Birmingham area members help needed to buy M35a2

[Aolinge1]

Hi everyone, I found an M35a2 right near Birmingham that has an air leak so the brakes barely work. Is there a member near this area that can either come see if it's an easy fix that could be done shortly after purchase and driven home, or needed to be towed? And if so, how much it would be? I'll gladly pay for the help and gas. Thank you!!!

 

[73m819]

Hi everyone, I found an M35a2 right near Birmingham that has an air leak so the brakes barely work. Is there a member near this area that can either come see if it's an easy fix that could be done shortly after purchase and driven home, or needed to be towed? And if so, how much it would be? I'll gladly pay for the help and gas. Thank you!!!

TOW IT HOME, then fix it, not worth the risk to drive it home.

 

[simp5782]

Elijah is near your area. Maybe he can throw it on a towbar and drag it home for you.

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[Aolinge1]

Elijah95, is that who you're talking about? And if so, awesome! I'll try to message him! Thanks!

 

[simp5782]

Yeah. He is about the only person in that area. There is a guy with a few LMTVs and 5 tons in Helfin, AL but he is not on the site.

I am in memphis and have a big trailer but it would be costly for me to come the 4 hours down there. Deal with the crap roads in Birmingham, and haul that little deuce.

 

[Elijah95]

We are en route to pick up the truck now

 

[simp5782]

We are en route to pick up the truck now

Remember to tie that steering wheel off. A deuce will lock to one side on some turns and hard bumps.

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[Elijah95]

Remember to tie that steering wheel off. A deuce will lock to one side on some turns and hard bumps.

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Thanks Wes

 

[cattlerepairman]

We are en route to pick up the truck now

It is always nice to see that in this community people make the extra effort and help each other out. Now, I hope Elijah95 or Aolinge1 are taking pictures, or it didn't happen!

 

[Elijah95]

Truck is delivered and I’m homestead bound

 

[Aolinge1]

Thank you everyone and especially to Eli. I had a blast and love the new Deuce! It has a few things that need to be fixed up some, though, does anyone know of someone who could work on it near the Atlanta area? Eli is way too busy. Thanks again!

 

[sandcobra164]

Not sure if he's currently taking projects but Clinto was providing services for a while and he's somewhat near Atlanta. I can vouch that he's as good as they come, search around for some of his write-ups and you'll see he is very thorough. I've talked trucks with him quite a few times and he's way more knowledgeable on the M35's than I'll ever be. I recommend at a minimum getting the wheel bearings serviced and the wheel cylinders checked due to the weak brakes you mentioned. The scary thing about a M35A2 is about 97% of them or better have a single circuit brake system. One leaky part can equal no brakes except the parking brake. Even an operational parking brake doesn't help moving M35 much. I'm not saying that to scare you into parking your truck. I owned one for 7 years and put about 10,000 miles on it with minimal issues. Average pre-check includes looking for leaky wheel cylinders (wet brake backing plates towards the bottom and fluid inside the sides of the tires) and pressing on the bellows going into the master cylinder operating rod. It's right behind the tool box on the driver's side, you can easily see it when you crawl underneath. Top of master cylinder is located under the trap door in front of your driver's seat.

No onto merrier talk, since you live in Georgia, you need to get the truck road ready by October in order to go to Durhamtown Off Road Park and meet up with quite a few regional members on here. That's probably my favorite part of the hobby, participating with other like minded people and meeting them in person.

 

[Aolinge1]

I'd love to! yeah that's why I'm trying to find someone to make sure everything is on the up and up, because I love it already and can't wait to hit roads (paved and un-paved lol!) with it.

 

[sandcobra164]

Check with Clinto first, if he's unable to get to it I can possibly help. I'd like to ask some questions so please don't take offense, I simply don't know you. Do you have the tools needed to work on the truck? Do you have a facility? Do you have the time? Can you physically perform the tasks? If yes to those questions then we can walk you through all of that but there are technical manuals available to download for free from this site that can outline how to perform the tasks. If you answer no to some of the questions or all, no worries. Members often help out just as they did to get the truck home for you. Thanks to Elijah95 for towing it.

 

[Aolinge1]

Much thanks to him, he really was a life saver. But yessir, those are all yes except maybe the facility ( I don't have a huge garage or anything) but I do have a peaceful neighborhood that doesn't have an HOA or any problems with the truck. I'll try to contact Clinto though, is that his username on here?

 

[gringeltaube]

............ I'll try to contact Clinto though, is that his username on here?

Yes. AKA the "Deuce Doctor": https://www.steelsoldiers.com/member.php?1401-clinto

 

[clinto]

I really appreciate the kind comments from some of you here. Thank you.

Aolinge did PM me, I responded to him.

I am performing mechanical and restoration work still. It has grown to be a much larger aspect of my life/work than I anticipated.

Here is a little bit of what I'm doing right now (but I should be able to make room for AoLinge's truck):

1942 GPW.


Before (and it ran about how it looks):


After (also, now runs like it looks):


1942 M2A1 halftrack. New brake system, rebuilt front axle, replace tracks, make the lights and gauges work, etc.


Annnnnnnd after..................... (also, if anyone asks you to help them rebuild their halftrack front axle, tell them to take a hike):



Engine rebuild on an M38A1. Spun #4 rod bearing.