M1010 heavy modding ...would U do it?

[MilChevyguy]

Hi SS pros.....

I have a question about modding an 86 M1010 here in Canada.

WOULD you remove the ambulance box and put a regular bed on the truck? my problem is this thing won't fit anywhere to work on it (regular house garage/storage)

Is the value of the truck hurt by this or would I be better off selling it whole and waiting for an M1008 or M1009??

Any thoughts would be appreciated for this virgin!!!

ALSO looking quickly under the truck is this a hard job to remove the ambulance box?? it almost looks welded to theframe in the back to me.

Thanks guys..looking forward to some help.

 

[FireFighterHill]

sell or trade it to someone with 1008 or 1009.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I can't speak intelligently for the market there in Canada so take what I say with a grain of salt. The M1010 has been in the talk alot lately and they have been bringing a very respectable price. Given enough time you would probably be dollars ahead to work out a trade or sale of it as it. Here in the states modded CUCVs usually don't bring the price reflective of the investment when sold. Many even sell for less than a stock deuce. There have been more than one person here that have removed the box, patched the cab and built an off road truck. At the end of the day it's your truck and decision and you know the market better there than I.

 

[wayne pick]

What kind of shape is it in? Pics would help. As far as value, the 1010 has become a popular platform for camper mods. What ever you do, do not trade down. Get an M1008 that is in better or in preferably much better shape than your truck. I would not trade straight up for an M1009. I bought my M1031 from the PO with a new diamond plate flatbed on it. Im not sure if it has lost any value. The banks turbo and 700-R4 might make up for it, I don't know. It depends on how badly someone wants your truck, and how much they are willing to pay for it. these trucks on GL are going for high dollars as they are getting scarce. You can use those prices as a guide and add 25-30% depending on the condition of your truck. I saw a private sale add for an M1031 somewhere with less than 1K miles on it going for $14000.00.

 

[m1010plowboy]

You and I would be the only two Canucks driving un-cut 1010's......that I know of.

The position becomes clear when you hang out with 'most' of these guys or the MVPA team for a few years. The passion to "preserve" as many original trucks as possible leaks from their veins and takes over other rational thoughts.

Building an ex-military 5/4 ton off-road 4x4 monster sounds like a good story until you hear an ex-military dentist tell you they've worked on hundreds of guys in that truck or one guy tells you it was the last truck he was in and he hates it but it's the reason he's here. Or one of the MVPA boys tells you to take nose gunner and lead a 50 truck convoy to go camping. The passion within those who wish to save these trucks is greater then almost anything.

In the past I'd encourage you to chop, build, fuel and run over trees with it.Now that I've seen the passion.... it makes critical thinking go away fast.

With the large number of CIVY 4x4 trucks available......sitting next to the very rare and parade ready M1010, the choices should be easy..but they never are.

You'll get support on either decision you make with it.

 

[m1010plowboy]

I can't speak intelligently for the market there in Canada so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I should qualify my post with the above statement!

 

[MilChevyguy]

Well...I must admit, I started this post BEFORE I got this truck running...(I did another post today)
It is a great runner...good power it seems to me (what do I really know!!) but shifts good and started on the first try after hitting the glow plugs 4 times in a row.
It cranked for 10-15seconds and fired right up...was rough but then smoothed out and warmed up nice.

NOW I have a different feeling about it...like you guys mentioned above...there are tons of other civy trucks for messing with but maybe this one should stay the part...
as of today being able to drive it around and play with it, I can't imagine cutting it up and losing what it started out as.

I took all kinds of pics and video today...and will start a post with some better detail for all to give me their opinion.....I have think skin so just "give it to me straight Dr...I can take it!!!!"

 

[charlietango]

as I said in the other thread (i now realized you said glow plugs so its a diesel) i'd leave it the way it is. I have NEVER had a garage that fits my vehicles to work in. Embrace the suck, pick your days to do the jobs required. its unique, you have a good potential camper conversion or mobile shop. i'd sell it before chopping, you can find M1009's in the US all day long.

those 6.2's are cranky cold runners. the white-blue smoke is normal during the start-up process. replace the vacuum lines, go over the brakes and front-end. drive and enjoy. Go with your gut

 

[wayne pick]

NOW I have a different feeling about it...like you guys mentioned above...there are tons of other civy trucks for messing with but maybe this one should stay the part...
as of today being able to drive it around and play with it, I can't imagine cutting it up and losing what it started out as.

You found the answer yourself, keep it and enjoy!

