Looking to join the Deuce crowd

I've discovered a solution to many of my problems. A Deuce is it. I'm only concerned with a few options. I've been researching heavily the past few days, and I'm trying to figure out what options I want. There are 4 deuces in my general area that I plan on looking at. I've searched the forum for hours and still have a few lingering questions.

Hard top vs soft top: How often do the soft tops leak/have issues? I really like the idea of a convertible truck. Is a hard top removable at all?

Cargo cover: One of the deuces near me doesn't have the cargo cover or cargo cover frame. I've seen some cargo covers online, so that shouldn't be an issue. My question is more of the frame: how easy are they to come by, and how easy is putting the frame in?

Towing: I searched "towing" and came up with pages of threads. Can you tow a normal civilian trailer with a Deuce? I'm probably moving in a few months, and I'd like to just shove my belongings in the Deuce and then throw my car on a trailer and tow it. Are there adapters available so that I can use the trailer lights and brakes of a normal civilian set-up? The car in question is a 15.5ft long.

My final suggestion would be that someone with experience put up a Deuce buyer's guide, things to look for when buying a Deuce. It seems like the Deuce is quite a bit different than anything other vehicle I've considered before.

Thanks in advance!

New questions...

From what I've seen, you need to install a regular class 3 hitch on the deuce to tow a civilian trailer. I can't answer the other 2 things.

Here is a document I downloaded from this forum a while back, I forgot who posted it, but I couldn't find the post it was from so I hope whoever it is doesn't mind that I'm reposting it for you.

I think you should take the time to get a GL account and take a look at available deuces over in Alabama and Georgia. There are some prime pickins within a few hours of you and some get guys to help with the post purchase inspections and tweeks.

Getting a cover and bows can be done with money, not a real problem. Same with installing a hitch and towing a truck. A couple of guys from Washington state recovered a deuce from Alabama. They drove a jeep down and towed it home behind their new deuce.

Ask around, trust me there is a wealth of answers here to go with the occasional unwanted opinion.

I have the soft cab top, and no heater. I have no leaks, and drive the truck in the winter without issue. Sure it is colder than if you were driving with the heater, but once the motor gets up to temperature, the cab warms up just fine. I have driven the truck in windy 18 degree cold days, and with a coat and pair of gloves...No problem.

My reasoning was less to restore. Hard top needs two people to remove/ install, and I just didn't want to screw around with replacing heater components during my project.

As far as a hitch goes. I have attached a pic. I measured and had mine cut and welded to match up with the height of my Canadian 1/4 ton trailer's top Lunette position, to maintain a high rear departure angle. Two bolts to each side give it great strength.

Welcome. As to the top its personal preference. I have trucks with both types and they are both good. The soft top does not leak and does its job. The hard top is nice but not as easy to remove. Many people feel the hardtop is a bonus because it does have value but I would base my decision more on the truck and its quality than the top. Everything else such as a hitch, cargo cover etc. is available for purchase by shopping around. Keep your eyes open and find you a good truck and then you can trick it out with the accessories or options you want. Good luck.

I have a soft top. It never leaks and does a good job. Looking back now I never really never take it off. I think a hard top is a better choice.

A deuce can pull a trailer with hitch modification.

every thing you need to know about towing with a duce

You have asked all the right questions and I can provide you will some of your ansers. First of yes you can pull a car with a deuce but your going to have to spend some money to do it. I spent a lot of time and money figureing out the best way to pull a car with my duece. First off your going to have to by and have a hitch intalled. This link should take you right to wear you want to go this is probly the best hich you can put on a duece. if the link dose not work the search for curt class V reciver hitch part number c15511.

http://search.cartserver.com/search/search.cgi?cartid=a-9041&bool=AND&category=c5_receiv-01&maxhits=1&keywords=gl2130&GO=GO%21

With this hich your also goig to need a drop down ball caryer with between a 6-8 in drop. After scowering the internet this the best site I could find. http://www.hitchcorner.com/ball_mounts.htm

