Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

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Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by AutoArcheologist » July 15th, 2018, 10:36 pm

Hi all!
New here. I just stumbled across this old "jeep" sitting in the back of a towing yard. I am going to assist the owner in selling it.. BUT.. first.. I need to know exactly what it is and did the US Military produce this or was this something private? It has been owned by the towing company's owner for 40 years or more.
Several odd items about it:
First off is the massive generator set up in the back.
Second, it appears to be front wheel drive as the transmission has been replaced by what appears to be another generator type unit.
3: It's powered by a flat head 4.
4: The front wheel drive is worked from a direct drive off the front of the engine to an "Autronic Unit" that hangs off the front of the vehicle
5: There also appears to be 220V socket on the right side just behind the passenger seat.
Here is a photo:
Image

There are more than 50 pictures here:
http://www.autoarcheologist.com/m151-ge ... -jeep.html

There is only one ID tag that I was able to locate (center firewall "underhood". there is no hood with the truck..) and it says,
Top Line: ORD # 8734459
Second line: BUDD S/N # (looks like) 9900 (the tag is pretty mangled)

I have done several searches for M151 generator jeep, MUTT Generator truck, etc. and have found Nothing even closely resembling this.

Any and all assistance in identifying this rig is most appreciated.

Thanks!

Talk soon,

David Brill
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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by m3a1 » July 15th, 2018, 10:44 pm

Well, you already know you have a 151 or you wouldn't be here on the G838 site.

Highly likely it was doing Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) duty on a military flight line somewhere. I'm hesitant to call it "rare" but it is certainly an interesting variant.

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by AutoArcheologist » July 15th, 2018, 10:54 pm

Thank you m3a1!
Would you be able to direct me to a site or sites where I could find more info on this?
IE when it was made/served? I'm guessing she's an older unit as she has the flat fenders, however, I have not seen anything stating MUTTs came with a flat head 4 cyl. Build quality and layout seem "government", not cobbled together by a privateer.

Thanks again!

Dave Brill
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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by Hambone » July 15th, 2018, 11:02 pm

Looks like a civy modified mutt but can't be for sure, someone put a lot of work and engineering into it, never seen anything like it, maybe you have a one off. :D

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by m3a1 » July 15th, 2018, 11:19 pm

As Hambone said, it may very well be a civvy modification. However, if you look at some of the old MB/GPW jeeps modified as APU units (and who knows, maybe even some MC Jeeps became APUs as well) they can be less than stellar modifications.

I would like to point out that, from your verbiage, it sounds as though you are trying to equate the old "flat-fender" jeeps with the M151 series of trucks which is likely to lead you down the wrong path in any number of ways as they are very different critters.

I cannot state with any authority that your truck is indeed a military APU truck. I think the best answer for that would be to try to determine how much of the APU kit is undeniably of military origin. That alone would help sort out the mystery.

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by m3a1 » July 16th, 2018, 2:08 am

You might have a look at the following, on youtube; a military vehicle modified by a contract company. My understanding is the owner has quite a bit of information on his unit and he might be able to provide some additional insight into your unit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ_voJdb2YA

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by m3a1 » July 16th, 2018, 2:45 am

Identify the engine if you are able. Is the engine perhaps an old Continental? Looks a little like something from an old 1940s agricultural tractor (note the placement of the exhaust output)...just like you would expect to find on a farm tractor, or an irrigation pump motor. What you have there appears to have many attributes of a utility engine from that era. Despite the U.S, Government's long history of employing Continental motors for its many vehicles, it would be highly unlikely the military would have used an engine from that era for the purpose of putting together a "modern" APU truck.

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by halftracknut » July 16th, 2018, 2:09 pm

That could very well be a prototype Tesla....could be worth a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$
slowest mutt east of the missippi..

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by AutoArcheologist » July 16th, 2018, 2:19 pm

halftracknut wrote:That could very well be a prototype Tesla....could be worth a lot of $$$$$$$$$$$
It was towing a small child sized submarine on a trailer, so you may be correct! :lol:

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by AutoArcheologist » July 16th, 2018, 2:21 pm

Thank you all for all the direction so far.
I'll let you know if I find out anything definitive.

Talk soon,

Dave Brill
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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by rickf » July 16th, 2018, 2:40 pm

I seriously doubt it was military. The 400 plus amp gauge on the dash would tell me that one of those units is probably a welder, probably the one in the back since it has an air powered variable speed pulley. The thing in front appears to be a marine generator that was stuffed in there and then a PTO was run out the front for the rather ingenious drive system. The first thing I think of is the last "Rare" vehicle we had on here and the bad outcome of that one for the buyer. Just because it is a one off does not really mean it is worth anything. I would say that is worth whatever those separate units are worth, whatever they are.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by acudanut » July 16th, 2018, 2:42 pm

m3a1 wrote:Well, you already know you have a 151 or you wouldn't be here on the G838 site.

Highly likely it was doing Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) duty on a military flight line somewhere. I'm hesitant to call it "rare" but it is certainly an interesting variant.

I agree. you already know it's a M-151. Value in my opinion..... Scrap. It was a scrap yard welder and a butchered/modified Frankenstein jeep that was not well cared for.
Last edited by acudanut on July 16th, 2018, 2:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by AutoArcheologist » July 16th, 2018, 2:47 pm

rickf wrote:I seriously doubt it was military. The 400 plus amp gauge on the dash would tell me that one of those units is probably a welder, probably the one in the back since it has an air powered variable speed pulley. The thing in front appears to be a marine generator that was stuffed in there and then a PTO was run out the front for the rather ingenious drive system. The first thing I think of is the last "Rare" vehicle we had on here and the bad outcome of that one for the buyer. Just because it is a one off does not really mean it is worth anything. I would say that is worth whatever those separate units are worth, whatever they are.
Yeah, I fully agree Rick. I have to tell people all the time that their "rare" car isn't popular so it it simply isn't valuable. Rare and old don't make it valuable.
I'm simply trying to identify it correctly so it can be listed for what it is and sold for what it is worth...even that is just slightly over scrap value.

Talk soon,
Dave Brill
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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by acudanut » July 16th, 2018, 2:58 pm

AutoArcheologist wrote:
rickf wrote:I seriously doubt it was military. The 400 plus amp gauge on the dash would tell me that one of those units is probably a welder, probably the one in the back since it has an air powered variable speed pulley. The thing in front appears to be a marine generator that was stuffed in there and then a PTO was run out the front for the rather ingenious drive system. The first thing I think of is the last "Rare" vehicle we had on here and the bad outcome of that one for the buyer. Just because it is a one off does not really mean it is worth anything. I would say that is worth whatever those separate units are worth, whatever they are.
Yeah, I fully agree Rick. I have to tell people all the time that their "rare" car isn't popular so it it simply isn't valuable. Rare and old don't make it valuable.
I'm simply trying to identify it correctly so it can be listed for what it is and sold for what it is worth...even that is just slightly over scrap value.

Talk soon,
Dave Brill
AutoArcheologist
It ain't rare. It was turned into butchered/modified Frankenstein jeep welder, that was not well cared for.
Rare is something you can say "came that way from the factory"....This did not.

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Re: Is this an M151.. Was it made this way?

Unread post by rickf » July 16th, 2018, 3:54 pm

That front drive unit has me intrigued. It was obviously made to move around under it's own power but obviously not quickly. That pulley hanging down n the back didn't go to the back differential did it? I could just picture trying to syncronize two totally different types of motors for drive speeds. :roll: :roll: :roll:
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

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