Unknown M151 Antenna??? Mount

[Madmedic]

Doing this as a separate thread. Have restored a M151A1, (see Batguano). On the Rear Passenger's side, is a mount. My 1st thought was an antenna mount. I have since been told that it's not. Anyone know what this is for?

 

[nattieleather]

I've been in this hobby for over 35 or so years and I've never seen anything like that on a M151. It looks like an antenna mount, but it's not correct for the AB-15 or the As-1729 type antennas that would have been used with the 151s. Did your MUTT have a previous civilian owner? Maybe they made something to look military, but hold a CB or Ham radio antenna? That's a puzzler for me. I hope someone will have the answer and let us know. I would love to learn something new...

 

[snakeyes]

I've been in this hobby for over 35 or so years and I've never seen anything like that on a M151. It looks like an antenna mount, but it's not correct for the AB-15 or the As-1729 type antennas that would have been used with the 151s. Did your MUTT have a previous civilian owner? Maybe they made something to look military, but hold a CB or Ham radio antenna? That's a puzzler for me. I hope someone will have the answer and let us know. I would love to learn something new...

what size hole could it have been for mounting a flag ?

 

[Madmedic]

The history as I know it, after military service..... Was purchased by the previous owner as a cut unit. Being a Fire Chief for the City of Baytown, Texas, he had men in his department weld it back together again. Unfortunately, in their zeal to "restore" it for their chief they used a lot of bondo all over the vehicle. They did a great job on the repair/reinforcement of the body cut. I have removed some of the bondo, revealing a large number of holes in the floor and sidewall of the rear passenger compartment.

Clearly at one time the rear seat was removed for electronics. I have the book "The Sentinel and the Shooter" which is a history of the unit in Viet Nam written by a member of the unit during that time. The books says that a number of different radios & Radio Detection units were used, Buuuuutttt it also says that while many jeeps were equipped with the larger box radios, most of the time they used PRC-25's and 77's with voice scramblers.

The hole in the mount (IMHO) is too large for flag poles, and has no bottom, so a pole put in,would drop all the way down unless there was some kind of ring on the flag pole to hold it in. That being said, IT IS A POSSIBILITY because the previous owner did like to use it and his 725 for Parades.

 

[snakeyes]

what is the diameter of the hole in the bracket you have

 

[BillIdaho]

I grew up on the south side of Chicago, spent 24 years on patrol and SWAT, been to a Rose Bowl parade, and driven across the country from tip to tip (N-S and E-W. ---------------------------
and I ain't never seen nuthin' like that before.


If the rig was ever used near or on a runway, possibly for the orange and white checkered safety flag?
It is NOT comm-related. Interesting to say the least. Take it off and see if it is stamped "Bubba" on the back side.

 

[Madmedic]

Out of town right now. Helping Carlos Manning set up a booth at Reenactment in Illinois this weekend. I'll measure the hole when I get back to town.

 

[lpcoating]

The history as I know it, after military service..... Was purchased by the previous owner as a cut unit. Being a Fire Chief for the City of Baytown, Texas, he had men in his department weld it back together again. Unfortunately, in their zeal to "restore" it for their chief they used a lot of bondo all over the vehicle. They did a great job on the repair/reinforcement of the body cut. I have removed some of the bondo, revealing a large number of holes in the floor and sidewall of the rear passenger compartment.

Clearly at one time the rear seat was removed for electronics. I have the book "The Sentinel and the Shooter" which is a history of the unit in Viet Nam written by a member of the unit during that time. The books says that a number of different radios & Radio Detection units were used, Buuuuutttt it also says that while many jeeps were equipped with the larger box radios, most of the time they used PRC-25's and 77's with voice scramblers.

The hole in the mount (IMHO) is too large for flag poles, and has no bottom, so a pole put in,would drop all the way down unless there was some kind of ring on the flag pole to hold it in. That being said, IT IS A POSSIBILITY because the previous owner did like to use it and his 725 for Parades.

Let me know if you need any body panels.

Guy

 

[nattieleather]

I saw a pic the other day of Gen. Westmorland in a 151 reviewing the troops and they had made a pipe hoop from one side of the body to the other so he could stand and hold on to the bar while the truck was moving. Maybe yours had something like that?