- 7
- 20
- 3
- Location
- Fort Myers, FL
Some background for context
I joined Steel Soldiers late last year while hunting for a deuce. Retired USMC, now in Fort Myers, FL, and after years of rebuilding smaller vintage 4x4s (mostly FJ40s and CJs), I finally had the time, space, and motivation to track down something big and iconic like the deuce. Gonna be one of a kind for the neighbor
The Auction Story
Friday morning, I told my wife, “Hey, I’m going to toss a bid on a deuce at the auction.”
Her response: “Gee, that sounds great.”
A few hours later, I’d “won” the bid. When we went to the yard to see it, she looked at the truck and said, “Wait ... I thought you were kidding.”
The listing called it a 1969 REO M35A2, but the truck plates tell a more interesting story.
What I Know So Far
Next Steps / Open Questions
Current Condition
Starts easily, shifts cleanly through all five (5), steering is tight, brakes solid, and it tracks well.
The usual rust at the cowl/fender junction and under the snorkel guard — nothing structural.
Paid $6,250 all-in, including fees and title which seems not bad for a straight, running truck with clean history.
Closing Thought
Not bad for what started as an “adventure bid.”
Set out for a fun weekend project — ended up with a 1950s REO frame, 1980s Hercules heart, and a crash course in Army truck genealogy.
Photos of the data plates and engine tag attached.
Appreciate any insights from the M35 veterans here who’ve sorted through similar multi-era rebuilds.
I joined Steel Soldiers late last year while hunting for a deuce. Retired USMC, now in Fort Myers, FL, and after years of rebuilding smaller vintage 4x4s (mostly FJ40s and CJs), I finally had the time, space, and motivation to track down something big and iconic like the deuce. Gonna be one of a kind for the neighbor
The Auction Story
Friday morning, I told my wife, “Hey, I’m going to toss a bid on a deuce at the auction.”
Her response: “Gee, that sounds great.”
A few hours later, I’d “won” the bid. When we went to the yard to see it, she looked at the truck and said, “Wait ... I thought you were kidding.”
The listing called it a 1969 REO M35A2, but the truck plates tell a more interesting story.
What I Know So Far
- Manufacturer Plate: REO Motors, Lansing, Michigan
- Contract No.: DA-20-089-ORD-8126FS
- Frame and Data Plate Serial: 02251878 — appears to fall into the early 1950s REO production range
- Engine: Hercules LDT-465-1D multifuel (tagged with Army reman contract DAAE-C7-87-C-J069)
- Transmission: Spicer 3053A 5-speed
- Transfer Case: Rockwell, air-shift
- Turbo: Schwitzer 3LJ319 “whistler”
- Origin: Came from a fire department here in Florida, where it’s clearly been stored and maintained rather than neglected
Next Steps / Open Questions
- Verifying whether this truck was overhauled at Red River or another depot (no tag found yet as I am still inspecting).
- Confirming the exact year range of the 0225xxxx frame series — the best data I’ve found suggests 1952, but would like confirmation.
- Tracing how this Hercules engine got into this 1950s M35 (probably not easy but gives me something for morning coffee fuel)
- Baseline work coming up: full fluid change, brake inspection, electrical cleanup, and line replacement before any restoration decisions.
Current Condition
Starts easily, shifts cleanly through all five (5), steering is tight, brakes solid, and it tracks well.
The usual rust at the cowl/fender junction and under the snorkel guard — nothing structural.
Paid $6,250 all-in, including fees and title which seems not bad for a straight, running truck with clean history.
Closing Thought
Not bad for what started as an “adventure bid.”
Set out for a fun weekend project — ended up with a 1950s REO frame, 1980s Hercules heart, and a crash course in Army truck genealogy.
Photos of the data plates and engine tag attached.
Appreciate any insights from the M35 veterans here who’ve sorted through similar multi-era rebuilds.
