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FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the essentials?

redpill

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I'd like a multifuel truck but know nothing about them. The M35 type looks good but exactly what should I know about them and look for before I buy one. Is it worth buying a pro refurb vs buying someones homebrew rehab off ebay? TIA for any authorative info.
 

ARMYMAN30YearsPlus

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RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the essential

They are one of the most interesting trucks in the world. I love mine it cost $3K starts better than any other vehicle I own and will pull a 40 in log out of the woods without breathing hard. It might get you infected with MV fever and then you wouild wind up with a driveway like mine. This is the site to research the duece just keep looking you will find what you need to know about them here along with some of the best folks I am priviledged to know.
 

gimpyrobb

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RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the essential

I never thought I would need one. Now that I have the box truck version, I want a cargo version too. I have SOOO much fun with mine. The others who own them are some of the best people you will meet. If you have the money for one that has been maintained and well kept, you will be time and money ahead. You are skating on a slippery slope right now, you can't have just one MV! :mrgreen:
 

WillWagner

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Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the essen

gimpyrobb said:
I never thought I would need one. Now that I have the box truck version, I want a cargo version too. I have SOOO much fun with mine. The others who own them are some of the best people you will meet. If you have the money for one that has been maintained and well kept, you will be time and money ahead. You are skating on a slippery slope right now, you can't have just one MV! :mrgreen:
Gimpy, I agree. I have had the pleasure of meeting about 10 of the guys from this site. They are some of the finest examples of the human race. I've also had the pleasure of meeting and hanging with about 100 or so SCMVCC members. Seems that all of us infected with the MV bug are from the same seed!

Redpill,
Get familiar with what you want. There are alot of people out there that will take advantage of you...lie to your face about the truck 'cause all they want is $$. Read up. Go thru old posts here, download the TMs and read them, ask questions. When you find one you like, see if there's a member who can go with you to ck it out, or inspect it for you if it's at a DRMO or place close to them. There are lots of people here that are more than willing to help and full of knowledge. Have fun!
 

houdel

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RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the e

There are negative aspects to Deuce ownership as well. Consider these points:

1. Most people will consider you a little bit nuts for wanting to buy one.

2. Most people will consider you more than a little bit nuts for actually buying one, but will envy you for buying it.

3. These trucks are not for the faint of heart. Very few have power steering, and the brakes are barely adequate by today's standards. Turning in or out of your driveway, making a 90 degree turn from a dead stop and weaving around parking lots will give you a workout. Once you get up to speed on the open road the steering lightens up, but eventually you will have to stop. Braking takes a lot of pedal effort even with good brakes. This ain't your family minivan. But it does haul a lot more groceries. That said, my wife can and does drive my deuce when I let her.

4. Turbo trucks have a straight through 3-1/2" exhaust, no muffler, and are very loud. Non turbo trucks have a muffler and are just plain loud. My truck (turbo) measures right around 100 dBa when I'm whaling on it, and in the high 80s dBa at idle. Hearing protection is mandatory. The military placed a sticker on my dash that says so.

5. Have a good set of tools, read a lot of Tech Manuals, and expect to do the majority of the maintenance on you truck yourself. Most trucks shops wouldn't know what to do on a Deuce, and besides you probably couldn't afford them.

6. These trucks have a very high retro/macho/military look cool factor. They turn heads wherever you go, especially hot chicks and kids. Expect increased medical bills caused by excessive smiling and waving. To paraphrase an old motorcycle saying, "How can you tell a happy Deuce owner has been driving with his windshield open? By the bugs on his teeth!"

With that said, do you still want a Deuce? If so, welcome to the club. I wouldn't trade mine for anything, unless it was enough money to buy two more, so I don't have to share mine with the wife.

Deuce owners are a unique breed, and Deuces are fun. I took several Boy Scouts for a camp out in my Deuce a few weekends ago. It was in a large tract of State forest land, directions were poor, ran out of directions before we found the camp site. Ended up roaming around on trails ranging from two track to ATV size, trees rubbing on both sides of the bed on several occasions. Finally found the camp site. The boys and I had a blast just getting there!
 

redpill

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RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the e

Firstly I'm a lot nuts and everyone knows it. Second, I want a vehicle that can go anywhere and carry my gear. Thirdly I want something not fussy about fuel. I'd like a ring weapons mount but have seen nothing with one. Just what are the ranges of fuel I can use? Will it run on mixtures of various oils? I used to be fairly mechanical but age and infirmity has made me lazy. How much constant maintainance is needed?
 

houdel

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Re: RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are t

redpill said:
Second, I want a vehicle that can go anywhere and carry my gear.
The Deuce can certainly do that. As for your fuel question, check out the "Alternative Fuels" forum, lots of good info there. Do a search for "ring and mount" (without the quotes), there are many threads on that subject.

Maintenance is not too much of an issue. The Deuce is well over engineered and does not often break. Check/change fluids, check axle seals and wheel bearings regularly, read and follow the Lubrication Order, check tire pressures, do the operator's checks in the operator's manual etc. All the routine PM. Most of the problems you will run into are generally electrical, I spend more time looking at the wiring diagram than wrenching. Grounding is an especially vexing problem on a Deuce. Any problems you can't solve on your own can generally be solved with a posting in this forum.
 

FreightTrain

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RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are the e

well,first off,these truck will go alot of places but they won't go everywhere.They are WIDE,TALL,HEAVY,and Sink like a rock in mud.If there is a solid bottom to the mud somewhere the deuce will find it and pull itself out.As for the fuels....I run Diesel,Gasoline,dump the motor oil straight from the oil pan into the fuel tank(ok,ok,I should filter it but I figure that is what the "3" fuel filters are for.....).Keep an eye on Government Liquidation.That is the best place to get a truck.IF YOU INSPECT IN PERSON!Just use it for a notice that a truck is available.Get the idea in your head that the pictures are of a totally different truck in a totally different country and the discription is a creation of Fantacy by a 5th grader for English Class cause that is basically what it boils down to.NEVER believe anything on that site.Inspect everything you plan on bidding on.If they will let you fire it up and drive it around the lot.
 

FreightTrain

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Re: RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What are t

houdel said:
Maintenance is not too much of an issue. The Deuce is well over engineered and does not often break.

Wanna bet.....oh,wait....that might just be cause the operator..... :roll:
 

Westech

CPL
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RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: FNG considering an m35 purchase. What a

I love my deuce. The one thing that will make sure I dont ever sell my Multi Fuel is that I can run just about anything I want, gas, oil, diesel, ATF, you name it. Now I did buy a M813 (thats a 5 ton) to do the larger jobs like haul me to the military shows and run over parked cars. but for running around, towing big ars trailers, haluing wood, moving things that my 2500HD cant I have my deuce. And with some bolt on mods you can make her fly around the 65 MPH mark down the road.
 

FormerNewMVGuy

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stockton NJ
Welcome I am a new deuce owner myself! All i can say is that it is the best thing i ever bought :D My family laughs at me because when they cant find me it means that I'm either laying underneath the truck looking at everything or sitting in it touching everything!
I havent tried alot of fuels yet just offroad deisel becuase thats what i have in my transfer tank on my worktruck
I will say very fun to drive and a real head turner driveing through towns!
 

sailor2000

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My testosterone level goes up 20% every time I even look at mine!!!!

They are VERY noisy, very BIG, get awful mileage and are the coolest thing on the road... love mine!
 
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