Welcome to the Green Iron Laughing Academy!!!
Also, thank you for your service to our great nation, and thank you for serving as a police officer.
$5200 is a lot. That truck better be perfect in every way. There have already been modifications made to the electrical system. I'd thoroughly check all of those out before buying the truck. Hack jobs on the electrical system are a PITA to undo.
My M1009 is my daily driver. My truck was converted to 12 volt, and has factory A/C installed. I put Harbor Freight anti-fatigue mats on the passenger side front floors, and topped it with residential carpet. I also installed an insulation blanket under the hood. Both have helped decrease the dB level, but it's still loud. Your wife may not like the idea of climbing in to a 120 degree oven in the middle of summer. Installing factory A/C in these trucks is NOT fun, but doable. The hardest part is finding a donor truck. The second hardest parts are pulling the hood and passenger side fender off and cutting the hole in the firewall. There are aftermarket kits that you can buy. Search the CUCV Forum for information on A/C kits.
I get about 20 MPG in my M1009 city driving. I can keep up with Interstate traffic without any problems as long as I'm not towing a trailer. I keep my truck around 65-70; anything over that and MPG suffers tremendously. CUCV's are as aerodynamic as a concrete block.
Stereo - your best bet is to buy a Bluetooth speaker and pair it to your smartphone. Plug your phone charger into the cig lighter. That is the easiest way to listen to tunes while driving.
I STRONGLY recommend doing the following before you dive in to a M1009 head first:
- Don't buy the first truck you see. Take your time, get to know the trucks first.
- Spend hours/days/weeks reading all of the CUCV stickies, all of the threads and all of the TM's. You will find answers to questions you never thought to ask.
- Find a local group of MV owners, and get to know the gang. Having friends really helps when your truck doesn't want to go anymore and you don't know what to do to fix it.
- Sign up for AAA Plus if you haven't already). If you ever need your future M1009 towed, it's really easy to load it on a flatbed. Mine has taken numerous rides in the 9 years I've owned it.
- Find a local diesel mechanic that has experience with the 6.2L. It's a great engine, but keep in mind that it's in a 30+ year old truck and it'll need some love.
- You can find nearly all engine parts at local parts houses except the alternators and the starter (if 24 volt).
- Check the classifieds here for a M1009.
- Jim Henry Truck Sales in Albemarle NC has years of experience with CUCV's. He may have a M1009 for sale. I don't have his number handy, but he's in the phone book (Google).
I hope all of my ramblings help you with your quest to own OD Iron.