FLU / SEE

[Russ Knight]

What is the difference, if any between the two? Did they ever make one with a knuckleboom crane on the rear?

 

[The FLU farm]

Well, a SEE is one version of the FLU419.
Then there's the HMMH (crane/forklift) and the HME (trencher/dozer blade).

If memory serves me, that's 2,800, 138, and 13, produced respectively.

 

[Russ Knight]

Are the forklift/crane versions still selling? Anyone here have one?

 

[The FLU farm]

I saw one for sale somewhere yesterday, so yes. You probably won't find any on the normal auction site these days, though.
And I have two.

 

[peakbagger]

Couch Off Road Engineering has/had a HMMH listed. Jay the owner knows the value and rarity of it but may need cash with Covid. Somewhere in the very long SEE thread is some "history" regarding this particular unit. Someone bought it from Jay subject to getting a title and Jay was unable to supply one as quickly as the buyer expected, there was also some issues with costs of repairs. Things got heated and Jay eventually bought it back. That the potential buyer was paying to have repairs done was a red flag that perhaps he was over his head. I think it came direct from auction and paperwork sometimes took a long time to happen and many never had a title. Unless a buyer is willing to do their own work, they are effectively paying someone to learn on the job on the HMMH specific components. HMMH specific parts are not stocked by Mercedes and any spares inventory is slim, mostly folks who attend government auctions and resell on Ebay. I see HMMH specific parts on occasion mislabeled as SEE parts.

The HMMH is a very low production vehicle relative to the SEE. Several reportedly have been sold as non operable parts vehicles at auction and expect they were past repair and no longer exist. Some were transferred to states through federal surplus programs and they may or may still be sitting in a state yard somewhere (nebraska had one) in questionable condition as its an "orphan" that typical equipment mechanics would have little experience with. Expedition Imports bought at least one and sold the HMMH crane and possibly the forklift for someone who just wanted the chassis. The components do not readily bolt up to any other 406 chassis and expect those parts are sitting somewhere uninstalled, Optimistically there may be less than 100 left out there and FLU has two of them.

 

[The FLU farm]

I would not make that one Couch bought back a priority buy. It must've taken a bit of a beating, based on the "history" in the thread.
Then again, if it lived through that ownership, it can't be all bad.

The one for sale I saw is here on S/S, by the way. Looks like it has a broken cylinder mount, and I think the asking price is high.
Of course, I shouldn't complain. It should make the one I bought as a spare (which is practically museum quality) worth quite a bit.

I was sure I'd break the first one within weeks, but since I haven't (yet), I could sell the spare, I suppose. Wouldn't hurt to free up some garage space.

 

[peakbagger]

I would not make that one Couch bought back a priority buy. It must've taken a bit of a beating, based on the "history" in the thread.
Then again, if it lived through that ownership, it can't be all bad.

The one for sale I saw is here on S/S, by the way. Looks like it has a broken cylinder mount, and I think the asking price is high.
Of course, I shouldn't complain. It should make the one I bought as a spare (which is practically museum quality) worth quite a bit.

I was sure I'd break the first one within weeks, but since I haven't (yet), I could sell the spare, I suppose. Wouldn't hurt to free up some garage space.

This boom cylinder broken mount is listed in the collection of service tips as a known problem from improper operation. Its stored in the Misc tech manuals section. I cant do a direct link right now but if you search the site for this it should come up Extracts%20from%20the%20ARMY%20PN%20Magazine%20pertaining%20to%20SEE%20and%20HMMH.pdf

It is a recapped unit so was rebuilt near the end of the cycle but by the looks of the paint its had a hard life since. The broken mount would need repair but a competent welder could rebuild.(an incompetent welder could really screw it up as its a high stress point) As for value, FLU farm is the best to comment, given that more common SEE's in good condition are on the market for 25 to 26 K asking price currently I would expect a fully functional HMMH would have a higher asking price. Obviously asking price is not selling price.

BTW, the engine listed in the data sheet is a Detroit. Its highly unlikely its a Detroit, its a Mercedes OM 352. That implies they are pretty clueless on what they have.

 

[glcaines]

Are the forklift/crane versions still selling? Anyone here have one?

Eastern Surplus in Philadelphia has one for sale.

 

[Russ Knight]

Eastern Surplus in Philadelphia has one for sale.

It looks a bit ragged.

 

[The FLU farm]

It sure does. But that doesn't mean it can't be a good machine, once repaired.