Affter you have your hich and ball carrier and all that good stuff you need lights. The cheapest way to do that is with a magnetic light set riged for 24 volts and a adapter that will take your military trailer plug and adapt it to a four prong civilyan plug, this is the only web site that I have found that has bolth the light set and the adapter. Trust me this adapter is much cheaper than what I ended up with. http://www.odiron.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=666

The last thing you need to know is that if your not going to be pullig a military trailer or some other trailer with air breaks then your going to need a trailer with surg brakes that way you dont have to monky with trying to run a 12 volt brake wire and controler. All of your U hal trialers have surg brakes on them so If you just rent a Uhal car halling trailer you will be good to go.

As for how long a softop will last verys. I can tell you that a duece dealer told me that the hard top weighs like 500lb so I dont think you can remove it very easly. I would go with the hard top just because it will last indefently as long as you paint it. But nothings rong with the softop just be prepard to replace it.

Yes you can get the bows for the canvus easly boice equipment out of ogden UT they sell them give them a call and they will hook you up. Boyce Equipment Axles and Military Parts

Oh and of course don't make the mistake a lot of guys have and buy the truck first then shop for insurance. I am going to go with gulfway out of FL Gulfway Insurers - A Leader in the Specialty Insurance Industry they are going to insure my truck for $175 a year win I get back frome Iraq. If they dont soot your needs try farmers insurance out of Idaho thats where my brother has his insured threw.

Best of luck and enjoy

Just a small point to add; Carol Smith at Gulfway is "The Man" so to speak.
She is very familiar with the M35 series trucks and a joy to work with.
From start to finish it takes about a week if you can scan and e-mail the paperwork as this speeds things up quite a bit but it is pretty painless.
One draw back to Gulfway is that you can not over inusre ytour truck compared to your standard poilicy for your daily drivers.
In other words if you have a 45,000 liability / full coverage on your new Honda for an example, then that is the maximum that you can insure the M35 for.
It is thier underwirter that does this to them but they are great otherwise.
Personally I wanted at least 300,000 libaility on the truck since most drunk drivers that pull out in front of you WILL be killed and a lot of people are suit-happy these days.
Good luck and enjoy your new baby when it arrives home.
Keep asking those great questions as there is a wonderful pool of information on this site in which to drraw from.

jimm1009

All very good info in above post. Only one correction. The hard top is not that heavy. With two people it is easily removable, it fust takes time to unbolt. On the trailer light issue, my plan was to equip my trailers with LED lights, as they should operate with either 12 or 24 volts. That way I can easily go back and forth from my civilian truck to my MV. Do check on that insurance and the restrictions. Gulfway didn't offer the right coverage to satisfy my needs, and I had to go with a more expensive commercial policy through State Farm. But for me I plan to drive mine a lot and advertise my business with it. Gulfway said I couldn't have my business logo on it, and it can't be used to haul anything or pull a trailer.

Here is a very simple hitch that I made and pics and some dimensions to show what was done: Dual Trailer Hitch for M35

I just called gulfway to ask some questions glad I did. Turns out they don't write policys in Idaho. To bad I could have swarn that the first time I talked to them they said they would. Any way I just called a safeco agent to get a qote because some one on another thread said that he was getting his duece insured threw them.

I am gessing safeco is probly like most ensurance companys if your driving record is not prfict for get getting insured. I sould not have any problems with that I dont have any tickets and I have a comershal drivers licens. I will post up what ever the agent says hopefully it will be good news for me and mabe some others.

If you want to go topless from time to time keep the soft top. Me, my head is wall to wall solar panel so I like the hardtop. Just me.

heres a hitch build that puts the hitch about normal hight for trailer pulling. see pic hope you got all the answers you need looks like they covered everything else for you goodluck.

Thanks for the info guys.
Anyone gonna be around in Maryland tomorrow to help me pick one out???

Did you find one yet?