M56B1 questions

[uraniumwolf22]

Hello guys, new to this forum and most things MV if I'm being honest.

Long story short I ended getting this vehicle for $2k. The man just wanted it off his property... runs, drives, has historic plates and is currently registered.

Looking into restoring it. I very much enjoy restoration projects and an MV would be new to me. Digging around I haven't been able to find much about this vehicle... other than its a contact maintenance variant of the M56B1 (I think) if anyone could shed some light on what exactly it is, how much it is worth, and what you all think i should do with it?

 

[Travlr]

Hello guys, new to this forum and most things MV if I'm being honest.

Long story short I ended getting this vehicle for $2k. The man just wanted it off his property... runs, drives, has historic plates and is currently registered.

Looking into restoring it. I very much enjoy restoration projects and an MV would be new to me. Digging around I haven't been able to find much about this vehicle... other than its a contact maintenance variant of the M56B1 (I think) if anyone could shed some light on what exactly it is, how much it is worth, and what you all think i should do with it?View attachment 916291View attachment 916292View attachment 916293View attachment 916294

Don't see many of those around. In fact it's the only one I've seen. Looks very original and complete. Very cool. What's it worth? I have no idea, but rare doesn't necessarily mean high value. But then again... it only takes one guy that has to own it and is willing to pay you for it.
Very cool.
Not really any of my business... but I hope you won't rip it apart without really being interested and having the ability to restore it. Lots of these rigs get taken apart with the best of intentions and never get put back together again.

 

[uraniumwolf22]

Don't see many of those around. In fact it's the only one I've seen. Looks very original and complete. Very cool. What's it worth? I have no idea, but rare doesn't necessarily mean high value. But then again... it only takes one guy that has to own it and is willing to pay you for it.
Very cool.
Not really any of my business... but I hope you won't rip it apart without really being interested and having the ability to restore it. Lots of these rigs get taken apart with the best of intentions and never get put back together again.

I certainly am very interested. This kind of thing is right down my alley and typically I'm pretty mechanically inclined/good at finishing things. Awesome to hear it's sort of rare regardless of value. I don't really plan on selling it anyways... I'll post updates

 

[G744]

The welder drives off the rear drive shaft, IMHO.

There is one in the local MV club, not as nice as yours.

Dennis

 

[NDT]

What it is: The idea behind this truck is to provide a way to repair equipment in the field rather than hauling broken materiel back to the depot, FOB, etc. The maintenance team would make "contact" with whatever and fix it in situ. There were not too many of these trucks made, probably a few hundred. The military still uses this concept, the HMMWV based trucks are now called SECM or Shop Equipment Contact Maintenance.

You have a fine example there, I can see kids drooling over it at a Touch-a-truck event .... so cool with the huge welder etc.

 

[uraniumwolf22]

What it is: The idea behind this truck is to provide a way to repair equipment in the field rather than hauling broken materiel back to the depot, FOB, etc. The maintenance team would make "contact" with whatever and fix it in situ. There were not too many of these trucks made, probably a few hundred. The military still uses this concept, the HMMWV based trucks are now called SECM or Shop Equipment Contact Maintenance.

You have a fine example there, I can see kids drooling over it at a Touch-a-truck event .... so cool with the huge welder etc.

Thanks for the info brother!

 

[HDN]

That looks sharp! That would get attention at car shows, especially with a fresh coat of paint. Great find!

I always enjoyed driving my dad's M37 - I hope you enjoy it too!

 

[Guyfang]

I looked at one in Grafenwöhr, Germany yesterday. Its on display. Back in 2006 it ran, dont know about now.

 

[Migginsbros]

Great find.

 

[msgjd]

.....and what you all think i should do with it?

that's an easy 1 , 2, 3 !

1: Close that hood and take a sunny-day picture among the "foliage" without any civilization in the background
2: Take said picture and submit it in the "Welcome to the February 2024 MV of the Month Nomination Thread!"
3: Ask Migginsbros if the grand prize is his migginsmobile (super-mog) should your truck win

 

[msgjd]

Welcome to the MV disease .. I thought i was cured and wanted no more to do with MV's by the time i was discharged the 3rd time around.. But apparently not .. In less than two years I had a hankering for my early days and fell off the wagon.. The inevitable marriage counseling and divorce did not cure it either

you are forewarned , there is no cure for some !

 

[msgjd]

About your truck :: you almost have a unicorn

During my long tenure I was around the last few inventoried M37's and M715's briefly, then the M880's, and lastly the chevys ... Not to mention all of the big stuff wheeled and tracked .. As a young lad MV's always caught my eye.. During the early vietnam years I would run outside to wave and watch an entire armor battalion of jeeps and trucks of all sizes pass in convoy.. Twice a year those convoys were better and longer than any parade I would ever see , and there was nothing else like the sound of them, gas, diesel, and multifuel trucks of all sizes making smoke as they ran up through the gears from the last stop sign in town .

What I am getting at is, I have seen late-60's (amc) M724, late-70's (dodge) M887, and 1980's (chevy) M1031 contact maint trucks...
BUT NEVER have I seen what you have there.. Not in museums, nor as a kid watching those convoys, nor as a long-time soldier, and not after

 

[G744]

The one here (maybe was, now) in the Phoenix metro came from the Guard base in a DRMO auction in the mid-80's.

Legend has it, it was the last G741 in inventory there. It still ran great, so it wasn't to be offed. So some enterprising individual drained the oil, ran it, and when it locked up it was declared unrepairable. Off to the auction it went.

It filtered thru several owners, one of which replaced the engine with a good one. I wound up with the original, sitting in my storage along with a new crank to be restored.

 

[Guyfang]

When I got to Germany in early 1973, there was still a M56B1 at our Engineer Shop, (Ground Power) and they used it almost every day. Contact runs to all three Firing Batteries, BOC, Battalion Operations Center along with all our Relay sites. Handy, dandy thing, a Contact Truck. We drove all the M37 types trucks to DRMO in 1974. Good road trip!

 

[Guyfang]

You might be able to use these.

 

[uraniumwolf22]

About your truck :: you almost have a unicorn

During my long tenure I was around the last few inventoried M37's and M715's briefly, then the M880's, and lastly the chevys ... Not to mention all of the big stuff wheeled and tracked .. As a young lad MV's always caught my eye.. During the early vietnam years I would run outside to wave and watch an entire armor battalion of jeeps and trucks of all sizes pass in convoy.. Twice a year those convoys were better and longer than any parade I would ever see , and there was nothing else like the sound of them, gas, diesel, and multifuel trucks of all sizes making smoke as they ran up through the gears from the last stop sign in town .

What I am getting at is, I have seen late-60's (amc) M724, late-70's (dodge) M887, and 1980's (chevy) M1031 contact maint trucks...
BUT NEVER have I seen what you have there.. Not in museums, nor as a kid watching those convoys, nor as a long-time soldier, and not after

Wow! Awesome to hear I've got something unique...

 

[uraniumwolf22]

You might be able to use these.

Thanks! These will definitely be useful

 

[Guyfang]

The parts TM for the truck is to be had, but only if you buy it.

 

[flyfishtrailer]

Awesome truck....if you ever want to unload it...I am just an hour and a half south of you LOL. Can't wait to see more pictures (or see it in person at Camp Plymouth this April!!!! Hint Hint)

 

[uraniumwolf22]

Awesome truck....if you ever want to unload it...I am just an hour and a half south of you LOL. Can't wait to see more pictures (or see it in person at Camp Plymouth this April!!!! Hint Hint)

Hell yeah, very well might see ya there

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