New From Florida

[P-Shooter]

Hello all. I have stumbled into owning a M35A3 and found this forum through many searches about all the trouble I will be in for. Figured I might as well sign up and get this party started.
Although I had always thought about owning a military vehicle i never really did anything to make it happen. So I am not sure where this adventure will lead me but here I am. I never served in the military but I went to military high school and am a retired LEO. So I don't want to feel too much like a fake. Anyway, happy to be here and it looks like a weath of knowledge.

 

[Bill Nutting]

Hi P-Shooter. Welcome to the site. You have found the best resource on the net for this hobby. Feel free to ask any questions you have, there are some very knowledgeable folks here that are happy to share all they know. Be sure to download the Technical Manuals (TM) for your truck. You will find them in the TM forum and they are free. We all look forward to hearing from you and we enjoy pictures of the vehicles.
In addition to this site, you may want to look into joining the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA). They publish a great magazine (History in Motion) and hold an annual convention that is a lot of fun. You may have a local affiliate group in your area. This is where you will have opportunities to hang out with other MV enthusiasts.
Do a search for “ First Florida MVPA”, they are listed in History in Motion. I’ll PM you a telephone number for their president.

 

[M35fan]

Welcome to the site! That is a nice looking A3. A lot of our members are retired or active military. There are also a lot of folks here like me who did not serve, but have a deep respect for those who do. I love military trucks (and jeeps, tanks, planes, boats). You will find a lot of great people here who know every bolt on these trucks and who are eager to help. Please post some more pictures when you're able. We are a photo hungry crowd. I look forward to watching your progress.

 

[kblazer87]

Welcome from southeast Indiana.

 

[Mullaney]

Hello all. I have stumbled into owning a M35A3 and found this forum through many searches about all the trouble I will be in for. Figured I might as well sign up and get this party started.
Although I had always thought about owning a military vehicle i never really did anything to make it happen. So I am not sure where this adventure will lead me but here I am. I never served in the military but I went to military high school and am a retired LEO. So I don't want to feel too much like a fake. Anyway, happy to be here and it looks like a weath of knowledge.

View attachment 861708

.
Welcome to the Outfit! There are quite a few of "the regulars" here that are down in Florida with you. Definitely worth looking into being part of the MV assocation too. That gives you more events and things to need to drive your truck to

Participating in parades is always fun too. Especially of you can find a veterans group that needs a ride...

 

[SCM35A2]

Welcome to the site, nice looking truck!

 

[P-Shooter]

Some more shots. I have look it over some and it is in pretty good shape. I used to do annual inspections of Ducks that were used for tour operations. As you may know they are just a 2 1/2 ton with a boat hull built around them. I tried to get one of those as they started retiring them. But for liability reasons they mostly were destroyed. Anyway, here are some more pics
seems I am struggling to upload from my phone, I will try later from my computer

 

[dmetalmiki]

Better than 'Nice', Your truck.
Welcome to the site, The hobby, The friendships And advice's , And the events to come.

 

[KS_Patriot]

Welcome. Talk about jumping in with both feet! Great acquisition. If you can't find the info you need here, it's likely not available. Keep us updated

 

[P-Shooter]

The truck was origianally purchased by a large Beer company in St Louis from Eastern Surplus. It was used in parades and promotions. It has been sitting around for a while although it did get started and moved here and there. Other than being dirty it is in very good shape. Most everything works. I was told the air assist for the steering was disconnected but I don't think that is true. I was playing with it toonight and although it was a struggle to turn the wheels when sitting still I could hear the air dumping as I turned the steering wheel and it is very easy to turn once you are moving at all. I plugged the CTIS back in and it was going through the test but came up with the "Flat?" icon so I guess there is some trouble in the manifold. I will look into that. All of the lights seem to work except the left high beam. The BO lights work as well. I don't believe the parking brake light works though. It starts up as soon as you flip the lever and runs great. The tires are going to have to go, at least the fronts. I guess this is where I decide if I want to go to 395s or stay with the 365s (14.5r20). I may be leaning to keeping the original size. But I will continue to read through the threads on here to get a better feel.

