What year is it?

[SixBuy]

Hey guys, Kenny was right: Good things come to those who wait! Finally got my deuce after eight months of looking! It's a M35A2 w/ winch, LDT-465-1D went through Tooele Depot Refurb in '90. Got 350 hrs on engine, less than 5000 on Chassis. Hard top, seats, and bows - no canavas. Will pick it up Wednesday. Now the problem: (Hmmm - emoticon didn't work here ???) Anyway, the SF97 says year 'unknown'. Seems like that's gonna make it hard to register and insure. But I may have a chance to get that fixed because they forgot to sign it! So does anyone know how to date it? VIN starts with 0539 which matches Kenny's table for M35A2 w/w. IT's called a Kaiser Jeep which I think would put it before 1970. Any ideas?

Now I've got to modify my signature to include the deuce...

 

[liljohn]

Should be a data plate in the cab with a year and manufacturer, seems like.

 

[painkiller]

well could be anywhere from 1966 to 1970 because correct me if i am wrong but thats when jeep was owned by kaiser i happen to have a 1970 without winch

 

[Desert Rat]

SB,
All the info should be on the dataplate on the dash of the truck. There may be a date painted on the driver's door on the bottom left (mine has this). Also check on the frame of the truck on the passenger side just in front of the shock absorber mount. The date should be there as well. I hope this helps.

 

[SixBuy]

Thanks guys, I'm headed back to the lot now to see if I can get this fixed. Already hit snags with insurance and temp registration because the date is "unknown" But finally got a 30 day permit issued. They would rather have the $25 than correctness! God bless bureaucrats... And they're already disavowing any knowledge of the Texas "Former Military" registration process! Even though we have a copy of TX DOT form VTR-135-M (rev. 6.2003). Ain't it fun?

Now to find a pair of 6TLs...

 

[jasonjc]

Check with an interstate battey dealer they are making the 6TL's at this time for uncle sam

jason

 

[Loose Deuce]

Napa has the too, thats whats in mine

 

[SixBuy]

Thanks again guys, We looked in all the places for data plates with no luck until we discovered some original parts marked 1970 and it's now official! Fortunately the SF97 had a problem and we got them to redo it and change the date from unknown to 1970 to make it all official! Breathing easier now.
Jason and LD, y'all are right on. I found some 6TLs at Interstate and will pick them up in the morning. About $90/ea. Ought to be a good battery! There's a 10% core on them, so don't throw any away.

Got a 30 day permit from the County tax office so there's time to play a bit before having to get serious about registration. Texas has provisions for Former Military Vehicles to allow registering the unit number as the registration number so you don't have to wear a plate. The clerks I talked to don't have a clue!

So tomorrow we drive 'er home and hope nothing blows on the way! The guys at GSA were some of the nicest people I've met and they've gone out of their way to be accomodating. I believe they give better service that most car dealerships! They jumped the truck off and pulled it around front, aired the tires, checked under the hood, topped off brake fluid and put 5 gals of Diesel in it! I would be ashamed to ask 'em to brush out the floorboards...

I'm sure there are going to be a lot of questions...

 

[rdixiemiller]

Sounds like you have a really good bunch of GSA guys out there. I have heard good things about them from people in Ga. who buy from them.
Be smart and look under the "Deuce Tips" thread. Gather up your toys and tools before you head out. I made a towbar for my little Nissan Beercan truck and pulled it home behind the deuce. Just in case I had trouble, I still had a means of locomotion other than a pair of sneakers!

 

[rdixiemiller]

My Kaiser data tag was just about illegible. There is a guy who can make up new data tags for you, with the correct numbers. He is listed here somewhere, I am slowly losing my mind and can't find his phone number. i am going to order a set of replacement tdata plates for mine, he has all of them, including the shifter tags.

 

[SixBuy]

Thanks RDM
So far all the data plates look new - in fact the whole truck looks new! Got 4800 miles/350 hrs since Tooele in 8/90. All tires still have inch-long 'feelers' on them! Where's a good place to find docs? I've managed to download and print the MF Operator's Manual and some of the smaller TMs but the big ones sink the connection and I've yet to find a wiring diagram.
Loading up the p/u w/ tools and fluids, etc this morning - got a chase driver to follow me back. It's only 35 miles or so of heavy traffic! I've got my fingers crossed that a wheel cylinder doesn't go or a radiator hose give out before I can get home and check it all out!
Need to find some rearview mirrors and a spray can of OD. The mirrors are there but the reflective coating fell off the back of the glass! I think I know how you felt a couple of weeks ago when you picked yours up!

 

[rdixiemiller]

Send me your snail mail addy and I'll get a Deuce manual CD out to you. I put one together that has forty something deuce manuals on it.

