675Striple's FAV

[675striple]

Hello all,

I am a car, motorcycle, and all things engine powered with wheels fan. I have several projects in the works (classic cars), and would be glad to share those some other time.

Here is my Chenowth Fast Attack Vehicle. I picked it up in Nevada, but it now resides with me in the Midwest. I do not know any of it's history definitively. Everything I have learned has been through other FAV owners, and previous soldiers with first hand knowledge that operated them. I believe strongly that this particular FAV spent part of it's life at the DOE serving as a security vehicle due to the paint scheme and modifications made to the roof, windscreen, and gun mount. (I have a copy of a photo from the fastattackvehicle.com website for reference I can post below too.)

If anyone has any photo requests please let me know.

Here is how the FAV looked as I got it. My original intent was to just get it running and safe to drive, as I also had a classic mustang on a rotisserie at the same time. Then focus on a thorough restoration later.



It was mostly complete, but in poor cosmetic condition. The engine was on a pallet along with the rear skid plate/engine cradle. It came with a bunch of spares, some of which I have since sold to other FAV owners.

Here is the engine as I tore it down.



I dropped the engine off at a VW specialist for rebuild. He was only able to reuse the cases, everything else was too worn to reuse.

 

[675striple]

Before I had the engine back I joined a military vehicle club and was invited to participate in a 4th of July parade. Not phased with an inoperable FAV my club let me borrow a CUCV to tow it in the parade.



After getting the engine back, installed and running I then had to modify my exhaust.... The exhaust that came with the FAV was sans muffler, and had a custom straight pipe on it. I purchased an offroad exhaust styled similar to the FAV, but not exact as none could be found. The lower frame/engine cradle could not be re-installed because the muffler was sticking out too far. After lots of cutting and welding I routed it as close to photos I had seen of how it would have been.

(crazy custom exhaust it came with prior to rebuild)



(New exhaust before and after modification comparison)



After exhaust the brakes needed attention. I couldn't get a good bleed on the rear brakes, I tracked it down to the cutting brake. And of course I couldn't find a rebuild kit, or a NOS one. All the aftermarket ones had different outputs and overall dimensions. So I found one as alike as possible and then had to do some modification to get it to fit. I moved the rear mounting bracket back a few inches and made new hard rear brake lines. I finished it with a new coat of sand paint.

 

[675striple]

This is about the time I decided to go not full send, but time to change it back to woodland paint. I scuff sanded the entire body and frame. I found pictures of another FAV at a museum that I liked the camo pattern on and tried to copy it with a few ad libs. You want to start with the base color (usually the lightest) in my case green, then brown, and finish with black. No chalk marks, no masking off, just free hand the pattern. Overspray makes it look more authentic.

 

[675striple]

Some more photos of the finished paint job.

 

[675striple]

I found that the soldiers used tankers helmets so I purchased a set off of Fleebay. I also found that I wanted to extend the windshield all the way across like it would have been originally. Using the cut down one I took it to a plastics shop. They were able to manufacture one for me out of acrylic.



This is also about the time I pulled the trigger and bought a period correct radio and antenna.

 

[675striple]

We've taken it to a bunch of parades and car shows. It's always fun to see reactions when I drive it down the road. I'll have a different thread just for show and parade pictures if anyone is interested. Right now it is sitting under my deck in need of a good wash and waiting for my shop to be finished.

 

[Mogman]

Hello all,

I am a car, motorcycle, and all things engine powered with wheels fan. I have several projects in the works (classic cars), and would be glad to share those some other time.

Here is my Chenowth Fast Attack Vehicle. I picked it up in Nevada, but it now resides with me in the Midwest. I do not know any of it's history definitively. Everything I have learned has been through other FAV owners, and previous soldiers with first hand knowledge that operated them. I believe strongly that this particular FAV spent part of it's life at the DOE serving as a security vehicle due to the paint scheme and modifications made to the roof, windscreen, and gun mount. (I have a copy of a photo from the fastattackvehicle.com website for reference I can post below too.)

If anyone has any photo requests please let me know.

Here is how the FAV looked as I got it.
View attachment 873036View attachment 873037

It was mostly complete, but in poor cosmetic condition. The engine was on a pallet along with the rear skid plate/engine cradle. It came with a bunch of spares, some of which I have since sold to other FAV owners.

Here is the engine as I tore it down.

View attachment 873038View attachment 873039View attachment 873040View attachment 873041

I dropped the engine off at a VW specialist for rebuild. He was only able to reuse the cases, everything else was too worn to reuse.

View attachment 873043View attachment 873044View attachment 873045

Yet another "just like" moments between your FAV and mine, same casting numbers and the same blue anodized spacers in the rocker shafts..
Did you ever check the bore and stroke?

 

[675striple]

Yet another "just like" moments between your FAV and mine, same casting numbers and the same blue anodized spacers in the rocker shaft..
Did you ever check the bore and stroke?

I think I have it recorded somewhere on the receipt for the engine work. I'll have to dig it up, but may take me awhile. I remember the builder was impressed with the parts and said it was definitely not "stock"

 

[675striple]

New photos posted above.

 

[jshull11873]

I found that the soldiers used tankers helmets so I purchased a set off of Fleebay. I also found that I wanted to extend the windshield all the way across like it would have been originally. Using the cut down one I took it to a plastics shop. They were able to manufacture one for me out of acrylic.

View attachment 873153View attachment 873155View attachment 873156View attachment 873157View attachment 873158View attachment 873159

This is also about the time I pulled the trigger and bought a period correct radio and antenna.

