M151 Marking

[lonewolf523]

Gentlemen,
Can anyone help me with this symbol painted on the right side of my 151?
It our new project vehicle and it will need lots of work but think it is worth it.
The serial number is 2B 7683. Delivery date is 2-61
Thanks for helping.
LW

[rickf]

Welcome Lonewolf. We would love to see some more pics. That number is a very early straight 151, close to some of the first ones out. I am going to bring this to Ken the mutt guru's attention since he is the keeper of all things 151 and he would be very happy to see another early 151 saved. If you have any pics of the data plate that would be great since Ken would want to see that so he can enter the numbers in his database. The database is used to date 151's for people when they ask. He has a very large database of M151 numbers and he can use that to extrapolate dates for the person asking based on where their numbers fall in his database. So every number added helps out. As you probably already know 151's had no real serial numbers, Just the numbers that were issued when they were assigned to their units.

[rickf]

Looking at Google lens all I see is possible 69th infantry on the marking from an old WWII helmet. Mr Recovery might chime in since he is old as dirt and he was in when that mutt was new.

[Mr. Recovery]

Tacsigns are diamond, triangle, square, circle or bar markings indicating the armoured vehicle’s squadron within a regiment. Colours are red for the senior regiment, yellow for the second regiment, blue for the jumior regiment and green for the motor battalion.

dan-2beers-2_zps6d3a82dc.jpg

[rickf]

Any chance of salvaging the numbers off of the bumpers?

[lonewolf523]

Thanks, gentlemen for the kind words and here are some more pictures. Like I said it is rough but thought it might be worth saving.
Let me know what you think. You can see there looks like something next to the yellow triangle but not sure. You can also see the HQ 6
rear
Thanks again.

[lonewolf523]

Here is the HQ 6, thanks

[rickf]

Oh Ken is going to be in seventh heaven when he see's this one. I just sent him an e-mail and told him to be sure to check it out the next time the missus lets him online. I have a couple of questions pertaining to the rear suspension and axles. Does it have two rubber snubbers on the swing arms and are the outer axles attached to the hubs with flanges similar to the drive shaft to differential flanges? If those two are positive then this is a very, very early 151. Those outer rear u-joints are unobtanium if that is what they are. Hope they are in good condition and grease the hell out of them. If they are rusty you can steal the needles out of a good axle shaft u-joint and use them in the old caps as long as the caps and cross are not chewed up.

[rickf]

Interesting that someone cut the bottom of the side panel off? That is probably to the better because it prevented cancer from spreading up the side. CMD has the side panels you need. Is the other side the same way? It does not appear that it was cut.

[m75]

Fantastic find!

[lonewolf523]

Gents, here are pictures of the rear end. I think this might answer your questions. Let me know what you think.
Thanks again.

[Mr. Recovery]

Need to see photos like this of the front wheel hubs.

dan-2beers-2_zps6d3a82dc.jpg

[Redlight]

It's only surface rust. A bit of sanding and some rattle can will fix it.

[rickf]

Well, it does not have the flanged axle joint nor does it have the two snubbers. I do see someone has been there before from all the rubber stuffed between the differential and the body. That was an old trick ( that did not work by the way) to quiet down the diff noise inside. I am wondering if that same person upgraded the rear suspension? I know what Dan is looking for and if he didn't ask for the front pics I would have. The real early ones used different steering knuckles that were semi-enclosed. I don't know when the rear suspension was changed so it may have only been a one year deal on the stuff I mentioned. The older suspension arms were substantially lighter and had issues with bending. Add in some rust and they probably would have fallen off by now.

[m3a1]

I think I need a Tetanus shot just from looking at the pictures.