 

[ken]

6by Before you go to the tax office, Go to a truck scale and have it weighed Austin won't title it with out a weight recipet. Then get it inspected, tell the saftey inspector you need the green form. Also needed by austin. They will ask you for the body style. TEXAS does not reconize "cargo truck" they say all trucks are cargo trucks. I had to regester mine as a stake bed. They made me provide pictures of the truck and bed. (i guess they thought i was lieing). GOOD LUCK!

 

[Loose Deuce]

rdixiemiller, That got my attention about pulling a Nissan P/U. That sounds like a good idea,what do you have rigged up for pulling it. It just so happens that I drive one of those beer cans too.

 

[SixBuy]

RDM, thanks for the offer, the address is on the way. I owe you .


Put new 6TLs in and she cranked right up! Ooops, no brakes! After struggling for an hour or so , finally devised a means to get the Master Cyl cap off ( The dash tag says the TACOM approved master Cylinder installed - whatever that means) You have to unscrew the 3/8 flare fitting to get at the 13/16 square cap nut. Bone dry! added silicone fluid and pumped - no joy. Called the towing folks and got it home. So we start on the list: Brake parts, wiper blades, tach broken, Air pressure pegged on 120, water temp possibly in-op, horn doesn't work, possible knuckle boots, rearview mirror replacements, driver seat cover... Something to do in my spare time! Gues I'll spend some time searching prior posts to see what others have done.



Ken, thanks for the heads-up. I was planning to try TXDOT form VT-135-M ( Registration of former Military Vehicle) to cut thru some of the Red tape. Law says inspection not required. Got a binder on insurance and used that to get a 30-day permit. Hope the insurance holds up for the long haul. VT-135-M allows the registration of a unit number as the license number so I need to conjure up a valid unit #. Lots to learn.



Thanks guys.

 

[Desert Rat]

SB,
The only problem with the unit numbers is the truck can not be used beyond parade use (Ken can tell you more like he's informing me). Ken, if I'm off a bit just correct me. It's a wee past midnight, had a long yet very productive day with a massive sunburn to prove it.

 

[ken]

6BY, Yea i've been down the VT-135-M road, with a 715 i had. Trust me the idiots is austin will throw it out without the inspection and weight ticket. After that you can run without the inspection. The problem i had with that regestration was too many rectrictions. If you are only going to use your truck for shows and stuff then it will be much cheeper for you. I pay $230 a year for tags. And don't forget the pics to send with the paperwork. GOOD LUCK!

 

[rdixiemiller]

I knocked out a quickie towbar. It is a little less than 6' long. The legs are 1.5x1.5x.125 square tubing. The lunette ring was a piece of 1" wall pipe that i chucked in the lathe and rounded off the edges. The ring is welded to a piece of .75" plate that was in the scrap heap. I made a pair of "ears" that go on either side of the frame tie downs on a Nissan, and have a 3/4" bolt with a self locking nut on them. A few strategically placed gusset, and the 1 hr towbar was finished!!

To hook up the towbar to the deuce, I opened the pintle hook up. I ran a rope from the lunette ring to the drivers side window on the truck. This lets me hold the towbar up and drive the PU forward until I can slack the rope and hook up to the pintle. I can hook up in less than 60 seconds by myself! I wish I could claim that idea, but an old man who hauled mobile homes showed me that trick years ago. He had a little A frame mounted on the bumper of his escort truck. The A-frame was there to hold up his towbar (via a rope) so he could solo hook up.

 

[poppop]

I've got a story about GSA and picking up my 5 ton cargo last year. As we were installing batterys abd employ came out to watch and visit. He told us the truck would not start as several people had tried and failed. We had it running in five minutes and needed to air up the tires. He showed us where the compressor was and got the hose for us. The truck shut down by itself as we pulled it up to the warehouse. After some searching we found a clogged vent tube to the tanks. I used air pressure to the tank to bleed the system as my buddy loosend lines on the motor. When we were ready to try to start the GSA man offered to get in the truck and spin the starter. It fired once and shut down. For some reason I watched him pull the thortlle lock all the way out. When he tried again it fired and reved wide open and was screaming like a jet plane. This scared him and he dumped the clutch and for some reason he had the transmission in gear. The truck reared up, jumped the cinder block we had in front of the wheel, threw my buddy of the finder onto the asphalt, and proceded thru the warehouse wall. He finally got it stopped with the front end inside the building. I just knew we were in a lot of trouble but everyone there thought it was funny. As we were ckecking it out after we backed it out of the wall a prisoner that was working there came slowly by and said, hey man, you got that thing tied down, its got the devil in it. We still were worried about having to pay for the building so we beat it out of there before someone with authority showed up. I bought a 1 and a half ton trailer there last week and as the man was explaining I needed a special truck to pull it, I told him I was the one that bought the 5 ton last year. He said OOOO YEA, I remember you guys. You can't test drive anything while you're here now!!!!! He said they still tell that story and laugh about it. The building still shows its wounds. Great bunch of people to work with.
ull

 

[Djfreema]

Thats a funny story! Its a miracle nobody was hurt or even killed.