Hello from Pennsylvania

[John B.]

Thank you for adding me to the group! I just recently got my first MV. It's a 1968 M35A2 multi fuel with a winch. I'm told that this particular truck was used in the New Jersey Pineberons as a recovery truck for people who got their 4x4s stuck. I'm also told that it has a cult following in certain circles that remember this truck and hate the idea of it being changed in any way. If anyone recognizes this truck I would like to keep it's memory alive. I would like any photos or stories about it so I can document them and save them. I don't want to loose it's history military or civilian. That said it's in rough shape body wise. I want to restore this truck back to it's original military look. It runs strong, has good axeles, a good transmission, and good transfer case. The frame is solid and doesn't show any signs of stress damage like loose crossmembers or broken mounts. Everything works mechanically. I have not tried the winch yet. I should add that I'm a heavy diesel mechanic with 20 years experience and I've researched the M35A2 extensively on this sight and all over the internet. I'm going to do a complete over haul of the brake system, all hubs, and wheel bearings. Form follows function and the single circuit brake system is this trucks most frightening weak point. I've read about the hydro-max/hydro-boost upgrade and that's definitely an in the future project. I need to find tires for it too. All ten of them are dry rotted BADLY! I don't have a big budget right now but tires are needed so I can drive it around and after the brake overhaul that's my next big expense. Then it's on to the body work.

 

[18operator]

Welcome from Northern Ohio! Looks like you have a pretty good truck. A bit of tlc and you'll be on the road. As long as you keep up the maintenance the single circuit brakes are good. Parts are widely available for these trucks.

 

[John B.]

Welcome from Northern Ohio! Looks like you have a pretty good truck. A bit of tlc and you'll be on the road. As long as you keep up the maintenance the single circuit brakes are good. Parts are widely available for these trucks.

Thanks for the welcome! I've always wanted one of these since I was a little kid. When my dad would take me with him when he went to see his friend that lives by fort Indian town gap I used to see them in convoys all the time. I'm surprised by how much that's still available for these trucks. The prices are great too compared to commercial modern trucks.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Welcome to the site, The hobby, The friendships and knowledge, And events (Hopefully) To come in the future.
A wonderful restoration project, And The truck has found a sympathetic home.

 

[M35fan]

Welcome, from Alabama! Congratulations on your new truck. It looks like you've got a good foundation to build on. Glad you decided to rescue her. I'm looking forward to seeing your future work. As I'm sure you already know, there is a ton of good advice to be found here. Good luck with your project.

 

[SCM35A2]

Welcome to the site, I saw your post earlier on Facebook.

 

[Mullaney]

Thank you for adding me to the group! I just recently got my first MV. It's a 1968 M35A2 multi fuel with a winch. I'm told that this particular truck was used in the New Jersey Pineberons as a recovery truck for people who got their 4x4s stuck. I'm also told that it has a cult following in certain circles that remember this truck and hate the idea of it being changed in any way. If anyone recognizes this truck I would like to keep it's memory alive. I would like any photos or stories about it so I can document them and save them. I don't want to loose it's history military or civilian. That said it's in rough shape body wise. I want to restore this truck back to it's original military look. It runs strong, has good axeles, a good transmission, and good transfer case. The frame is solid and doesn't show any signs of stress damage like loose crossmembers or broken mounts. Everything works mechanically. I have not tried the winch yet. I should add that I'm a heavy diesel mechanic with 20 years experience and I've researched the M35A2 extensively on this sight and all over the internet. I'm going to do a complete over haul of the brake system, all hubs, and wheel bearings. Form follows function and the single circuit brake system is this trucks most frightening weak point. I've read about the hydro-max/hydro-boost upgrade and that's definitely an in the future project. I need to find tires for it too. All ten of them are dry rotted BADLY! I don't have a big budget right now but tires are needed so I can drive it around and after the brake overhaul that's my next big expense. Then it's on to the body work.

Welcome from North Carolina!

It looks to me like you have a good truck on your hands. A little work, drive it a little, work a little... That little bit of driving - even around the block a few times will keep you motivated.

