From: ke6myk@sbcglobal.net
Date: Sun Feb 29 2004 - 17:38:42 PST
Hi. I'm having trouble identifying the manufacturer and year of one of
my deuces. It's an M35A2. The dataplate is a replacement, with no
numbers stamped on it. The hood and doors have different registration
numbers; the hood is marked "US ARMY 4G3929", and both cab doors are
marked "4D5341" on the removable panel. The engine, transmission and
transfer case all have overhaul tags. The engine is an LDT-465-1C, and
was rebuilt in 1986 at Toole. The serial number on the left front
frame rail is "M29479". I don't see other markings in that area on the
frame rail where the undercoating has already been scraped away, but
there's still a lot of undercoating there that I haven't scraped away.
I only found a dataplate and case stampings on the front diff. It's
stamped "4 27 53 1D". The tag on the front left corner of the cargo
body looks like an old one. It's marked "THE #UD# COMPANY DETROIT,
MICH." (where "#" is an unreadable letter; maybe it says "BUDD"?), and
"STOCK No G 742-7416336".
The only thing I've found that looks like a date is the stamping on
the front pumpkin, which suggests 1953. However, that's way too old
for an M35A2! Which seems more likely: Could this be a 1953 M35 that
got a major overhaul and was converted to an M35A2? Or maybe the truck
is much newer, but it just got a rebuilt front axle with an old
housing?
Do either of the registration numbers or the tag on the cargo bed
suggest any era? Does the format of the frame serial number suggest an
era and/or manufacturer? In particular, does the serial number format
suggest that the frame was made by one of the manufacturers who
stamped a date on the frame rail, and if so, where should I start
scraping undercoating?
I have not yet recorded the dates on the overhaul tags (other than the
engine), because I don't think that information is likely to be
useful. I haven't tried looking for date stamps on the wheels, either.
I'd appreciate any help that anybody can offer. I've managed to come
up with plausible dates for all of my other deuces without correct
dataplates, but this one has stumped me so far. Most of my experience
with deuces so far is with late Kaiser-Jeep, General Products, and AM
General trucks, so I'm not familiar with the markings used by other
manufacturers yet.
-- Mark J. Blair, NF6X <ke6myk@sbcglobal.net> PGP 2.6.2 public key available from http://www.keyserver.net/ Web page: http://www.qsl.net/ke6myk/
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