If You Have The Room To Park It, You Need One Of These.Careful, you're going to want one of these! We always have, and now that we've driven one, we always will. Even if you didn't know what a M35A2, 2-1/2-ton truck was, chances are good that you've seen one of these 6x6s before. They were built by a number of American automakers from the '50s to the '70s and were even available in a bigger 5-ton version.
Built as cargo/troop haulers for all branches of the military, the 2-1/2-ton "Deuce and a Half" is basically a medium-duty truck designed to be driven on- and off-road by operators who would not have their commercial driver's license (CDL). If you want to drive one, you could sign up with your local recruiter and join the armed forces, or you could do like we did and order a refurbished surplus truck from Boyce Equipment in Ogden, Utah.
Driving a 2-1/2-ton is surprisingly easy. They feel smaller than they are. Forward visibility is good, and if you're used to driving with any kind of truck body on the back of a dualie 1-ton, you can handle one of these. The hardest thing to get used to is the ride height. Riding on 36-inch-tall tires, you'll be towering above your buddy's 1-ton.
A truck like this would make a great addition to any farm, ranch, or construction company that was looking for a cheap way to add some muscle to its motor pool. These trucks were built and designed to run forever, and parts are easy to get from places that specialize in military surplus like Boyce Equipment. Basically, if you think you might want one, and you have the room to park it, you need one of these.