Does anyone know this Deuce? M135

[Ratch]

I've seen this Deuce parked in the same spot for several years. I asked a few neighbors about it, and no one knows anything (or claim not to). I thought I saw a thread about it once on here, but can't find it by any of the keywords I think might be relevant.

Anyone here know this one? I'm not going to disclose location as I don't know the owner. I'd like to find him and see if it's possibly for sale, but I need it like I need a hole in the head...

I'd like to know what model it is, too, but I can dig that up I'm sure. Edit: looks like it's a standard M135.

Mostly, I'm curious about it's story. It's been relatively unchanged since the first time I saw it years ago, except I'm pretty sure there's more junk thrown in the bed...

 

[sigo]

It's a 2.5 ton truck, but not a deuce in the traditional sense. That's not a bad looking M135, looks like it'd be a worthwhile acquisition for someone with the know-how and time to fix it. I hope someone can save it from a rusty death.

 

[Ratch]

I've wanted it since I first saw it, but have been weaning down my lust for a machine like this lately as I have way too many unfinished projects. If it were for sale and I could afford to buy it and then afford to move it, I'd do it, but it would sit and wait, I wouldn't even attempt to start working on it until I had lots of other things finished. It's not like it's done much else but sit... I have a Chevy 350 waiting to do something... That could probably be built up to have more power than the original motor.

Though, I find it pretty odd that it has modern taillights. If the M135 was phased out in the 60's, those lights must have been added by someone later, so it hasn't been sitting there that long. And why add modern military parts to it unless it was going to be a hybrid restore project? I'm thinking someone out there still loves this truck...

 

[frank8003]

just go buy her and take home
you have to work on something
might as well be her

 

[Jeepsinker]

Make a couple of laminated letters and put them in several places on the truck where they can't be missed. Print them on red or orange paper. And maybe offer to trade a storage shed or container for it, since that is what it is being used for anyway.

 

[Ratch]

That's not a bad idea. I just located a phone number for a business nearby, so I'm going to try them in the morning if I remember...

 

[sigo]

It could have been in service long enough to get the newer taillights. A lot of old equipment gets squirreled away and hangs around in service long enough to outlive the majority of the type. Good luck with contacting the owner. Too many times I've passed by something cool and never tried to do anything about it. Before you know it, the item disappears...

 

[wreckerman893]

A lot of those trucks left the military and went to Civil Defense or other agencies. That one may have been sold off from such an agency.

 

[Ratch]

This one still has the army markings on it, so I'm thinking it came straight from military service to civilian life. I've seen it there for several years, it was parked before M35 deuces were still coming out of GL cheap. He probably got it pretty cheap because demand was higher for the M35 series. Heck, it could've been sitting there for 20 years now, I just noticed it a couple years ago, and notice it about once a year when I'm in the area.

Local business it's parked near has a non-functional number... It's pretty much dead-ended until I can get back up there and leave something on it. And who knows if it will ever be seen, the trash in the bed may have been thrown there by a neighbor that didn't want to pay pickup fees. The owner may not have set eyes on the thing in a long time.
Though with my luck...it's probably a guy that plans to restore it one of these days. I found a gorgeous Corvette once in the mid nineties that had weeds growing out from under the hood, found the owner, and he refused to sell it because he was in the middle of restoring it. 5 years later, it still hadn't been touched, and was eventually junked.

 

[SteveKuhn]

Ratch, you might wanna contact the local cops or state police where it's parked. If not, perhaps the municipal offices. They might be able to give you contact info on the truck or property owner.

Steve

 

[steelandcanvas]

...and he refused to sell it because he was in the middle of restoring it. 5 years later, it still hadn't been touched, and was eventually junked.

I've seen this happen so many times, I've lost count. The attitude: "It's mine and you can't have it, I may never do anything with it, but you will never do anything with it".

OP, Go to the County and look up the property records, you will find out who is paying the taxes on the property...there's your contact.

 

[Ratch]

I tried the number again and got through. 3 times yesterday and got the verizon disconnected message. Now once while I was downstairs from my office, and it went right through. It was like the verizon message was their off-hours answering machine message, I hit the same number in my phone...
The girl knew of the truck, but didn't know anything about it. She's going to ask around and call me back if anyone has any info. She wasn't sure if it was parked on their property or not, either. She didn't sound bothered by the call, which is a pretty good thing. I was expecting her to be tired of people asking about it, but I guess it's well enough off the beaten path... I like when I run across nice people in my oddball requests...

 

[Ratch]

I've seen this happen so many times, I've lost count. The attitude: "It's mine and you can't have it, I may never do anything with it, but you will never do anything with it".

OP, Go to the County and look up the property records, you will find out who is paying the taxes on the property...there's your contact.

Ha, you read my mind... I was just about to open up the county GIS...


And yeah, I hate that. I've picked up plenty of projects I have grand visions for. But I recognize when it's not going to happen, and I can let it go to someone that can make it happen or at least have a shot at trying. I'm not the owner of anything I've been entrusted with, just the manager until my time is up...

 

[Carlo]

I've been down this road before. Over here the more you show interest the more they don't want to sell it.

 

[whiskey357]

like first listed put up a phone number....in bright red.....contact the local tax people and get the info from them ........or set it on fire and see who comes a calln for it ....heheh na that is last approach for it.......or tow it and see who comes a calln heheh

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Drives me nuts to see something like this just rust away.

 

[Ratch]

I pulled out my notes on this and finally called a few numbers I scoured off the web.

The business it was parked behind knows nothing about it, btw. It's apparently not their property.

But I spoke to a little old lady today who lives near it. She would LOVE for me to take it, she knew what I was asking about immediately, and hates it sitting there as an eyesore. The problem is...it's not hers... But she did tell me who the neighbor was that parked it there, said his son brought it home "forever" ago and it's never moved since, and they moved away several years ago.
So I think, "Yes! It's abandoned!" but then I go through property records and find the name she gave me is still the active owner of the property, though he lives elsewhere and (I assume) rents out the house to the current resident.

So tonight I'm going to try the number I found for him, and see what happens.

 

[Ratch]

Another question for the group, rather than starting a new thread;
Anyone know how much an M135 like this weighs?

I have a 10k backhoe trailer and can borrow a truck that can haul it. That would make life with it much easier than adding the cost of a hauler. Actually, adding professional hauling costs would be a deal breaker, this thing is pretty far gone...

 

[SteveKuhn]

Sheets I have say 13,030 lb w/ow. Pretty much the same as an M35.

Steve

 

[Ratch]

Ah, that's a bummer. Maybe I'll tow it overloaded and underspeed (axles are actually 30k each) to my dad's place ten miles away, then strip stuff off until it's light enough to haul the 100+ miles home.



On a side note, mods, feel free to move this thread to the proper forum now that's it identified as an M135.


edit: I just looked up the data plate in the TM's, looks like it's over 12,000 lbs. Maybe it has 2000lbs of fluids that already leaked out...