Gazing into a crystal ball.........

[m16ty]

It is the same with any category of collectibles. If every one had one, IE a '70 Beetle, they still wouldn't be worth squat nor would any collector give them the time of day. The slow destruction by using up, scrapping, accidental loss and ever diminishing numbers are what make the all original and not cut up or converted GPW and the P51 valuable. Every bobbed duce or CCKW turned logging truck helps in making the surviving few legendary. It is natural for the educated collector who longs to persuade all to save for future generations. But for the most part it is all in vane and time will have it's way. More than 15 million Ford Model Ts were manufactured. The happy owner of a meticulously restored 1908 would probably feel as plain as the T color choices if every one sold was revered as the monumental historically significant machines they were and garaged them all for posterity.



Now that says something right there. That is what we need to strive for.

Haven't thought of it like that untill now. You make a good point.

 

[TheBuggyman]

Sorry, I know this is a sore subject but I feel compelled to reply in greater detail to FreightTrain's comment.

I mod my trucks. There, I said it. Do I think that folks who restore or keep trucks original are morons? Of course not, I love seeing original machinery but if you think that all equipment, cars, machines and mil vehicles should be kept original that is your opinion but it does not make you a moron in my eyes. I do think that is a very short sighted and myopic view if you believe that ALL things should be kept original, after all it is the ingenuity of the owner to mod their truck as they want it to be. If we did not have that creativity then these great vehicles would have never been created in the first place!

I agree with Bruce in that his mods are limited to military approved things when desiring to keep his trucks "original", but even then ANY change, whether it be approved or not deviates from how the truck was when it was delivered to the military. This means that it is no longer original and you have modified it. Do you think that a COPO Camaro on Barret's would fetch top dollar if a guy decided to put a different rear under the car even though GM made it and it was actually in some Camaros? No, even if one thing is changed it is no longer original.

So you see, there are varying degrees of modification from bolt on military parts to bobbing which for the record I think is cool looking but I would never do. Why? Because it exceeds what I deem acceptable for a mil-vehicle mod but I do not think that it makes the owner a moron. That kind of comment can generate a lot of animosity and I understand that you are not actually calling folks out, just saying that you have the right.

I like modding my trucks, but I also try to keep the look of the truck "original", kind of like an experimental model sent to Uncle Sam for evaluation.

There are two camps here, modders and non-modders. As different as water and dust and it will never be reconciled but let's try to appreciate everyone's ideas and beliefs with these trucks because together our voice is strong!

And if I have not interpreted you correctly FreighTrain, I apologize in advance.

 

[FreightTrain]

I should have put and Visa Versa behind my post......Cause it goes both ways depending on your view of the hobby.

 

[Michael]

I think the point that DD is making and most are missing is that there are original as manufactured trucks selling on GL right now for the same price as highly modified and rebuilt trucks. If you want a truck as an investment, you would be wise to seek these trucks out and hold onto them without modification for they will be the true collectible trucks in the future. If you want a truck to use or modify, you would be better off with a depot rebuild anyway.

Is there such a thing as matching motor and frame serial numbers in a M35?

 

[DDoyle]

I think the point that DD is making and most are missing is that there are original as manufactured trucks selling on GL right now for the same price as highly modified and rebuilt trucks. If you want a truck as an investment, you would be wise to seek these trucks out and hold onto them without modification for they will be the true collectible trucks in the future. If you want a truck to use or modify, you would be better off with a depot rebuild anyway.

Is there such a thing as matching motor and frame serial numbers in a M35?

Michael,
You hit the nail on the head!!!

As for the matching motor and frame numbers - I believe there is such a thing - and I am hard on the hunt to prove (or disprove) this.

DD

 

[TheBuggyman]

Is there such a thing as matching motor and frame serial numbers in a M35?

Of course! Your GL representative can help with that.......

 

[emmado22]

I know for sure that mine matches, but only because I got really lucky and got ALL the paperwork for my deuce with it, including the build sheet that it went down the assembly line with....

 

[patch]

Well, I'd like to do my part and save 'em all. One of each would be cool, but not enough time, money, space and of course there's the wife thing......

 

[Tanner]

My sister just picked up her 1970 beetle. The repair shop wanted to take it off her hands because the semiauto tranny doesn't shift right. Offered a couple hundred for it. We drove off with the car, having to start it in gear . Stupid transmission design LOL.

that's just my

You realize that the Autostick trans in the Beetle is not that complicated, right?
Don't you dare change it to a manual, as you would be killing it's value!

PM me re the VW; I'll see what I can remember on fixing them - I had 2 Autostick VW's Beetles - cut my teeth on many of them & I still play with them today.

Anyway - to the question at hand - there are always two camps at play here: Purists & Modders... valid points on both sides.

If the vehicle is mostly complete component wise, go ahead & restore it to stock. If it is a cab on a chassis, sans motor, then mod away... If it's very rare, by all means restore to period spec...

At the end of the day, it's still 'to each his own for his intended purpose'.

'Tanner'

 

[gimpyrobb]

Looks like a good base for a new book David. Compile a list of NSNs that are intended to go on which truck, Colors for time periods, Markings etc. Could be a handy guide for those that want to stay "correct".