 

[MilChevyguy]

Small update on the progress...seems the water pump seals finally gave up so my M1010 is leaking some coolant. Picked up a pump and engine seal kit but is seems the shop is kinda busy to fit me in right now.
Wish it was at least 0C outside so I could work on it myself.
Really thinking about removing the box just to refresh the chassis and then the box to fit in a garage.
Doesn't seem like its that hard, but I cant find any detail on this here of anyone that documented it.

Well that is it, still on the fence about keeping or going the duece route.....seems the M1010 is an attention getter ! ! !

 

[charlietango]

nice weather is on its way... you can wait a couple weeks

its an easy job at hand. hang in there! Need to get that truck out and seals moving to re-swell them.

 

[MilChevyguy]

CharlieT...Im trying trust me...I just finish fabing a pintel ring spacer for the M104 trailer so I can at least move it with a truck. Hands stuck to the steel the other night cause they were wet...sheesh ! ! !
It is not fun since the whole parking lot is an ice rink around the trailer and the bolts were pretty firm on there....2 broken 2 out with heat but the ring is off.

The M1010 is already growing on me like a virus....got an idea from another thread where Recovery4x4 put a Dodge utility box/M1028 box on a trailer frame.
I was thinking the same for my Amublance box and adding a regular bed/cap to the truck so I can still use the rest as a camper but use the truck as a hauler.
Figured one of those Spacekap doors would fit nice to close the hole but not permanantly change the box.
Also I would be able to go from the cab to the bed through the cutout.

Man this site is making me nuts, I checked out a M34 here in Ontario and the seller just wants out so THAT is getting closer too now, price keeps dropping ! ! !

DON'T know what to do too many ideas, not enough..... time, money, sun, space to do all this and I am a LONG way from retirement to fit it in.

 

[m38inmaine]

I removed a box from a M1010 that I had, the first one. After I removed it a year or so later I regreted it. It's not hard to remove but you need fairly stout lifting equipment to remove it. Drill out the rivits on the rubber seal between cab and box, remove ac hoses, wiring, and heater fuel line to box, unbolt box from frame and lift off box. The frame has a welded extension which is obvious, cut at weld, locate m1008 rear bumper and truck bed. Don't recall how I spliced the wiring into the new taillights. You will also have to fabricate a filler for the bottom of the cab that was cut out, obtain a rear window glass and gasket and install rear window.

 

[MilChevyguy]

Thanks for your process M38, I was thinking maybe making a quick disconnect with a electrical bulkhead connector like the fuse block/engine harness type so it can be reattached if needed.
But the more I check and search here, seems anyone that stripped out the box, or removed it kinda wish they didn't after.
Maybe I just have to hold out for the better weather and just keep looking for an M1009 Blazer to add to the fleet....gona have to sell some of the late model trucks to pay for it I think !! !!

If anyone else had and story or pics I am interested in seeing and hearing.

 

[BikerBi11]

I love my M1010, modded it quite a bit, but would never take the box off of it. It has 7 inches of lift and 37 inch hummer tires. I am in the process of installing a sterieo in it now. Everything I have done to it can be undone. 4:10 gears in the spring.

 

[Recovry4x4]

I went camping a couple of weeks ago with mine. It was supposed to be cool so I packed my big buddy heater. The big buddy has 3 settings, 4000, 9000 and 18,000 btu. It wasn't until the temps got down to 35 that I could leave the heat on low. Too hot otherwise. I now have a small 12V ceiling fan to move the heat around a bit so my son sleeping in the upper berth doesn't overheat.

 

[charlietango]

he has the green fever...mmmmuuuhahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa........

DONT MESS WITH IT! JUST GET another one that is a pickup (5/4). then a deuce, then an M34, then ...then...then...

 

[MilChevyguy]

CharlieT...ur right ! ! !

I made a list of ALL other non-green things to sell ! ! !

Diecast models, motorcycle, car parts, truck parts, even my late model Silverado and Sebring sedan, one of our (wifes) Suburban...extra tires....EVERYTHING MUST GO ! !
I NEED to buy another green toy...found this.... its in Ontario kinda close, didn't work out to see this weekend.
Its gas and older BUT it doesn't have a box so it can serve a purpose!!!

Now I have to learn what I can about this BEFORE buying one...I wouldn't want to make another mistake again

 

[charlietango]

5 ton gasser...

 

[M1031CMT]

MilChevyGuy, you wouldn't happen to be one of the guys that outbid me for one of the M1010's selling down in Toronto a few months back where you?

Nice truck. If you do decide to get rid of the ambulance box, please let me know. I have been watching kijiji for the past few months to see if any of the 3 M1010's sold down in Toronto would have their box removed and put up for sale. I want to put one on the back of my 89 crew cab:



Got an M1010 in the yard here. I think you can see in the background of the first pic.