Question for the armored vehicle guru's

[Djfreema]

I had a co worker call me today and tell me about an armored vehicle that is 6 wheel drive, has a chrysler engine in it and looks like the armored vehicle from the movie "The dirty dozen" only its bigger, thats the only info I have. Anybody have any idea of what might fit that profile? I wanted to do some research before heading down to look at it because the person that has it doesn't know or care what it is. Thanks in advance, Devin

 

[Elwenil]

Nothing I can think of off the top of my head fits that description. Any idea what era it is from? Some of the Cadillac Gage vehicles had drivetrains based on Chrysler V8 engines but most of them that were larger than 4x4 models got a diesel of some sort. Same with Mowag vehicles, a few of them used Chrysler engines but nothing in a 6x6 or larger configuration. Might be some sort of a prototype that didn't make it into my books (yet) but if it's Mopar powered, I'm definitely interested in learning more about it. If you go check it out, please take a camera!

There are several vehicles that are Cummins powered, is it possible he might be thinking Dodge truck Cummins and making that sort of connection? I'll keep looking as some odd APC have been built that used Chrysler engines (quite a few in Europe) that I didn't read up on too carefully because of the odd chance one might have made it to the US in some form. The book that goes into the most detail is all text, and is not indexed for searching so it may take me a bit but I'll post up if I see anything related.

 

[mikes47jeep]

it could possibly be a M8 greyhound



http://www.armyrecognition.com/euro...ctures/M8_GreyHound_Tanks_in_Town_2005_01.jpg

 

[tractor]

or m20 is the only thing i can think of

 

[Elwenil]

The M8 Greyhound was Ford powered and I'm not sure what the M20 is. The only M20 reference I have was a 12 ton British truck that pulled a M19 trailer for tank retrieval.

EDIT: Nevermind, my book has the M8 Greyhound listed but only mentions the M20 in passing since it was a "Utility" model without a turret and just a MG on a ring mount. Either way both models were built by Ford and are Ford powered.

 

[Elwenil]

So far all I've found are several light armored 4x4 models from Israel, Belgium, Chile, South Africa as well as the before mentioned Mowag from Switzerland and a few tracked models from West Germany and the US. I would guess that either this is an experimental model that was either never adopted, or was repowered during evaluation to a more powerful engine an thus the information available lists the production engine, it was repowered after it's release from the military or the finder is mistaken in his identification of a Chrysler engine. There have been many models powered by GMC, Cadillac, Hercules, Ford and a few other US based engines that were built around the world but most are 4x4 models or very old 6x6 models that sometimes use dual engines.

 

[Djfreema]

Thanks for the info. It is second hand from my co worker and I will be contacting the owner tomorrow to see about looking at it and will provide pics and details when I get them, hopefully I can go look at it tomorrow.

 

[Elwenil]

Good deal. I know you will keep us posted. If possible, pics of the usual views will help us put a name to it. Usually the details of the front plate, light arrangement, side panel configuration, exhaust outlets, cooling vents, hatches and ports and the wheel type and spacing are the best ways to ID an APC since most are simply copies of other APCs or variations of a similar theme. If there is a Mopar (I am assuming big block) powered 6x6 APC out there, I'd love to learn as much about it as possible.

 

[rmgill]

What is the age?

It COULD be a prototype from WWII OR a more recent test bed vehicle.

 

[M813rc]

opcorn:

 

[DDoyle]

Both the M8 and the M20 were built by Ford, but powered by Hercules JXD engines. The Cadillac-Gage V-100 was powered by a Chrysler, but only had 4 wheels. The Brits have a 6-wheeled armored car, the Alvis Saladin, but its powered by a big Rolls-Royce engine.

Haven't seen the Dirty Dozen in many, many years, so don't remember the vehicle in it.

HTH,
David

 

[Elwenil]

I've got it on DVD around here somewhere so I may pop it in and look at it a bit to see if it jogs anything from my memory. Doesn't appear the news is going to talk about anything other than OJ and the auto industry anyway, lol.

 

[Djfreema]

A little update. I spoke to the guy that owns it and he said its a 54 International military truck with 3 axles but couldnt give me any other info. He is going to send me some pictures but it doesnt sound like its as good of a find as I was hoping. I do know it was registered as historical in Ca. and the previous owner ran out of fuel and left it on the side of the road. It was then impounded and the owner couldnt afford to get it out so it went to lein sale and the tow yard has now had it about a year just sitting in their yard. The guy says it weighs at least 20K lbs and he thinks its convertible. So it sounds like probably just a cargo truck. I will post pics of it when I get them. Thanks for all your input, sorry it sounds like a let down. I was hoping it was one of those "barn finds".

 

[Djfreema]

Sorry for the let down fellas.

 

[Elwenil]

Well it's not armored, or Mopar powered but it is interesting and big, lol. What is it exactly, a bridge truck?

 

[Djfreema]

I guess thats what happens when one guy that doesnt know anything about MV's tells another guy who doesnt know anything about them who told me. It looks long and wide., I would guess a bridge truck too. Havent called him back yet for a price as I am not interested in it.

 

[bigbee]

Maybe a bridge truck with a lwb cargo bed?

Yeah, to the normal "civilian" I can see a resemblence between that and the "armored vehicle" from "The Dirty Dozen." They've gotta be talking about the 18t FAMO at the end of the movie and if you squint REAL HARD and imagine Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson on top it could be the same truck!

 

[ONTOS66]

It was big and green and had 3 axles.

Sort of like the fable about the 3 blind men describing an elephant. The first felt the trunk, the second felt a leg and the third felt the torso - none were close to describing the actual beast.

With the original description I was thinking that what ever it was it might have been repowered. I ran across a piece of armor a while back that was converted from a gas engine to a diesel engine and from a manual transmission to an automatic transmission. It all depends on what the owner is trying to accomplish and what resources he has available.

Like the some of the power conversions that people have done on CUCVs, both diesel and gas .. not to mention transmissions, and on and on

No photo - no clue

 

[BRDM2nco]

Fella in CA has a Saracen for sale right now, could be that.

 

[73m819]

as a side note the 12t m20 was a diamond t US built not British also when pulling the 45t trailer the compleat unit became a m19