From: DDoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Wed May 15 2002 - 17:49:05 PDT
In a message dated 5/14/02 10:55:33 PM Central Standard Time,
pt@jaxkneppers.com writes:
<< I flirted with buying an old Deuce fire truck a year ago, and subscribed
here to get some idea of what I should be wary of/search for.
I didn't get the truck then, and now may have a chance to get an actual
cargo version ( M35A2(C)). Could I poll current users on their
thoughts?
1: I see mention of the front end: Air Shift? Whatever I end up with
will/should be
6X6, thus I'm curious about the options available for the front
axle.
EARLY VERSION'S HAVE THE FRONT AXLE DRIVE ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY BY AN
OVERRUNNING CLUTCH. WITH PROPER MAINTENANCE, IT WORKS AS GOOD AS ANYTHING.
WITHOUT PROPER MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT, DON'T WORK SO GOOD. ALSO, IT IS
MORE SENSITIVE TO ABUSE DUE TO IMPROPER DRIVING TECHNIQUE THAN IS THE
AIR-SHIFT UNIT.
2: Do all cargo Deuce's come with a trailer hitch?
YES
3: Most of the cargo trucks I worked on in the Army were the C variant,
drop side.
Other than using it as a base for a float in a parade, why would I
want drop sides? EASIER TO LOAD/UNLOAD WITH FORKLIFT.
4: I remember reading here about axle conversion kits ( for all axles I
believe ),
which allegedly got the top speed of the truck up to about 65
without damage
to the drive train. Do I recall correctly? What cost is this type
of conversion?
PASS...I SUBSCRIBE TO THE THEORY OF LEAVE EARLIER.
5: How much help is the 'Air' seat? None of the trucks when I was in
had it
( 78-81 ). I remember putting dents in the hard tops from time to
time, and would
sort of like to avoid that at my advanced age and condition. <g>
YOU'LL PUT MORE DENTS IN THE TOP WITH THE "AIR" SEAT...IT IS MUCH TALLER (AND
CLOSER TO STEERING WHEEL) THAN ORIGINAL BOX SEAT.
6: Can anybody point me toward a good site for getting tips on doing
body work,
welding a plate in, etc. I've done bits and pieces in the Army and
would like to
do some or most of my own work, but have holes in what I recall...
and also feel
some things are done differently today.
7: Do people in Ca/Nv/Az ever just get together with their trucks for a
weekend
rally/get together?
8: Roughly what does a set of batteries ( 4 as I recall ) run today?
THE G-742 SERIES TRUCKS (M-35 TYPE) HAVE 2 6TL BATTERIES (EXCEPTION, THE FIRE
TRUCK VARIANTS TAKE 4 OF THESE).
9: Specific question: If I end up getting the fire truck, it has an
original Gas engine.
It was running when driven in two years ago. Would I be best
advised to have
the valve head replaced with 'hardened' ones as we no longer can get
leaded
gas? Or would you just run it until it needed a rebuild then look
at it then?
I WOULD HAVE TO DIG THROUGH MY ARCHIVAL INFORMATION TO VERIFY THIS, BUT I
BELIEVE THE OA-331 WAS DESIGNED TO RUN EQUALLY WELL ON LEADED OR UNLEADED.
REMEMBER, LEADED GAS WAS A RELATIVELY NEW DEVELOPMENT WHEN THE ENGINE WAS
DESIGNED (1948-49), AND LEADED WAS NOT AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE. THESE TRUCKS
WERE DESIGNED TO BE USED WORLDWIDE.
Thank you for your ideas.
Paul A. Thomas
Bay Point, Ca
>>
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