Found on CL - (Not Mine) 2020

[Vzike]

I tried to contact the guy in NH for that A2 the day after he posted it. He does not respond.

[rickf]

Here is one on e-bay that a member here just got. Don't know why he is selling so quick unless he just picked it up to resell. Known provenance and it is interesting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AM-Generals-Pe ... 0009.m1982

[Nick_]

Thanks for posting it Rick. Here's a neat video interview about the Mutt: https://youtu.be/oXnN7q77b-I

I'm fascinated about its history, but I just can't save them all. I wanted to give a future owner as much time as possible to resurrect it for the MVPA convention near the factory in August, which celebrates 50 years of AM General.

[Horst]

nice, the only thing I noticed that the mileage of around 6.000 miles does not fit to a fire truck?

[Surveyor]

Enjoyed that video. I just realized I never started a 2021 thread. Moving over to a new one.

[lpcoating]

Here is one on e-bay that a member here just got. Don't know why he is selling so quick unless he just picked it up to resell. Known provenance and it is interesting.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AM-Generals-Pe ... 0009.m1982

Just sold for $7,600.

[rickf]

The guy that won it must have REALLY wanted it! He started bidding at 1,000.00 and got into quite a bidding war at the end from 5,000 on up. From 6,000 up was with one other person.

[m3a1]

Wow. That fella sure knows how to sell a vehicle. Hopefully someone follows this vehicle's transformation (if that actually happens). I'd love to know more about it.

[mrdibbles]

Curious what the forum thinks of that Sale Amount? Did the seller do well on that one? Such a unique Mutt that I can't assess what it perhaps should have fetched (or if the buyer overpaid). I mean I know value is based on what someone is willing to pay but aside from that I'd be curious what you guys think.

[lpcoating]

Based on what people are asking for a standard 151 in similar condition I was thinking that truck would sell in the $6,500 range as it's unique. I didn't fall out of my chair when I watched the auction end at $7,600 as it is a total one of a kind. As Rick stated, someone really wanted it. For the serious collector, I can see that value. Or, maybe it was someone who worked there and purchased for the nostalgia value. Definitely a cool find.

Guy

[m3a1]

IMHO

Assuming the provenance is well-documented, I'm thinking that a this truck with this pedigree probably would fall in this price-range as we see it here. It's a one-off (at least it sounds like it from the description) and since it's AM General's custom version and never was military, technically it's not even a M151 -or- a M718, is it?

Here's the tricky bit. AM General will never have the following that all the more popular brands have. Ford, GMC, Chrysler: they, and manufacturers like them have quite a following. AM General...not so much; a niche market truck for a niche market. So, it's rather difficult to say.

Properly preserved I believe it would continue to hold its value. Completely restored...mmmm...not so much, because down the road, maybe folks would be doubtful of its pedigree, particularly if kept in private hands. Whereas, museums tend to rely heavily upon strongly documented provenance before they accept things into their care.

unnamed-1.jpg

The only question is, does one pay extra for true rarity? Honestly, I would have to say, yes. Yes, we do. We hate it because it leaves us facing the conundrum above. What to do? Which way to go?

So yeah, all things considered and for the M151 crowd only -and- for that price, that might be a reasonable value. There's only one and there will never be another.

And yet, on balance, the price is rather steep for people outside the hobby who only look upon these trucks as something to knock around in.

Cheers,
TJ

[rickf]

BUT! The only provenance is the word of a contractor that worked at, not for, AMG. Nothing on paper, no pictures in service at the plant. And like Horst said, 6,000 miles is a LOT of miles to put on a vehicle in just a few years driving around a small property. So down the line the only proof of provenance is that video. Now, that said, how many other people have ever gotten to talk to someone that was at AMG? The other history he was talking about was also interesting and as you can see a lot of that video was edited out. probably more for time than anything.

[lpcoating]

I've not been following all of the details of this truck. There are no known pictures of this truck in service?

Guy

[rickf]

Nope, first the story came about is what you saw in the video and Nicks explanation. Granted, it is a unique vehicle, but like everything else that has to do with M-151's, proving what and where is almost impossible since there are no serial numbers and data plates for the most part were screwed on and could be swapped in seconds, And WERE!

[m3a1]

Well (and I'm using my magical, mystical cop powers here) that is an unusually perfunctory back story with not a lot of effort made to create unusually pointed evidence that would come off as being a declaratory statement of absolute proof.... to substantiate something that would otherwise be an urban legend with all the mysterious qualities of Bigfoot, Chupacabra and alien abduction.

It sounds real because there just isn't too much detail...rather just the right amount to get you on board, there's just enough to cause one to shrug and say, "sounds right...probably is right." So this guy is either a master storyteller with a doctorate in psychology, or it's true.

Golf carts, and cushmans don't lend themselves well to become ad hoc firefighting equipment....but a MUTT...well, that just might do.

In two words - Occam's Razor. Simple, to the point, entirely plausible, makes complete sense.

I think what Rick is trying to say is that he's from Missouri....

The new owner ought to post an advert in the community where this was built. You can bet someone there will come forward for an interview.