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Oops, I just bought a CUCV...

datsunaholic

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Threw down what I thought was a lowball bid... at least, compared to the nominal going prices it is. Ended up winning it. My luck it'll be a basket case. Time to plan the recovery, as this one is only several hundred miles away... I've never taken my Deuce over the pass, let alone towing a loaded trailer, so this will be fun.

No, I don't have any pics.
 

datsunaholic

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Oh, I know that- I maintained a pair of CUCVs (along with a pair of Deuces, a pair of 5-tons, and a lone HMMWV) when I was in the Navy Reserve. "Tempermental" doesn't begin to describe them.
 

datsunaholic

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Eastern Washington. Almira, which is kind of in the middle of nowhere. I don't even know if it runs, I'm expecting it doesn't (but hoping it does) but in either case I need to tow it across the pass, meaning I either need to clear off my flatbed trailer or borrow a towbar.
 

Mudstone

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don't forget about putting the hubs in free... and transfer in neutral... hate to see you tear stuff up. by the way i was told this by a buddy of mine who is Army Recovery. not sure if it's true.nopics
 

4bogginchevys

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And transmission in park!:D/not over 30 miles/not very fast.....you can burn up the transfer if your not cautious. Every little while you could shift the transmission into N to allow the transfer to cool down, but it's not fool proof. For your tow your better off with the tires off the ground...:deadhorse: Edit: you could pull the rear driveline......
 
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datsunaholic

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Well, the "oops" was the fact that I don't have the parking space for it, since I haven't gotten rid of my white (well, blue) elephant '71 F250 yet. But there's stuff on the F250 I'd want to transfer to the CUCV, and at worse I can just drive the **** F250 down to the junkyard a half-mile away. I wasn't expecting to win- the last M1008s that GSA sold here ranged from $1500-$2500. So a sub-$1000 bid on a M1028 wasn't something I expected to win, but if I could get one under $1000 I figured is a deal, even if it's a basket case.

Since I don't have a towbar but DO have a 10,000 gross tandem-axle flatbed trailer I'll just haul it that way. My Deuce has a receiver hitch for this purpose. It'd be a heck of a lot easier if it ran, but I still haven't gotten any word from the custodian. I fully expect it's sat for some time, probably has dead batteries at best, the glow plugs don't work, etc etc. Or it has major issues. Yes, I know I should have asked first but I have a tendency to leap first, it's how I got my Deuce (sight unseen, but drove it home). Driving the 250 miles in an unknown-condition CUCV probably wouldn't be a smart move.

My dad grudgingly volunteered to help, though he was less than thrilled about it. One of these days my folks are going to pull an intervention on me (or refer me to that "Horders" show).
 

datsunaholic

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Whoo.. I'm tired, half deaf, but happy. Completed recovery of my "new" M1028 CUCV tonight. 600 miles on the road.

After talking with the custodian *the local Fire Chief) he told me the truck had been "retired" 6 months ago, and turned in over 4 months ago. Guess it takes GSA a while to put the listing up, and wait to see if any other agencies want them. Anyhow, he said it was retired due to age, and that a set of fresh batteries and it should drive right off.

Well, it was once said the "Fortune favors the foolish" so I took a gamble. Rather than risk crossing a Mountain Pass in January with a deuce with NDTs, a trailer, and no trailer brakes (still haven't found an economical -read: costs less than $200- way to run 12V trailer brakes off a 24V truck) I decided to try and drive teh CUCV back. If it wouldn't start, I'd rent a Uhaul and put it in storage in the next major town until I could properly come get it without having weather be a factor. Anyhow, my Folks drove me over (they're retired and it's good to get them out and about), I loaded up recovery supplies including a pair of charged-up batteries.

City hall in Almira is about 500 square feet and one person. She looked at my paperwork, handed me the key, and wished me luck.

The truck was parked next to the fire station, and loaded with garbage. Tried the key- the idiot lights all lit up, glow plugs cycled (took forever, it was maybe 35 degrees out), but tried to crank and it just groaned.

SO I got my multimeter out, checked the (less than 2 year old) batteries- the "low" battery had a nice 12V charge, but the "high" battery only was at 11.3V. SO started out just swapping that battery.

Cycled the glow plugs (which went much faster), cranked it over. Cranked good, couple coughs, so I reset and cycled the plugs again. Almost started that time. Tried again- and it fired to life, cleared out the cobwebs and revved along at high idle.

Dash voltmeter showed zero volts, no movement at all. The Gen 2 light never came on at all, the gen 1 light had been on but turned off with the engine start.

Took my multimeter back out- had 14.5V at the "low" battery, but only 12.3 and climbing slowly on the "high" one. Don't think it's charging, but since everything runs on the "low" battery except when starting up, AND I still had one fresh battery in reserve, it would probably be safe to run it that way. All lights looked good, tires were aired up and lots of tread, oil and other fluid levels were good, so clamped down the battery, then set to work securing/disposing of all the junk in back. The truck has no tailgate and the bed was full of cut up/old/rotten foam hoses, tank straps, and a pile of garden trellises. And 3-4 dozen empty plastic water bottles. So strapped the trellises down with bungees, threw the bottles in a convenient nearby dumpster (well, they'd blow out all over the road), and less than 2 hours after arriving hit the open road.

Oh, forgot to mention the fuel gauge... "Full" is USUALLY 2-o-clock on the gauge... this was reading at 4-o-clock, WAYYY past the full mark. I figured the gauge was dead, but I could head fuel sloshing around in the tank, and it sounded like a lot. Almira doesn't appear to have a gas station, neither does the next town (Hartline, though we didn't explore to find out), so it was a 20-mile trip to the nearest gas station in Coulee City.

I kept the speed down at 55 (speed limit was 60) just to get a feel for it. Ran fine, just a lot of tire vibration in back. Came and went, like a harmonic balance issue. Stopped at the first gas station... and only managed to get 4.5 gallons in it before it was trying to run back out the filler tube. Guess the truck had a mostly full tank. Went to check tire and hub temps, front tires were kinda warm... then noticed the front hubs were locked. Eh, guess I should have checked that BEFORE driving at highway speeds for 20 miles. Unlocked and what do you know, it steered much nicer.

Rest of the trip was plain uneventful. Ran mostly 60-65 back up and down the pass (speed limit 70), got caught in evening rush hour, got home in the dark.

So, now I just need the SF97, which should be forthcoming, and lots of cleanup. Gotta get rid of all this leftover firefighting equipment (hoses, valves, pipe, etc) that's bolted to the bed, hood, brush guard, etc. Plug the holes in the roof where the lightbar was. Fix the GEN2 issue (if it really exists), give the interior a bath (it's full of mud), and then start personalizing it. It won't ever be a 100% resto Military truck, too much is gone (all blackout lights, slave receptacle, tailgate, not to mention being painted white with faded red doors and "EMERGENCY 911" on the sides) but like everything I own it's meant to be used, not made pretty. I'll eventually repaint it, though not woodland came- maybe urban camo.


YES... I know, pics. Well, I forgot my camera, and it's too dark now. Tomorrow, pics, promise. This thing is covered in residue firefighting equipment, nothing of value. They cut most of it off but threw it in the bed with the garbage. Couple nice brass ball valves there though.
 
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