First Deuce owner

[ROARKY]

After reading extensively and looking at multiple trucks, I decided to go with my 1970 m35a2. I bought it this week, has winch, hardtop, and a little rust around the rockers. The previous owner used a whistler turbo m35a2 to jump this one and when it started it was pretty! I opened the hood because I realized I hadn’t even asked what engine it had and to my surprise it appears to be the D turbo. It was very clean under the hood. All of the wheels are dry and show no signs of leakage.

My dad was in the army and drove 5 tons and had driven since he was 16. He is going on 45 years of driving a truck. He had a massive heart attack and was up working in a few days afterwards. We had talked about getting one to work on together and I figured now is the best time. I was told this truck came off of Fort Know, I am in Flemingsburg, KY. It had some desert tan peeking out from under the multi camo. I will try and post pics as I get the time.

 

[Elijah95]

Welcome aboard! First and foremost, the SINGLE most important thing besides checking your brake fluid, is go to Home Depot and buy (3) 1/8 npt push connect fittings from the hardware section, and some nylon tubing and remove all 3 axle vents, install those; and run that new tubing up high.

I don’t care what anyone says, the factory vents are JUNK JUNK JUNK and when they fail you’ll blow axle and pinion seals.

Don’t drive it even 20 miles without this mod, if you can’t go get the parts before driving, take a pair of channel locks and pop the crimped on vent top off picture of said vent is below, don’t bother replacing with a new one. Obsolete junk

 

[cattlerepairman]

Welcome! As for the engine, they all have a variant of the LDT-465 multifuel engine. A screaming "C" turbo or a more efficient "D" turbo are personal preferences rather than real-world differences. Do not confuse a "C" or "D" on the engine's data plate (e.g. LDT-465-1C) with the type of turbo the engine has attached. Two totally independent (and confusing) things.
What you do want to see on your engine are the letters "TD" cast into the block, somewhere near the data plate. The Thick Deck blocks are a bit sturdier and do not blow head gaskets as willingly as the non-TD blocks.

Good score on the winch, always desirable. Does it have drop sides or a regular cargo box?

 

[frank8003]

Just go and look around. Is the wiring harness, wherever it is chafing on anything? fix it.
Pull all the wheels and check everything and fix it. More and more and more.
Is there a proper hose from the back of the air cleaner to the compressor? If not then fix it.
Now you have a project for You + Dad. Enjoy.

 

[Oerthedge21]

Make sure you check brake lines, especially the soft lines between the frame and axles. I had to put a rubber hose around my front one to protect it from running the frame and eventually failing. Just remember, lose ONE brake, you lose EVERY brake. Ah the joys of single circuit systems.

 

[frank8003]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_6OEBrY6vNe4HK4CCpO21w

 

[montaillou]

If you want to know whether or not you have a C or D turbo:

Does it sound like Satan mowing grass? Then it's a C turbo.

If your ears don't bleed, parents don't take their kids off the street, and you can hear yourself yell, then you have a D turbo.

 

[rustystud]

If you want to know whether or not you have a C or D turbo:

Does it sound like Satan mowing grass? Then it's a C turbo.

If your ears don't bleed, parents don't take their kids off the street, and you can hear yourself yell, then you have a D turbo.

Yeah, that about sums it up Montaillou !

 

[gringeltaube]

If you want to know whether or not you have a C or D turbo:

Does it sound like Satan mowing grass? Then it's a C turbo.

If your ears don't bleed, parents don't take their kids off the street, and you can hear yourself yell, then you have a D turbo.

 

[Nomad1]

wait there is the non turbos

Welcome! As for the engine, they all have a variant of the LDT-465 multifuel engine. A screaming "C" turbo or a more efficient "D" turbo are personal preferences rather than real-world differences. Do not confuse a "C" or "D" on the engine's data plate (e.g. LDT-465-1C) with the type of turbo the engine has attached. Two totally independent (and confusing) things.
What you do want to see on your engine are the letters "TD" cast into the block, somewhere near the data plate. The Thick Deck blocks are a bit sturdier and do not blow head gaskets as willingly as the non-TD blocks.

Good score on the winch, always desirable. Does it have drop sides or a regular cargo box?

 

[cattlerepairman]

wait there is the non turbos

But you would never know until the smoke dissipates!

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[Nomad1]

At first I thought someone stole the turbo for there hodrod

But you would never know until the smoke dissipates!

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

 

[Tracer]

How about some pictures of your new truck!!!

 

[SCM35A2]

Welcome to the site & congrats on your first truck, my first truck was a 64 M35A2. I want to say everything has been mentioned that you should look over/check & Id also like to say do a complete fluid change-(oil/transmission/transfer case & axles) as well too.

 

[frank8003]

One never knows what one has got until one does ones"s own PM's
Enjoy and assure yourself.

 

[77 AMG]

Welcome to a fellow Kentuckian! Good to hear that you have a truck that you and your dad can enjoy, even if it <is> the compact model of what your dad drove. I have BOTH a Deuce AND a 5 ton (yeah, yeah. Glutton for punishment and all that. ) and they are both 1970 models. Kind of weird, I think.

 

[Privatewrench]

Welcome from another Kentuckian! You have a great project to share with your dad

 

[71DeuceAK]

Welcome! These trucks bring people together without a doubt!

 

[ROARKY]

Sorry it took so long. I finally got it picked up. I have attached a couple of photos but plan to add more. It does need some work but I think I would to if I were in it's situation. Right off the bat I discovered that I had 2 flats on the passenger intermediate side. I managed to air up the outside one but the inside one only hissed back. I am guessing that the tube is busted. Brakes are great! It came with a cab top that appears as if someone has stood on it, but that's ok, it adds character. The cab has lights on the front of it, I am guessing that these were added as an after service feature. The only major issues, besides the tire, that I have noticed is that the light switch does not activate the lights and the windshield wiper motor do not engage. I have read a few post already and have plans to inspect them both further in the next few days. It did have all but one bow and has some rust on the passenger rocker. Almost everyone I looked at in KY had that issue. I am pleased with it. But here is what you have been waiting for!

 

[cattlerepairman]

has some rust on the passenger rocker. Almost everyone I looked at in KY had that issue.

Open that vent flap on the side of the cab, unhook the spring so you can get your hand inside and feel downwards. I bet it is full of debris in there. Stir loose with screwdriver and shopvac the stuff out, then poke the drain holes open from below. It is a ****t* piece of engineering that causes rust. Do that on both sides. You probably want to take both fenders off anyway to rehab them; that is the time to weld the rockers and the forward area of the cab. Make sure you put new "welting" between the cab and fender and use the spring-loaded fasteners for the front of the fender where it sits on the support bracket, with a piece of rubber in between.
Oh, it's so much fun!