600 miles in 13 hours with hills, rain, and snow.

[Boosted_Nelson_Inc.]

My brother just bought a 1971 M35a2 with 8713 miles on it from GL in Chambersburg, PA. We wanted to trailer it back, but the trailer we were going to borrow was a couple of feet to short. GL said it ran so we decided to try to drive it home.

Left for PA on Thursday, and got to Chambersburg at 9:00 A.M. (9.5 hours total time @ 65 m.p.h.). Our scheduled pickup time was noon, but we tried to get in at 9:30. Their 9:30 had broken down so the guy led us the lot with the truck. The guy goes to start the truck, it cranks for maybe 2 seconds before starting. He tells us to pull the truck out of the lot to work on it. Added about a Gallon of coolant and 2.5 gallons of oil, they went to the only gas station in Chambersburg with diesel. Now for a long drive home.

I wished we didn't have to leave the lot right away, because I wanted more pictures.

 

[FMJ]

No, tell me you didn't start and move the truck with no oil.........Was it really down 10 quarts?

 

[Boosted_Nelson_Inc.]

Truck managed to maintain between 50-55 m.p.h. through all the hills on I-76 heading west out of PA. While at a rest stop a convoy of about 12-15 HMMWVs pulled up for fuel. We had hoped to tuck in behind them and pretend we were with them for a while but we left first. It started to rain so while filling up we figured out how to turn on the windshield wipers and duct taped around the weatherstripping to stop the rainwater from soaking the driver. The chase truck (2005 Dodge 3500 quad cab dually 6sp. with Cummins diesel) averaged 21.5 mpg through the hills. We didn't want to know for the Deuce.

Made it out of the rain and into the snowstorm in Ohio. Now rest stops to scrap ice off windows, because we couldn't get the heater to work. Realized much later that the switch next to the glove box was for the blower motor, despite the fact that the knobs for heat/defrost were under the manifold heater switch. 45-55 through Ohio on I-80 with lots of traffic slower than us. Deuce did better than the dodge as far as traction goes, but the dodge hit 23 mpg.

After that it was smooth sailing to get home in Indiana. Except for exhaustion and freezing temps. I now know that Redbull really does work.

About 600 miles in 13 hours with a truck that cost about $1300. Seems like a good deal. Now to crush the oldsmobile in one of the pics.

 

[builder77]

Sounds like you got a good deal. I have to wonder about the oil too. You don't get close the starter button until you check the oil level at least.

 

[Boosted_Nelson_Inc.]

Yeah, that kinda pissed us off. I mean, that almost half the crankcase capacity. The GL guy just walks up saying "This one should start right up", and starts it w/o letting us checking anything on/in it. Then he tells us to pull it out of the lot so he could lock up and to go across the street to check stuff, because he had to get back to the other lot.

 

[jwaller]

thats a bunch of crap. it's your truck and he should have let you check it out first. Lots of these trucks get totally drained of fluids at turn in. suppose it was out of oil and not just low. now this idiot just cost you a motor 600 miles from home. not good!

 

[oifvet]

Looks like you got a nice truck! Sounds like a good trip for the most part. Glad you made it home safe. Those adventures are great memories and great stories.

That oil-less start by GL Man is poo! I wish they wouldn't be so hard-headed about "do your work off the lot!" At least let the buyer pour some dag-gone oil in! They know they're dry! Why do they do that?

 

[Stan]

Did any of the other lights work? Are you familiar with how the light switch works? You have to turn the power for the brake lights on. The three lever switch to the left of the steering wheel.

 

[gimpyrobb]

If I had paid for the truck, I certainly would not have let him in to start it. Its your property, speak up! I don't want to sound offensive to you, just mad at the fact he took that liberty.

 

[citizensoldier]

Truck looks good.. Were the other trucks on the lot sold? Or coming up for auction? I ask because I sure do need one of them M49's you show..
How was all the other fluids? I just wonder where the engine oil went? Any bad leaks? Thats allot of oil missing.

 

[Boosted_Nelson_Inc.]

I assume most of the other trucks were sold or are coming up soon on GL. I think it was the same lot that maddawg308 picked up his trucks at. There is a bit of oil on the bottom of the pan, but we havent had to add any more, and all other fluids were full.

The lights are the TACOM pushbutton switch so I found the operating instructions before we got there. The Tuesday after we brought it home I replaced the stoplight switch with NAPA p/n SL134 and that fixed the problem.

 

[maddawg308]

Glad to see you're another member of the "drive it home" club! Good lookin' truck, you have there!

 

[wreckerman893]

Welcome to the "We drove it home club". Me and FreightTrain have made two of these road trips.
The last one two weeks ago included a drive through snow from Ind. to Ala.
We had Offroadworks with us and since he is from Ohio originally the snow didnt bother him much. We bought back my M52 5 ton tractor and two deuces that I had bought up there and Redass (east of Indianapolis) had picked up and stored for me.
Both times we had issues but everything worked out in the end. It was an adventue for me......FT still thinks I'm insane.
As soon as my EUC clears we will be headed for Mississippi to bring back my 5 ton wrecker and two more deuces.
ROAD TRIP!!!!!!!!

 

[Offroadfabworks]

LOL Road trips are fun...

 

[M543A2]

Jeremy:
Nice truck, and interesting road trip. You are not that far from me here in Warsaw, IN. I used to come to LaPorte to pick up parts and machinery at the Allis Chalmers plant that used to be there. I also bring aircraft cylinders up to Harrison Engines there for repair.
Enjoy your truck!
Regards Marti

 

[cnordway]

wanna know something funny? I was there that day also. we were there with the chevy 3500 and ford 150. we picked up a deuce that day. the truck was a 1971 kaiser-jeep.