Retired in Florida

[odjeeper]

I do not know what to tell you about the Army contract thing, my truck does not have OD paint hiding anywhere either. It was just rather interesting that the TACOM historian told me the contract prefix indicated it to be an Army purchase instead of an Air Force purchase.

I would assume both ambulance bodies were put on by the same company, the serial number is not legible in the above photo, but is 73-12910. Hopefully that will help, please keep us posted if you can find out anything. I should get you some photos of the interior door between the cab and rear body.

Have you checked your VIN against the Dodge Truck sites? My chassis is a '72 even though the ambulance body was installed in '73 which is also the delivery year to the military.

 

[sf38a1]

{ Have you checked your VIN against the Dodge Truck sites? } What sites would have that info ?

 

[odjeeper]

Here are a couple, the first tells you how to decode it yourself - 72-79 Dodge Truck Information

the second has a decoder to put your VIN into and it will decode it for you - Dodge Truck Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Decoder

Hopefully the info from both will agree.

 

[busbart]

some photos of the inside.

at least the bracket on which your seats are resting is original, and the dash as wel, got the same from the same type of ambulance.

 

[busbart]

and i like the rolling out from your fenders, it is done way better and more beautiful than the cut out from only the fore and aft parts from the fender as is don at the last pic in post 62!

Way to go!!!

 

[sf38a1]

Here are a couple, the first tells you how to decode it yourself - 72-79 Dodge Truck Information

the second has a decoder to put your VIN into and it will decode it for you - Dodge Truck Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Decoder

Hopefully the info from both will agree.

Thank you , I did not know that even exisited. sf

 

[sf38a1]

Its been a while,still working out the bugs with the fuel tanks. I went to the show at Battleship Park ,Mobile AL. had a few issues. Blew a front tire,and had to replace a fuel pump in bonifay Fl. Nothing major. Had a fun trip and look foward to many more in the ambulance.

 

[sf38a1]

I have been back working on the Dodge, finished the crosses,and markings, installed a electric winch for a spare tire lift ,to get the tire outside. it was taking up to much room inside,plus I'm getting old and it a bear to lift a 900x16 2ft up . I had an idea of using a 2000lb electric winch for a tire hoist ,seems to be working well. nice thing that if the tire is a foot from the truck , the winch will pull it to the truck . all you have to do is guide it. The winch was bought at harbor freight , on sale for $59 and change,.
Also started working on the inside stripping out all the old fiberglass insulation, nasty. Also with the insulation out , i am finding some leaks on the body panels, I had resealed them,but not good enought.

 

[ProjectM880]

I know its been 2 years since the last post, But do you have any more updates on this project?

 

[sf38a1]

Yes I have been working on it a little bit. The biggest thing I did was get a house to put it in . I wanted to get it out of the weather, and I was tired of laying in the sand and grass ,to work on it.

 

[sf38a1]

I have added a dual battery setup. One battery is used for starting the other is for the accessories in the back, such as lights, refrigerator and winch that lowers and raises the spare .

 

[sf38a1]

I have replaced the fiberglass insulation with blue foam, added electrical outlets, both 12 v and 110. the 110v runs to the out side of the body ,so I can hook up at a RV campsite or connect to a generator for power. Installed a refrigerator, bed W/ storage underneath ,clothes cabinet, and a place to install a microwave. The chuck box I made to fit at the end of the bed .I can slide it to the edge of the body ,or remove it and set it up ,say on a picnic table at a campsite. I had to remove the bottom L shape door catch, that was in the way. I did that by extending the latch mechanism and weld a piece of square tube in the body

 

[sf38a1]

First pic is of the flush deck with the square tube in place. second pic : I had extended the lower flat rod by adding some square stock. Not the greatest job, but it works . Also added curtains . I had a hard time finding something that I liked for the curtains. I couldn't find any black canvas that was heavy enough. Thought about black shower curtains . Ended up getting a large Grill cover and undoing the seams. Had enough material to do the two back curtains , plus the divider curtain between the cab and back. There is suppose to be a door there ,but mine was missing when I got the ambulance . I think the curtain is just fine. I can roll it up and secure it with Velcro, if need be .

 

[Recovry4x4]

Too cool. Nice that it has it's own area now!

 

[busbart]

Yes, And I like it that there are people like you that choose for a vehicle and renovate it from A to Z and then start modifying it to their likings while moving and camping with it.
Keep on going!!!

 

[sf38a1]

Yes, And I like it that there are people like you that choose for a vehicle and renovate it from A to Z and then start modifying it to their likings while moving and camping with it.
Keep on going!!!

thank you . If the back had been stock ,I probably wouldn't have gone this route. But since it was gutted , I figured what the heck. I had a M725 that was all original in the back area, and it made a nice display, with all the medical gear . The only problem was I couldn't leave it unattended at a show. I had caught people climbing in the back, going thru my medic bags, I even caught 2 kids jumping up and down in the front seats ,like a trampoline . with there dad standing there watching them. When I had said something to the father, his reply was " the doors where unlocked." I asked him if he let his kids do that in there POV. At Least I can lock up the Dodge ,walk around and enjoy the show.

View attachment 513099View attachment 513100View attachment 513101

 

[busbart]

Weird, your attachments doesn't work?

Yes, I know, when I lived in Holland, and I attended a MV show I came back at my truck, and found people crawling all over, standing with fat mud boots all over my new paint, and when I asked if I could do that to this guy's car he looked at me as if I was crazy?!?!? "These are military vehicles, or not???" was his answer, so we paid as well for them,so we have the right to be in these, he said

I just don't understand why a lot of the general people missing these interconnecting links here, or would that be called "common sense"?

 

[sf38a1]

 

[sf38a1]

Here's some pics of the M725. I had a women say to me at the gas pump, " did they give you that when you got out of the Army" I said no , But what I should have said, Is yes , you should have seen what my brother ,the F-15 Pilot got !!!!

 

[sf38a1]

I guess you have the same problem as we do in the US, common sense has" left the building". Is It a sign of the times???? I don't get it . I guess it has a lot to do with how we "respect " each other and property. I guess that it happens every where