Knock me down with a feather, M43 under my nose

[Robin Craig]

I just about fainted today while out looking at some land for work and this was just sitting in front me.

Anyone interested for me to get info on availability, the owner is Kooky beyond belief.


R

[servicepub (RIP)]

Looks pretty solid in the photo

[Robin Craig]

I am trying to figure out the best possible approach with the current owner.

He is a gent with whom anything is difficult.

It did belong to the previous owner of the land but was left behind when the land was sold and as a result the "all and anything remaining on the said land becomes property of the new land owner".

We figure doing the math that it has been in the unloved storage area for about 8 years now.

Wished I had not flipped the finger to the owner a while back

R

[Robin Craig]

So,

What kind of money should I offer this guy for it to secure it?

I would say just over scrap price?

I guess the other question is, does anyone want the thing in the first place?

R

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Robin

All depends on the condition of the thing.... will it run....will the wheel turn or rusted tight..... will the engine turnover or seized....

Prices for these beast are gradually going up...... hard to see arusted runner for less than 3 to 4 grands on KIJIJI.... there is a redone radio truck cut up into a dump truck asking $9500.

Personally I would go for scrap price....... if a scrappy droves to the location to pick it up for scrap he has to remove the gas tank , drain the oil pan and radiator and remove the tires to get about $300 less all his expanses..... scrappies usually like to pick up for free or $100 to help the owner get it out of the way....

If you have space to store it on the farm individual parts will mean more return for you than flipping the whole thing.

If you flip it to some one for restoring , tell him I have a few at the farm if he needs parts.

Bob C

[Jon Skagfeld]

Trying to remember....was the M43 the ambulance version with rear barn doors?

[Bob Carriere]

Ambulance had barn doors and the step to get in folded inside as a seat if I remember correctly..

The radio had a single wide central door and the step ladder was tied to the inside of the door.

Bad sign Jon when you can't remember things..... been looking for hours for my RH BSF 5/8 die to clean up some nuts and can't find it.....found two sets of 5/8 LH BSF but for the love of God can't find the RH ......

Cheers

[rob love]

Interesting thing about the signal van is that the framework of the van is actually that of the ambulance, with two extra of the same ambulance door pillars added to narrow the double door area into a single door. The side outer skin and inner wall panels are also slightly different for the windows. The vans were X152 in the US, so very very limited production, and from the few photos I have seen had the double doors of the ambulance. So that makes the M152 a fairly unique Cdn M37 vehicle.

[Frank v R]

Hi Robin , take a look on Kijiji,
regards Frank

[Dparker]

Don't suppose its got a nice winch ?

[Marc Montgomery]

If it's visible from the road.. the scrappers will find it.. they are very diligent and know how to pressure people into letting do the favour of getting rid of it, before "government environment people" order owner to deal with it..

fewer and fewer abandoned vehicles...and fewer and fewer interesting old junk yards to visit too ! All of the old yards I knew of 20 years ago.. with lots of interesting stuff..are all gone..

[Robin Craig]

Just to update this thread a bit.

It was very strange how when I posted about it suddenly the add popped up on Kijiji as pointed out by Frank V R.

It was at that point that I decided to take things underground and go quiet as in my opinion the vendor was a lurker on here. That seems to have been proven correct.

A number of us locally had made contact and the "owner" eventually sold it to a friend of mine and his Dad after they made a trip out here to look at the sad vehicle, all the rest of the locals including myself having stood aside. The truck has some value but no way near what the owner had imagined.

So, today was set as the target recovery day.

Yesterday I took a big tractor out there and packed down the snow and made a nice road in that we could get to with a 2wd pick up as we wanted to take some tools in to liberate the vehicle.

As an import Brit I love working outside in winter especially when doing tasks like this because of how the snow works and packs down.

Rob had to liberate each corner from the ice in turn with a trolley jack.

R

[Robin Craig]

After jacking up the wheels we threw a short length of wood under the wheel until all four corners we free. Each wheel was checked for free play as it was lifted.

The way in to the truck was past a big wooden crate and a pile of frozen dirt that made it a bit tight.

We used the loader of our tractor from work to attach to the rear tow hook on the ambulance and thread it back out to the field from the bush. I have come quite accustomed to using the loader because of the ability to see what is going on in front and how manoeuvrable the load is. One has to be very careful to keep things plumb under the bucket or you risk flopping the tractor over.

[Robin Craig]

There then followed a musical interlude as Rob rode the running board of the M43 and his dad Paul shuttled trucks and we all made the 400 yard trip to my driveway with the prize of the day.

Once we had parked it Rob and his Dad set about clearing the snow off the roof and putting all the loose bits inside and removing the hood which was loose etc and strapping the rear doors closed and closing the drivers door securely.

It will go by tilt and load tow truck to Kingston in the morning.

So, all is well that ends well. Another MV saved.

R

[Bob Carriere]

...as you say another one saved.

Just to be clear....that is a M43 ambulance correct?
....any ambulance fittings on the inside...stretcher brackets....surgical light on the ceiling..?

What is that angle iron frame work on the passenger side...?

Bob C

[Robin Craig]

Bob,

You seem to have forgotten my role in this exercise as facilitator and heavy equipment provider / operator.

Yes it is an M43CDN.

The M series vehicles really are not my thing so your detail questions are not answerable by me. I will send you Rob's email by email so you can discuss things with him. He his having issues registering here and I have asked Hanno to sign him up.

Not sure what the aluminum frame is for on the side.

R