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Truck Markings

Petesos

New member
Hi To All
I own an AM GENERAL M813A1 cargo And i know from reading through the forums on SS that there are two types of grill (the slated heavy one and the lighter type and that the USMC had the heavy type more robust and the ARMY//ECT had the lighter one .
Now on my truck the number on the side of the (bonnet/bumper/rear tailgate valence reads NLO1TQ US ARMY ,,,,,,,,NOW if the front grill (the heavy type) was known to be used by the USMC only, should my number read NLO1TQ USMC . can anyone help me with this as i want to keep the truck as original as possible out of respect for our allies across the water .
Pete
 

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davidkroberts

Active member
1,453
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38
Location
west tennessee
first off very nicely done and welcome to the site. We dont have near enough members from across the pond. I am a Marine and ill look at some of the older photos i have to see what is correct. Additional pics of the artillery would be appreciated.
 

txdodge43man

New member
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Location
Magnolia, texas
Every picture I have see of USMC trucks the Marine Corps from WWII to present did not have any letters besides USMC. they would have USMC and the number. I was told by a former Marine that the hood number was the last digets in the equipments serial number on the data plate but im not 100% on that.
 

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jaxsof

Member
584
15
18
Location
Dundalk, MD
Only the early 809 series had the tubular grill, and if it went through a rebuild it got the heavier flat-stock version.
 

Petesos

New member
This is multipull orgasmick i will take a look at the actual date of the truck plate but i need to be carefull as our government has brought out laws to try and take us off the road as any vehicle registerd after 1960 would need to come under present day testing laws and that is very exspensive but we are trying to fight this as MVT members when all we are doing is trying to preserve our history in past conflics and remember the heroes who gave there lives for our freedom........enough said .....but GOD BLESS AMERICA
 

M813rc

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,218
3,260
113
Location
Near Austin, Texas
The Marines used the slat grill only, the Army used both slat and tube grills.

Marine markings on the hood would be USMC, a space, then the 6-digit serial number (eg USMC 521763), all in 2" letters/numerals. The USMC also goes on the drivers side front and rear. The serial number is SOMETIMES on the passenger side front and rear.

Post Vietnam era there is also a coded unit ID number that is on both sides and usually somewhere on the back (look at Marine 800/900 series 5-tons, the M number is all over the place on the back, no standard placement). It is usually in the middle of the driver/passenger doors if the truck has doors. On other types, it is just somewhere on the side. This number is an M followed by 5 numbers (eg M21691), also in 2" stencils.

If your data plate has that number/letter combo you quoted on it, it is an Army truck.

Marine trucks often have the tire pressure marked as ## PSI (1") rather than the more commonly seen Army TP ##.

Another interesting note is that post-WW2 USMC trucks usually don't have bridge plates, the Marines didn't use them.

The attached pictures should illustrate what I am rambling on about.

Cheers

.
 

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M813rc

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
4,218
3,260
113
Location
Near Austin, Texas
The bridge plate is that yellow disk on your grill in picture 1 of your first post. It gives the weight classification of the vehicle and any towed loads for crossing bridges.

Weight rating is derived from some arcane formula that takes into account weights of the vehicle (loaded and unloaded), number of axles, (length of track as appropriate), towed loads, etc. I believe there is a cauldron involved and an intoxicated newt gets waved about at some point.
Bridge weights are in many of the vehicle operator manuals, or in a separate manual, it equates to ROUGHLY 85% of the total weight of the vehicle/load.

When towing a trailer (or gun, in your case) the top plate will have the C showing (combination).

Clear as mud?? :)
I looked all this up some time back and posted it, I'll search for a link to that one.

Cheers
 

Petesos

New member
Just found a few more photos on me mobyphony so i thought i would show you guys ,,,,the Tank is a Hellcat owned by my bud i dont know if the video will play but it is me and my mate having a play at a show The three tucks are two GMCs and my 813 as me and the brothers went for a picnik in the woods ,,,,,,,,,A few beers some good 40s music and chilling out in the sun pure bliss and to finish the day off we let a few few rounds off on the gas powerd 50 cal
 

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CARNAC

The Envelope Please.
Supporting Vendor
8,280
655
113
Location
Corpus Christi, TX
Hi To All
I own an AM GENERAL M813A1 cargo And i know from reading through the forums on SS that there are two types of grill (the slated heavy one and the lighter type and that the USMC had the heavy type more robust and the ARMY//ECT had the lighter one .
Now on my truck the number on the side of the (bonnet/bumper/rear tailgate valence reads NLO1TQ US ARMY ,,,,,,,,NOW if the front grill (the heavy type) was known to be used by the USMC only, should my number read NLO1TQ USMC . can anyone help me with this as i want to keep the truck as original as possible out of respect for our allies across the water .
Pete
Your truck was US Army.

Unit Ident Code:
WD4LAA Nomenclature:
TRUCK CARGO D/S 5-TON Model:
M813A1 NSN:
2320000508913 Serial Number:
C13610751 Registration Number:
NL01TQ Year of Mfg:
1972 Manufacturer:
65909
Info as of Sep 2005

Unfortunately someone fat fingered the data input for the unit identification so it is highly unlikely we can ever find out what specific unit it belonged to.

Then again, the bumper numbers are for a unit that was in Germany. 8th Transportation Group, 28th Transportation Battalion (the 58 not sure) and the 501st was a Transportation Unit in Kleber Kaserne near K-town. The unit was inactivated I think but there is a webpage of former unit members. If you got one of them to look at a set of their old assignment orders, you could probably match up the Unit Identification Code (UIC) and if close, I'd probably say that was it.
 
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