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possible cckw build or M35a2

HN6

Well-known member
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Location
alaska
Hello. I just hauled a CCKW to my yard (free) and washed 40 years of moss and leaves off. Anyhow, my plan is to turn it into a hunting truck here in AK. Any reason to not use this platform with 42'' tires? I like the lighter weight compared to a M35a2 that I was contemplating building off of. The M35a2 is not free either. Thanks for any input.... plusses or minuses on the possible build.
 

NDT

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Camp Wood/LC, TX
My opinion: The M35A2 is how you want to go. Parts are a phone call away, GMC parts are getting harder to find every day. The GMC is what 76 years old? Needs EVERYTHING gone though extensively. Find a bad engine M35, repower it, bob it, and go hunt. GMCs are for museums nowadays.
 

HN6

Well-known member
221
401
63
Location
alaska
My opinion: The M35A2 is how you want to go. Parts are a phone call away, GMC parts are getting harder to find every day. The GMC is what 76 years old? Needs EVERYTHING gone though extensively. Find a bad engine M35, repower it, bob it, and go hunt. GMCs are for museums nowadays.
Thanks. After digging through posts for the past few days that is what I have come up with, but wanted to hear it . I can get a running, road ready m35 for about $3500 so i will go that route.
 

HN6

Well-known member
221
401
63
Location
alaska
Air compressor. See how your truck still has the platform behind the running board. The air compressor was stupid heavy.
I think I am getting myself in trouble. I just found another one that runs for $1000 with spare tranny and transfer case. It has been painted white and the cab is more square. Doors, all glass, winch bumper all controls on dash appear to be there and seat is not in bad shape. Looks pretty original in picture, but he says it is an automatic??? He got hired to clear a property and wants it gone. Even has original functioning fuel tank.
 

NDT

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,457
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Location
Camp Wood/LC, TX
GMC's with automatic are typically the M135 Cargo with single tires and M211 Cargo with duals. Again advanced age of 69 years old needs everything gone through.
 

HN6

Well-known member
221
401
63
Location
alaska
Well, I asked for advice and I i have got it from multiple sources. Looks like I will abandon the CCKW and M211 for the M35a2. What a roller coaster my brain has been on for the past week over these trucks I have found. I got the axles spinning and breaks freed up on the cckw today so I rolled it out of the way for a a future project or maybe some willing soul looking for hours of therapy.
 

HN6

Well-known member
221
401
63
Location
alaska
This morning I got to listen to an older man from Russia who migrated to the US. His grandmother was a professing believer of Christ during Stallin's time. She got to spend 8 years in prison for that. Her brother twice POW and somehow escaped and lived ending up in France jumping off a train only to get captured by the Germans again... The stories/testimony from his life and how the US played a role in the transformation of his country for the good has made me feel like I owe it to those generations to rebuild my CCKW. If only these old MV's could talk.
 
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