M43b1

[zout]

Yes - besides screwing off in between posts - I have sanded the 43 by hand once again - repainted - flat cleared the entire unit. See the thread I posted on the Car Show Oct 20th.

I had totally screwed up and installed a 24v rotary vane fuel pump with no regulator on it - it started bypassing the float and check valve and seat and flooding the entire manifold. I have shown a few folks my total ignorance on putting this pump in this way - but alway check fuel pressure to what is recommended at the carb on old chit.

I am waiting for the rebuild kit to come from my most trustwothy vendor MIDWEST MILITARTY cause I know John does his best to send the right stuff (sure HOPE I described what I needed to him to get the parts I needed) - Hey dummy - ya think it depends how you describe what you need and what you get makes any sense ? Just doing the best I can and John asked questions to be sure I get what I really need to complete the entire mission.

MIDWEST MILITARY - THANK YA JOHN.

I am trying to figure out the best I can to see if I can get this 43 to the rally for the COUNT - Plus to the Car SHow the 20th and then onto the Compound for the parade which rocks the southern hemisphere in November.

 

[T. Highway]

I hope that you are planning on changing the oil after pumping that much gas into the engine.

Bert

 

[papabear]

Man that rascal looks good.

I'm still trying to think of a way to get the M43 from the Rally to the Compound (with your permission of course).
Then we can do the Veterans Parade in Nov and get her back home when we can.opcorn:

 

[zout]

Absolutely Bert. Glad it was caught in time as well before it wiped out the bottom end - thx for the heads up as well and the concern (just in case I did not know the effects)

If the kit is in the mailbox when I get home I see no reason not to have the unit put back together. Then go from there.

 

[Pagan]

Fuel problems on M43

I hope I understand the problem with your M43 correctly. Just talked to a close friend of mine in Las Vegas this morning. He told me about solving his fuel problem (vapor locking) by installing a (presumably) 24 volt aviation fuel pump just downstream from the "T" in the fuel line where the supply line for the ambulance body heater takes off. End of fuel problem.

With the amount of ethanol "they" are insisting we run in our gasoline these days (15%, up from 10%), it has made the problem of vapor-lock in places like Las Vegas even worse, not to mention loosening up stuff in the fuel tanks that the gasolone wouldn't. I was living there when they first started seriously adding methanol to the fuel. There were a lot of vehicles of all types on the sides of the roads disabled by the aforementioned conditions. ARCO was thought to be the worst culprit. The situation became so severe that ARCO took out full page ads in the Las Vegas Review-Journal denying that they added methanol to their fuel. Problem was, a friend of mine was the conductor on the day shift Union Pacific yard switch engine, and part of their job was taking railroad tank cars of methanol out to a plant in North Las Vegas. The conductor asked the forman of the plant receiving the cars what they did with all the methanol, and the foreman told him they added it to the gasoline sold in the area.

My friend also mentioned adding just a little motor oil to the fuel, not enough to foul plugs or make the engine smoke. He maintains that this further improved the fuel supply situation, and the engine loved it. I have not tried that yet, but the way he did the electric fuel pump is tempting to try.

Should anyone desire more information on the brand of fuel pump, or any other specifics, I will be glad to get them, and pass them along. Pagan

 

[Squirt-Truck]

Be careful of the motor oil in the gas burners.
But...add 5 to a maximum of 8% diesel to completely kill the effects of the ethanol. Addresses most if not all of the vapor lock and returns the energy content of the gas.
We run this mix in all our gas burners, including 2 strokes and lawn-mowers.
Do not get the concentration to high (never over 8%) or you will get smoke, and spark knock, and could cook your converter if so equipped.

 

[Pagan]

That ambulance is beautiful. My friend also mentioned being cautious about this mixture where the gas burners were concerned. Thanks for the great info. This will definitely be useful. Also, I think this would help the valve train. On the advice of one of our contributors, I have begun using the Delo 400 LE motor oil, which is supposed to have an additive that replaces some that were deleted in many current brands of oil that the older engines need for their valve train. Thanks again, Squirt-Truck. Pagan

 

[Pagan]

I have an XM-152 radio communications vehicle. The previous owner removed the single rear door and covered the hole with sheet metal. Seems like the only source for this door is in Georgia. With shipping costs what they are, picking one up from the Georgia source would be financially prohibitive. Should someone hear of one of these doors, or a set of the M43 ambulance doors, particularly in the Pacific N.W., I would love to hear of it. I would love to have an M43 like this one. Pagan

 

[zout]

Trial and Error - testing - following troubleshooting procedures correctly - testing - do not sideslip any of of the testing steps - go by your instinct and listen to that little 6th voice yelling at you in the back of your head.

Now why the H** would I say something like this. Squirt-Truck knows - couple other members here know what I have been doing on the M43B1 Ambulance lately. Seems it was flooding on the carb - puffing Apache smoke signals to fix it - running rough to wanting to die out and skipping.

