My M886 Ambulance

[Lawrence of Arabia]

I just picked one up yesterday. I have big plans, just need some time to make them happen.

 

[Bob H]

I just picked one up yesterday. I have big plans, just need some time to make them happen.

Looks like a 72/73 Navy/Air Force contract Ambulance not a M886
Like Retired in Florida by Sf38a1
Dana70 closed knuckle front axle
4spd, divorced t-case
the front fenders & inner fenderwells are unique to those ambulances.

Rare truck!
You may recall the red one at the Camp Grayling Color Tour, that one belongs to ODjeeper on here.

 

[Amer-team]

You guys are killing me with all these nice over the cab body parts. Mine looks like someone tried to take it through somewhere that was a bit low. Am not looking forward to drilling out all those rivets. It looks like either the inside fiberglass has to come down or the outside tin.
What a find on those rear doors. Mine are a little tweeked but for the price, think I can live with them for awhile longer.

Anyone have an issue with the overhead fan leaking in the rain? It works but I seem to get a drip through it, when it rains hard.

 

[Wy-m880]

Well my doors were hashed on the bottom, but now are at the top as my brother backed into my house with the doors open while we where using it to haul boxes and furniture, yes made good a good uhaul, as for leaks mine does the same, the cab aero on mine leaks too but thinking of having a fiberglass shop here to repro one when things get caught up. i dread teh drilling of rivets too but the top of my cab is rotted so its inevitable, good find blckdblnckl! glad to hear you saved one!!

 

[Amer-team]

That is an interesting idea of going with fiberglass. You could probably go with some of the body panel adhesives and not have to drill and rivet. that would cut water infiltration. Keep us posted because if they go to the trouble to make one, it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to do few more.

 

[Bob H]

Keep in mind that these were rivited for a reason.
The cab & fenders are on thick rubber pads to allow for the frame flex & the patient compartment is mounted directly to the frame rails.
The rivits allow for some movement and the thin sheet metal dome also alows some flex.
Not enough as evidenced by everyones truck having issues above the windshield & around the doors. This issue was eliminated with the M1010.
(post 28 of this thread links to pics of a removed dome.)

 

[Amer-team]

Darnit, there always has to be some reason why it just can't be easy. good points, thank you. So what you are saying is be quiet and get to drilling.

 

[Wy-m880]

I talked with gordon from mark body, awhile back said they made fiberglass replacements for the army, due to the company that made the metal ones phased out, he said there wasnt much difference in stregth, the metal was just as flimsy, my idea was to have an areo build and formed to accept offroad lights and cab lights <--just and idea been thinking of pros and cons, originality is one, ugly mouse looking humps would be another, but definatly dont want them adhesive them on like bob says, screws maybe but not adhesive

 

[gringeltaube]

....It seems like if you pulled to hard on them you would just rip the front cross member off the truck.

No, the mounting bolt heads, the rear one first, will rip through the crossmember! Seen it done...

G.

 

[steelandcanvas]

I talked with gordon from mark body, awhile back said they made fiberglass replacements for the army, due to the company that made the metal ones phased out, he said there wasnt much difference in stregth, the metal was just as flimsy...

Chuck, It's been a long time since I've followed this thread, I'm glad it came back up to the top again. Any line on price and availability on the fiberglass doors? I still might try and seperate the halves of mine and re-work them, like I spoke of in a previous post.

 

[gringeltaube]

.........i know there isnt many left of the original 5000 of these we should get together and start a registry of the survivors

Are you saying only 5000 M886's were made? Can you possibly confirm that?

Tks,
G.

 

[Wy-m880]

no the doors are aluminum, but the areo on the cab is what i was going to get redone in fiberglass, the steel ones are extinct and are mostly rotten, as far as doors m1010 doors are the same, minus two bolt holes >revision the holes are there under the aluminum and in the supports, but no threads to bolt to, needs a thread pressed or expanded thread (steel) into the designed bolt hole, (these door were designed for m886 and retro-ed for m1010 application)

 

[Wy-m880]

Are you saying only 5000 M886's were made? Can you possibly confirm that?

Tks,
G.

yes there is closer to 5000 ever made from what gordon of mark body company made 2wd are even rarer, some never came back from europe so exact numbers are unknown, here that are left in existence probly counting the ones in bobs back yard haha, but they are but a few that are still out there far less than 5000

 

[Wy-m880]

Chuck, It's been a long time since I've followed this thread, I'm glad it came back up to the top again. Any line on price and availability on the fiberglass doors? I still might try and seperate the halves of mine and re-work them, like I spoke of in a previous post.

S and g i gave 600 apeice for mine 200 plus for shipping, as far as avaibility i think i got the last m886 door, and my other one was m1010 <minus the holes for gas can braces, but i can pm you gordons number im sure he be glad to help you with small parts

 

[Wy-m880]

Well got luck yesterday found two good steel nato cans 20 bucks for both w/ spout, the circle is complete new cans, new straps, mounting of can brackets, fought three times how to place strap, finally figured it out to work, looks rather good , next is to have cans sand blasted and going to have them powder coated insides are like new, later they will be diesel cans after the conversion to Cummins, also got rustling around found new lids and rubbers, hmm didnt know i had those, but i did.. will post pics for install !

 

[Lawrence of Arabia]

5000?

I found a tag on the right front firewall with a the numbers 4280. Wondering if this indicates the production number?

Also looking for info on the bumper winch. Mine is 95% missing. I'm sure I could put any winch in there but I would prefer the correct one.

 

[Bob H]

I found a tag on the right front firewall with a the numbers 4280. Wondering if this indicates the production number?

Also looking for info on the bumper winch. Mine is 95% missing. I'm sure I could put any winch in there but I would prefer the correct one.

I'm not sure what that tag is but I doubt it's the production #, that is if you are refering to the truck in the 1st pic.
It's too old and may not be a Mark body, IIRC the owner of the red one (2nd pic)told me his 72 was built by someone else, it has a Braden winch check this thread http://www.steelsoldiers.com/m880/8364-power-wagon-ambulance.html

Also the 3rd pic is another 72 or 73, see his --> http://www.steelsoldiers.com/m880/71351-retired-florida.html

I've read that there were approximately 4400 ambulances(4000 - M886's & 400 M893's) made in the M880/M890 series which were made by Mark Body. These were all '76 or 77's
My 78 W400 was also made by Mark Body (4th pic towing my M886)
And the last one too

 

[Wy-m880]

bob i have a quick question is your body wider on that w400 beast or is it same as m880? i found a set of steel doors look identical to the m886 but they are wider, same punch marks hindges and all but they are steel, confirmed with gordie no steel ones were made, the guy that still has them said they were off a body that resembled an ambulance, but no windows, well none punched out but they have spots for them, they are 2in wider than mine and 4 inches taller, i was guessing a civi contractor made but the hindges are same just curious on width

 

[Bob H]

Width of W400 Identical to the M886, it is about 8 inches longer due to the 1 ton frame.
Look at the pic with the two of them, you can see where the back meets the cab is the same.
While we are on that, you can see the older ones are a bit narrower than the M886.

 

[Wy-m880]

so more cabin space in your w400 very nice, i still having second thoughts on placing my body on the 90 w250 cummins frame, originality and issue of body lifting on and off frame, but other hand would be soooo nice to give it new life and purpose