Historical questions on early deuces

[roger-wilco-66]

Hello everybody,

I'm researching on the beginning of the M34 / M35 Trucks as well as the M135 type and ran into some dead ends, maybe someone could shed some light on the following questions:

- I understand that the M34 was the first approved design of the new medium weight clas trucks after WWII. Are there any informations on the whens and whats about how it was chosen? All I know is that the Army and Navy proposed a joint specification sheet in 148 or 1948 and REO built the first truck according to that. If there was a call for bidders, who were the competitors, and what prototypes were developed, and why was REOs design chosen?

- I _don't_ understand why the M134 family of trucks came into being, after the M34 was already chosen as the main stream medium class truck. The M135 was complex and way ahead of its time, as it seems, but was phased out when the M35 and its successors took over. Was that sort of an experiment, like to test if that concept could be successful in the long run?

A little specific, I know, but please let me know your opinions on that! If there are links to sources, please post them!


TIA
Mark

 

[oddnor]

M-135

Hei

The M-135 series was first, product of GM during the Korean War, and the M-34 bay Reo com after


When both trucks was on the marked, then the Army should decide witch they gonna use. REO did win ......lobbyist...work...

But GM did not stop the production, just moved it to Canada,where thy was in use up to the 80's

I read this when I did my work on some of the M-135

Still have some parts and engine may a complete truck

Odd

 

[deuceman51]

The GMC and the REO actually were both produced in 1951. I have an M135 serial number 082. It was built in October 1951 in the second week of production. Not 100% sure when the REO started. Part of the reason the M135 was adopted was because of the surplus of CCKW parts around which the M135 used some common parts. It was a superior truck in many ways, dual rear springs with overload for a smoother ride, 12 wheel cylinders for more braking power, automatic transmission, better view over the hood, ect. I'm not sure why the M35 won exactly, but it also had a few advantages. Interesting fact: the m34 series was tested with the hydromatic out of the M135 trucks. I don't know if I answered anything for you or left you with more questions.

 

[butch atkins]

Gmc g-749 m135/m211

the main reason GMC did not continue to be produced was that GMC corporate refused to subcontract out their work,unlike REO style trucks which were manufactured from various vendor componets,look at all the different companies which manufactured the M35 series of trucks,an interesting article about GMC`s M series trucks can be found in issue # 39 of WHEELS & TRACKS magazine,published by BATTLE OF BRITAIN PRINTS,it covers the M135 and its variants,in US and Canadian service,also in issue #121 MILITARY VEHICLES magazine,June 2007,M211,Cadillac Of Deuces,and a really eye opening series of photos and article by our own David Doyle in ARMY MOTORS #118,winter 2007,hope this helps you with your research,

 

[wreckerman893]

David Doyle is our resident expert on MVs and has written several books on them.
He answers questions when he has time but he is a busy fellow.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

Thanks a lot guys, that helped with a few misconceptions I've had. I'll try to find the aforementioned publications!
I try to write a german wikipedia article about the M35 and need referable or quotable sources and a thorough research in the information I will be posting.


Mark

Mark

 

[JasonS]

Here is what David Doyle said in an earlier post regarding which came first:

Thanks for the kind words about my book guys. I figure that this site refers to the G-749 trucks as the "early" deuce 'cause that's what Chris wanted to call it! And, it does separate them clearly from the WWII vehicles and the G-742. In fact of the matter the Reo design (G-742) predates the GMC (G-749) - a position reinforced by their Standard Nomenclature List (G-) numbers. The first G-742 dates to 1949.

I try to keep my opinion out of things, and present only the results of my research - but I will make an exception in this case. In my opinion, the GMC was doomed by GM's "we will be the sole source" position, compounded by the Korean War and the fear that it would become WWIII and defective transmissions in the first of the GMCs.

The GMC (G-749) outperformed the Reo in almost every test at Aberdeen Proving Ground. The GAO reported that the G-749 had tranny problems early in Korea, which kept the availability rate down - but the GAO also reported that this problem had been corrected before the war's end.

By then, however, Reo's body design had become standard for 6x6s, Studebaker was license-building the trucks, and Continental was license-building the engines. Just as in WWII when GMC would not license others to build the CCKW, GM wasn't going to license the G-749 - which flew in the face of the DoD's desire to have back up sources in the event of the bombing associated with a world war. All the above is documented fact - except for my opinion - which is the single sentence beginning "In my opinion...".

As someone else pointed out, I think these are percieved as being earlier because of the much shorter production period - and they don't "look" like an army truck "should" to many of us. A Reo, a M54, a 10-ton, a M809 series, and even largely the 900-series look alike - the GMC is different.

Best wishes,
David Doyle