Thankfully I will have lots of time to contemplate which type of Deuce or 5 ton to install this on. Bjorn's setup with the pipe bed is very nice, but there are many choices that will work equaly well. Maybe a shortened M35A2C so that it is 9' or one boxed section shorter would work. I also like the idea of starting with a M35 cargo and turning it into a tractor thus leaving enough extra room to place the HIAB by the cab unlike if I just started with the shorter tractor version. Then I have also thought of an M36. Chop the the bed in about half, shorten the frame a few feet, and place the HIAB by the cab. This getting a full bed deuce cargo with the HIAB. A 5 ton with a M35 bed would work I think.
It was originally mounted on a 1968 International Havester Loadstar 1600 that is ex-Navy. I found a few more tags on the HIAB. The HIAB was made in 1975 which makes it being made for the C bed make sense. The IH tag shows that it was a crane truck though, so maybe they upgraded the cranes with the 765A HIAB. I am thinking that these being mounted on IH trucks may be a local Virginia Naval yard thing as Bjorn's truck was found near the Naval base in Virginia, and my truck was also found in central Virginia at a state mental hopital. DDoyle said that he has only seen one mounted on a M35, and he thought it was a unit modification. I think he said they just slid the bed back.
I should point out that BFR actually found this HIAB. I had inspected it for him, but with the project it would be to repair plus the junky truck causing problems to haul it back to GA he passed it up. I was happy to jump in though as I was only 7 miles away. The truck is a scary tow as it does not track very well at all which is made worse by the horrible towbar angle due the trucks low bumper.
I can't be sure about the ice, but I am sure it was part of it. The bulging all around is a good indication. Perhaps it was pushed up on the back there as a combination of the unmovable linear gear, and the stress of the pressed lip around the opening. Also maybe they pried it out of the way a bit after to make clearances. I personally think it was only water though, and I doubt there is any way to really know. Bjorn keep an eye on that seal. I wonder if this might be the reason that the new HEMMIT cranes apprear to have an open pivot gear.
The ebay listing is #280152802141, and it has a few more pics.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280152802141&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=018