Just got a clean M35A2. I am pretty excited and look forward to your vast knowledge. A couple things first:
Apologies, I left off the questions I had no input on.
Is there a resource for the heater... like where to install one? Purchase one? It has wires to it... but thats it.
Likely you'll have to find someone parting out a truck with one, or get some after-market adaptation. Gralmk is correct, it typically goes on the left side fender just behind the access panel (blower and hot water radiator), and then a diverter box under the dash mounted on the firewall above the transmission tunnel. There are several variations due to age or from other trucks such as the heater/blower/diverter all located in one box mounted inside the cab. A few folks have adapted commercial units, especially Air Conditioning/Heater boxes combos, but they're fairly mod intensive and I don't recommend them for you at this state.
It says it has air assisted steering... but dear lord... I don't think so. I about busted a gut trying to park the **** thing. lol How do you tell if its broken?
The air assist steering primarily comes in two parts, a new drag link (the "brains", contains valves etc) off the steering box on the exterior of the left front frame rail. Then an air operated ram tank on the back of the tie rod. There is also an air cut-off valve for the air-assist steering located inside the engine bay on the fire wall. This could be disabled. It looks like, and is located, as shown in the pictures here in my thread (the "T" handled valve):
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...ir-assist-steering-low-pressure-cut-off-valve
Also, you'd be able to easily hear the compressed air rushing and venting out of the drag link when you turned your wheels.
Where can I find the strut/arms for the windshields?
eBay, here on SteelSoldiers, the Facebook M35A2 page... anywhere a deuce is being parted out. Also try any of the many, many vendors out there:
http://www.eriksmilitarysurplus.com/
http://www.bigmikesmotorpool.com/pages/frontpage
http://mvpartstore.com/
http://www.realcustomtrucks.com/Default.asp
Or any of the "big box vendors":
http://www.memphisequipment.com/
http://www.boyceequipment.com/
http://ccsurplus.com/
http://www.tnjmurray.com/militaryvehicles/index.cfm
http://www.kublossurplus.com/
https://www.easternsurplus.net/
http://midwest-military-equipment10.mybigcommerce.com/
http://www.oshkoshequipment.com/
on and on.. just search, use Google.
Can you separate the rear axles to use MRAP wheels/tires?
You can do anything do a vehicle with enough time, money, knowledge, and expertise...
As it sits, look at your rear tandems. They share a common leaf spring and torque rods with rubber bushings (often called "dog bones" and a center trunnion. It'd be a lot of work to modify/redesign this 3-link suspension.
Any other standard modifications y'all recommend?
For any/all of these, you can just search for them on SteelSoldiers and find the results
#1 priority: Brakes. Your brakes are (likely) a single circuit system (newer, later M35A2's, often "air force" trucks did have a dual circuit brake system). Here's a copy/paste of a list I gave
another member, depending on when they were last serviced or how well maintained by the previous owner:
- Install a "remote brake fluid reservoir". Lots of links here:
- Rebuild all 6 wheel cylinders. If they're too rusty to hone out, replace. You'll want the rebuild kits with the springs with "cup expander" ends. They are purchasable at NAPA, NAPA Part Number 45, Line Item "UP" (or just "UP 45") See:
- Replace brake shoes as necessary (and/or brake shoe return springs too if they look rusty, mine certainly were just fine, as far as I could tell)
- Adjust all brakes and brake pedal linkage as necessary
- Replace brake pedal return spring
- Replace all 5 flexible brake lines. See Peashooter's excellent reference guide (it's a shame he doesn't sell them any more)
- Rebuild/replace air pack as necessary. Rebuild is cheapest (~$80) but if you're like me you'll not only spend the money to rebuild, have it fail, and then just buy a new "short style" air pack to replace it.
- Rebuild/replace master cylinder as necessary
- Replace all hard lines as necessary
I would also recommend other service/maintenance items (repacking bearings, replace axle seals, boots and filters etc) before getting too deep into modifications, but here's some other (non-tire) upgrades in no particular order:
Finally (Why I posted in this forum) , I would like to crew cab it, but keep the 6x6. Is that even possible? If so, where to start?
Sorry, I have no good input here. But you'll start by searching this forum and seeing how much work it is. You'll need to unbolt and remove the bed, buy a second cab, splice the cabs together (the cabs are tapered towards the front, causing much difficulty and custom fabrication), extend the hard top roof, or get a custom material roof made, and shorten the bed and bolt it back on (or put a trailer bed on - the M015 trailer bed is popular, but IMO, shortened deuce beds look better).
