Newbie about to take the Plunge

[Jeeperjoe]

However i have a few questions....

Basically i am planing on spending about $5k on the truck and the drive home, what do you guys think is the best setup for an M35A2 (meaning motor, trans, tires, year... Etc) for a newbie to buy as his first truck, i am planing on driving this vehicle quite often for off road and parade activity and hell maybe to work here and there....

This is what i was thinking,

Mid 70's - 80's M35A2 with LDT-465-1C whistler turbo, if the NDT tires are in good shape Keep them around for a while then maybe upgrade to singles in the future, definitely a truck that is W/W, upgrading to manual front hubs ASAP (possibly Ouverson Engineering hubs but maybe there is better?)

Also is there any problem areas that i should look for (common problems) when i do decide to finally "pull the trigger" and buy it... I am looking at the trucks that 100dollar mainly because they are close and from what i have experianced good customer service.... i may also decided to "bob" the duece in the Future mainly because i am interested in the main body of the truck and the streetablity of the Bobbed version... And if any of you know what it takes to drive one of these on the streets in Nevada, i know in Cali they require a CDL

If i am to drive this home from wherever i get it do i need to title and plate it before i actually start the trek home or should i get a movement permit or should i just drive the thing back???

Basically any help would be GREAT! and if anyone has a truck in the Vegas area and wouldnt mind me taking a look at it, maby a ride in it that would be great as well....

I have been doing a LOT of research on these trucks for quite some time and have wanted one since i was about 5 yrs old....

Thanks in advance
-Joe

 

[m16ty]

I have been doing a LOT of research on these trucks for quite some time and have wanted one since i was about 5 yrs old....

Thanks in advance
-Joe

Have you been researching prices? While there are some $5,000+ trucks out there most are worth about 1/2 that. If I was going to spend 5k it would have to be a truck that hade been completely gone through and in near perfect shape.

 

[drgreg]

Basically i am planing on spending about $5k on the truck and the drive home,

For a good winch truck from a private seller $5k is about right, winch trucks around here are selling for over $3k from GL, +buyers fee,+ tax, + recovery. So as I see it the $2500 winch truck from a private seller would have to be a POS.

 

[hole]

I'm not sure why , but trucks on the west coast seem to go for more. That said, you should still get a heck of a nice truck for 5k. Not sure about CDL in Nev. A one day moving permit would be safest bet but you probably wont get hasseled if you dont. Most of us down here in so cal who've gotten trucks from GL just drive them home from the base. Good luck !

 

[2Deuces wild]

Hi and welcome. Research, time, and money is the name of the game. This endeavor will always need work but if its a love affair then go for it. Spare part are always a good idea. Axle seals are a biggie. Leaks are many. Check oil, water fuel, tires, axle leaks, belts, hoses,
BRAKES, Soft peddle bleed brakes, 5 dot fluid.... bleed out air tanks look out for messy goo.... Air warning buzzer, Lights, turn signals, Lug nuts Tight? loose one behind wheel is OK. This is a great sight for help, I love these guys They have helped me many times.... Find a good mechanic that knows how to work on the M35. P.s Tork rod bushing look to see if there walking out or bad. A crow bar between them and pull it they move back then you need them. Alfa parts has a good price on parts.

 

[Jinx]

Welcome to the club! As everyone said before, do your research. Make sure it has the LDT465 engine and not the 427 that was common in the M35A1 for a period of time.

The big thing to do is decide what you want on the truck and what you can live without. A basic truck with no cab heater, soft top, no winch and no troop seats are always cheap compared to a well equipped truck. If you want a truck with a winch, hard top, cab heater, etc., it is actually cheaper to find a truck with these already installed then to upgrade it later. The individual components like troop seats, hard top, heater are quite expensive if they are purchased separately.

I bought one that had everything I wanted. Hard top, cab heater, air shift, turbo, troop seats and canvas cover. The winch would have been nice, but it wasn't a requirement so I bought one without.

 

[frodobaggins]

My best advice is to start saving now for your second MV...

 

[mbwarner]

Greetings. You might go the the Idaho MotorPool website and see what Alex Gordon has listed. He's in Fruitland Idaho, 715 miles from LV, but you might get price and option ideas from his website. Alex is a great guy, and a straight shooter. I bought my M151A2 from him.

Also, he sponsors a military vehicle swap meet every June; this year about June 13.

Good luck and have a ball!!

 

[Jeeperjoe]

Thanks for all the great reply's ill look into some more sellers as well for pricing and options to find what i like...

Have you been researching prices? While there are some $5,000+ trucks out there most are worth about 1/2 that. If I was going to spend 5k it would have to be a truck that hade been completely gone through and in near perfect shape.

Yeah i know i can get them for WAY cheaper than 5k however i am planing on 5k as a max purchase budget...

And hell if anyone has one with some or all of the options specified please don't hesitate to shoot me a PM

 

[m16ty]

I've got one that may suit your needs for $2,500 but transportation will kill you .

 

[Jeeperjoe]

What condition is it in?

Will it run drive stop?

Do you have pictures, video?

 

[m16ty]

It's a 1971 m35a2 hardtop, air-shift, D Turbo. Good runner, good body.

 

[steelandcanvas]

You do know that taking this "plunge" results in contacting an incurable disease, only to be tempered by a continual fix of OD Green rolling stock. You have had your warning.

 

[Jeeperjoe]

It's a 1971 m35a2 hardtop, air-shift, D Turbo. Good runner, good body.

Could you get a youtube vid up so that i can see it run hear it run and show me that the lights and so on...?

You do know that taking this "plunge" results in contacting an incurable disease, only to be tempered by a continual fix of OD Green rolling stock. You have had your warning.

Yes i know i already have the bug.... ive been doing alot of research on Alternitave fuels as well...

 

[m16ty]

Could you get a youtube vid up so that i can see it run hear it run and show me that the lights and so on...?

I can try. I do good to post pics here. Haven't ever messed with youtube and I don't know how it will work with dial-up.

 

[Jeeperjoe]

I can try. I do good to post pics here. Haven't ever messed with youtube and I don't know how it will work with dial-up.

Hmm havent played with dialup in like 4 years..... good luck with that, if not see if someone else can upload it for ya...

 

[GoHot229]

Pretty much the things alot, 'not all' want in a Deuce are #1 turbo, #2 winch and #3 a hardtop. Then I would say the things they want secondarily would be a heater, then bows and canvas. Once you start modifying then you enter a whole new areana, with different wheels and tires, and the option of 'Bobbing', and from there all kinds of things are 'game' to do with your Deuce