TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 This is the story of a 1971 AM General M151A2 MUTT. In 2005 I drove a HMMWV and a MUTT. The MUTT was so much fun that 8 weeks later I’d bought one! After messing about in it at Beltring and Redhill, I’ve gradually been acquiring all the parts I needed for a nut and bolt restoration. During the strip-down I’ve found plain O.D, US 3-colour camo and two layers of Hebrew squiggles and sand paint which concur with the known history that it was an ex-Israeli Defence Force field conversion to an M825 TOW missile launcher. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 I was very lucky that there was no serious rust anywhere on this vehicle. This was mainly because it went through the US Army’s rust-proofing programme which involved drilling holes in all the structural members and injecting Waxoyl. I have, however, had to do a lot of bodywork as there wasn’t a straight panel on it and there were lots of dents, holes, blobby welds and tears in the metalwork. I’ve welded in a new rear panel to replace the one which had been messily flame-cut out and I’ve rebuilt the right rear corner which had been extensively fillered after a major ding. I’ve also fabricated a new shovel bracket, a rear panel to rear wheel arch bracket and replaced the tool box lid riser and hinge. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 After the major repairs were done, I removed every component from the body and paint-stripped & jet-washed it. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 It was then treated with Kurust before a bit of judicious fillering and a coat of red oxide filler primer all over. The tub was then inverted on trestles and the underside was painted with two coats of Nato Green and the less visible areas were under-sealed. All of the suspension and driveline components have been rebuilt and painted in black Hammerite. All suspension bushes and hub seals are new. Bearings were inspected and have been re-packed. All wheel cylinders are new as are the flexi’s and copper lines. The old brake shoes were fine and have been cleaned and re-used. A new (modified) rear wiring loom has been threaded through the right hand chassis rail and some of the external body components have gone back on again including the pintle, front bumper and rear bumperettes, rear lights, side marker lights, lifting points and fuel can straps. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 Meanwhile the gearbox/transfer box has been rebuilt with new seals, bearings and handbrake band and is now re-attached to the engine via the new clutch. I’m hoping to get hardened valve seats installed later this week then the head can go back on. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 I’m waiting to get the wheels back from the shot-blasters this week and once they’ve been undercoated, the new tyres can be fitted and the vehicle can be put back on its feet. Despite appearances, it is actually progressing well and I hope to have it driveable within another month. Then I have all the fun of the MoT, followed by the dreaded registration process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Excellent job T where are you doing all this work its looks as though you have plenty of room there and why in Nato green ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Nice! And great photo's too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 Excellent job T where are you doing all this work its looks as though you have plenty of room there and why in Nato green ? Thanks Mark and Joris, I can't wait to drive it again! It's in a shed on a friend's farm tucked in next to the WLF. It's under cover but still exposed to the elements at the sides so I can't paint on wet/windy days. It's better than being outside though. A couple of layers of Nato Green makes cheap undercoat as we've got gallons of it. The top coat is going to be US desert sand because of my involvement as mechanic for the Gulf War 1 group. They were used in the Gulf by Saudi & Nigeria, and almost certainly by the US although I can't find any photographic proof of this. MUTTs were still in use in Albania in 1997 so they were certainly serving in 1991. Plus I found sand paint on this vehicle along with the Hebrew so it's sort of a restoration as well... [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m151tx Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Hi Mike. Great job, looking fantastic. Thought I would drop you note, the M825 was supplied for use with the 106mm only (with exception of a small batch to Saudi) and had the center section of the back panel cut out to allow the m79 mount to roll in and out ( the army did have a kit with a rear panel, rear seat and cushions section to allow them to revert to the regular configuration ). The Nigerians used the M825 in the first gulf war equipped with the 106. The original data plate was retained in the TOW version with the addition of a smaller plate mounted adjacent to it with the designation " TRUCK GUIDED MISSILE EQUIPMENT", I have a TOW M151A2 I restored a few years ago in my collection, if you contact me at m151tx@yahoo.com I will send you some pics (I have not figured out how to post the pics yet). You may want to check and see if the