Old mixed parts M35 Gasser VIN ID ?, please.

DavidWymore said:

So, do you think I should run my 1100-20s dual or single? Ha ha Ha!

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Funny ! Actually I'm all in favor of running duals. Ever have a flat on a rear drive axle ? I have plenty of times, and having a dual there makes it so much easier to change out. Even if it's the inner tire. You don't have to jack the truck up so far, or better yet drive up on a 6X6 (with the good tire) that has been shaped into a ramp and then put the jack stand under it. Then with just a little bit of jacking your totally off the ground. I always carry cribbing wood with me.

I have a m35a2 variant firefighting pump truck which has 11-20 singles on it. I bought it from Bob at Jack tomlins estate in tooele utah. I was only interested because of the singles set up. The rims are original military but different from the dually version and the rear axle hubs stick out farther. I like the height of the bigger tires but have yet to really try the truck out. Jack was a good friend of mine, but he did get a bit sloppy with his trucks.... He just had too much for him to do. Rat nest in radiator because radiator cap off. Missing petcock on engine block so coolent would flow out. Shorted wiring... And it was listed as a running truck... I have a lot of hodge podged stuff I got to remove and do right.... At least for the few minutes the engine ran, it seemed good.... This summer It is on the get running list and I can see how it responds with the larger singles...

FYI, I love talking to anyone about trucks, parts, repairs and stuff... It is just that I am usually out building my depot, working on trucks and stuff to get on the internet... I am more of a face to face - lets talk and work... Lots of the older guys that knew everything are disappearing... I hope I caught up with enough of their experience to pass it on for a few more decades... Ha ha ha... (I will be reopening my depot yard April 1st)

Just went back in and validated it is not in the database. It may have been put out of service before the computer age.

The M59520 is the VIN, it is a Studebaker. My 1953 is M32558. I don't really think it is as late as a 1959. I am almost positive it didn't start life as an A1 with the 427. David Doyle should be able to pin the year down for you. There is a very good thread on here about gasser differences (there's a lot of changes). It was written by Barrman several years ago.

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?

Thanks everyone! This is turning out to be quite a fun little investigation. I have been researching and it's raining here in the desert (where it never rains). The adobe mud out here is the devil, so I'm probably going to be inside researching more today. Here is where I'm at now.

Want to try to figure out the year, I think that will help with Reg.

Jack and I thought mine was a '59 because his Stude number starts with '63 and the dash tag indicates '63 as the year. Just a coincidence it seems now. I wonder if the numbers after the M reset every year? I'm going to list all the Stude numbers and years I can find...

Anyone know how to get in touch with Mr. Doyle? PM box full.

"M" means it's a Stude, got that. Stands for Military maybe? Jack (Gov Surplus in Tucson, maaaaany trucks) said the other numbers are frame rail part numbers, although they are slightly different left to right. Driver side has a "22" prefix and " T suffix". I doubt that is very relevant though. At one point, based on Mr. Doyle's article I thought the 22 might have indicated at LWB truck, but it does not appear to be so. Rear suspension is still hot riveted in place.

Neighbors have a few gassers, I glanced at frame numbers real quick but didn't look at dash plates. Dummy, was in a hurry. I took pics though, and one starts with M, so I will revisit. Wish I could get in on Sunday, although it's a muddy mess I'm sure.

The USMC thought is based on the USMC carved in the steering wheel and the handle at the front of the hood. Jack said that's a USMC thing.
Any other USMC hints to look for? No lifting eyes welded on the bumper, but I have a feeling the bumper was swapped and it used to be a winch truck because the lower portion of the grill guard was missing. Have a winch to go back on, need to get a PTO. I don't think the water truck PTO is gonna work.

Carnac, isn't your database only Army? If so, that's one more USMC indicator, I think. I have little doubt it was out of the mil system before computers. It's spend a lot of time being civvy abused I think. I need to go donate, thanks for taking the time to try to help!

Re: dash, and all the tags missing, I bed it was civvy swapped and of course the Multi dash numbers, tags, etc. weren't right, so they just took them off and didn't bother to re-rivet the proper tags from the old original dash on. It just occurred to me that I could look at the rivet hole patterns and compare gassers to my '80s stripped AM-G multi parts donor truck.

Jack was thinking LDS427 because of the big multi dash and he thinks they kept the manually engaged lever type starter (and generator?) from the 427 when the LDS 465 was installed. Maybe I could look for underbody exhaust hangers or remnants.