Some things mechanical are not just ONE thing when they go bad - sometimes you have several things that decides to take a chit all at once - just gotta stand back and love them times - AND YOU OLE TIMERS ARE SHAKING YOUR HEADS AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT.

Rebuilt the carb - drain - refill oil and filter - drain flush (yes with liquid laundry soap) the coolant system for almost 3 hrs as there was OIL in the coolant and I had not only gasoline in the oil but coolant as well.

The headgasket was bubbling out of the headgasket area - like a scuba diver low on oxygen and getting his last breath.

I have a video downloading and will add later to the (hopeful) finale to this delima. Just really wanted to get someone to be able to drive it or get to the rally - but I want it right when I bring it there. I spent another entire week (if you noticed) hand sanding the entire 43 and repaint and clear - I settle for nothing less than almost perfect - OHHH RAH CAMO.

Will post the video of 43 running and talking with TIgger at the same time and fixing problems over the phone for others as I try to do all the time - why should I be the only one with a problem.

 

[zout]

Rebuilt Carb - running:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqZqZRBiQXc&feature=youtu.be[/media]

 

[papabear]

That rascal is looking/sounding good Bro!!

 

[T. Highway]

Sounding good Zout

 

[a little crazy]

Hello, I know this post is old but I'm new to this. (Computer stuff and military truck restore) I just bought a 1964 m43b1 for $1, 500 not knowing anything about it, the only things I know are what is on the id plates on the dash. The man I bought it from is in the army and got called to duty so he had to dump it quick. I have restored some old cars in the past and when he said he may have to junk it , I couldn't help but make him an offer. Now I'm thinking that I have gotten in over my head. I don't know anything about military vehicles and now I'm seeing that it is going to be hard to find parts. I wss told it had a 440 in it. It doesn't. Someone put an automatic in it which I hate. I wanted to restore it and use it as a camper to get to my favorite fishing spots but now I see that someone has cut out the litter racks and the last storage boxes on both sides. I would like to rebuild them but dont know where to start. I cant find other racks or dimensions to build some from scratch. The sliding door between cab and rear is missing. The. Personel heater is missing. I was just hoping that you could point me in the right direction to get started on this resto. Any info you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time. Rob

 

[vtdeucedriver]

Hello, I know this post is old but I'm new to this. (Computer stuff and military truck restore) I just bought a 1964 m43b1 for $1, 500 not knowing anything about it, the only things I know are what is on the id plates on the dash. The man I bought it from is in the army and got called to duty so he had to dump it quick. I have restored some old cars in the past and when he said he may have to junk it , I couldn't help but make him an offer. Now I'm thinking that I have gotten in over my head. I don't know anything about military vehicles and now I'm seeing that it is going to be hard to find parts. I wss told it had a 440 in it. It doesn't. Someone put an automatic in it which I hate. I wanted to restore it and use it as a camper to get to my favorite fishing spots but now I see that someone has cut out the litter racks and the last storage boxes on both sides. I would like to rebuild them but dont know where to start. I cant find other racks or dimensions to build some from scratch. The sliding door between cab and rear is missing. The. Personel heater is missing. I was just hoping that you could point me in the right direction to get started on this resto. Any info you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time. Rob

Hi Rob,
Post your issues over on the M-37 forum
www.g741.org
There are more owners there and you might find someone that is close to you that you might be able to look at their M-43 to get what you need. Too bad it does not have the flat head still.

 

[zout]

Sounds like someone cut the wamamba geebies outtta that 43.

From what I learned you would not ever want to fire up that original personel heater that came with it
ever. There is a fella in CAMO group that served on one and I believe him when he looked me in the eyes and
told me that baby was a death sentence - find another up to date heater system for it if you proceed.

Its already a non stock unit so changing that would be the last of that units worries of being original anymore.
Post pics of it if you get a chance - I have to see how some folks still continue to hack chit up.

 

[a little crazy]

View attachment 414959[/ATTACH] not sure if I did it right but here are some pic's of my butchered m43b1. I think I have to face the fact that all I have here is a neat camper that somewhat resembles an old military ambulance. Thank you for responding.

 

[a little crazy]

Sorry bout the sideways pics. Im new at this technology stuff.

 

[papabear]

Hey Zout...guess who cranked the M43 up today and gave BabyBear a ride around the industrial park?? He likes the M43 better than the M37 cause he can lay between the seats!!!!

 

[zout]

I was just looking at a little crazy pictures - wow that exterior is a dream boat - 3/4 of the work is already done. Now to get a decent engine in there with a good trans and
he is on his way have having a nice camper. It would be too costly to try to put that back to original.

That flooring in there is just the middle section - it does not go under the seat bins so that would be an easy fix to start - plus full access to the fuel system.

Dr. Baby Bear can ride in any of my stuff any times he wants - he is bigger than I am and I have seen him chewing on tires before.

 

[a little crazy]

Could you point me the direction of a good diesel engine and manual transmission for the Frankenstein m43b1. If it's not going to be original, it's gotta have some kind of kick ass factor. Thanks