vehicle has preload springs fitted on the rear as they make the 151 really tricky to handle if they are and there is no load in the back ! All the best Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Nice job, I like MUTT's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 12, 2007 Author Share Posted February 12, 2007 M151tx, Thanks for that. (Are you in the UK?) I've not seen another desert MUTT on the rally scene in the UK so it should stand out. Finishing it as Gulf War 1 also means that I don't necessarily have to add any markings, which is advantageous for me as I intend to drive this daily and I don't want it to stand out any more than it already will. This was definitely field converted from a plain M151A2. The rear panel was very crudely flame cut out and the cut edges were not even cleaned up. The lower lip where the floor joins the rear 'crossmember' was just covered over with a piece of angle iron screwed to the floor! The rear corner brackets for the TOW, the welds for the missile racks and those holding the rail onto the floor were very poor and used bits of scrappy steel to fill the gaps. The rear side seats were barely attached. The spare wheel mount was present as was the jerry can bracket. Extra footman loops had been added on the passenger side wing. There were no rear spacer springs present and there was no windscreen, passenger seat, rear seat or battery box cover. There was no extra data plate. Sadly I've lost my photos of the vehicle as I bought it. I don't need them but I'll post them if they turn up. FYI: You can post photos here from your desktop using the 'additional options' in the 'post reply' screen and browsing to your pictures. I'm sure others would like to see them too :-). Alternatively email them to me at tootallmike at hotmail.com and I'll post them for you. Rambo, I warn you, don't drive a MUTT unless you're prepared to buy one!!! - Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 (I have not figured out how to post the pics yet). Here is a how-to-add-pics manual: http://www.hmvf.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=98.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 The writing on your MUTT looks like Arabic, not Hebrew. Are you sure it was ex- Israeli? Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Really??? Oops!!! Someone said it was Hebrew, which tied in with the history I was given when I bought it so I never thought to question it! Thanks Adrian :-) I guess I'd better find someone with the knowin' o' the writing then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 The writing on your MUTT looks like Arabic, not Hebrew. Are you sure it was ex- Israeli? Adrian I also thought its Arabic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreadavide Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 As a Hebrew speaker (although not as fluent as I would like) I can confirm that it's no Hebrew therefore I suppose that IDF never used that MUTT. Andrea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Maybe one of the Saudi ones????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Andrea, many thanks for confirming that. This is really interesting - I've quite happily believed its Israeli provenance for the last 2 years! I really must find someone who can translate this so I can find out where it's from. Thinking of places as well as Saudi, Palestine springs to mind as they used them when they pinched them from the Israelis. The markings were rough so I doubt it was a rich army - the general condition of the vehicle supports this hypothesis! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted February 15, 2007 Author Share Posted February 15, 2007 More possible arabic found under several layers of paint on the underside of the bonnet. [attachment deleted by admin] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Bored with Wards, Autocars, Pickups and obscure vehicle parts. I decided to play with the baby of the fleet this afternoon. The MUTT has been on trestles for the last 2 months while I did the underside. The time has come to put it back on its feet again. First lift it, remove trestles and lower onto cushions pilfered from the living room... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Then lift it onto its side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted March 7, 2007 Author Share Posted March 7, 2007 Then lower gently to the ground but now the right way up. Thanks to Grasshopper and my Dad for help and photography :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 That was fun. Can we try tipping over something bigger next time? Maybe a Stolly... :clap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted March 8, 2007 Share Posted March 8, 2007 I had not looked at this one before. A great job on an uncommon vehicle. Is it possible that it was captured by the Israelis off some other nation, who had taken it off someone else first. Did the UN use them in Lebanaon and then possibly leave them behind. I guess that we will never know. What was the year of manufacture? I think there was a picture in Wheels and Tracks of Mutts in service with the US during the first gulf war. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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