New MV Owner / Member in Virginia

Greetings to everyone here on Steel Soldiers. I am in the Winchester area of Virginia. I actually joined a few weeks ago and made a posting in “What did you do to your Deuce today”, but have not formally made an introduction. I have been around military vehicles for the past few years as an extra driver here in my AO with a local group of enthusiasts. Driving is nice, but I was bitin by the bug and started casually looking for a vehicle of my own. Both of my boys are in the Young Marines and I also wanted something to use when they are in parades, attending events for veterans, and to help with hauling the units gear to encampments, etc.
While at an event last month at the VA center in Martinsburg, WV, one of the other RA’s (registered adults) who has an impeccable 5-ton told me about a listing in the classifieds on Steel Soldiers for a 1987 M35A2C. I checked it out and it seemed to be what I was looking for in a price range I could afford. What really made it better for me was that it came with a M105A2 trailer and quite a few spare parts. I called the owner and made arrangements to travel to Richmond and check it out (I will post more about this). Needless to say a deal was struck and I was ready to bring it home.

What will be really special to long time members here on Steel Soldiers is that it belonged to a former SS member, Ethan Alexander aka,builder77. His Father (builder77sdad), who I bought the Deuce from is a member here on Steel Soldiers. I have gone back and read many of the postings from Ethan and the kind words that were conveyed here on the SS website about Ethan when he passed. I can only say that I wish I could have known him as some of you did.
I plan on taking up where Ethan and his Dad left off on the project and will dedicate the truck to the memory of Ethan. Would really like to hear from any of you who knew Ethan.
I do plan on making another post about the move with a few pictures and will make posts about my progress on Ethan’s Deuce aided by my 2 Young Marine mechanics.

More to follow...............

Welcome from Lake Charles La.I too bought my deuce from a SS member.I talked to Neil Henricks for a couple weeks,Knew that truck was mine before I got off the plane.Al

Welcome from Florida, Ethan's Deuce has now found a new family to join. Your boys seem to love it also!

Welcome from Wild Wonderful West Virginia! Glad you found a Green Toy to play with. Remember you are pushing lots of iron down the road and keep good distances from you and any crushable object. I have a 5 ton with winch and was in a intersection when this woman decided to ignore the stop here white lines and pull her Jap puddle jumper over the line. I made my right turn any way and could watch my bumper three feet out pass over her harmlessly as her eyes got big as saucers. Bet she will stay in the lane next time. No paint swap was involved. Have fun with the toy and the site. Mark

Welcome from Texas.

I know all of our steel soldiers have some history to them, but it is nice to have one that has a little extra. Congrats.

Welcome from a neighbor 15 miles south of you, in Front Royal. Glad you found the site and rescued Ethan's truck! Miss my friend builder77....

Welcome from Christiansburg!

Builder77 was hilarious.

One time he bought an enormous truck load of fiberglass M105 racks. By the time he had sold about half of them, he was practically giving them away. At Aberdeen he told me he couldn't sleep because he kept having nightmares about 105 racks.

He was also a highly skilled recovery operator, utilizing Volvos in ways no one could have foreseen or approved of.



He was a great guy and we're glad his truck has "stayed in the family".

I think his truck was one of the earliest USAF deuce releases as well.

Congrats and welcome from Indiana! Very nice looking boys!

Welcome from cloudy wintery OHIO!

Hey everybody, thanks for all the warm welcomes and especially the fond remembrances about Ethan. All I can say is that there is a great bunch of people and a wealth of information here on Steel Soldiers. Clinto, those pictures of the stuff Ethan hauled with a Volvo just about made me fall out of my chair. I thought I had been blamed for taking things past their limits, but hauling a CUCV with a Volvo?? At least it wasn't an M1010 but I bet he would have tried that too. I also found someone who knew Ethan (maddawg30 who is only 15 miles south of me in Front Royal. I buy most of my auto parts at the NAPA in Front Royal. I don't think I will get everything done to my deuce I wanted to this weekend. I went with my 2 boys and the Young Marines to help lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery and today is their "drill" where the boys will be having a class about winter survival. I did get the old, torn up cargo cover off yesterday and put on a nice NOS canvas cover. The deuce did come with a NOS vinyl cover which I really wanted to put on, but when we unfolded it in the back yard we found that some of the seams in the top part of the cover had come apart. Don't know if there is a way to repair that, but I will look and see if anyone has already attempted that. Looks like I am going to have to get a new cab cover too. Like I mentioned before, I will post a few pictures of the move and what I found when I initially went to look at the truck. Everyone take care and have a great weekend.

Welcome from Italia! Nice boys. Be proud of them SignalNCO..

Welcome from Marshall, Va. Ethan was a great person. Glad to see his truck will be taken care of.

Welcome from Kentucky! Glad you got the truck!
Fred

Welcome from a LA Hokie!

I'm so glad Ethan's deuce has moved to a new home, where it will be appreciated. From my emails and phone calls with Bryan, I know his sons will also enjoy this tough vehicle. Put it in low, and it will crawl over almost anything.

We'll keep in touch through Steel Soldiers, but I'm also looking forward to meeting Bryan and his two sons in person this summer. Donna and I plan to drive cross-country this summer in our 19' camper, and will be sure to stop by. Rob

Bryan,

Make plans now to bring your boys to the Labor Day Weekend Virginia MV Rally at Graves Mountain (Syria, VA). Cabell will post more details in the spring. Mike D can fill you in on details when the two of you get together. For pictures of the event, search "VA Rally" here on the site.

Hey builder77sdad always good to hear from you and we are looking forward to meeting up with you this summer. I grew up helping my Dad work on cars ever since I was old enough to stand on an old wooden box and look into the engine compartment. This will be a great learning experience for the boys. Right now they are learning about the fuel system as I am in the process of swapping out the in-tank fuel pump and tank. I found them each a set of surplus OD green overalls so they are all set. Will definitely have to get some pictures and post here. I have also learned some about my Deuce from prior postings here by Ethan (builder77). Really grateful that all that info is archived here on Steel Soldiers.

Mike (KK4AIF), a couple of friends of mine went to Graves Mountain this past year but I was unable to attend. I will be attending lots of events this coming year and really look forward to meeting up with other Steel Soldier members. You might have noticed my call is KU4KV. Maybe we can meet up on HF sometime.

Welcome. Green Disease strikes another. Im over here in the Hagerstown MD area not far from you. Enjoy your time with your sons as they grow up. I guess I need to get some pictures together and post my intro.

Welcome again,I would like to respond to 61sleepercab.Three weeks ago I was not so lucky a one ton p.u. passed me turned into my lane and stood on the brakes.This was on purpose,Three men got out what was left of their truck and said "no English no id".Cost me about two grand to get my m35a2 with a m35 frame with 109 box with 105 mated pintel to get out of the ditch I put in to avoid killing these mutts.Be very carefull.Oh bye the way my insurance wrote a check for ten grand for a rust bucket I would not give a grand for.Be carefull my brothers they are out there.