I couple months back a stumbled across a few pictures of a bobbed M35a2 on the net, with in seconds I knew my check book was going to suffer due to me clicking the link. So I started looking for a truck and after about 10 weeks of night time work, alot of swearing, and alot of nights of reading up on the SS.com site at 2:00 AM the Bobber is up and rolling. I documented the build and here are some pictures.
The truck started out as a M109A3, according to the paperwork in the truck the thing had been used by a Chopper support unit. I struck a deal with a local guy who had it and I managed to trade the box back to him. ( Its now headed to another member on the forum. ) Also included was a M105 with Racks.




The hardest part of the whole job was getting the rear axle out of the thing.




Chopping the frame was easy, measure, measure and measure then cut. I wanted my bumperetts to sit perfectly so I could keep them and still have my tailgate hang strait down, which it does.



I used the M105 Springs for my rear axle. I had Inland Truck Parts stretch my driveshaft. They did a good job but their bill was about $100 over the quote so we had a few heated words, in the end they made it right and honored the quote.


I had the local CNC shop run me a 9inch lift kit. I started in the back end with it when I reinstalled the rear axle. Kind of a funny looking think but fun to drive around a little. I managed to find some bolts threw Fastenal that were supposed to be super strong stuff used on Ag equipment to mount up the trailer springs to the truck, pricey but the extra strength makes me feel better.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg158/MrM4/M35A3/IMG_4338.jpg




Finally I got the front end on, its amazing how heavy the front 1/2 of the truck is. Im waiting on the UPS guy to bring my new Steering arm bamde by Steve6x6x6. ( im using a temp I built to drive around the ranch for now)

The Wife had a hand in the build as well, my Drivers seat was shot so she re did the whole thing in a new Digital Camo.

As Im writing this all out I see that I don't really have much for pictures of the lift kit install or hub flip but basically it is a 9 inch drop block kit with lateral bracing much like the Blackrock Idea. Installed with Grade 8 Bolts and then some of the bracing is welded in addition to Bolted. I've got a good friend who is professional welder that help advise on the project. I will check the camera for more pictures of that part
I used an adaptor plate on HEMMTT Rims and had a local shop make me a set of plates out of 1/2 steel I don't know the exact grade but it was explained to me as twice as strong as A36. Total cost per plate was around $130. I managed to tear a gasket so I had about a week of down tiem between the front and rear tires but Clinton out in PA help me out with and couple extras and I finally could get the truck leveled out and. In the mean time my wife and I set the trailer frame and a 4 inch tall chunk of tubing on the frame and then installed box on the truck After alittle starting fluid and a match we managed to get the new XZL 16.00-20 ( 53 inches tall) mounted up at alittle over 520lbs. Per tire it was a chore just getting them on.

.



After 10 weeks of work here is the Before and After.
Before



After






All I need now is to get the mount installed for the twin brownings.

God i want one.....only person who wants one more is my wife.  She wants it to go get groceries

Bad ass.

You'd like access to our yard. :)

100's of HEMTT's and half blown up vehicles, but all government property.

Neat.

Cool.

I would love to have a stock one.

Those tires are BAD ASS!!!


Excellent job!!

I think thats just about the most bad ass thing I have even seen.

Stock trucks are over rated

J/K

Thanks!

Great job, that thing looks fucking awesome!  

That thing is SICK!

Looks good, and looks very fun, but I liked it a lot better in its original form.

Sweet truck, but I can only imagine how slow that thing is now with those tires.

This is definitely the post of the day, if not the week! Great job. I want one and don't even know what I'd do with it.

AWESOME! that thing is badass! nice work.

so you're rolling on 2,080 lbs of rubber? That is a lot of rolling resistance!

Don't they make anything similarly sized that weighs less?

+1



 

Nothing that im aware of. The Military uses them every day, the tires are new from Gov Surplus, where else are you going to find new Mich. 53" tires for under $200 each? You have to drive it like a normal truck, it takes time and more import, distance to stop.

