Driving My M1028A1 from WI to AZ Next Week

[Desert Deuce]

I'm picking up my M1028A1 from Alfa Heaven next Thursday, 9-7. I'm hoping to be on the road to AZ by 12:00 pm. I'll also have an LDT-465-1C w/D turbo in the back on the way home. I'll have my laptop with air-card on the trip so I should be able to post progess reports and pictures along the way.

I haven't figured out where I'll be on what day yet but, I'm going to try to do the following:

Thursday - 400 mi
Friday - 800 mi
Saturday - 800 mi

I've never driven through this part of the country so I hope it's an enjoyable and trouble free trip.

Tentative route below.

 

[CUCVFAN]

Wow! How many days are you planning on?

Is this a true A1? They're pretty uncommon. I've seen less than a dozen for sale in about the past 7 or 8 years. Did he get more than one?

I'd be interested in seeing some pics of a few things on that truck to add to my collection when you get it back safe and sound. Have a safe trip.

---------------------------------
1987 Chevy M1028A3 (CUCV Dually) -- Sold!
1968 Baifield M274A5 "High Mobility" mule
1988 Chevy V30 Crew Cab, 6.2L, TH400, NP205, 4.10's

 

[Desert Deuce]

Hi CUCVFAN,

Probably 3 days. (I hope)

It's a true A1, 205 transfer case, extra springs & believe a limited slip of some sort in the front end as well. Don't know if Tom has more, he does have a M1028A3 for sale on his site, $15,000 with 8,000 miles. Here's the link to my truck:

http://alfaheaven.com/Military Section/ChevyPickups/ChevPages/MC119.html

I'd be happy to take some pictures for you, let me know what you'd like to see.

Take care,

 

[CUCVFAN]

That's a clean looking truck! I'd be interested in a pic of the shipping data plate on the driver's door and Mfr. plate on the drivers door jamb, and also the MWO plate if it has one. Also, I be curious about the first 5 letters of the VIN, but that would be on the MFr plate, too. I'm particularly intrigued since it says it's an "X"M1028A1.

The M1028A3 looks clean, but it's not really "correct". I'm not knocking it, but for $15K, it had better be correct military. I sold mine for less and it was right. I guess I should have sold it for more....

Anyway, that's a nice looking rig. Keep us posted.

---------------------------------
1987 Chevy M1028A3 (CUCV Dually) -- Sold!
1968 Baifield M274A5 "High Mobility" mule
1988 Chevy V30 Crew Cab, 6.2L, TH400, NP205, 4.10's

 

[Desert Deuce]

The first 5 letters of the VIN are:

1GBHD.

You have me curious, what are you looking for on these plates? And what do you see that is incorrect on the A3? He's told me that he really doesn't want to sell the A3 so he priced it high.

Yours was very clean. What did you get for yours?

I'm now curious about the X as well.

 

[area52]

Hey Kevin,

When your coming down I25 in Colorado, you can come stop by me if you want to go out of you way a little. I live over in the 4 corners area of New Mexico(northwest). No interstates but some neat country driving.

Wade

 

[CUCVFAN]

The first 5 letters of the VIN are:

1GBHD.

You have me curious, what are you looking for on these plates? And what do you see that is incorrect on the A3? He's told me that he really doesn't want to sell the A3 so he priced it high.

Yours was very clean. What did you get for yours?

I'm now curious about the X as well.

I have never been able to confirm this (because there are so few of them), but my suspicion was that the A1's were built from the M1031 platform. It would make sense to just put a shelter bed onto an M1031. The VIN on all the A1 trucks I have seen for sale are the same as yours, sort of confirming it. The "B" means the truck was built as an "incomplete vehicle", as opposed to the regular "C" for "Chevrolet". The M1031's are the same. There should also be an MWO plate on the driver's door jamb, indicating that the truck was modified into an M1028A1 and giving the date/locaton, NIIN etc... I have seen one of these plates, but I would like to see another and collect a pic of it for my archive. Plus, I have not seen a shipping data plate that actually said M1028A1. I'm not sure if they exist, but I suspect so. That's why I'm curious what yours shows.

As for the dually, the most glaring discrepancy is the 14-bolt rear and the 3.73 gears. Granted, 3.73's are much more enjoyable than 4.56's.... Th3 14-bolt rear was used in 2wd duallys, but not in 4x4 applications until the 90's. The Dana 70HD was used in the back of the A2/A3, but it had longer wheel studs than civilian trucks of the same era to accomodate the spacer between the rear wheels. It has a Detroit locker in it in the military application.

Other than that, there are only some minor items that don't appear right. The driver's mirror had an extended arm to enable the driver to see past the fender on this short-wheelbase application. However, that might have only been part of the conversion kit after the first few factory duallys showed that visibility was poor. Given the fact that this is a 1983, it *could* have been a factory dually, but that's uncertain in my opinion. I'd like to see the MWO or shipping plate.

I got $9K for mine....

 

[Desert Deuce]

Wow, that's great information on the VIN, thanks much. As far as the A3, I asked him about the gear ratio as well, he changed it himself to make it his daily driver. He really doesn't want to sell it.

Thanks again, I'm looking forward to communicating with you about my new truck.

Take care,

 

[CUCVFAN]

I'm looking forward to communicating with you about my new truck.

Likewise. As my username indicates, I enjoy the CUCV's very much. I'm casually looking for an A1 myself, which is another reason for the questions.

Thanks,
--Neil

 

[Westech]

Make sure you tell Tom, Ricahrd from Madison says HI!!

 

[Desert Deuce]

Hi Wade,

Glad you had a safe trip home from Cailf in your new deuce. Would like to see pictures. Thanks very much for the invite to visit on trip home. I may have over estimated the number of miles I can do every day, I had surgery on 8-14 and believe I'm up to the drive, It may be a slower trip than I'm hoping for.

I'm going to need to pretty much stay on track and get home. It would be great to get together though, if you're ever in Phoenix or passing through let me know. We're thinking about moving to Flagstaff, we spent the weekend there looking around, that would be alot closer to four corners.

Richard, I'll sure say hello to Tom for ya.

 

[area52]

flagstaff

Kevin,

I hear ya about keeping on track. Drop me a line if(when) you move to Flagstaff. I go through there all the time when I go out to California. In fact, I'm going through there in November when I go four wheelin out in the Mojave desert.

Wade

 

[chill63]

RE: flagstaff

Kevin,

I just got off the phone with Tom at Alfa Heaven, and he said that your truck is in the shop being readied for it's journey. Good luck and don't forget the camera.

Chris

 

[Hookin1]

Hey Kevin,

If you where to take a more southernly route say through ST.Louis on your way through i could meet you with Wades (aka..area52) trailer you could meet him in New Mexico on your way.......just a suggestion

 

[area52]

Can a 1028A1 pull a M200A1 safely? If so, I can give quite a few dollars for gas if you could do it. I could meet you in Albuquerque if you go over on I40.