Deuce/Jeep/MUTT trade?

From: Mark J. Blair, NF6X (nf6x@nf6x.net)
Date: Thu Mar 17 2005 - 20:12:57 PST


This may be a dumb question, given the relative values and desirability
of the trucks in question, but I was wondering if there was anybody out
there who's in or near southern California, and who might be interested
in trading their running US military Jeep or MUTT for my running US
military M35A2C 2.5-ton 6x6 "dropside" truck.

I've asked this before, a month or three back I think, and I don't
recall that I got any responses. I figured I'd try again, even though
it's probably a long-shot.

I would be interested in a running, not-too-modified truck in reasonably
good shape. I would not be interested in a high-value parade-ready
restoration; I'm strictly a "motor-pool" kind of guy, and the truck
would be driven (but not abused) off-road. Things like missing
non-critical parts or accessories, wrong wheels, etc. would not tend to
concern me too much. Things like having the wrong kind of engine or
tranny, changing the electrical system voltage, hacking out a tailgate,
etc. would dramatically reduce my interest. In other words, I'm not
looking for a complete show truck, but I don't want a hacked-up
modification, either. The M38 and M38A1 interest me the most, but
earlier Jeeps or later MUTTs, as well as other configurations, might
also interest me.

The truck that I am proposing to offer in trade is a running M35A2C
dropside that's in pretty solid shape, but is no show truck. The paint
job doesn't look too bad from 20 feet away. It doesn't have any major
rust. The engine runs well and the brakes work. Its canvas cab top is
probably around a year old (I installed it myself, but I don't remember
exactly how long it's been). If I remember right, I installed a pair of
civvy battery trays and hold-down brackets inside the original battery
box, and I probably still have the original hold-down and J bolts for
use with military 6TL batteries. Faults include a missing passenger
seat-back, no troop seats or cargo area bows, and a couple of the gauges
aren't working. I would consider fixing some of those issues (i.e.,
repairing all of the gauges, stealing the seatback from one of my other
trucks, but not adding troop seats or bows) as part of a trade deal. The
truck has a clean California title, and is registered as "Planned
Non-Operational". In other words, it has a clean title certificate but
does not have license plates, since I've only been using it off-road.

This particular truck is part of a small batch of GL trucks that I
bought a while back with plans to sell all but one of the trucks to
cover the cost of the one that I'd keep, and this is the one I planned
to keep. So, I'd keep it rather than selling it for cash, but on the
other hand I'd consider trading it to add some more diversity to my
motor pool, and I've been having Jeep cravings lately. Incidentally, I
still have one of the "to be sold" deuces left, but it's not currently
in condition that I would consider to be a fair trade for a running truck.

I live near Riverside, CA (that's in Southern CA, not too far from LA).
My trucks live there, too.

So, if one of y'all has too many Jeeps or MUTTs but not enough deuces,
and might consider either a straight trade or a trade with some cash
going one way or the other to cover the difference in value, then please
contact me (preferrably off-list).

Feel free to propose other crazy trades, too, but don't feel hurt if I
say "no". I feel like getting a new toy, but not like spending a lot of
cash or taking on a major restoration project. If you find yourself in
the same boat, it might be fun to talk trucks a bit, even if we don't
end up making a trade.

Am I the only one who gets nutty ideas like this? :-)

-- 
Mark J. Blair, NF6X <nf6x@nf6x.net>
Web page: http://www.nf6x.net/
GnuPG public key available from my web page.


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