Paint colors... probably not relevant to much, but surface is the Kuhn Hay ugly yellow offwhite. Under that is yellow, under that, fire truck lookin' red (also on engine under oddball minty green, Forest Svc or USBP?) and lastly OD green. I'm thinking to sand (or strip?) off the hood and hope I can find some hood numbers. Oh, the interior is a different color...kind of a gold/tan/green.

EDIT: hard top has small fixed rear window, not sliding.

Ok, off to dig more. Thanks again, y'all.


EDIT: I was kidding about questioning tires, I plan to run NDT 11.00-20s Dual. And since I want to offroad, and it's USMC, gonna have to install lockers...

Yesterday I saw a 5 ton bridge truck with dual NDT 14.00-20s. Wow. Also, 3 M123s...man, he's got looots of stuff.

My 1962 Studebaker-Packard M35 A1 's VIN is M56515.
LDS 427-2. Bellcrank starter linkage.

Found post by doghead, re: front fenders.

You can see in this picture, the large flat surface on the driver side inner fender. This is a gas truck original.
And here you can see the newer style inner fenders Notice the louvered surface is angled and there is no room on top to set a cup of water(or tea).

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Pretty sure my fenders are angled. My flip up engine side covers are A1/multi, gasser ones are too short/narrow vertically. Hope the hood is original... has remnants of yellow letters on the underside about securing hood with safety latches.

Yep, Army only except some cases where a Air National Guard truck happens to be listed due to coming through the Army Guard USPFO.

Although you have some other indications it was USMC, the fact it is not in the database does NOT necessarily mean it was not any particular service. It could have been Army, just that they would have removed it from service before the information was entered into the database. The database started in 1971 but it didn't start everywhere in 1971. It was phased in unit by unit over many years. No idea when everyone was tied in but it could have easily been in the mid 80's before Guard and Reserve units did.

stb64 said:

My 1962 Studebaker-Packard M35 A1 's VIN is M56515.
LDS 427-2. Bellcrank starter linkage.

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So...if the numbers are serial numbers in order of manufacture (they seem to be), my M59# is later than your #M56, it could have been a 427. My axles are '62-'67. Need to look at case and trans tags again for dates. 'Course all that could have been changed.

Check the right side rear engine mount near the right front shock. If it's hot riveted, the truck was not a gasser at any time. My old 53 Stude was M30708. Check post 19 in this thread http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?3910-Deuce-Wrecker-Engine-Swap&highlight=M108A2 to see the difference and why with certaintly this will determine the original engine!

Been searching forum for Stude numbers. Think I might have a winner for year...?

Stb64

1962 Studebaker-Packard M35 A1 's VIN is M56515.
LDS 427-2. Bellcrank starter linkage.

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Mine is M59. I wouldn't be surprised if the dash is original and someone took the plates off to paint it and never put them back. Gonna be time to head out to the shop and investigate the deuce more shortly.

Knissen

1962 M35A1 Studebaker, original plate - and still with the LDS427. M60212

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Recovry4x4 said:

Check the right side rear engine mount near the right front shock. If it's hot riveted, the truck was not a gasser at any time. My old 53 Stude was M30708. Check post 19 in this thread http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?3910-Deuce-Wrecker-Engine-Swap&highlight=M108A2 to see the difference and why with certaintly this will determine the original engine!

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Ten four. Also going to compare firewalls per Barrman's thread. "Don't even know if I have a Gasser cab". I think gas firewalls are flat and multis have an indent into the cab. Picture in my photobucket makes it look indented.

My numbers and firewall point to '62 with 427.

David Doyle is the Supply Line editor for the MVPA, that would be the easiest way to get ahold of him. Gas firewalls aren't necessarily flat; I think 53 was when they changed. I know my 53 Stude M59 which is gas also has the indent where my 51 is flat. Is there any plate in your truck at all?

May not be as pieced together as it looks after all.

I'm out at the shop looking at it, and everything indicates it's an A2 multi. Correction: A1 multi, probably LDS 427

I just looked through all your pics, It is definitely not an early one (gasser) there's a lot of indicators that it was later. Curious what DD would say; I am guessing right around the switch to an A1. I don't see an original A2 just because of the M(ser #). I am also leaning towards an early A1.

hndrsonj said:

I just looked through all your pics, It is definitely not an early one (gasser) there's a lot of indicators that it was later. Curious what DD would say; I am guessing right around the switch to an A1. I don't see an original A2 just because of the M(ser #). I am also leaning towards an early A1.

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Oops. Meant A1 Multi. I found Barrman and Recovry's posts and checked a bunch of things. Hot rivets on engine mounts, multi firewall recess, multi air filter reinforcement plate on firewall, I-beam torque rods, steering box fill plug, front brake lines, springs on fender bolts. etc...