View attachment 873160View attachment 873161View attachment 873162

I’m glad to see the gun rack. I guess I need to put mine back on. I thought it was something someone added.

 

[Mogman]

I’m glad to see the gun rack. I guess I need to put mine back on. I thought it was something someone added.

It is one of the common features of the "Nevada" FAVs but those are the only ones that have that rack that I can find.

 

[jshull11873]

It is one of the common features of the "Nevada" FAVs but those are the only ones that have that rack that I can find.

I guess that would definitely confirm where mine came from.

 

[Mogman]

I guess that would definitely confirm where mine came from.

The common traits appear to be a chopped up dash, most with a smaller 1" piece of tubing replacing the 1 1/2" on the passenger side, an "eyebrow" cut in the passenger side of the roof, the gun racks, the mount for the M2HB coming up through the hood, a pipe mount on one rear corner of the roof, a plate welded to the center of the rear roof support tubing (sticking out the back) this may be on others too so that may have been done before the 16 FAVs were sent to Nevada, four holes in the center front of the roof area that was most likely used to support a civilian (Motorola) radio control head, the DOE used civilian contractors ( The DOE is not a branch of the military) and they likely used secured Motorola radios, the absence of a 24V converter, an hour meter mounted to the rear of the drivers side intake plenum.
All I can think of at the moment.
The Army used a breakaway mount that replaced the roof to mount an M2HB or 40MM MK-19 grenade launcher up top and many had an M60D mounted for the passenger (commander) to use while sitting, but the breakaway mount must have been added after the 16 FAVs were sent to Nevada as apparently those still had the roofs attached.
EDIT it looks like the FAVs were sent to Nevada before they did some type of rebuild/upgrade to the remaining FAVs IIRC that rebuild tag had a 1985 date so they were pretty new when transferred to the DOE.
OH yes they still had the civilian off road headlights and non military stop/turn lights.

 

[jshull11873]

The common traits appear to be a chopped up dash, most with a smaller 1" piece of tubing replacing the 1 1/2" on the passenger side, an "eyebrow" cut in the passenger side of the roof, the gun racks, the mount for the M2HB coming up through the hood, a pipe mount on one rear corner of the roof, a plate welded to the center of the rear roof support tubing (sticking out the back) this may be on others too so that may have been done before the 16 FAVs were sent to Nevada, four holes in the center front of the roof area that was most likely used to support a civilian (Motorola) radio control head (the DOE used civilian contractors and they likely used secured Motorola radios) the absence of a 24V converter, an hour meter mounted to the rear of the drivers side intake plenum.
All I can think of at the moment
The Army used a breakaway mount that replaced the roof to mount an M2HB or 40MM MK-19 grenade launcher up top and many had an M60D mounted for the passenger (commander) to use while sitting, but the breakaway mount must have been added after the 16 FAVs were sent to Nevada as apparently those still had the roofs attached.

I have most of those features. The dash bar is cut and a smaller tube inserted. The gun racks, M2 mount, the four holes in the roof, and plate on roof bar are all present. I don’t have the eyebrow cut it appears mine was cut all the way across. No hour meter, no pipe. I do have the CNC disc brakes. Do any of the others have this? I have also contacted the son of the man who supposedly bought two FAV’s (#13 mine and #25) as surplus. I have not nor has anyone else I’ve spoken with seen #25 but the gentleman owns a military surplus supply and has a large collection of vehicles so I believe he does have it in storage. If it was with mine it’s probably from Nevada also.

 

[Mogman]

I have most of those features. The dash bar is cut and a smaller tube inserted. The gun racks, M2 mount, the four holes in the roof, and plate on roof bar are all present. I don’t have the eyebrow cut it appears mine was cut all the way across. No hour meter, no pipe. I do have the CNC disc brakes. Do any of the others have this? I have also contacted the son of the man who supposedly bought two FAV’s (#13 mine and #25) as surplus. I have not nor has anyone else I’ve spoken with seen #25 but the gentleman owns a military surplus supply and has a large collection of vehicles so I believe he does have it in storage. If it was with mine it’s probably from Nevada also.

It looks like someone cropped the roof off to "fix" the eyebrow problem, I doubt any had disc brakes, yours is the first I have seen.
Did you have three holes or remnants of three holes where the hour meter was mounted under the driver side air filter?
It looks like it was in civilian hands for a while before you bought it, mine was too but he did almost nothing to it.
Where did the side baskets come from, they look a little different than any of the other FAVs

 

[jshull11873]

I’ll have to look at the air box when I get home. I’m not going to swear the one on the vehicle is the one it came with. I had another and would have used the best. I do have to other also. The baskets should be standard. I think the expanded aluminum was removed from the sides. I’ll replace that one day. It’s not a top priority for me though. I think the roof was trimmed also judging from everyone else’s. The disc brakes are period correct pieces according to my research. The DPV’s run the same brakes. So that one is a toss up. I do have another set of rear control arms with drum brakes. I’m thinking they changed those during production from the square type we have to the tube type. I have to square on my vehicle. The spare set are the tube type. You had mentioned there were 16 in Nevada. I know where the other is that was sold as a lot with mine. I would guess it’s from Nevada also with them being together. There are 12 FAV’s awaiting destruction at Groom Lake in Nevada. That’s where my spare parts came from. The paint on the spare parts matched what was on mine perfectly. That probably accounts for all 16.