Making a 2,000 mile trip in a M35A2?

[AndrewBornman]

I have a 1968 deuce that we are currently converting into an all terrain motor home for use in our missions work in the Copper Canyon of Mexico. I am providing agricultural and technical assistance.

The deuce is in great condition, only 30,000 miles since a factory overhaul and starts and runs like a new truck.

I am considering driving it down from northern Indiana but have never made a long trip with this vehicle or any other military vehicle.

What are the things I should be aware of that may not be immediately apparent?

How much trouble will I have finding parts if I break down on the road?

Will the cops bother me on the interstates due to the low top speed of the truck?

What sort of fuel economy should I anticipate?

Have any of you ever brought such a vehicle across the border into Mexico? We are applying for a body reclassification so that my title will say "Motor home" This should allow me to bring the truck in under tourist friendly motor home rules.

To see a photo follow this link. http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=photoshare&func=showimages&fid=410

The box on the truck is an ambulance body. While we are doing major renovations to the interior we are leaving intact the flood lights oxygen equipment etc... My wife is a nurse and the medical features will come in handy when evacuating sick or injured people to the hospital.

Needless to say the roads we will be using this vehicle on are extremely challenging and destroy regular pickup trucks in short order. An acquaintance of ours uses a Unimog, I hope the deuce will perform as well.

 

[jasonjc]

With all the EUC stuff going on , I would check with costums be for I'd try to take out of the county. Box "C" sec II of the EUC: The property will not be sold or otherwise disposed of for use outside the US.

 

[AndrewBornman]

I don't have any idea what EUC means.

A friend gave me the truck.

 

[jasonjc]

A EUC is an End-use certificate . the M35 falls under alot of laws i.e. Arms export control act. And with some aircraft part falling into the wroung hands as of late , the politicen are all up in arms over control of military items.
To you and me a M35 is just a big pickup ,but the laws have it as a weapon of war.

 

[jasonjc]

Read this post it tell alot of what is going on.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/index....ight=euc&sid=e23a450f4b100f7ffe329dc3dd9c820d
I hope it helps.I know I did not explain it too well.

 

[JDToumanian]

I'm no expert, but I think Jason is right. Taking the truck out of this country could get you in deep doo-doo. The EUC requirements do not end just because you may have bought the truck from a private party rather than directly from the government... You are still bound by these rules.

Jon

 

[AndrewBornman]

This truck was obtained from the government more than 6 years ago.

If I take it out of the country have I committed a crime? What is the penalty? I have never signed any sort of papers promising anything regarding this vehicle.

At this point we have a couple thousand invested in the conversion of this truck beyond the value of an M35 in really nice condition. How hard would it be to sell this truck as an all-terrain motor home and get a fair price so that I could go buy a Unimog and not have to worry about problems with the government?

Do I really need to consider not trying to take this truck?

 

[AndrewBornman]

Who do I ask to get a definitive answer regarding the legality of what I want to do?

 

[ida34]

I would say talk to customs. They are the ones checking at the border. If they say it is OK then you should be OK. You did not sign anything saying you would not murder anyone but I doubt that would protect you from prosecution. I would just ask customs and if they say it is OK I would not really worry about it.

 

[AndrewBornman]

Generally the US gov doesn't seem to pay any attention to vehicles leaving the USA. None of the border crossings I have used have any sort of check on vehicles leaving the US. My truck has been repainted red and white in an attempt to make it look as civilian as possible.

If I call customs 5 times I will get 10 different answers. They generally are not very helpful.

 

[AndrewBornman]

Other than the potential EUC complications is there anything else I should know about long trips in an M35?

 

[OPCOM]

-course some banditos may decide to try and take the truck away from you down there unless you pay the police off.. it's pitiful and corrupt country.

 

[AndrewBornman]

I've lived here for two and a half years now. On the whole corruption has done me more favors than harm. Here if you innocently screw up and violate some law a few dollars later everybody is happy.

In general if you speak the language, treat people with respect, and try to stay out of trouble nothing bad is going to happen. I have had no serious problems and over the past year have had no problems at all.

The chances of someone trying to steal my truck are pretty slim and something I just have to risk, but I'm really not worried about it. I do need to find a way to lock the doors, mostly to keep curious children out of mischief.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Well, I have not gotten anything from GL, so I wouldn't worry about that crap. I understand the other's worries, but they don't apply to me. Did the drmo have you sign an euc before GL took over? Anyway, locks do nothing if someone wants in, if there is glass. I would get a battery disconnect that is hidden. I agree about leaving, I would worry more about getting back in (if you intend on coming back). Alot of people get mad when I don't offer help for other countrys, but as an American, I feel that too much is done for and donated to other countrys when there is plenty to be done here. I wish you well in your efforts.

