For Sale: Canadian M135 6x6 truck

[Richard Richter]

Selling a M135 6x6 shop truck.

Needs some TLC, but engine is good, needs tuning and carb work. Hood is damage but the rest of the truck is in good same for restoration.
Stored in a warehouse for 15 years now. We ran it 5 years ago, and started well. No batteries in it now.

Asking $6500.00
Locating in Alberta.

[jdmcm]

Nice looking truck, but I think it is an M211 not a M135. Do you know what year it is and what shape the brakes are in?

Thanks
John

[maple_leaf_eh]

Agreed dual rear wheels is not an M135.

[rob love]

You could put duals on a M135....you just have to flip the rear hubs and drums backwards, install the offset rims and 9.00-20 tires. But the lack of wheelwells on the cargo box is the sure sign of a M211.

The front bumper is upside down....almost like the truck might have had a winch at one time.

[Richard Richter]

Originally Posted by jdmcm

Nice looking truck, but I think it is an M211 not a M135. Do you know what year it is and what shape the brakes are in?

Thanks
John

The brakes are good. But sitting this long some of the pistons are leaking and need new cups in them.

[Richard Richter]

Originally Posted by rob love

You could put duals on a M135....you just have to flip the rear hubs and drums backwards, install the offset rims and 9.00-20 tires. But the lack of wheelwells on the cargo box is the sure sign of a M211.

The front bumper is upside down....almost like the truck might have had a winch at one time.

It did have a winch at one point. But, was pulled at some point in history.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Is it an automatic? The shifter looks like an auto pattern.

[Grant Bowker]

As far as I know, all M135/M211 (and others in the series) were automatic 4F1R with 2 ranges. There were some trials done on a retrofit of the transmission used on the M135 into M35 type but I'm not aware of any manual transmissions in M135 (but I'm not ready to say it was never done).

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Jon Bradshaw

Is it an automatic? The shifter looks like an auto pattern.

Yes, it will be a hydromatic similar to those on several other US military vehicles of that vintage. The transmissions do require a little respect.....never shift from forward to reverse while the truck is moving.

A popular conversion I saw back in the 90s was to put in the Dodge Cummins and transmission into these trucks. Mind you, I'm not sure how well the axles did with that much torque going through them....we would occasionally get differentials breaking on asphalt during roadtests near the end of service for the old deuce.

I take my deuce with the C1 in tow out to a couple events each summer, the furthest being about 45 miles each way. Comforting to know that each time the odometer clicks off another mile, I have used another liter of fuel. Makes calculating the fuel requirements quite easy.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The 2 1/2 ton has a fond place in the memory of many soldiers. It was/is a simple and rugged vehicle. As Rob mentions, its thirstiness was its biggest downfall. A high cube straight-6 and a lower ratio drivetrain meant drivers had to keep the foot down hard to keep a reasonable speed on the road. That meant full throttle almost all the time.

For a short time I had a dual wheel Deuce with a HIAB crane in Alert. As I recall the starter is a 90-deg rotating lever on the side of the shifter column. I liked the visibility over the hood too. The PTO level as low and near the centreline between the seats.

[rob love]

From a mechanic's perspective, they had their weaknesses. Twelve wheel cylinders on very old trucks (and remember that in those days some of those wheel cylinders had been rebuilt again and again) made sure the mechanic was always doing brakes. The exhaust manifolds liked to warp and either blow their gaskets or crack. And the transmissions were somewhat weak. Also, as many trucks from the old days would do, they would burn valves occasionally. Another peculiarity was that occasionally a driver would leave the master switch on, and if the carb needle leaked, you would fill the cylinders, the crankcase, and the muffler with fuel. More than a few mechanics would drain the cylinders, dry the plugs, change the oil, then start the truck and blow the exhaust stack right off the truck. Drivers would occasionally leave the park brake on and snap off the mount from the transfer case. Occasionally they would also break axles or differentials.

That said, they were the typical heavy duty trucks from the 50s. I have one, and once you fix things right, you can expect years of gas guzzling fun.