Re: [MV] M35 Design History (long)

From: DDoyle9570@aol.com
Date: Fri Feb 04 2000 - 18:38:10 PST


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Ahh,
I have been hard at work with this question too!!

The original primary contractor was Reo Motors of Lansing Mi. Company
founded by Ransom Olds, of Oldsmobile fame.

Studebaker was the 2nd source, some of my research suggests that Studebaker
was given this contract in an effort to keep them in business. Studebaker
supposedly had been largest wagon maker in world.

Studebaker and Reo production was cocurrent.

(BTW, during WWII Reo built the US6, which was a Studebaker design)

After Studebaker came Studebaker-Packard.
Then Curtiss-Wright (of airplane fame)
Then Kaiser-Jeep.
Then General Products Division AMC
Then AM General.

Seems like I am omitting one....All of these, according to my research) but
the latest AM Generals (and of course the Reo's) were built in the old
Studebaker plant in South Bend, Indiana.

I own one of each except a S-P and a General Products, and the parts
interchangibilty is extensive, with only CLOSE examination showing changes.

As far as the DESIGN (vs production goes), according to Crimson the design is
Reo's, which makes sense as the original power plant was a Reo OA-331 engine
(later produced under license by Continental), which was Reo's popular truck
engine.

As you have no doubt noticed, the cab area is the same as the cab on the 5
and ten ton trucks of the same era. I recently had the chance to speak with
the chief engineer of Diamond T during the time the M54 series 5 tons were
being built (I do not have the notes of the conversation in front of me at
the moment but can dig them out if needed). He stated that the cab was of
military design, and was provided to Diamond T by a manufacturing concern
based in Moline Ill. (the name of which I also have recorded). The
gentleman, whose name escapes me at the moment is a member of the American
Truck Historical Society, and I contacted him through that club. He lives in
the St. Louis area, and though aged and hard of hearing is quite alert and
hopes to attend the MVPA convention in KC this year.

Anyhow, whether the cab was really a "military design" or was really Reo's
design that the military standardized on I am not sure yet.

Crismon's "Wheeled Vehicles" book, shows a picture of Studebaker's own
competitve design, which is dated April 1949. (page 337) While on page 338
states that the Reo design was shown to the public in early 1951. He goes on
to say that there was much press coverage of the desing in contemporary
press, although so far I have not been successfull in locating same. I do
however have a May 19, 1951 Saturday Evening Post with a full page REO ad
featuring the M34. I also have TM 9-819, operators manual for M34/35, which
is dated January 1952, which superseded the 20 June 1950 issue of the same.

The operators manual for the LeRoi 210G1 Compressor (TM 5-5065) shows the
compressor mounted on a truck unlike any I have ever seen, though very
SIMILAR to the M34 chassis. The records LeRoi provided me indicate that all
the production units were mounted on Reo-type (523 units) or GMC (77 units).
Production on the compressor beds began June 2, 1952. However, 10
experimental preproducition units were also made. As the design work on this
unit was begun in 1950, it is possible that the chassis in the TM5-5065 is
pilot model from Reo, but this is speculation on my part.

In the ORD 9 SNL G-742, Jan 1955, supercedes April 1952, cab assemblies, with
doors are listed for the M34, 35, 46, 48, 109 with Reo numbers (RC-2056E2)
and Studebaker numbers (SD-955004). Cabs for all other models are listed only
with a REO number RC-2099E2. Unfortunately I don't have a 5 ton ORD 9 to
compare part numbers to.

According to Army training films made in the early 50's, the M34/35 and
M135/211 were 2 different design accepted at about the same time.
(Been restoring a M135 for 5 years now!!!)
Mechanically, almost nothing interchanges between the trucks. Nor will the
body parts except for the beds.

The US never created as many variants of the M135/211 as it did the M34/35,
although the Canadian forces used the the GMC in a wide variety of
configurations. This leads me to believe that although they may have both
been Standard, early own the Reo design became the prefered design. There is
in excellent article in Wheels and Tracks magazine issue #39 regarding the
M135/211.

I hope this helps, and hope you will share your findings with me.
David Doyle



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