Old mixed parts M35 Gasser VIN ID ?, please.

[DavidWymore]

I just read a rumor that USMC trucks had undercoating, and the insides of my fenders look undercoated. I'm stoked that it's a USMC truck, kind of unusual. Love the dark OD green and yellow letters, digging around trying to find pictures of them.

I found traces of yellow letters on my hood, but I need to find a better way to expose them without sanding them off, help appreciated. I found more colors...White, red, yellow, gray, probably primer, then traces of the different shade of yellow lettering. Thanks goodness for the gray primer and the slightly different shades of yellow, or it would be all but impossible.

 

[DavidWymore]

Gotta save those numbers...
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...Corp-or-Early-Deuce-Vin-Number&highlight=USMC

EDIT : Did some research, stripper and or lacquer looks like the way to go.

 

[CARNAC]

Mine has a early form of undercoating and was Army the entire time. Not trying to crap on the parade but just saying......

 

[DavidWymore]

Mine has a early form of undercoating and was Army the entire time. Not trying to crap on the parade but just saying......

Anything helps. I'm just adding up clues and hoping. That's why I really want to save the numbers.

Now that I think about it, at least the numbers are yellow, that means something.

 

[DavidWymore]

Mods, think we should just merge my two threads?

 

[DavidWymore]

Everybody loves pictures, right?

Hot rivets (original Multi) and vertical (early multi) front crossmember.


Hood

Centered wipers and small fixed rear window.


Spring mounted fenders



Ether start? Fire truck leftovers?



Big dash



I gotta go to bed. This green fever is exhausting me.

 

[rustystud]

First off, my truck is an Air-Force unit (1989) and it has undercoating. Second, that ether start is not military. It was more likely installed by the Fire Department. I also have spring mounted fenders. My truck also has rivets. These things don't mean much put together, at least not yet.

 

[DavidWymore]

Sorry, I should have put more explanation with the the pics. Half the reason I'm doing it is for the next guy. The undercoating being Marine was just a rumor, what one guy had seen.

The original hot rivets instead of bolts on the engine mounts are supposed to indicate the truck was originally a multi, not swapped from gas. Everything else points to a multi too. Dash, firewall bulge, air cleaner mount reinforcement plate, etc.

I didn't think the canister was mil. I just couldn't find a pic quickly and easily. Not super important, I don't think.

Spring mounted fenders came along with later, early trucks had the fenders hard mounted. Then there's the front of the batt/toolboxes. Early ones were cut to fit the back of the front fenders, and laters were left cut straight. Mine are straight.

I think the parking brake is A1, not A2. Gotta get the lever, etc. that goes on the other end of the cable...and the cable. EDIT: those parking brake levers stuck around into the '70s.



Taller multi side engine cover/radiator. This pic is of a test fit of a gas one on my truck, doesn't fit. My original does. Inner fenders are also sloped, not flat like gassers.






I couldn't find much info on hood undersides. But the yellow lettering and handle makes me think USMC. Course, it easily could have been swapped.

 

[rustystud]

I see you also have the early style turn signal guard. The problem in finding out your exact year and branch of service is all the different parts thrown together on your truck. It truly is a hodge-podge of parts.

 

[DavidWymore]

I think it's an early A1, which would explain the transitional parts. I bet it got out of the service early and remained A1 before A2s came along. The serial numbers go up through the years, and mine is between two '62s. That pretty much nails the year for me. Branch of service may be harder to say, but is has enough USMC indicators that I'm going to run
with it for paint anyway. Like how they look.

 

[DavidWymore]

I was looking at Barrman's beautiful USMC truck and it occurred to me that if I find yellow numbers and letters all over my tank, toolboxes, and fenders...can't wait to get some paint stripped.

I smashed my index finger pretty bad in the door of my truck at lunch today, gonna be awful hard to work on stuff...

Emailed Mr. Doyle

Thanks for writing. I am unable to access my email at this time. If you have a submission for Supply Line, please send it by mail. If urgent, please contact HQ, who will be able to relay the message to me. Regards, David

 

[DavidWymore]

Traces of "TP50" in yellow on the driver fender, more indication of a USMC truck. I did a poor job of trying to save the numbers. Need to try some different methods (stripper and/or finer sandpapper) and be more careful.

 

[DavidWymore]

So everyone I know with an A1 has a Studebaker-Packard around 60-62 with a "normal" VIN. I think "Studebaker" might have stopped mid 50's and then it changed to "Utica or Curtis Wright" (in 1956) and a few others before coming back to Studebaker/Packard in 60/61. The question is did the Utica's and C/W's have VIN's also starting with an M?

Went looking at the neighboring company's gasser trucks.

One '57 Utica-Bend Subsidiary of Curtis-Wright Corp. Utica , Mich.

M45, Serial M40***

 

[DavidWymore]

Found this old ('07?) quote from Mr. Doyle Re: older deuce numbers.

Kenny,
As a rule, deuce six ALL numbers came out of the Lansing factory (Reo, Lansing Div., etc.)

Five digit numbers beginning with M came out of the South Bend factory. (Studebaker, Studebaker-Packard, Utica-Bend, Curtiss-Wright, etc.)

First numeric character is not tied to year - merely coincidence.

There is considerable more research to be done in ths area, as I have found evidence of some exceptions to the above rules, which I'll investigate further.

Compared to the thousands of factory-built Multifuel trucks I've studied and documented, I've only been able to examine a few hundred gassers - far too few to make broad absolute statements.

Best answer I can give you.

David

 

[DavidWymore]

What do you guys who have older gassers and A1s think about the age/era of my parking brake handle? Keep forgetting to look at the gassers next door.

 

[rustystud]

What do you guys who have older gassers and A1s think about the age/era of my parking brake handle? Keep forgetting to look at the gassers next door.

Looks the same as my two 1952 Studebaker REO's .

 

[waayfast]

The best way I have found to save the numbers is to use a fine grade of sandpaper (400 grit wet or dry) and sand slowly and carefully with plenty of water. I would NOT!!! use stripper as it does not know(care) what layer of paint you are trying to remove and what you are trying to save.

Looking at the pics shown it looks like you are using a power tool (grinder!!??) with WAY to harsh of grit for the job.


Patience Grasshopper-- go slowly and gently ---sometimes just a couple of strokes (even with 400 grit) can spell the difference between AHA! and OH CRAP!

Jim

 

[DavidWymore]

The best way I have found to save the numbers is to use a fine grade of sandpaper (400 grit wet or dry) and sand slowly and carefully with plenty of water. I would NOT!!! use stripper as it does not know(care) what layer of paint you are trying to remove and what you are trying to save.

Looking at the pics shown it looks like you are using a power tool (grinder!!??) with WAY to harsh of grit for the job.


Patience Grasshopper-- go slowly and gently ---sometimes just a couple of strokes (even with 400 grit) can spell the difference between AHA! and OH CRAP!

Jim

Thanks, I will try again more carefully. I head read about the stripper on G503 on saving hood numbers on Jeeps. they said you had to get the timing just right...I agree with you, might take the letters with it. They are definitely not as durable as the OD.

I was using a mini air sander with fine Roloc (like Brillo pads) discs to remove the upper layers and around the edges and then hand sanding. My mistake was using 220 grit, that was all I had, and I was too impatient.

 

[DavidWymore]

Looks the same as my two 1952 Studebaker REO's .

I have now heard of the ratchet style lever on trucks as late as '74.

 

[rflegal]

Mines a '56 gasser M36, based on axles and other parts stamps (data plate missing) - pic of frame stamp, drivers side - M36 -142046