 

[AndrewBornman]

I don't really care if I am ever able to bring the truck back to the USA. I figure that I'll just wear the truck out bouncing over these rough trails they call roads.

I agree with you that the government doesn't have any business using our tax dollars to fund international aid, the UN, welfare, schools and the thousands of other unconstitutional things the government does with our money. We fund our work by charitable contributions from people who believe in what I am doing. Contrary to what many people assume I am against illegal immigration and favor secure borders.

Every person that I help make a better living here in Mexico is one less person who has incentive to go north.

 

[Junglemist]

I drove my 1966 M35A2 Deuce through Mexico into Belize about 2 months ago. I purchased the truck in the spring from a guy who had purchased it from the military as surplus and had signed an EUC. I just told him I was a US citizen living in the US. I registered the truck as a Kaiser Jeep truck with a standard weighted plate. When I crossed into Mexico at Los Indios, TX US Customs had no issue with the truck. I just waited the standard 72 hours before my Title was cleared for Export. The truck still had the military camo paint job and had a camo cargo cover. The bed was full of cargo. When I entered Mexico as a Transmigrante (I was driving all the way across Mexico) the Mexican army patrol said I could not cross because the truck was camo. I agreed to paint the truck white that night and they let me cross. The next morning I showed them the truck and they said I it was fine to go. It took 5 days for me to drive through Mexico and I didn't encounter any problems other than a Mexican army patrol who fussed about the truck being military but they let me pass anyway.

 

[steelsoldiers]

Ignoring all of the political, bureaucratic, red-tape type stuff for a minute, let's talk about your trip. I have no doubt that a properly prepared deuce could make that kind of trip and survive in Mexico no matter the conditions of the roads. The best thing you can do is take your time. Deuces like to be driven for extended periods at around 2000 rpm give or take. Don't run it up against the governor the whole time. Also, use the brakes to slow down instead of down-shifting and running the rpm's up above 2600. That will make it last longer too.

Before you go, make sure you have fresh oil and filters all the way around. Take a complete set of filters with you along with enough oil to change everything again. Also take things like wheel cylinders, dot 5 brake fluid, wheel seals/boots, a couple sets of brake shoes, MANUALS, light bulbs, several extra tires/tubes/flaps, a BIG bottle jack, jack stands, several large pieces of 8x8 crib block, tire tools, ether, a couple of sheets of gasket material, coolant, a thermostat, spare hoses/belts, a glad-hand air hose, a tire airing fitting, an air-operated grease gun with several tubes of grease, and anything else that can be easily stowed in a big spare parts box. Make sure you have enough hand tools to do the job.

Talk with one of the major US deuce parts suppliers before you go and make sure they can ship spares to MX. Get a list of consumables for the deuce and all of the frequent cross-over part numbers.

My 1970 M35A2 got around 10 MPG with the LD465 engine. Fuel is another big concern in MX. The quality of diesel varies widely! Take plenty of 5 gallon cans so when you find a good fuel stop you can take extra. Get a large funnel with a screen in it to take any debris out when filling up. You may want to add an auxiliary fuel filter/water separator. Take several gallon of diesel fuel conditioner with cetane boost and some algicide to kill any funk in your tank if it sits for a while.

That's all I can type at this hour. I'm sure others will chime in.

Junglemist, I spent some time in Belize, C.A too. I will have to PM you to find out where you are and what you are doing with a deuce there!

 

[Goatwerks]

Check the Mexican regs for OD paint It is not wise to bring any vehicle painted olive drab below the border, as I have been told in the past(years ago) it is reserved for military or police use only

 

[Bill W]

I met a gentleman from Columbia who restored Powerwagons to drop dead perfection and while drooling over one of his vehicles that he brought up to So.Fla to sell at a Kruz(sp) auction he told me that because of rebels impersonating soldiers, no camo of any sort allowed to be worn by civilians, you can even get in trouble for wearing army boots in his country.
On another note I got 10mpg taking my deuce on a 1000 mile trip ( had 8000lb purification body on the back) at 52mph ( 2350rpms ). Ear protection is a must and if you can put some extra cushion under your butt will help wonders., as already mentioned spare parts and maintanace parts for when you get there like spare axle boots and brake hoses and maybe extra clutch pac.