An elusive serial/vin number - late model M35A2C

[lavarok]

So I picked up a late model M35A2C out of SC this past month. The data plate was removed and I have had no luck finding a stamped number on the frame.

Anyone have any ideas on where I should be looking other than the usual place?

The shiny spots are where I removed paint looking for the elusive number.

 

[emmado22]

looks like a USAF model. Look on the bumpers and back of the bed, for a number that looks something like 88K-12345 the 88 in this example is the year of the truck. if you have 87K, then it would be a 1987 truck. the 12345 is the serial #. the USAF serial #'s I have seen are all 1040-XXXXX for the non winch trucks. Do you have the blue warrantee plate on the dash? look on the bottom line of it for when the warrantee started. It's a really good bet that is the year of the truck also.

Post up more pics, we'll see what we can tell you about your truck. I have a 1988 exUSAF M35A2C..
Did you read the spotters guide thread on here?

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/18225-later-model-usaf-contract-m35a2c-spotters-guide.html

 

[lavarok]

Yep, well versed in the spotter thread. This is the third late model truck I have owned and I am keeping this one! I'll check the date on the blue data plate tomorrow.

When you say bumpers and back of bed, are you talking about a stenciled number or something punched into the metal?

This truck has no unit numbers stenciled anywhere.

 

[lavarok]

These are the pics I took the other day after getting her home. A 24v charger already brought the two hawker batteries back to life. She starts under her own power now. I installed the temp and oil gauges today, the rest will go in this week.

 

[emmado22]

Yes, paint stencils.

The only place I have found my serial # punched into metal is on the dataplate. Honestly, I never checked my frame rail. Will try to do that this week. I'd imagine it should be there somewhere.

As far as recharging Hawkers, I have talked to the hawker factory reps.. Blast them with high amperage when recharging. the old lead acid "2 or 3 amps over a long time period to bring them back" thinking doesnt work with Hawkers. Hawkers need high amperage to "wake them up" after they "die" High amps during charging brings them back.

Your month/year of manufacture is on that blue warrantee dataplate. Also, if it is not sun faded, look on the rust proofing sticker on the front side of drop bed, by the yellow dropside warning dataplate.. There should also be one on the inside of the glove box door. the 1st four digits of your serial # is 1040-XXXXX

I'd also say your truck was either air loaded or used for air load training at one point, with the 100 MPH tape on the cargo bed and above the front tires. The T indicates the CG of the vehicle, and the tape above the wheels would have the weight on it for that axle.

 

[lavarok]

Thanks for your insight. If you find a number stamped into your frame, please let me know.

I checked the around the whole truck and couldn't find anything other than the data plates on the engine, transmission, axles, etc. The paint doesn't seem thick enough that it should have covered any numbers up. One layer of white primer under a layer of green....and I am still mad I messed it up looking for that darn number. Fortunately, I have some cans of gillespie lying around that will fix her right up.

 

[clinto]

My '88 has it on the frame, when the sun comes up I'll shoot it.

My VIN is 1040- something.

 

[doghead]

Nothing stenciled under the hood?

Emmado, is there any records available(or ever written), that correlate an engine serial number, to a specific truck?

Might be interesting to see what the axle tag dates are. Or the transmission, if it has a rebuild tag(date).

 

[wsucougarx]

Hmm, this truck has me stumped. Are you sure this was an Ex-USAF truck? I see a pioneer toolrack, lack of USAF w/VIN stamped on doors, don't see the typical USAF decals/stencils on the dash. It does have the usual USAF mandated stack flapper. Can you see an area in the rear of the truck that would indicate it had a USAF license plate? The reason I bring this up is if it was an Army issued truck (like my 1988 built M109A3) it did not follow the USAF VIN numbering system w/88K etc. I know my '88 is built in '88 because it has the blue warranty plate and all the rustproofing stickers as well. Then again it was Army if it should have at least unit markings....hmmm

 

[wsucougarx]

Just went out and checked my two late modelled USAF dropside trucks out. The '86 has the VIN stamped just above the shock support bracket on the frame, the '88 has nothing stamped anywhere in the driver side wheel well area. Hmm, the plot deapens. Did they stamp the VIN anywhere on the truck? I'll try and get out today and look my '88 over real good.

 

[emmado22]

This particular truck seems not to want to give up it's story. It is missing some "USAF" stuff, which could point it in the direction of an Army truck, but there is no Army info on it either, but it does have other "USAF" stuff..

We need to see if there are dates on the Blue Warrantee plate and on the rustproofing stickers. If not, go to the dataplates on the axles/transfer.

As for records, only AMG has that type of info (if it does exist), and in the past with the HMMWV's they have given ZERO support to civy owners. I bet if anyone has a shot at getting info out of AMG, it would be someone the likes of David Doyle, after all he wrote the book literally on alot of MV stuff. I emailed him to make him aware of the problem of missing info/numbers on the USAF contract deuces, we'll see what he comes up with.