 

[ida34]

Chuck,

Is that trunk correct for that model year?? How those leaf outlines really breaks up the trucks outline

If I knew for sure what year it was I could tell you. Title says 62 but that does not seem to match the truck. I think I am going to make stencils of the pattern so I can reapply it after I fix the body. Do you want me to send you a copy?

 

[nattieleather]

I bet if we went to the classic chevy forum we might find the same arguement er discussion taking place. There are those who feel that the 55 Chevy should be restored or kept as it was when it left the factory. Then there are the hot rod crowed that feel the 55 Chevy looks best with chromed mag wheels, racing slicks, a full blow 500 crate motor with a full custom leather interior with DVD player full custom sound system and a Ford 9 inch rear end. One side of the isle says WTF man? The other side says WOW cool. I think it is the nature of vehicle collecting be it historic MVs or old Chevy's one guy is going to want to keep it looking the way it did when it left the factory and the other is going to want to customize. It's just the way it is.

Also David how do you feel about modifications for safety? Like dual MC or the composite tail lights and turn signals?

 

[DDoyle]

Also David how do you feel about modifications for safety? Like dual MC or the composite tail lights and turn signals?

As Michael pointed out earlier - that has nothing to do with the point I was trying to make. What I am trying to say is that TODAY there are deuces being sold by GL that are essentially unmolested from the day they left the factory. In thirty years (when I hope a number of us on this forum are still fooling with this OD stuff) those trucks will be 55-60 years old (same age as a CCKW today) - if any of us have the foresight to pick out the ones that are still as-built, take them home, and take reasonable care of them for those 30 years, they will be the trucks that folks line up to see - and thank the owners for saving.

But today - they sell for the same price as the reengined, depot-overhauled trucks - currently these all-original trucks are getting hauled home, parted out, used commerciall, modded, etc. without the new owners for a moment grasping that they have bought a 25-30 year old time capsule.

Several folks on this forum not too long ago when a ENDT powered five ton came through GL - as they should have -again, a time capsule. But no one blinks an eye when a 1968 M35A2 with the factory-installed LD-465 and sprag transfer goes up for auction.

DD

 

[FreightTrain]

DD is talking about cutting up trucks and distroying their historic aspect.How many of these rigs today are restored?I don't mean just as they were bought from GL or a quick coat of paint thrown over the rust.But how many are like they were delivered to the Military.Or restored to a mixture of how they would have been in the military and like new with all the proper military add ons.Heat,woopy lights,M66 ring mounts,turn signals,etc.No air ride peterbilt seats,No cup holders(unless you use the rifle rack as a cup holder),no Flip out DVD players,etc.I have only see 2 or 3 that were truely restored.The rest have been Civilianized with different seats,radios,horns,fiberglass tops,repowers,radial street tires,and other mods both Extreme and subdued.My deeces have only been modified by changing the horns out but the horns were painted to match the truck and I installed a siren on one,Dual Pyros in both.

Here is a prime example of what he is really talking about.Modifications that remove metal via drilling,cutting,or grinding or add metal via welding not just bolt on using existing holes.

 

[FreightTrain]

But today - they sell for the same price as the reengined, depot-overhauled trucks - currently these all-original trucks are getting hauled home, parted out, used commerciall, modded, etc. without the new owners for a moment grasping that they have bought a 25-30 year old time capsule.

Several folks on this forum not too long ago when a ENDT powered five ton came through GL - as they should have -again, a time capsule. But no one blinks an eye when a 1968 M35A2 with the factory-installed LD-465 and sprag transfer goes up for auction.

DD

That is why I fought Wrecker tooth and nail about the blue USAF deuce that he got a while back from Arkansas.It still had Gasser fenders,the original bed(had the tag),and a lot of other stuff but was Fugly and had been repowered with a multi.Luckly he sold that truck to someone on here that was going to restore it.When I saw it he was mediablasting the body.I would have converted the truck back to gasser if it was mine.I like a 100% bone stock truck but also like trucks that have all the military features added or upgraded also I like a totally tricked out truck.I am one of the strange ones.I don't like the cut one up and make it something it never was intended to be.....unless it was a total basket case and there was no hope to restore it.That is why I am looking for a truck now without a motor and axles.Only want a frame,cab,and one axle.........I am leaving it at that.

 

[mbwarner]

Well said...

 

[gimpyrobb]

Ft.train, how soon do you want that truck?

I am looking for a truck now without a motor and axles.Only want a frame,cab,and one axle.........I am leaving it at that.

 

[FreightTrain]

To continue on what DD said and my other post...I will give the most perfect example possible of what he is talking about......How many of these were surplused out in teh states?How many have you seen fully restored....how many have been butchered and totally bastardized like this one?

 

[FreightTrain]

well,considering I gotta put an engine in one truck,and potentially another truck.....it will be a while....6 months to a year.I want to atleast get the MM running again and get the wrecker mobile so I can stop bringing down Papabears property values and scaring the other MVs at the museum.

 

[hndrsonj]

On this topic, Last fall I was at Sam Werners place in TN. He was telling me about scrapping out M8's in the 70's. He said they scrapped hundreds for the price of scrap steel. He currently has a huge stack of the fender skirts that I am sure exceeds the total number of surviving M8's in this country. Regardless of what you believe in the next few decades origional dueces will be hard to come by (and expensive). Just think of how many are permanetly altered every day. CCKW's and Jeeps were made in HUGE numbers, and there were only what, about 200,000 dueces????