1952 needs brakes and things.

[sreng]

The A2 5 ton went to a better home and now we have this deuce. I believe this is an early M35 truck. It is a winter project. Runs great, but the brakes aren't too good. Looks like the master cylinder is the issue. The park brake shoe rusted to the drum and also needs to be replaced. Are there and known vendors for new or rebuilt MC units or a rebuild kit and new park brake shoe? I have looked around, but the information is confusing about what parts fit on which trucks.

All the plates in the cab have been removed and there is just one plate on the outside of the cab with 5880 stamped on it. I have seen a few painted this color and they were noted as being forestry trucks at one point. Is this a forestry truck color? The fuel tank hangers are round rather than square and this looks like a modification someone made to it. Currently only runs with a small tank "securely" strapped to frame.

 

[m1010plowboy]

I saw Zeligson somewhere before and those mysteries almost always send me hunting. https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/zeligson-crane-truck.4794/
Likely pulled into Zeligson for a conversion after service but it's always cool to find out more info.

Crane Carrier Company and Zeligson were affiliated until 2008 if you believe the Wiki. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crane_Carrier_Company

It's just a guess that Zeligson may have turned that into a fire truck or it may have even seen Civil Defense time. That yellow and blue is a throw off. Something about the frame length in the photos looks off too. Could just be the photo and after looking at a few other Reo's, ......ya I think it's just the photo...... it looks longer then the others.

Your engine smells like a Continental and if it is we'll need to hear it run. The Conts I've heard before are quiet and sound like a sewing machine when they are running right.

Does that distributor and plug set up look right fellas? After market civilian plugs look like that but I don't know off hand what the Continental ran. ....they must have been waterproof originally because the Reo was going under water. https://www.google.com/search?clien...#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:ae11fef8,vid:rhghgtuNINc

The M35 team will pull in with parts sources once we bump this. A web search for "M35" parts nets a big hit so shouldn't be too difficult.

Cool truck, thanks for sharing.

 

[sreng]

The M35 team will pull in with parts sources once we bump this. A web search for "M35" parts nets a big hit so shouldn't be too difficult.

Cool truck, thanks for sharing.

@m1010plowboy Thanks for the info. Looks like M35 parts are still out there. I am curious about the brake system, Most M35s I find online have two air tanks, but this one just has a little canister where the larger tanks would be.

 

[m1010plowboy]

@m1010plowboy Thanks for the info. Looks like M35 parts are still out there. I am curious about the brake system, Most M35s I find online have two air tanks, but this one just has a little canister where the larger tanks would be.
View attachment 884866

That's an odd looking canister. Looks a bit like a pregnant Air hydraulic Cylinder pac. Someone will likely recognize what it came off of and an era, https://constructionmanuals.tpub.com/14273/css/Air-Hydraulic-Power-Cylinder-Air-Pak-289.htm

This one looks a little closer in diameter.

Air-Over Hydraulic Brake System

www.tpub.com

The E-brake mount is odd too and after-market changes are always a little tough to service. Looks like front end parts off a car with a dump truck hoist cable attached so you have some additional mysteries to work with.

The odometer can't be trusted but it sure looks like a low mile rig with potential. What's the mileage read on the odo?

 

[sreng]

The odometer can't be trusted but it sure looks like a low mile rig with potential. What's the mileage read on the odo?

20,000 miles on the odo. Was told it was used by a hunting lodge for a few years to clean and move carcasses back to the lodge. It has been parked for a few years since then. There is still a gov auction sticker on it with a barcode. Not sure if that is useful or not.

The Zeligson conversion starts to make sense a little on the air cylinder and fuel tank. Those definitely don't look like DIY/ranch kind changes.

The lack of actual air tanks is interesting. I will dig deeper into it this weekend.

 

[cattlerepairman]

My very first comment is, how nice to work on the airpack and parking brake without a bed on the truck!!! Your knuckles will still bleed, but your back might not hurt as much.

 

[G744]

That is a Hydrovac brake booster.

The entire air system may have been removed hence.

More pix necessary under the hood to determine just that.

Reo made their own Gold Comet 331 engines in the early days, and Continental may have on a later contract.

Nice project there, especially with the winch. Keep in mind the Spicer 3052 trans is not an OD box (3053) as found in the Multifuel trucks.

 

[G744]

Also, the USFS or other fire services have this nasty habit of converting tacticals to 12-Volt systems, as appears on your truck.

 

[NDT]

If you provide the serial (vin) number from the frame, some provenance may be established using the vin thread.

 

[sreng]

Also, the USFS or other fire services have this nasty habit of converting tacticals to 12-Volt systems, as appears on your truck.

Yes it is a 12v system now.

 

[sreng]

Nice project there, especially with the winch. Keep in mind the Spicer 3052 trans is not an OD box (3053) as found in the Multifuel trucks.

Thanks, from what I understand the gearbox has 5th as the 1:1 gear.

 

[msgjd]

Just a technical detail, AM General did not exist until the early 1970's. Your truck was most likely built by REO, but could also be from other builders such as Curtis-Wright, Studebaker, or Utica-Bend

 

[msgjd]

Also, the USFS or other fire services have this nasty habit of converting tacticals to 12-Volt systems, as appears on your truck.

The US Air Force also did 12V conversions on tactical trucks , and of course there is the rare Reo M602 tactical 6x6, 12V from the factory .. There is a USAF TM covering the conversion, don't know the number off-hand, the TM is in my shop truck in a drawer

 

[sreng]

Just a technical detail, AM General did not exist until the early 1970's. Your truck was most likely built by REO, but could also be from other builders such as Curtis-Wright, Studebaker, or Utica-Bend

Thank you. I updated the title. I was told it was an AM General and I believed that.

 

[sreng]

If you provide the serial (vin) number from the frame, some provenance may be established using the vin thread.

@NDT The number on the frame is I see is L20306. I looked but did not find the VIN thread. Can you point me to it?

@G744 The entire air system has been removed. The hydrovac booster may be stuck and making it require the leg workout to stop the truck.

 

[sreng]

If you provide the serial (vin) number from the frame, some provenance may be established using the vin thread.

I found a thread by CARNAC that explains the process to get info via FOIA. It seems that is the way it has to be done now.

 

[NDT]

@NDT The number on the frame is I see is L20306. I looked but did not find the VIN thread. Can you point me to it?

@G744 The entire air system has been removed. The hydrovac booster may be stuck and making it require the leg workout to stop the truck.

VINs didn't start with L, Refer to this thread to locate the number on the frame:

1952 reo 2 1/2 ton vin number location | SteelSoldiers

 

[sreng]

I have browsed through TM9-2320-209-20-2 and TM9-2320-209-10-1, but I did not find the recommended engine oil for the OA331. Which TM has the lube info for the OA331?

 

[sreng]

VINs didn't start with L, Refer to this thread to locate the number on the frame:

1952 reo 2 1/2 ton vin number location | SteelSoldiers

@NDT I looked more closely the number is 120306, but I will keep looking for other numbers.

 

[NDT]

The lube order calls for OE-30 which is "Oil Engine 30 Weight". Modern equivalent is Delo 400: This oil has the additives needed by old engines.

Chevron Delo 400 Heavy Duty Engine Oil | Chevron Lubricants (US)