M52A2 Before & After

[Desert Deuce]

My M52A2 was purchased with the intention of using it as a tractor. It only took 3 1/2 years to get it done. It only needs the ramps to be complete. Someone stole my ramps a couple months ago out of the bed. I'm sure they were sold for scrap.

I also need the bottom clamps for the diamond plate porch if anyone has any spares.

M127A2C came with a brand spanky new canvas in the side box.

 

[maddawg308]

Looks great! Now you just gotta paint it up in 24087 with a yellow nose, and you'll have the whole Vietnam tractor thing going for it!

Even if you don't, it looks fantastic!

 

[robr]

looking good

 

[66Reo6X6]

Looks good. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Desert Deuce]

Thanks Bob & 66Reo6x6.

Mike, the plan is to do exactly that. I've got the old style lights for the truck. Still need the bracket for the little blackout stop light. Hopefully it won't take another 3 year, but who knows. I'm going to put a set of convoy lights and a fording kit on it in the next few weeks.

Just finished having the heads rebuilt, new valvle guides and seats. Also had a wastegate turbo rebuilt and installed it. That turbo is at least twice the size of the "D" that was on it. It also weighs about 40 pounds. Lot of fun installing it.

Engine purrs like a kitten. Love the sound of the big turbo. Much more torque with the big turbo. I would suggest a TD block with this turbo. The donor LDS it came off of was not a TD.

 

[LTWVARNG]

looks real good

 

[hndrsonj]

Desert Deuce, You should do a thread with a few pics of each truck. You've got some hard to find ones there.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Thanks Bob & 66Reo6x6.

Mike, the plan is to do exactly that. I've got the old style lights for the truck. Still need the bracket for the little blackout stop light. Hopefully it won't take another 3 year, but who knows. I'm going to put a set of convoy lights and a fording kit on it in the next few weeks.

Just finished having the heads rebuilt, new valvle guides and seats. Also had a wastegate turbo rebuilt and installed it. That turbo is at least twice the size of the "D" that was on it. It also weighs about 40 pounds. Lot of fun installing it.

Engine purrs like a kitten. Love the sound of the big turbo. Much more torque with the big turbo. I would suggest a TD block with this turbo. The donor LDS it came off of was not a TD.

Awww, why the convoy lights and fording kit if your trying to look like this??

 

[SETOYOTA]

do you still have the cargo bed?

 

[sirmrtow]

great looking truck

 

[gunner01]

I really like the truck. you have done a good job...

 

[JAYHAWK 1962]

ditto!

 

[MWMULES]

Looks great! Now you just gotta paint it up in 24087 with a yellow nose, and you'll have the whole Vietnam tractor thing going for it!

Even if you don't, it looks fantastic!

Does anyone know the "correct" yellow to use on the hood nose? I am going to repaint my tractor in 24087. Thanks Jim

 

[Driver523]

The Gun Truck replicas and cargo trucks that have the yellow nose that I know of use NAPA safety yellow # 6033---the stripe goes back 5 1/2 " with a 3/4 inch space and then a 3/4" stripe--kind of a rally stripe thing ---the 523rd put the second stripe on their trucks in 1970---some units put the second stripe on some didn't,------Driver

 

[AZDeuce]

Good to see the old girl, I bought that M52A2 from the second to the last DRMO auction at Luke AFB, back around 98 or 99. I had some friends that were welders, I designed and modified the civilian dump bed I got from a truck salvage yard, to more closely resemble a 5-ton bed. I called it my 5-ton short bed M52A2K (Kelly modified). I thought she turned out pretty good.....I had no use for a tractor, so sold that stuff to a friend who I believe after several swaps between local collectors is the stuff that is going back on the truck. Of course I heard this all second hand.....so who knows.

It was a HIDEOUS desert camouflage when I got it, I painted the bed to more or less match. I always wanted to sandblast her and paint her 383, but eventually sold it so I could get back into a M35A2. I was pleasantly surprised to see the old girl and painted 383 to boot, wish it would have looked that good when I owned it.

Good to see it being put to good use.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

The Gun Truck replicas and cargo trucks that have the yellow nose that I know of use NAPA safety yellow # 6033---the stripe goes back 5 1/2 " with a 3/4 inch space and then a 3/4" stripe--kind of a rally stripe thing ---the 523rd put the second stripe on their trucks in 1970---some units put the second stripe on some didn't,------Driver

Thought the stripe was a 523rd thing???? I dont remember seeing it on other units.............guess I need to take a look at some pics.

I was told that its Catapiliar Yellow. I had chatted with a guy that was in the 545th motor pool and they had Cat yellow and thats what he used. I can see that safety yellow would work. Hard to tell in some pics what shade it is.

I did a test once using my NOS bridge plate. Safety yellow was too bright. But cat yellow was closer.

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Does anyone know the "correct" yellow to use on the hood nose? I am going to repaint my tractor in 24087. Thanks Jim

If you need help with markings, gimme a shout.
vtdeucedriver@yahoo.com

 

[Driver523]

Catapilliar yellow?---I guess maybe different units used different stuff but I would guess in the motor pool painting the stripes on the floor and the posts or anything you would want seen there would be more safety yellow around, granted there wern't many napa stores around, but the guys building these things and everyone I know that was there that have dicussed it seems to think its right on, I think personally that the cat color has too much--like sunshine yellow in it------we may never know----------Driver

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Catapilliar yellow?---I guess maybe different units used different stuff but I would guess in the motor pool painting the stripes on the floor and the posts or anything you would want seen there would be more safety yellow around, granted there wern't many napa stores around, but the guys building these things and everyone I know that was there that have dicussed it seems to think its right on, I think personally that the cat color has too much--like sunshine yellow in it------we may never know----------Driver

works for me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,will repaint her when it warms up!! thanks larry

 

[Gun Trucker]

Yellow nose stripe

Thought the stripe was a 523rd thing???? I dont remember seeing it on other units.............guess I need to take a look at some pics.

I was told that its Catapiliar Yellow. I had chatted with a guy that was in the 545th motor pool and they had Cat yellow and thats what he used. I can see that safety yellow would work. Hard to tell in some pics what shade it is.

I did a test once using my NOS bridge plate. Safety yellow was too bright. But cat yellow was closer.

I USUALLY JUST READ THE POSTS BUT DECIDED TO PUT MY TWO CENTS IN HERE. THE COLOR OF THE HOOD NOSE STRIPE WAS THE SAME AS USED ON THE BUMPERS ON SOME WRECKERS AND 10 TONS, ETC. WE ALWAYS CALLED IT ENGINEER YELLOW, WHICH HAS A SLIGHTLY DARKER HUE, BUT DRIVER IS CORRECT BY SAYING UNITS MIGHT USE WHATEVER WAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME.

AS FOR OTHER UNITS THAT OCASIONALLY BUT NOT ALWAYS USED THE ADDITIONAL NARROW STRIPE BEHIND THE NOSE STRIPE, SEVERAL UNITS COME TO MIND, INCLUDING THE 523RD, DET-1, 359TH, 597TH, 541ST AND 88TH TRANS COMPANIES. HOPE THIS HELPS.

GUN TRUCKER (James)