Build Thread - 1986 M1031

[bshupe]

These photos are the truck as purchased by me about three weeks ago or so. Note 50 hours +/- on the genset. Truck had 26.5k miles on it at purchase. Waiting for history from CARNAC, will add it here when I get it.

Truck runs and drives great. PTO and all 1031 accessories work. All lighting works. Still 24v and from what I can see there have been no changes to the wiring. The alts had the wrong belts on them so I changed those out right away.

Plans:

Doghead mod
Remove divers mask from the brush guard, clean up and re-paint - COMPLETED
Add coms to the truck - 2m mobile with Larsen 5/8 wave antenna - COMPLETED 4/1/12
Make cosmetic repairs as needed
Sand and paint with Behr ultra per other threads on SS but with a custom color (under development) paint test completed 4/22/12 PAINT TEST
Remove the contact box and install onto a surplus generator trailer - acquired trailer 3/30/12
Install standard truck bed in place of the contact box, paint to match etc. - acquired truck bed 4/12/12
Paint and install civi bed with passenger side fuel door (M1028 conversion)
Install passenger side 20g tank with associated switching controls etc.
Install Shankem DIY Rock sliders
Install H1 12 bolts and 37" radial takeoffs and 2" spacers - acquired wheels and tires 3/30/12 (having issues with valve stems, lug nuts, wheel half bolts)
Install ORD zero rates flipped for front axle move forward if/as needed
Install ORD 1" body lift if/as needed
Fabricate and install PTO extension to rear bumper area and fabricate PTO shaft that will connect truck to trailer for genset operation
Modify 12 pin trailer harness for PTO governor wiring from genset
Fabricate and install swing away spare tire holder for rear bumper of the truck. Also carry location for high-lift jack and jerry can
Fuel filter conversion to spin-on type with water sensor and pressure head
Install Solarizer battery management system
Install Gear Vendors o/d
Install gauges: oil pressure, water temp, fuel pressure
Install tachometer
Fabricate frame to mount three HEMMT bucket seats
Replace window/door rubber
Install sound deadening material to floor, (maybe roof) and inside of doors
Install vinyl or carpet floor covering to improve/lower cab volume
Spray in bed liner
Custom cargo tie-downs
New black-out lights (all work but are road worn and/or have paint over-spray on them)

Will add as more comes up......

 

[bshupe]

Got the divers mask off. Had to grind through the front of it in three places to get to the welds in the back. Ground off the welds on the brush guard, cleaned up and painted. The color on the brush guard (hard to see the exact color) is what Im planning to paint the whole truck/trailer.

 

[bshupe]

Got the bed swapped and 1" ORD lift under it. Next: get the lift under the cab and then sand/paint all.

 

[bshupe]

Slot 3 reserved

 

[auron]

reserved for what?

 

[bshupe]

Future posts

 

[auron]

oh gotchya

 

[Danger Ranger]

Remember......you only have 6 months to edit the posts.....lol.

I'm in, and I love M1031 trucks. Can't wait.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I learned something today about fuel tanks for the 73-87 trucks. Last week I picked up a very nice right side tank for my Oh-8. I was pretty certain that all of the 20 gallon tanks were the same and just the sending units were different from side to side and gas to diesel. Today I found another truck in the junkyard that had a right side tank and was a diesel. I removed the filler neck and hoses only tp find that the nipple on the gasser tank is smaller. Not a big deal just FYI.

 

[ryan77]

I cant believe you took that diver off the front!!!

 

[1ton cucv k5 turbo]

i would have left it... and either try to install an extra set of black out drive lights in it or a fog light...

than again... thats just me... and im twisted....

 

[bshupe]

I made it down to Brad's place yesterday and picked up a trailer for my conversion M116A2, 8 H1 wheels and 8 tires. Those with a sharp eye will notice the the tires I got are not all created equal. Brad was only able to get 4 of the normal H1 tires and so he picked me up a set of tires that are coming off the up-armored H1s that have a heavier tread, thicker sidewall and re-enforced "corner" where the tread wraps onto the sidewall a little bit. Im going to put the heavier tires on the truck with a regular as a spare and then have two of the others on the trailer with a spare.

One really great thing is that the tires on my truck and on the trailer I picked up are all good so I am hopeful that I will be able to recoup some of the cash by selling them.

Brad was an amazing guy! He even let my son ride around with him in the loader he used for getting my trailer out. Brad also gave me everything I needed to get all the lighting working on the trailer - some lamps were out. Meeting Brad was like finding a bar of gold under my pillow. Great guy and awesome MV stuff everywhere. He even made an offer on a couple of brand new 6.2s that are still crated and if I had had money I would have bought them on the spot. Maybe sometime soon. lol

Im hoping to get the trailer prepped and the contact box off the truck this week if the rain will stop for a little while and I can find the time. I need to do some clean-up on the wheels and get them painted etc. and they will be going on as well. Spacers arrived this week although one of the lug nuts was the wrong size so i should be getting those on too.

Thanks for everyone's advice, encouragement and levity.

 

[Danger Ranger]

Those "heavier" tires you have, are they really heavier? They look exactly the same as the Wrangler civi tires....
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Reviews

 

[bshupe]

By heavier I meant heavier duty. Im no expert on tires but this is what Brad was saying, that they are off the up-armored H1 which need a stiffer sidewall.

 

[Danger Ranger]

My bad, I got your meaning on the heavier term, but my question is the same. I wonder if they really are tougher. I don't know, and had never heard of it before. I am really just pondering this all out loud....pay no attention to that idiot behind the computer screen!

 

[bshupe]

LOL Danger Ranger. This guy Brad has been in the MV business for a very long time which tells me 1. He doesnt lie, and 2. He knows the deal with this stuff.

I have seen photos of the up-armored H1s and they clearly have different tires than the normal ones we see. Since the normal tires are load range E, it would make perfect sense to me that they would have to go to another tire when adding a ton or better of armor to the body and undercarriage.

 

[bshupe]

PAINT COLOR TEST

Prepped and painted one fender to test the paint and the color I worked up with the local Home Depot paint guy. Im really happy with the color and am looking forward to the paint being cured and flattening out. If it doesnt then I might consider spraying a flat clear on it but that might be even worse. lol

 

[forest522]

Like your list, I'm curious how the Solargizer power management works out. I don't know much about those things and wonder how it will keep both batteries topped off.

By the way, the green color from Home Depot came out looking pretty good on your other post in "what have you done to your CUCV lately" Well done sir!

 

[bshupe]

Thanks Forest. I like the color as well. I went through quite a few rounds with the paint department getting it just right. They were very patient with me. Being in the NW (as you are) the color green that looks "right" around here is a darker green than the average. Not as dark as the old,old trucks but clearly darker than the base green these come in.

I saw your post on your oh-nine and it looks like you're making good progress and now that the sun is coming out a few minutes a day things are bound to get even better.

 

[bshupe]

OK. Ive been out of the loop for a couple of weeks. My wife and I were expecting our 10th child and the pregnancy came to an unexpected end and Ive been working through that for a little while now including a trip to the ER and a short stay in the hospital for my wife. I should be making progress on this again soon.