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M43 is home

Mayor Joe

Member
42
0
6
Location
Mokena, IL
Congratulations! VERY nice truck. I Just finished restoring one - here's some photos to show what you can look forward to. If you need ANY help, info or parts. PLEASE feel free to contact me. It's a GREAT truck, fun to drive and a real show-stopper.
 

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toddbe

New member
103
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Location
Holland, MI
Nice Mayor Joe. I am going to 'steal' your photo (if acceptable) for my desktop - to keep my thoughts toward the final goal. Question - white inside? Really - mine is green, now I am wondering which is typical. Thoughts??
 

zout

In Memorial
In Memorial
7,744
154
63
Location
Columbus Georgia
Check out more of us 43 owners on the 37 thread as well. Mine as well is white in the interior of the ambulance.

There are other exterior faults on the 43 shown - but you can did and find out info all on your own as to proper marking measurements and placements.

Curious as to whom put the siren on your 43 ??

Great pics - thanks
 

Mayor Joe

Member
42
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6
Location
Mokena, IL
Regarding the interior color of the rear compartment - mine was also green when I got it. It was obvious though that the green was not done by the military. We did a test strip and found white underneath. During my research, I found photos of ambulances that had green or white and have not been able to pin down why or where. In my case, I went with white as a personal preference. I take it to a lot of events and it's easier for people to see the details - You're welcome to 'steal' the photo (I'm honored) and if you need a bigger file size let me know. I have a huge photo gallery of this truck on another website. If you're interested, I can send you a link. I plan to post some of them here - as soon as I decide which ones to use. Keep us informed on your progress!
 

mobilized medic

New member
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Location
Antigo,WI
Yo Toddbe!
GRRRREAT FIND! All the interior goodies and the steps and a few litters as well. I did not see the small red light near the rear ceiling though. Does it have the gas fired patient compartment heater too?
I have two of these critters. I like them as they leak less in the rain, heh heh, and they drive like a charm when "limbered up".
These trucks were used front line near end of Korea as the WW2 KD ambulances,jeeps and WC54s were the early workhorses. But mostly rear eschelon medical sites. In country use in Nam for compassionate civilian operations but not casualty recovery as Dust Off was the workhorse there. There were times they were used in action but only if action close to stable medical site. The M170 was supposed to be used more up front, again to get the wounded to the LZ for Dust Off. M274 configured for this as well
Conveyances from helopad to triage,or conveyance to air transport or to hospitals was main duty.
White interior vs green interior.
The white glares and fatigues the eyes when working with several casualties at once. Remember, room for one medic back there with four litter cases. Lots to keep an eye on if you are wearing the red cross. If stateside, these guys are stable and white is impressive to the guys getting conveyed.
Opening a white interior anywhere near the action is a terrible "invite" specially in low light time of day and interior lights on. RPGs or heavy caliber round can spoil a lot of hard effort in "conserve and comfort".
Green easier to make look clean after a bloody day at work as well. The surgical light and red overhead light work better in green interior.
Mine are configured for front line duty, but a lot of interior parts I have scavenged to get interiors done where painted white,some even black.
Red cross means little to our enemies these days. More of an aiming point than anything. We play by the "rules" and suffer for it.
Red cross made up of 9 equal squares,4 white, 5 red. Sides, rear door and top all same size. Mine are 48 inch square with 16 inch squares of color. Red to the edge top,sides and bottom.
I have seen the large decals available, but easier to paint.
Keep us posted, we can give a lot of tips,opinions,advice and all around harassment.
Mobilized (and the work never done) Medic
 

toddbe

New member
103
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Location
Holland, MI
Mayor Joe - would love to have a link to see more photos.

Siren - do not know when / where it was put on. Rear heater - yes. Red overhead light - yes.

I will get some more photo of the details.

I was showing my wife the photos and she want to know if I have truck envy. Oh well. But if I have to have a second love - she is ok with it be a mv (or three).
 

nattieleather

Well-known member
1,882
142
63
Location
Cleveland, OH
Nice looking truck. I love the siren on it! That rocks! Keep it when you restore/refinish. You look like you have a good project to start with!

@Zout: Love the avitar! ;)
 

mobilized medic

New member
15
0
1
Location
Antigo,WI
Yo Toddbe;
WOW! You have indeed found a great unit to start with. All those interior goodies are very difficult to find, including the heater apparatus.
I am GREEN with envy, neither of mine came that complete. Of course I suppose the fun is in getting all the stuff together as original, but I would rather start with one like yours any day.
The heater is a unique piece of equipment. When firing it up just make certain you are out doors and exhaust downwind side of truck.
Really nice truck to start with I must say.
Now I have to get back to work on mine.
Must have been an airbase unit to have a siren. Carefully sand the front bumper to find unit numbers. One of mine came from Colorado ANG and the other from 28th ID.
Would explain green over white interior.
Keep us posted!
Regards, Mobilized (and liking the inspiration)Medichttp://test.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/beerchug.gif
 

Torisco

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
528
50
28
Location
Bishop, California
Nice Mayor Joe. I am going to 'steal' your photo (if acceptable) for my desktop - to keep my thoughts toward the final goal. Question - white inside? Really - mine is green, now I am wondering which is typical. Thoughts??

In all the research I did (for the U.S. Army only), and in the answers to my questions on SS regarding the paint color for the rear of the ambulance, I arrived at the following;

The Military specification says you may paint the interior olive drab (the OD. shade for the era of the vehicle), white or sea foam green (depending on the vehicle era). They left the final decision up to the individual units. There was a stipulation that the interior of the rear doors had to be the color of the exterior (olive drab for the army). I believe this was done for tactical reasons in the field.

So, the choice of color is yours depending on whether you want to be exact to the vehicle era or not.

As far as the factory goes, I do not know what color the rear patient area was when delivered to the particular branch of service. My guess (and only a guess) would be white or blue for the air force, white or gray for the Navy. and white or O.D. for the Army and Marines.

I used Sea Foam Green Mil Spec acrylic enamel that I got from a local auto paint dealer who was able to get it for me. This color was also used for the interior of armored vehicles like the tank, A.P.C. and others.
__________________
MGHMOYS

M35A2C
M43B1
M43
 

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stalker

New member
256
2
0
Location
wesley chapel,fl
M43

Nice truck!! You have a lot of goodies that are usually missing when purchased. When I hade mine, I made it into more of an offroad family vehicle. They are a lot of fun.
 

M715VFD405

New member
489
4
0
Location
Weatherford/Oklahoma
I have a siren just like that that came with my M715 I'm not sure where Warthog got it from but you might ask him maybe he can give you a better idea of if it's suppose to be there or not. However I would think it would be correct for an on base medical vehicle. They are loud as heck too you could double for a tornado siren. Great looking M43 I use to play on one of these as a kid our fire dept had it as a brush truck before we got the m715s after it retired it went to my next door neighbors yard it made a great jungle gym. I wish I knew where it went after that I'd love to get my hands on it. Keep the pics coming can't wait to see what you do with your new toy
:beer:
 

toddbe

New member
103
0
0
Location
Holland, MI
Reading my post I see I failed to mention the bad - There is a large hole where there should be an engine and transmission. I have the engine - which the prior owner started to take apart, but the transmission is missing.

I'm thinking about switching projects - drop the engine / transmission from the M37 I'm restoring (down to the frame right now) and put in the M43. The M43 then could be done by spring.
 
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