all else, I hate how much it takes me away from my kids, and more often than not it’s money we can use for more important things. So after 1000 miles, the novelty is getting a little thin.

Im going to think on it for awhile but in the meantime if there is any interest here, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

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Not sure how old your kids are, but I can say for sure when my guys were younger I wouldn't have been able to afford kids and green iron. With a little more age on me, now I have other people's kids that get to enjoy riding and playing. There is one family with several young'uns and they do "birthday rides" with their mom or dad. It's a big hit. Especially with the WooFlu making it hard to find excitement...

Lowering the air pressure in your tires will help the ride. Down to maybe 35 or 40 pounds sounds really low, but if you aren't hauling anything but you that isn't too low. Best you can hope for on the family is if there are four of you and you add an extra set of seat-belts... Maybe camping once a month if they have any interest? Or maybe a "mommie weekend" if there are you and three kids on a camping trip?

As far as using your Deuce as a pickup, a ramp helps that an awful lot. Hustling a sofa up over your head is a PITA (Pain In The Anatomy) for sure! You either need friends in the bed or a hand truck to hustle stuff up the ramp - that you need to build...

Big thing to remember is that the better you can make her look, the more you can sell it for if it comes to that. (the truck, not the wife!) Hope it works out the way you want it too. Wish I had more or better stuff to tell you too.

 

[Gunfreak25]

Kids are 6 years old and the new one is 7 months. She isn’t keen on the idea of selling it, told me I need to take a break again. It is in my nature to become engrossed in stuff I like and if it’s not big ugly trucks it’s other things, probably always be into something!

 

[Mullaney]

Kids are 6 years old and the new one is 7 months. She isn’t keen on the idea of selling it, told me I need to take a break again. It is in my nature to become engrossed in stuff I like and if it’s not big ugly trucks it’s other things, probably always be into something!

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Well, maybe having a big green truck keeps you out of trouble. Might be that for a while, you could take it on a weekly hour long ride and hold onto your wallet for a while just doing minor stuff. If the 6 year old has any interest in going for a ride with dad on a regular basis - it might become an adventure... Maybe cruise over to the local playground and the two of you could have some fun and exercise your truck at the same time...

 

[gringeltaube]

..... it eats tires rapidly due to the nature of rear duals, it rides like a stagecoach off-road and is terrible in any kind of soft sand.

I've been through that phase and can assure that all three things will improve drastically once you stepped up to super-single radials.
I know it's a relatively big investment, but worth it every Dollar, IMHO.

 

[DaneGer21]

I've been through that phase and can assure that all three things will improve drastically once you stepped up to super-single radials.
I know it's a relatively big investment, but worth it every Dollar, IMHO.

What’s the cheapest and easiest set up for a deuce to use super singles?

Ill be in the market in a year or two and have debated this wheel/tire topic myself.

 

[Gunfreak25]

Anything wrong with stock wheels and 395s? I know it squishes them but in the Jeep world this keeps beads seated at lower pressures off-road. I stuck 33x12 tires on my stock Jeep 7 inch wide wheels and they run amazing at 8 psi off-road with limited bulging.

 

[cattlerepairman]

@gringeltaube has produced a nice set of drawings that explains the different types of beads and the matching shape of rims and why mis-matching them is problematic. The tire receives mechanical pressure from the edge of the rim in an area of the tire that is not designed for it, and corresponding stretching on the other side of the bead. The Deuce stock rim is not an MPT rim so MPT tires should not be mounted on it.




Thread: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threa...ce-stock-rims.192962/#lg=post-2269786&slide=0

 

[gringeltaube]

395's are MPT tires, the regular Deuce tires are not, and the Deuce stock rim is not an MPT rim.

Let me correct that: all 395/85R20s used by the military are regular, non-MPT tires. Same goes for 365/85R20s. Putting them on stock Deuce wheels is not a problem, even if the manufacturers recommend a 10-inch wide wheel.

But 365/80R20s (former designation 14.5R20s) are MPT, also the 12.5R20s on the Unimog. Both these sizes require MPT style rims.

 

[cattlerepairman]

I appreciate @gringeltaube stepping in and corrected the info..

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[Gunfreak25]

She earned her keep today doing a property clean up, two whole truck fulls. Wife helped me with all of it, time for a beer and leftover thanksgiving stuffs.

The pumpkin is finished and I’ll be heading to member David Byrum’ shop to get it installed soon!

 

[Gunfreak25]

Another property cleaned up with 2 loads

 

[Mullaney]

Another property cleaned up with 2 loads

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Just wondering if you could pile a little more on?
Very Nice!

I would say she is "earning her keep" for sure.

 

[Gunfreak25]

Beginning to paint some parts, back of hard top has new skin. Quite a lot of work! Top is next.

 

[Mullaney]

That back panel looks really sharp!
Lots of good welding there

I was just thinking how much more time and effort the top will be.
Best on your quest to be warm and dry!

 

[Gunfreak25]

The top is very good as is, just needs stripped, dents pushed out, paint and new insulation

 

[Mullaney]

The top is very good as is, just needs stripped, dents pushed out, paint and new insulation

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That is great news because I was dreading you doing that to the top.
It would have been a tough job for sure!

Nice to hear that something was work than it might have been!