The 8th as group is popular with collectors for the same reason all collectors in any hobby type like it, they were visible with cool markings, so ones truck stands out, and there also seems to be more than a few guys who identify with this group, they were a big part of transportation there also, U mentioned a motor, I just so happen to have the correct motor ina crate for a truck of that era, its a 427 turbo, remanufacterd in 1964,ready to go,

...There are many paints out there but arvoe has the hands down most accurate 24087 in production today, U are in for a vast amount of history, some will tell U they did not do that some will say they did in many things U are going to try, remember, the Army is a mish mosh of everything they need, There was a transportation unit in iraq that had trucks dating 1954 I think was the oldest , So to be correct someone could do a truck like theres at that year and say it is coorect, it is a tangled web, Go for the closest U can get, And be happy with it, Most will also, Good Luck,