Won a 1984 M1010 CUCV ambulance yesterday...

[mikev]

Hello CUCV Fans,

I haven't posted in a long time, but check the Classified every day for "deals"...

Always wanted a CUCV ambulance as we had them in my USAR M110 8" Self Propelled Howitzer battalion and were great on those hot / cold days and nights at Ft. McCoy, WI during live fire exercises.

I plan to restore this ambulance to 10/20 standards and get it back to original configuration later on (building a house and 90% complete...).

If anyone converted their M1010 to a camper and saved the interior box parts, I need several items:

* Both front seats (I have them in mine, but they are very "tired" and "sun baked"...)

* Front rubber floor covering (in the cab, missing mine completely)

* Both aluminum stretcher frames and mounting hardware that hang from the ceiling (I have one laying on the floor, but did not see mounting hardware)

* All four maroon stretcher pads ( the foam cushions that lay on top of the stretcher frame and matches the front seats)

* The black-out vinyl curtains that cover the rear door windows - two of them

* The pulley / hoist assembly that mounts to the right rear top corner of the box

* The Red Cross placards

Thankfully, the air-conditioning was all there, diesel heater still in place and dual alternators intact w/o "hacked" wiring... (would not have bid on it if missing the aforementioned items otherwise...).

I plan on restoring this 1984 M1010 (has 23k miles) later to original specs.

NOTE: I have this posted in "Parts Wanted" in the Classified, but wanted to cover my bases here as well.

I have "before" photos, but cannot figure out how to upload them from the Desktop on my computer...???

Thank you in advance.

Mike

 

[m1010plowboy]

Adventures in the M1010 were amazing so you're in for a treat. The roof height is a problem and the light corners leave a dent in the skull. Other than that, closing the doors at night leaves you in a pitch black sleep emporium that should have out-riggers to keep it from swaying and bouncing when you're.....uh.....moving around inside.......Here's the picture info thread. I just click on "ATTACH FILES" on the left side down there and a menu pops up with all the choices where I hide pictures. Let's hope you find the pieces you need for a cool display piece. https://www.steelsoldiers.com/threads/how-to-post-pictures-a-tutorial.59917/

 

[mikev]

 

[mikev]

Thank you m1010plowboy! I was looking in the wrong place...

These are the auction photos (I'll post my recovery photos later) - notice the free "mold and forest barnacles" that came with it...

My local sheriff department had it and I also won two MEP 017A gas 5kw gensets.

 

[chevymike]

Sweet. Welcome to the M1010 club!

 

[mikev]

Well, put some time in on the 1010...

Vacuumed interior, box and engine compartment. The Sheriff Dept stored several plastic banners that disintegrated from the heat, so it took forever to vacuum out the debris. Found a 1 quart canteen behind the driver seat! Thought I'd find all kinds of nuts, bolts, washers and screws, but hardly anything like that was found...

Next, I pressure washed the engine, inside box and inside cab (yes, I did that...lol). Was very pleased to find no rust holes in the floors or cab corners. Took 4 tanks of fuel in my "fuel thrifty" Honda powered pressure washer. Also pleased to not find major dents in the body work and outside of the box. Smiling until I put a ladder next to the cab to climb up and pressure wash the top of the box (hoping to find a painted Red Cross symbol on the roof - nope, it has a frame for the "metal" Red Cross placard (remember, I'm artillery, not a medic...). I look at the roof of the cab and it looked like two elephants were dancing on it - damn... dents everywhere... oh, well win some, lose some... The 1010 cleaned up fairly well (later, I will wash it with detergent to even out the pressure washer streaks).

Next day, I put a couple of used batteries in it, replaced the small vacuum hoses from the vacuum pump to the injection pump (broken and also disintegrated in several places) and pulled my other M1008 w/ slave cable to jump off the ambulance. Before that, I attempted to remove a couple of glow plugs and they were not budging - amber glow plug "Wait" light not coming on, but could hear the system "cycling". I was ready to "whiff it" with some starting fluid, but said "let's see what happens first"... After three starting attempt cycles, it STARTED!!!

The Deputy told me it had not been started in 10 years. It even idled fast and I was surprised how smooth it idled with 1/2 tank indicated of old diesel. The alternator(s) "squalled" from either loose belts or bearings. NOTE: The DUVAC system is still in place and shows proper charging on the voltmeter and appears to have had the "orange wire mod" done. Also, the Sheriff Dept guys added two battery "master disconnect" switches for the batteries. After I work out the electrical issues, they will be removed. And some "goober" cut out the "Chevy emblem" from the front grill probably for a souvenir - I'll have to "source" that from a donor grill and graft it in place since the rest of the grill is not busted...

Some issues to work out later (still building my second house by myself...) - lot of small electrical issues like BO lights not working, cab blower inop, horn inop, a/c fan works in box, but compressor not coming on, none of the pinpoint lights work in the box, fluorescent ceiling light busted and inop, outside floodlights inop (found two on eBay and ordered them), diesel heater not working at all and so on... Will clean all grounds, finally bought the NAPA starter relays (7x) for my "fleet" of CUCVs (thanks doghead!) and "correct" glow-plug solenoids (10x) - (thanks antennaclimber!)

As promised, here are some recovery photos and "before and after" photos. NOTE: I installed the diesel heater access cover after the photos were
taken...

 

[mikev]

Some "after" pics...