Nothing like the green iron for a hobby. Fun and excitement and you will find good friends here as well at the Technical Manuals to do most things.

Again, Welcome!!

.

 

[country]

Welcome aboard

We are nearby in Phila

Dave

 

[Recovry4x4]

Welcome aboard friend. Tons of M35A2 knowledge here for sure.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Welcome from Texas!
(Formerly from NJ... summered in N.E. Pennsylvania too)
Where in PA are you located?

Welcome aboard
Find a bunk, stow your gear, and prepare to get underway

 

[Dipstick]

Welcome to Steel Soldiers John! I can't begin to tell you how much help my fellow Steel Soldiers have been to me over the last seven years. Their mechanical advice and friendship have been invaluable to me and Brutus (my Deuce). I'm not knowledgeable on body work, so I'll be interested to read your posts in the future. I live in Effort PA in the Poconos.

 

[ageregunner]

Welcome to the site from the Lehigh Valley. Good luck with your restoration.

 

[John B.]

Welcome from Texas!
(Formerly from NJ... summered in N.E. Pennsylvania too)
Where in PA are you located?

Welcome aboard
Find a bunk, stow your gear, and prepare to get underway

Im jellousI! I wish I lived some place warm! I live in Lehighton and its getting cold!

 

[antennaclimber]

Welcome to the site.
Come up here to Centre County. We have some snow for you.

 

[M37M35]

Welcome from Oklahoma!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Im jellousI! I wish I lived some place warm! I live in Lehighton and its getting cold!

LOL

I chose Texas upon my discharge from the USAF in 1979.
Loved the winters in PA, but prefer the wide open spaces here.

We were blessed to have a summer (and some weekends) place on Lake Silkworth (west of Nanticoke/Wilkes-Barre).
Our home in Kearny, NJ was exactly 8 miles to-the-foot west of the World Trade Center site on across the Hudson River on Manhattan.
Hence, as a kid I had my city-life and my country-life. I am adaptable to either environment.

I sometimes miss having "real" winters. Today was beautiful here though - 76F and lots of sunshine with a nice autumn breeze. LOVE IT.
Twas a good day to turn some wrenches on both the M35A2 and the XM818. Although our MV trailers are also in need of some after-summer TLC too.

Be blessed.
John
SS Chaplain

 

[Dipstick]

LOL

I chose Texas upon my discharge from the USAF in 1979.
Loved the winters in PA, but prefer the wide open spaces here.

We were blessed to have a summer (and some weekends) place on Lake Silkworth (west of Nanticoke/Wilkes-Barre).
Our home in Kearny, NJ was exactly 8 miles to-the-foot west of the World Trade Center site on across the Hudson River on Manhattan.
Hence, as a kid I had my city-life and my country-life. I am adaptable to either environment.

I sometimes miss having "real" winters. Today was beautiful here though - 76F and lots of sunshine with a nice autumn breeze. LOVE IT.
Twas a good day to turn some wrenches on both the M35A2 and the XM818. Although our MV trailers are also in need of some after-summer TLC too.

Be blessed.
John
SS Chaplain

Kearny. That's where I learned to drive tractor trailers almost four decades past. It sounds like Heaven there in Texas to me. My repair activities are virtually shut down up here for the Winter excepting for emergency repairs. You left the Air Force in '79. I left the Navy in '77. I guess that makes us old timers.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Kearny. That's where I learned to drive tractor trailers almost four decades past. It sounds like Heaven there in Texas to me. My repair activities are virtually shut down up here for the Winter excepting for emergency repairs. You left the Air Force in '79. I left the Navy in '77. I guess that makes us old timers.

Small world, isn't it.

Funny thing.... I also learned to drive there. First street legal vehicle was a WWII Jeep with a snow plow on the front - although I was too young for a license yet. We did the sidewalks along the main street (Kearny Avenue) with it, while the Jeep J-10 plowed the parking lanes and lots. We would tow the little Jeep with the J-10, then uncouple and get to work. Then got got street-legal and received my DL in my sister's 1971 Chevy VEGA. (don't laugh) And then also learned to drive tractor trailers in Kearny, NJ too.

