Water Purification unit

[M35A2]

Hi.

Does anyone know anything about the Water Purification 2.5ton 6x6? I've Googled it and had a look through one of my TM CD's but just can't find anything on it.

How many were made?
Is this a rare vehicle?
What went in the back?
Do the sides of the van slide out?
What is the designation of this truck (like, M35A2 - M109A3 etc)

This one is up for sale in the UK and I've seen it at a show last year. I was chatting to a guy who once owned it. He said it was a real nice truck. The only thing is the price, at £8,000 and the fact he states it's "PLATED" at 7.5ton which means even though as a 1954 it's exempt from a yearly commercial vehicle safety test (the limit is before 1960) it looks like it's been plated for commercial use and as such is subject to a yearly test.

This is the vehicle.

Reo M35 - 1954 - Heavy Military Vehicles - MILWEB CLASSIFIEDS


Thanks for any info in advance.

 

[srodocker]

looks like a nice truck

 

[319]

Check with rattlehead here on SS, I think his is one of these, but without the water purification equipment.

 

[dittle]

Fort Snelling Military Museum - Truck Collection

Go about 3/4 way down the page and there is one listed

 

[srodocker]

wow they have a really nice collection

 

[dittle]

We've got a few more than whats listed on the website, but it pretty much covers everything. Best thing is most of it is operational, not just flower pots.

 

[srodocker]

nice!

 

[paradeduty]

I've had a version of this vehicle for about 15 yrs. Mine is mounted on a M462C chassis (originally a cab and chassis only - long wheelbase). From what I have seen, most if not all of the designs used for this purpose have an "openable" driver's side of the van body. This is similar to but not the same as the "expansible" van bodies on most of the shop/storage vans mounted on the trucks and semi-trailers. The "expansible" vans have entire sides that slide out (usually both sides, with side doors included), after which the extensions to the front and back ends, the roof, and the floor would then be hinged into their respective places to effectively "box in" the additional space. I'm not sure what the term was that was applied to the type of van that was used for these water-purification units, but I usually refer to them as "semi-expansible" for lack of a better term. The "semi-expansible" vans that I have seen use panels very similar to the full "expansible" version to fold or hinge out only the "roof" and "floor" on the driver's side only. Without the sides, I tend to think of this effect as creating a "porch" or "deck" off the side of the van body. The side on mine opens all of the way from the very front of the body to the very rear. I have seen others which only open up to about 2 or 3 feet back from the front of the van body. Mine also is slightly different than others I have seen in that it has 3 "tire cut outs" at the base of the body on each side. Presumably the front and middle were intended for truck mount applications, where as the middle and rear were intended for semi-trailer applications. When I recieved my truck the unit had for all purposes never been used - all of the filtering equipment was still banded and blocked up and in place. I fretted over what to do with the equipment for an extremely long time but eventually took it out and converted the interior into what I call a "day camper" (i.e. no bath or proper bed - although I have slept on the couch many a time!). I might be able to let you know of the original equipment if you like if I can locat some old original photos - let me know, it will take some time though. It has worked out pretty good for the little bit of work that I put into it. With the opening side it is a great hoot at major car shows or cruises. Can "pull up" a seat and play some oldies CD's or something and watch the goings on out of the sun and above the heads of the passers by.

 

[Bill W]

My first deuce was a M-45A2 and it had a purification body on it to which I later changed out to a cargo bed, the ( equipt ) purification body weighs in around 7-8000lbs
I learned a new word when I bought that vehicle "ERDlator"

 

[M35A2]

Cool, thanks guys for the replies.

Yeah i would be interested in any photo's you have or information on this particular truck. So can you tell me what the designation would be for the Water Purification 2.5ton truck, and do you know how many were built? I think this one would have come from Germany.

I presume it was fitted to a SWB 2.5ton chassis and has the same LDT-465-1C engine fitted as the Cargo varients?


Thanks

Andy

 

[Bill W]

The M-45A2 is just the military designation for a M-35 Cab Chassis only ( delivered from the factory with no bed/body on back ) to which the Military put their own body on it.

The M-46A2 was a M-36A2 Cab Chassis only ( long wheelbase )

 

[bugei]

i think the purification unit was called an erdlator

ERDLator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

there was a really nice one that showed up a few times last year on ebay, it was located very close to me, it was cool, but i just couldnt figure out what i would do with a purification truck.

 

[Bill W]

No the water purification unit had a ERDlator in it

 

[Rattlehead]

I have what used to be the erdlator. All of the equipment was gutted when I got it. I pulled some pics from an ebay auction years ago of one that was complete, they are posted on the old steelsoldiers website.

Steel Soldiers :: Military Vehicles Supersite

 

[Bill W]

Thats how my truck came when I bought it., It also had 2 portable pumps and 4 heavy duty adjustable steel bars used to stabilize the truck when she,s in operation

 

[Kohburn]

so does yours have the side panels that open up like that? that would be perfect for a camper, like having a built in pop-out. Just attach soft tent walls to the panels and gut the interior

 

[Bill W]

so does yours have the side panels that open up like that? that would be perfect for a camper, like having a built in pop-out. Just attach soft tent walls to the panels and gut the interior

Mine did
And thats exactly what I had planned to do with it but then someone offered me a free cargo bed and I figured what the heck besides I had more fun and made more money ( 2 tv shows) with her setup as a cargo/troop carrier

 

[Katahdin]

Just found some pictures of one in the wild. Apparently some were equipped with "trunk monkeys." Original source of these photos is here.

 

[Rapture]

Mine is a water purification unit!!!if you want some information tell me!
Brice

 

[fuzzytoaster]

Mine is a water purification unit!!!if you want some information tell me!
Brice

Did yours come with a "trunk monkey"?