 

[emmado22]

Ok, I checked my ex USAF 1988 M35A2C for serial # stamping on the frame. My cell phone pic came out too dark, but the whole 1040-XXXXX number is stamped in numbers about 1/2 to 3/4 inch tall. I stole your pic to show where I found them. They were pretty deep, well visible under the paint job. They are pretty much in line with the rear corner of the reinforcement plate and the front of the tie down "tear drop".

As for other locations of date codes.. My rust proofing sticker that is located on the INSIDE of the glove box door says 2/88, my blue warrantee dataplate is stamped 2/88, and my ID number stamped on the NSN/contract # dataplate on the dash says 88K### 1040-##### It is a safe assumption that if you have any of those that are filled out, thats the build month/year of the truck. Also on the inside of the glove box door, next to the rustproofing sticker is a computerized label that has the NSN, nomenclature, a bar code, some other seemingly meaningless numbers, and handwritten on it is 88K### which matches whats stamped on the ID dataplate. Look on the 2nd of MY postings of pictures for what the 2 stickers I found on the glove box door look like.


Hope this helps.

 

[lavarok]

My blue warranty plate and rust proofing sticker both say 04/88

I didn't have a chance to check the other component tags for useful info yet.

 

[lavarok]

Hmm, this truck has me stumped. Are you sure this was an Ex-USAF truck? I see a pioneer toolrack, lack of USAF w/VIN stamped on doors, don't see the typical USAF decals/stencils on the dash. It does have the usual USAF mandated stack flapper. Can you see an area in the rear of the truck that would indicate it had a USAF license plate? The reason I bring this up is if it was an Army issued truck (like my 1988 built M109A3) it did not follow the USAF VIN numbering system w/88K etc. I know my '88 is built in '88 because it has the blue warranty plate and all the rustproofing stickers as well. Then again it was Army if it should have at least unit markings....hmmm

The flight line signal sticker taped to the dash makes me think it had something to do with an air strip at one point. Other than that, I don't know any history, It came from Ft Jackson. They have had several late model trucks recently and the bulk had no data plates.

If you find anything on your '88, please let me know.

 

[emmado22]

Well, atleast you can be confident that it was made in 4/88. Mine was made in 2/88.

I agree that it was probably used on an airfield with the flightline sticker.

One other option it to call AMG. Be VERY nice to them, you might get somewhere with some more info on it, or where to look. Maybe they will help you out. Cant hurt to ask, you might find someone who didnt get the memo not to talk to ex military AMG built truck owners.

As to why the dataplates would be removed, I have no idea. Must of been done either before turn into GL, or at GL.

I'd do a bit more sanding in the top most area that you sanded down, going left and right of that, from the plate to the tie down before giving into "it's an unstamped frame".

 

[lavarok]

I'd do a bit more sanding in the top most area that you sanded down, going left and right of that, from the plate to the tie down before giving into "it's an unstamped frame".

Will do, thanks.

 

[NDT]

I checked both my late Air Force deuces and they have the serial very deeply stamped in the frame location mentioned by emmado above. Sounds like the serial stamping guy had a potty break when your truck came down the line at AMG.

 

[emmado22]

Guys:

If you can help me out with this, it would be helpful to those who dont have info like Lavarok. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/79736-attention-late-model-usaf-m35a2c-owners.html PM's are fine.

 

[wsucougarx]

Ok, I checked my ex USAF 1988 M35A2C for serial # stamping on the frame. My cell phone pic came out too dark, but the whole 1040-XXXXX number is stamped in numbers about 1/2 to 3/4 inch tall. I stole your pic to show where I found them. They were pretty deep, well visible under the paint job. They are pretty much in line with the rear corner of the reinforcement plate and the front of the tie down "tear drop".

As for other locations of date codes.. My rust proofing sticker that is located on the INSIDE of the glove box door says 2/88, my blue warrantee dataplate is stamped 2/88, and my ID number stamped on the NSN/contract # dataplate on the dash says 88K### 1040-##### It is a safe assumption that if you have any of those that are filled out, thats the build month/year of the truck. Also on the inside of the glove box door, next to the rustproofing sticker is a computerized label that has the NSN, nomenclature, a bar code, some other seemingly meaningless numbers, and handwritten on it is 88K### which matches whats stamped on the ID dataplate. Look on the 2nd of MY postings of pictures for what the 2 stickers I found on the glove box door look like.


Hope this helps.

Ok I need apologize. Earlier I said my '88 didn't have the VIN number stamped in the driver side wheelwell. I went back out tonight and squatted to see my VIN is indeed stamped exactly where Emando's is but about an inch higher. Earlier this morning the Air-O-Matic hose must have been in the way...sorry for the confusion.

 

[emmado22]

To answer Doghead's question, AMG has the info listed on the Truck Production Order. Basically it is the build sheet for the truck, generated by AMG. Mine lists vehicle serial #, USAF reggie #, engine serial #, paint codes, day built, day accepted, split brakes, rustproofing, heater, hard top, ect type info. Somewhere in some deep dark filing cabinet is all this info on all the USAF built trucks (and probably everything else they have built..

My axles were made by Rockwell 1 month before the truck was built, which makes sense. So thats another way to help check your build month/year.