Only thing I don't agree with it the height of the bed, did you try it without the 4x4 wood between it and the frame? Just looks thrown on there. Only aesthetic because it has no real function anyways but the stuff that matters looks top notch.

At first thought it was stupid, but when I saw the final pictures, I realized that its AWESOME!

Theres no 4x4 wood, that is a steel spacer, it is needed because of suspension travel, the box sits 9 inches higher then the truck frame, with out the spacer it is only 5 inches. The fender in the box helps alittle but there is a need for for the extra heigth, believe me ti would have been easier if I had not need to do it.  Thanks for the positive feed back.

How much were those tires?

I love it!!

I like it way much!

Where at in SD?

Will I see it anywhere around Yankon when I am one for Christmas?

That is pure WIN!!!!!!



I love it.  

Very Cool, My boss has been wanting to do one just like yours.

I love it, Thats what my son needs to drive to High school instead of my suburban.

What do the bumper stickers say they aren't real clear even on my 42" TV

Jason



edited for spelling

You sir I hate you!!!!

I agree. Bad ass built and killer truck but the bed needs to be dropped a bit to make it really sharp!

So, it is possible to find a wheel/tire combo that makes those axles look puny.  

Right

Ft McCoy?  (I was always more of a 800 series 5 ton kind of guy, real brakes and a Cummins)

ETA, I had to work on M35A2's so I wasn't as much of a fan as some people.

The box needs to be that high or the rear tires would rub when the suspension flexs. There is currently 10 inchs of clearance where the tire would rub the box. If you look at most pickup trucks the top of the box is roughly the same height as the hood just like this truck.

Sorry , out on the west end of the state.

Nice!

That is pure awesome. How much do you have into it?

A tool box in front of the rear tires might be useful and fill the space.  

It's beautiful , excellent work .

is the bed height due to tire clearance? they look really clean without the wheel gap

I don't see any way in hell the suspension would flex 9" on the rear end of that thing unless you took 2/3 of those leafs out. The frame is going to flex and twist before those springs give you that much travel. Hell for that matter you'd never be able to put enough weight back there to make it squat that much.

Without the spacer the tires would only have 5 inches of clearance without a load or any flex. We thought that with a load and some flex the things might rub. Theres a chance this will see some fire fighting action but that is still up in the air at this point, how ever we wanted to be prepared. Considering how big the truck is whats another 4 inches under the box? The other reason for the height is because most likly there will be a tool box mounted under the bed as well as the the fuel tank being relocated up under the bed on the otherside.

That truck is not lifted and it appears to only have stock suspension and 46" inch tires instead of the 9 inch lift and 53" tire that my rig has. Your %100 right they look sharp even without all the extra large tires and lift kit work.

Any video?

Nothing that shows it in action yet. Maybe this week Ill get to run it in the snow alittle.

Nothing that shows it in action yet. Maybe this week Ill get to run it in the snow alittle.

Isn't that a bit much for a fence fixin' rig.



Nice work by the way.

Damn thats a cool truck, burly with a lot of grit and no gloss.

Thanks guys!

5 inches would be plenty of clearance with that running gear. Put some weight in the back and see how much it squats. It's not going to be drivable by the time you get it to sag 5 inches.

I agree with the others on lowering the bed. It just looks funny and detracts from the rest of the truck, imo. Other than that, the truck looks great. If you're dead set on keeping 10" of tire clearance, try dropping the bed anyways and then working around it. You could enlarge the wheel wells, or modify the bed floor similar to how lowered hot rod trucks work.

ETA: I am terrible at photoshop, but here is a quick cut/move to give you an example of how you could move and/or enlarge the wheel well to allow more clearance, and still keep the bed mounted low so it looks more original to the truck. If you could find a donor bed, you could splice in sections to do it pretty easily.

Just friggin awesome !  Keep the pics and updates coming

Badass dude, i would love to do one up like that!

Awesome job!!!

I wish I was even half as talented/mechanically able as you are.