But Pennsylvania was already in my blood. Fresh air, friendly people, 5-doors from a virgin forest watershed area that had been untouched since William Penn was granted the Commonwealth by King George. My city friends back in NJ though I was B.S.ing them about "the country". I think some to this day still have not left the city/urban areas.

Not many folks realize that the name PENNSYLVANIA literally means PENN's FOREST.

.... But then, the USAF showed me TEXAS. And, as they say.... THE REST IS HISTORY.

 

[frank8003]

Spent away many a day out in the Pine barrens with 51 then 56 Chevy learning to drive. Operating that winch should be a two man job.
Play with winch last after you pull the floorboards and lube/tighten inspect everything
in there especially the forever overlooked jackshaft fittins. Those tires hold air and are good to go, you aint going on interstate.
You will like not having to buy fuel for Her. She will run good on 100% new oil drained from new oil containers from your favorite oil change place. Just start at all the battery connections and GROUNDS and disconnect clean refurbish all that first.
She will stop with only two of the brakes drums working good, ask me how I know.
You want advice then you be at the right place. Hundreds of links available thousands of posts to make your daze better.
....................and about the TM's.

TM how to read the TMs 10282013.docx
It's also in TM 9-2320-361-34P.


There are 2 common sets of TMs online for the deuce.
TM 9-2320-209xxxx and TM 9-2320-361xxxx.

The 209 series has about 11 books.
The 361 series condensed it to 5.

Remember that …………………..
-10 books are owners manuals,
-20 and -24 are unit maintenance (minor stuff)
34 and 35 stuff is depot (major work)
Books ending in P are parts manuals with parts illustrations.

And from Porkysplace 09062013
The TM's that end in -P ( parts TM) also have illustrations of the parts .

TM help!!

Why can't the tm's have titles that actually tell us what is in them? Is it just me that has a extremely hard to finding what I'm after? I have yet to find anything in them that I was looking for. I like my trucks, enjoy working on them but even attempting to find anything in the tm's has so far...

www.steelsoldiers.com

!!

when within any open TM PDF file is open just click Ctrl and "F"
and you will get a search box that will rapid search the entire TM

 

[Dipstick]

Small world, isn't it.

Funny thing.... I also learned to drive there. First street legal vehicle was a WWII Jeep with a snow plow on the front - although I was too young for a license yet. We did the sidewalks along the main street (Kearny Avenue) with it, while the Jeep J-10 plowed the parking lanes and lots. We would tow the little Jeep with the J-10, then uncouple and get to work. Then got got street-legal and received my DL in my sister's 1971 Chevy VEGA. (don't laugh) And then also learned to drive tractor trailers in Kearny, NJ too.

But Pennsylvania was already in my blood. Fresh air, friendly people, 5-doors from a virgin forest watershed area that had been untouched since William Penn was granted the Commonwealth by King George. My city friends back in NJ though I was B.S.ing them about "the country". I think some to this day still have not left the city/urban areas.

Not many folks realize that the name PENNSYLVANIA literally means PENN's FOREST.

.... But then, the USAF showed me TEXAS. And, as they say.... THE REST IS HISTORY.

I can't say I know Kearny well. I went to the Chester Jackson truck driving school there. It's a pretty neat thought towing a small Jeep with a J10. You must have really felt adult plowing with the jeep at that age. You never see kids helping with yard work anymore. The first half of my Saturdays growing up belonged to my Dad. The brothers and I always helped him with mowing, raking, digging ditches, cleaning gutters and the like. That's how you learn the value of work and how to be a homeowner one day. My Dad used to send me to snow shovel the elder neighbors homes when I was only seven. I was mowing lawns for my Neighbors at about 12 years. The people across the street from me have a 14 year old son. I have never seen him rake a leaf or mow. There is no way in hell I would pay someone to mow my lawn if I had a 14 year old at home. I had my son soldering copper pipe at the age of 10 and now he's an electrical foreman and a journeyman in PA and NJ for a company that does commercial and industrial electrical work only. I've got deer in my yard every day up here in the Poconos. Sorry I got a little off track here, but I really did enjoy getting your response. It can be a small world sometimes!