 

[Mullaney]

The truck was origianally purchased by a large Beer company in St Louis from Eastern Surplus. It was used in parades and promotions. It has been sitting around for a while although it did get started and moved here and there. Other than being dirty it is in very good shape. Most everything works. I was told the air assist for the steering was disconnected but I don't think that is true. I was playing with it toonight and although it was a struggle to turn the wheels when sitting still I could hear the air dumping as I turned the steering wheel and it is very easy to turn once you are moving at all. I plugged the CTIS back in and it was going through the test but came up with the "Flat?" icon so I guess there is some trouble in the manifold. I will look into that. All of the lights seem to work except the left high beam. The BO lights work as well. I don't believe the parking brake light works though. It starts up as soon as you flip the lever and runs great. The tires are going to have to go, at least the fronts. I guess this is where I decide if I want to go to 395s or stay with the 365s (14.5r20). I may be leaning to keeping the original size. But I will continue to read through the threads on here to get a better feel.
View attachment 861773View attachment 861774View attachment 861775

.
Everyone has an opinion - like parts of the body - where everybody has one...

For now and until you have everything else fixed I suggest leaving the CTIS disconnected. What you don't want more than anything is to have a problem in that manifold and the system to decide to deflate one or all of your tires. Sitting on the rim is bad for the sidewalls.

Unless you feel the need "to go muddin" I would say that CTIS is pretty unimportant. Changing or maybe just checking your fluids and the basics are more important.

The thing with tires (my personal observation) is that the biggest thing you can stuff under the truck is "the hot thing to do" just based on what I've seen. The "super singles" came along with the sandbox wars and everybody jumped on that bandwagon. You have six rims, so it may be time to go shopping to see what may be available. There are a couple of vendors here that sell tires and quite a few folks recently have bought that way.

 

[P-Shooter]

.
Everyone has an opinion - like parts of the body - where everybody has one...

For now and until you have everything else fixed I suggest leaving the CTIS disconnected. What you don't want more than anything is to have a problem in that manifold and the system to decide to deflate one or all of your tires. Sitting on the rim is bad for the sidewalls.

Unless you feel the need "to go muddin" I would say that CTIS is pretty unimportant. Changing or maybe just checking your fluids and the basics are more important.

The thing with tires (my personal observation) is that the biggest thing you can stuff under the truck is "the hot thing to do" just based on what I've seen. The "super singles" came along with the sandbox wars and everybody jumped on that bandwagon. You have six rims, so it may be time to go shopping to see what may be available. There are a couple of vendors here that sell tires and quite a few folks recently have bought that way.

I have checked with Eastern on tires and looked at several of the vendors here. The problem now will be shipping. I actually would like to try to keep it original, including the tire size. If the 395s are that much better I would do it but I don't know that is the case. I am not too worried about the CTIS going, just would like to get there. The right front tire has a leak and did spend a good time sitting on the rim so it is trash. I will go through all the fluids and such but so far everything I have checked has been good. Although I would guess an oil change wouldn't be a bad idea.
Just see as I go along.

 

[Mullaney]

I have checked with Eastern on tires and looked at several of the vendors here. The problem now will be shipping. I actually would like to try to keep it original, including the tire size. If the 395s are that much better I would do it but I don't know that is the case. I am not too worried about the CTIS going, just would like to get there. The right front tire has a leak and did spend a good time sitting on the rim so it is trash. I will go through all the fluids and such but so far everything I have checked has been good. Although I would guess an oil change wouldn't be a bad idea.
Just see as I go along.

.
Good deal and sounds like you have good plans!

Might be worth a few bucks on the engine in particular to have an oil analysis done on it by a company that does that. Blackstone Laboratories is one place you could look at. They can tell you that the oil is good and clean (but still black because diesels do that to oil) or that you have other troubles. Less than $50 will do that and you will spend a lot more than that for an oil change.

 

[P-Shooter]

.
Good deal and sounds like you have good plans!

Might be worth a few bucks on the engine in particular to have an oil analysis done on it by a company that does that. Blackstone Laboratories is one place you could look at. They can tell you that the oil is good and clean (but still black because diesels do that to oil) or that you have other troubles. Less than $50 will do that and you will spend a lot more than that for an oil change.

The oil analysis is a good idea. I do know that diesels soot up the oil. Still remember from years ago a guy that had 300k on his Ford swore by the fact that he never changed the oil. Can't say I can get behind that though.

 

[Russ Knight]

Welcome from North Florida!

 

[Bill Nutting]

That is a good looking truck you have. It looks like it was stored indoors.

 

[P-Shooter]

That is a good looking truck you have. It looks like it was stored indoors.

It is in very good shape compared to some I have seen. It had been used for marketing purposes so they had it in top cosmetic shape. But it has been sitting outside and needs a good wash to get the algae off. It won't be much to get it very nice.