Australian M151A2

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cuccvman
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Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 10th, 2015, 11:00 pm

I am working on an M151A2 Australian clone this winter. It will feature right hand drive. It will be equipped with a machine gun replica on a vehicle mount and will be equipped with a two way radio also. I will mark it with correct Australian unit markings for Australian special forces. along with special forces decal on the windscreen. Larry Damour

kmam
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by kmam » December 11th, 2015, 4:53 am

Interesting. How have you managed to get around licensing of the machine gun? When you say special forces do you mean SASR or RAR Commando units?

Is your 151 from Vietnam?

Howard
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lpcoating
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by lpcoating » December 11th, 2015, 9:02 am

Welcome to the site Larry.

Guy

www.m151bodypanels.com
M151 Body Panels - http://www.m151bodypanels.com/

'68 A1 - Under full resto

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rickf
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by rickf » December 11th, 2015, 10:09 am

Welcome Larry and being a mechanic and fabricator you KNOW i want pictures of this project!
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

cuccvman
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 13th, 2015, 10:14 pm

Hi all, Howard, I am not sure what you meant by SASR or RAR. Could you elaborate. The machine gun is a non firing replica. so no licensing is required. Guy ,We have met at Gilbert twice. I bought the front floor panels and rear fender tops from you. And Rick you can see pictures and a short story of my project in the current issue of military Vehicles Magazine on page 38. Larry

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by kmam » December 14th, 2015, 2:01 am

Ah, now I understand Larry. I had mistakenly assumed you were in Australa where even a replica is a licensing nightmare.

As to special forces, we have two military units that fit that classification: Special Air Servce Regiment and commando battlions of the Royal Australian Regiment, Royal Australian Infantry Corps. During the Vietnam Conflict we also had the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) which was not special forces but whch had a very honurable history in combat. Not sure if you meant one of them or had something else in mind?

So far as I know SASR and AATTV were the only Australiwn special forces in Vietnam and thus may have had access to M151s, especially as AATTV were occasionally operating in concert with US personnell under CIA direction (for example see Tiger Men and Barry Peterson). The issue vehicle would normally have been a Land Rover. If the M151s were still in service during the first Iraq war it is possible SASR may have used them.

ASIS also carried out para-military operations and were probably in VN but their activities would have been covert.

Hope this info is of some use to you.

Howard
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AM General M151A2
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cuccvman
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 14th, 2015, 2:33 pm

Howard , Thank you for the quick reply, I wish I was in Australia now. I visited Australia on an R+R in 1970 while I was serving in the US Army Infantry. I loved every minute I was there . People were very friendly to us yanks. It reminded me of home. I have a dilemma now ,I must admit I know very little about the Australian military. I would like the Jeep to be correct for the Vietnam period. Would you have an opinion as to how I should mark it. I have a decal that looks like a vertical sword with wings. The motto is Australian Special Forces, Death from down under. I would like to use it on the windshield. Also I want to put the appropriate unit markings on the Jeep. I guess a little research is in order. Any advise you can give me would be greatly appreciated.I am doing this project after seeing pictures of a right hand drive Jeep that a friend who collects Canadian vehicles sent me.He said it was Australian. I like unusual examples of the M151 series trucks so I thought an Australian Clone Jeep would popular at the many Rally's I attend. I would also like to do this project as a tribute to the Australian troops I met during my military service. They were true professionals and earned my respect. I will post pictures during the restoration process.

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by kmam » December 14th, 2015, 5:29 pm

The decal you describe would be the SASR badge Alan. I have a busy couple if days ahead but I will com back to you on this.

Glad you have good memories if your visi here. Probably changed a bt nce then but hopfully still as frendly.

Howard
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AM General M151A2
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by rickf » December 14th, 2015, 5:53 pm

Just got the mag in the mail today, So you do not use the original steering box. I was wondering about that. Somewhere I remember another conversion either done or going to be done, this may be the one since that one was not started at the time I heard about it.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 14th, 2015, 8:21 pm

Howard,Thank you for the additional information. This is a winter project for me so you can check in as often as your time allows. I will post often as the project progresses. I value your opinion and knowledge. Thank you again. Rick I have been talking about this project for quite a wile. You may have heard rumors or scuttlebutt about it before. Where do you live in Missouri? I lived in St Louis back in 67. I was drafted and after I got out of the Army I moved to New Hampshire and raised my family here.Sometimes I would drive up to Hannibal Mo or go exploring Merrimeck Caverns in Stanton Mo. I was in the first group to go up in the Arch the day it opened in 1967. The steering box is out of a 68 mustang and is a Ford design. Has the same splines as the m151 steering box. So I could use the Pittman arm and the flex flange going to the A2 steering column. It is a photographic negative of the M 151 steering box So it works on the right side, as you can see in the picture. all the steering linkage hooks right up nicely.

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by rickf » December 15th, 2015, 10:33 am

Larry, You are mixing me up with Raymond, he is from Missouri. I am from NJ. I actually had property in New Hampshire for years in Benton butted up against the Black Mountain State Forest. I sold it about 20 years ago and have regretted it ever since. I have not heard anything about Aberdeen this year, I am wondering if it is even going to happen after the dismal turnout last year.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 15th, 2015, 11:37 am

Rick, Yes I did mix you guys up. New Jersey is within striking distance of New Hampshire. Have you ever attended the Weare Rally/ I just saw the add for Aberdeen in Supply Line yesterday. They reconsidered having it on the same weekend as Findlay. That was a disastrous decision on their part to do it the same weekend as Findlay

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by rickf » December 15th, 2015, 1:12 pm

I think the damage is done. They have been grossly overcharging for vendor spots for two years since they got a major cut in rent from the stadium. 120.00 for two spots in a parking lot is pretty steep! Now that a lot of people have gone and seen Findlay I believe they will continue to go there. The infrastructure at Aberdeen has just gone downhill for many years. I remember when the club ran the mess tent and they had decent food at fair prices and then they brought in one vendor and that was it. Well needless to say that vendor has a captive audience and charges accordingly. I have had stuff stolen off of my mutt two years in a row there,I don't even take it anymore and if I do it will be stripped bare of anything movable. Now that I am retired and I do not have to worry about being back in time for work I may be going to Findlay this year. And no, I have never been to the Weare show.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by Fil Bonica » December 15th, 2015, 3:42 pm

Weare and Gilbert are now my favorite shows for the season.
Before the nursing home I hope to make it to Findley and Tower Park.

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cuccvman
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Re: Australian M151A2

Unread post by cuccvman » December 16th, 2015, 10:38 pm

I went to Findlay last spring instead of Aberdeen and liked it better than Aberdeen. It is a nice show with a good number of vendors there also. Got some good deals there too. Sorry to hear you lost stuff off of your Jeep there. I live so far away thet I have never brought a vehicle to Aberdeen.

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