Hercules 465 Multi-fuel engine - anybody familiar?

[btulloh]

There's an M35A1 Deuce and a half on FB marketplace listed near me. 1962, made by Studebaker has the Hercules 465 engine.  Not currently running but sounds (?? ??) interesting. Guy said it was running until it blew a fuel line and he never got around to fixing it. Only asking $3750 and is in pretty decent shape - minimal rust, decent tires.  Looks like original camo paint job like they were using in the Vietnam era.  Odometer says 13,395 but how many times has it rolled over??  

I've been hankerin' for one of these for quite a while, but I need this like I need another hole in the head - especially right now.  Another project that ain't runnin' and guaranteed to need something done on a regular basis. But it sure would look good under the Christmas tree!

Anyway just wondering if anybody has had any experience with that Hercules engine.

[sawguy21]

Unless it has completely grenaded it is probably worth looking at. Parts are a challenge, Hercules disappeared years ago but somebody somewhere has points and carb kits. It would be a fun project.

[btulloh]

 

 




 

[Walnut Beast]

Hercules motors were made in Canton Ohio and the factory was 11 acres under one roof. I bought a M37 prototype with the DT 3.7 four cylinder from them and picked it up took a tour of the old factory and drove it home

[Walnut Beast]

Back in the day when the Forestry department had them and the held auctions you could usually buy them for 500 bucks and drive them home and M37s were actually more than the 6X6s

[mike_belben]

Buy it.  Thats an 8-10k truck when running. They get cut up for the steer axles constantly so they will only get more expensive and rare.  The bolt circle is 6 lug ball and socket budd which 1970s and 80s road trucks did use. My IH has them in 22.5 which is hens teeth. 

Odometer is legit.  Youll never see 20k miles on one of these things. Parts no problem.  But any mil truck is 45mph to the floor with terrible brakes typically.  Theyre much better in the woods as work mules.

Steelsoldiers.com is a tightwad crew cut STRICTLY BY THE BOOK ERMAGHERD!! resource and pirate4x4.com is a 'you better chop it up and put it on 59" tires' resource. @Crusarius  probably knows other places with good info on them.  

[btulloh]

'Nother one.  Not more than five miles from my place. M35, automatic trans (??), same engine but made by Continental Motors in Michigan. 



 

[mike_belben]

Whats your purpose?  


5tons are a lot more truck if its for hauling log trailers out.  The 6CTA being about the best engine they had.  855 cummins might have been in some of the 5tons. Standard big 10 pattern budds.  Semi truck wheels swap over 

[Southside]

somebody somewhere has points and carb kits.

Can you still get spark plugs for those too?  I heard installation was the bigger challenge.  :D

[btulloh]

Whats your purpose?  


5tons are a lot more truck if its for hauling log trailers out.  The 6CTA being about the best engine they had.  855 cummins might have been in some of the 5tons. Standard big 10 pattern budds.  Semi truck wheels swap over

No real purpose Mike.  I've always had a thing for deuce point fives. Probably goes all the way back to playing with the little plastic army guys as a little kid. I guess those went out of style in the sixties sometime, but it was a thing. Every kid had a box of army guys and equipment.  Go to a friends house and set up a big battle then play it out. I don't think the German soldiers ever won a battle. 
This would be a farm vehicle for me and not have to do any heavy work. But it could carry a whole lot of those little plastic army guys. 

[Crusarius]

I just helped one of my buddies with an M37 replace his wheels. He did an LS3 swap in it and put a modern drivetrain but kept the front axle for now. he was running 35's in the front and 40's in the rear because of the wheel situation but after I cut and replaced the centers he no has 40's on all 4 corners.

I saw another guy take a duece and a half and remove the rear axle and make it a short bed. had the detroit in it. Truck looked sweet and was very functional after than, but man that detroit you could hear coming from 3 country blocks away.

Other than that I really do not have that much experience with them. I could never get into them for reasonable price and they just didn't serve any purpose for me.

[Tacotodd]

But what does a reasonable purpose half to do with it :D! Sometimes just having it to tool around in is fun.

[moodnacreek]

Is that a multi fuel diesel? My auto machine shop had a motor they did over and got stuck with it.  

[btulloh]

Multifuel diesel is correct. Will even run with gas, but should only use gas for short duration. 

[mike_belben]

Yeah i do remember the little green men. An inch tall with really webbed feet.  

I know a guy in the mil truck wrecking business near me if you end up with it.  He has a field full of them. 

[sawguy21]

The Canadfian military had the GM built deuce and a half with a gas six and dual range automatic, we hated them. They couldn't get out of their own way. The M37 was fun, it was ugly, uncomfortable but would climb a tree if the bark would stay on. It just took all day to get to the tree. A member of our club bought one in Victoria and drove it to Ottawa, won't say how long it took. It came back by rail.

[Crusarius]

Yea, after the LS3 swap the M37 still drives like a military truck but at 60+ without breaking a sweat.