Bikerdoc,
I've got a '72 D-35 (currently out for repairs) and (my wife) had a '78 D-35. They were two different animals. The '78 was built heavier... more along the lines of my current D-46 and D-55. It was loud and brassy, with great projection and sustain. Emphasis was on the mids and trebles. My '72 is not as loud (don't get me wrong, she's still loud enough), is nicely bright, but has better bass and a smoother, "woodier" (don't know what that means, but sounds good) sound. It is also substantially lighter construction than the '78. Decided I didn't need two D-35s, so sold the '78 after I bought my D-46. If I was looking for a D-35, I would look for one from the early '70s...
D-35s seem to be an underappreciated model... on eBay they commonly sell for <$500 (the average eBay price for the month before I sold mine was $450, range from $300-$600)... less than D-25s of the same era.
Dave