New member buying M35a2 needs advice

[Hotrodlincoln]

Hi there,

I'm narrowing my search to buy a a2 but finding several with somewhat high miles/hours. The first runs drives/stops with normal wear and tear. Has no maintenance records with 56k miles and just over 2000 hours. The second a2 is basically the same.

In the world of the m35a2 would this be considered high miles. If I drove them for a few years then tried to sell would I lose my shirt.

Just trying to get some advice on hours- I've searched this but really didn't find anything.

Thanks

 

[swbradley1]

I have used the rule of thumb of 30 miles per every hour and in your case that would be approximately 60,000 miles.

If they don't match or are way out of whack then chances are one of the gauges has been replaced, sometimes during an engine change.

In general the price of Deuces is stable or moving slightly higher due to none of them coming out as surplus anymore (ok, there are a few still coming out).

 

[Hotrodlincoln]

Thanks- does 56k represent high miles on one of these? I see a lot of 20-30k versions---should I stay away and wait?

 

[wb1895]

Just my thoughts, but with the military vehicles, mileage dosent mean too much. What really matters is maintenance. The military has many, many trucks with high miles and hours that run/ drive awesome, and the also have many, many trucks with low miles and are pieces of junk. It all depends on how well it was taken care of.

There are several SS members in FL, that would be happy to go look at a truck with you and give you thier opinion, provided lunch is provided.

Honestly I wouldnt give too much credit to the miles and hours. Think of them as giudelines.....not the rule

 

[swbradley1]

I don't think it is but that's just my opinion. Both mine are around 50k.

 

[3dAngus]

Mileage means nothing with the military maintenance program.

Also, you can't believe anything you see or read about mileage. No one really knows if these machines have 300,000 miles on them or 3,000.

You have to inspect, look for leaks, listen, test. It's the only way. (Or have someone you trust do it for you)

If these machines put 10,000 miles per year on them, there would be about 400,000 miles on each one of them.
They get rebuilt from the ground floor up.

 

[rosco]

Welcome to the site!

The above is all good sound advice! Inspection is everything. That said, you can inspect your heart out, and once you get it home, and drive it a little, don't be surprised to find plenty of stuff to tinker with, upgrade, and or repair. Some things to consider though, are the major features. Good tires. Do you want a winch, a heater, hard top, troop racks & tarp? To me, a good clean title is everything. A Bill of Sale, doesn't cut it at DMV!

Good Luck

PS Of course your going to need a trailer too. You should realize that right now, and get used to the idea. The truck is just a start.

 

[Carlo]

Are you buying from a private owner or GL? Im not afraid of buying trucks with high miles IF they are bought direct. The US goverment takes good care of their trucks.

 

[CARNAC]

Are you buying from a private owner or GL? Im not afraid of buying trucks with high miles IF they are bought direct. The US goverment takes good care of their trucks.

Maybe in Italy but here, it is hit or miss and depends on the unit. Some units are fully staffed, funded, supported etc. Other units are left to make do with remaining crumbs--especially with sequestration.

Reference the original question, roll the dice. Read the sticky about buying a deuce and the other expenses. Everyone of us rolled the dice and had issues that cost $. However, owning a deuce is not an idea of buying a car from Uncle Bobs Used Car Lot. It is history. The truck you buy could very run longer than you do or it could crap out the hour after you bought it. If you're looking for a warm and fuzzy that the engine won't blow up 5 miles after you buy it....nobody here will give you that warm and fuzzy. These trucks are relics of the cold war. They've most likely had 1 rebuild in their 40-60 year lives and nearly each of them is due for another. Mileage and hours don't matter. (period). New (rebuilt) engines can crap out just as easily as one with 1000 hours. If it does, there are several scrappers around that can get you an engine to replace it.

 

[Katahdin]

The last odometer record on my deuce was from 1981 (Thank you Carnac for looking that up), and the odometer read just 30 miles more than that when I picked it up in 2009. Now I know from the tags the truck was rebuilt around 1985...does this mean I got a rebuilt truck that only traveled 30 miles over 24 years? Did they forget to zero out the odometer in the rebuild process? Who knows, it could've been a records typo, maybe the speedometer cable was was broken, or maybe the unit really racked up just 30 miles shy of the 1981 odometer reading on the rebuilt truck....Its interesting to think about but like me you'll probably never know the real story.

 

[porkysplace]

You would be better off spending the money for a oil sample test over believing the milage , if your concerned about the condition of the motor.