Deuce-and-a-half

Truck, Cargo, 2½-ton, 6×6, M35
An M35 2½-ton cargo truck
Type	2 1⁄2-ton (2,268kg) 6x6 cargo truck
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	REO
Designed	1944
Manufacturer	REO, Kaiser, AM General, Kia and Ssangyong (South Korea only), Bombardier (Canada only)
Produced	1950–88 (M35A1, M35A2) 1993–99 (M35A3)
Variants	M35A1, M35A2, M35A3
Specifications (with winch)
Weight	12,880 lb (5,840 kg) empty 17,880 lb (8,110 kg) loaded
Length	274 3⁄4 in (6.98 m)
Width	93 in (2.36 m)
Height	111 in (2.82 m) to cab
Engine	REO OA-331 127 hp (95 kW)
Transmission	5 spd. x 2 range trf. case
Suspension	Beam axles on leaf springs
Operational range	300 mi (480 km)
Speed	58 mph (93 km/h)

The M35 2½-ton cargo truck is a long-lived 2½-ton 6x6 cargo truck initially used by the United States Army and subsequently utilized by many nations around the world. Over time it evolved into a family of specialized vehicles. It would not only inherit the World War II GMC CCKW's famous "Deuce and a Half" nickname but forge its own legacy.

The M35 started as a 1949 REO Motor Car Company design for a 2½-ton 6x6 off-road truck. This original 6-wheel M34 version was quickly superseded by the 10-wheel M35 design. While the basic M35 cargo truck is rated to carry 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg) off-road or 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) on roads, they have been known to haul twice as much as rated. Trucks in this weight class are considered medium duty by the military and Department of Transportation.

An M35A2 cargo truck with a 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) PTO-driven Garwood front winch is 112 inches (2.8 m) tall, 96 inches (2.4 m) wide and 277 inches (7.0 m) long, and 13,030 pounds (5,910 kg) empty (13,530 pounds (6,140 kg) empty when equipped with the front mount winch, according to dashboard dataplates). The standard wheelbase cargo bed is 8 feet by 12 feet (2.4 x 3.6 m). The M35A2 was available with a canvas soft top or a metal hard top. Metal hard-top configurations are most often found on vehicles that have been equipped with cold-weather gear, including additional insulation in the cab, as well as engine coolant or multifuel-fired cab personnel heaters.

The curb weight of an M35 is between 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg) and 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg) empty, depending on configuration (cargo, wrecker, tractor, etc.). Its top speed is 56 mph (90 km/h), though maximum cruising speed is approximately 48 mph (77 km/h). Fuel economy is 11 mpg_‑US (21 L/100 km; 13 mpg_‑imp) highway and 8 mpg_‑US (29 L/100 km; 9.6 mpg_‑imp) city, giving the deuce a 400–500-mile (600–800 km) range on its 50 U.S. gallons (190 L; 42 imp gal) single fuel tank. On average, most operators experience tank averages of 8–10 mpg_‑US (29–24 L/100 km; 9.6–12.0 mpg_‑imp) for an unladen vehicle.

The M35A2 is commonly powered by an LDT 465 engine, made by either Continental Motors Company, Hercules, or White Motor Company. It is an in-line, 478-cubic-inch (7.8 L), six-cylinder, turbocharged multifuel engine developing 134 bhp (100 kW) and 330 pound force-feet (447 N·m) of torque. This is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission and divorced 2-speed transfer case (either a sprag-operated transfer case Rockwell 136-21 or air-operated selectable transfer case Rockwell 136-27). Multifuel engines are designed to operate reliably on a wide variety of fuels, including diesel fuel, jet fuel, kerosene, heating oil or gasoline. Gasoline may be used only in an emergency because it does not properly lubricate the injector pump. While using gasoline, common practice calls for the addition of at least 1 U.S. quart of clean motor oil per 15 U.S. gallons of gasoline (1 imp qt/13 imp gal; 1 L/60 L) for proper pump lubrication where available.