Newbie's First Deuce - A gutsy Pick-up or Just Plan Stupid?

[rsh253]

I bought my first deuce this month. My only previous experience with owning an MV is my '42 MB. Rather than going through the GL route, I decided to buy mine from a private seller so I could ask a lot of questions, get lots of photos, and do my best to get one that I could drive home to Charlotte, NC. The one I found was located just outside of New Orleans which was much further away than I wanted to attempt to drive the MV. But everything else about that deuce sounded great, so I decided to take a chance, buy it and drive it (hopefully) the 725 miles home.

I checked the route home and realized that by only adding 30 miles to the trip, I could go through Birmingham where my son lives. If I had any trouble, I could call him to come help. When my wife found out about my planned route, she was upset that she'd miss seeing our son & his family, and her parents who also live in Birmingham. Then she realized how close to Missisippi we'd be, and to family she had not seen in over 30 years.

So, to make this trip even more of a challenge than just driving an unfamiliar MV 750 miles home, and without a chase vehicle, I ended up flying with my wife to NO, buying her a set of ear plugs and several pillows and setting off in our new deuce & 1/2. We took 4 days to make the drive, had a few problems but the Deuce got us home just fine.

All the family think I'm nuts; and they're probably right. But even after 830 miles, I was looking forward to driving it again the following day. I don't think two days have gone by where I haven't taken it out for a drive. This is the best toy ever!

I feel very lucky to have survived this escapade, and to have a wife who's such a good sport (and REALLY wanted to see her family).

-Russ

 

[jim-m35a2]

Nice looking Utica. Welcome to the site. You got to spend time with family and you did it in a Deuce. I do not think you are nuts.

Jim
________
Kids Avandia

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Newbie

It looks really nice Russ. I'd be very curious to see if the frame numbers match the Data plate. If it's a 57, it was originally a gasser. If you can, have a looksee on the right front frame rail behind the shock mount. Are there 4 bolts, or hot rivets there? Check the left frame rail for numbers. They will be there somewhere, possibly in front of the steering box if its an original. I like the truck alot. I'm still on the hunt for an old gasser frame and data plate for my next project.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Good looking truck! Heck of a story to go with it. Welcome to the big truck family!

 

[drmeece]

I'm still a newbe but thats the way I would have done it....Nice Truck

 

[steelandcanvas]

You took a chance and it paid off...nothin' stupid. Welcome to the world of MV's!

 

[Daneil]

So your the one that beat me to it. It looks great, glad she made it to a good home. Enjoy.

 

[lstmate]

Where....

Very nice looking truck, glad your mate joined to make it a memorable trip.

Where in Charlotte? PM if you want.

If gas does not go up too much I should be there on the 12th of next month. Gotta help one of my sons pack and move from Charlotte to Norfolk over that weekend.

 

[rsh253]

Hey Kenny,

Went out armed with flashlight and camera. Pls take a look at these photos. I couldn't find any numbers stamped on the left frame. Was I looking at the right area? I did find a number stamped on the left front shock mt. Could this be it?

I'd like to know too if this was a '57 gasser. That possibility was one of the things I liked about this truck; but, if possible, I'd like to know for sure. Thanks.

-Russ

 

[Recovry4x4]

OK, I'm going to say that the chassis was an original multifuel, not a gasser. The fact that the right rear mount is hot riveted leads me to believe this. I would get some paint stripper and carefully strip the left frame rail in the area between the steering box and the shockmount to see if you find numbers or evidence to them being removed. You have a good looking truck but I'd just want to know completely what is there. Scraping and sanding could damage or hide the numbers especially if they were lightly stamed.

 

[rsh253]

Kenny,

I agree, I'd prefer to know what is really is. It had two previous private owners that I know of, so no letting if the data plate has been switched. It looks like it has been removed at some point, but it may have when the truck was re-painted. The underlining color is lighter green, but not a green I can remember seeing used on Army vehicles.

I'm curious to know, so I'll try to get the paint stripped in the next few days & I'll let you know if I find a number.

Thanks, Russ

 

[Capt.Marion]

Very good looking truck. Glad you had fun, got a lot of driving experience, and had a fun trip home.

 

[rsh253]

Kenny,

I decided to take one more look and did see a single number to the left of your circle. I don't have any paint stripper, but some brake fluid got some of the paint off and I can make out four digits. It looks like 0325(?). But it doesn't look like that number continues to the right or left of the other digits. I'll get some stripper tomorrow and work towards the circle.

-Russ

 

[Recovry4x4]

It should continue to the right. Should be a space and 5 more numbers. As I suspected, this was built as a multifuel truck. The 0325 denotes a 1968 to 1970 truck. With that known it should be a Kaiser Jeep. The 25 also denotes that it is an M35A2 wo/w. If you can, take a pic of the right side of the winch and the winch data plates on top if they are there. I'll try to gage the year of the winch as well to see if it came off the Utica Bend.

 

[rsh253]

OK, will do. Not really what I wanted to hear, but the truth hurts sometimes.

The gentleman who last owned this truck passed away, and his son was selling this truck to settle his dad's estate. The son did mention that there were two parts trucks that he was able to sell quickly. The father may have built the truck he wanted from parts & pieces (e.g. winch, data plate, etc.) from all three trucks.

The truck does seem to run well, so at least this could mean that it has really been gone through & I ended up with the best parts from all three trucks.

Crap! Does this mean I have to figure out how to change my signature?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[DanMartin]

Once you get the frame number, you can get a proper dataplate made up with the proper numbers stamped on them, and all will be well. Once the numbers match, the rest is pretty minor as the parts are pretty much all the same after the first few years these trucks were made.

mvdataplates.com will hook you up.

Please keep us posted on the rest of your investigation...we love these mystery cases.

 

[roger-wilco-66]

That is one nice looking deuce, congratulations!
I felt the same way you did when I picked up mine last year (my family too...lol...)
You'll have a lot of fun with it!

Mark

 

[cranetruck]

Good detective job Kenny!
Is this s/n location spelled out in any TM, would it be the same (location) for other vehicles?

 

[Daneil]

1stMate,
I live in Virginia Beach. Right down the road from Norfolk. If you guys need some help moving in, let me know. I might be able to help depending on the day.

Dan

 

[halftrack]

rsh253,

The truck you bought was went through top to bottom, espacially the brakes. Fred, the previous owner, was a good friend of mine and he will be missed greatly. The brakes espacially were rebuilt using all new wheel cylinders. I personally bled the brakes. They will put you through the windshield if you tap them. You could of not have bought a better truck for the money. I wish I had enough money to buy the M275 gasser he has for sale.

By the way, we had plans to put a new power steering unit (air o matic, already bought and for sale) and wiring harness in it before he died.