The M35 2½-ton cargo truck is a long-lived 2½-ton 6×6 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 inherited the nickname "Deuce and a Half" from an older 2½-ton truck, the World War II GMC CCKW. The M35 started as a 1949 REO Motor Car Company design for a 2½-ton 6×6 off-road truck. This original 6-wheel M34 version with a single wheel tandem was quickly superseded by the 10-wheel M35 design with a dual tandem. The basic M35 cargo truck is rated to carry off-road or on roads. Trucks in this weight class are considered medium duty by the military and the Department of Transportation. Specifications Dimensions An M35A2 cargo truck with a PTO-driven Garwood front winch is tall, wide and long, and empty ( empty when equipped with the front mount winch, according to dashboard dataplates). The standard wheelbase cargo bed is 8 feet wide by 12 feet long (2.4 × 3.6 m), with only 7.25 feet of this width being flat floorspace between the stake-pockets, the tailgate rising 16 inches above the floor and the side-walls/stake-pockets rising 12 inches above the floor. 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 and empty, depending on configuration (cargo, wrecker, tractor, etc.). Its top speed is , though maximum cruising speed is approximately . Fuel economy is highway and city, giving the vehicle a 400–500-mile (600–800 km) range on its single fuel tank. Most operators experience an average of for an unladen vehicle. The 6-wheel M34 had a single-wheel tandem and used 11:00×20 size tires, which required a wheel well in the cargo bed, while the 10-wheel M35 had a dual-wheel tandem and used smaller 9:00×20 tires, which did not require a wheel well. Drivetrain 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 and of torque. This is coupled with a 5-speed manual transmission and divorced 2-speed transfer case