What is this and what is it worth? M57?

[gtgdrew]

I have this old Dodge on my property. It has a weird bed on it and Im thinking about selling it. Does anyone have some info on this truck?

 

[Storm 51]

It looks like what is left of a Navy crash truck after a fire department got done with it.

It is worth whatever the market will bear, depending on the condition of the truck.

 

[gtgdrew]

Its in good shape and it runs and drives.

 

[3dAngus]

I've never heard of a M57, but that doesnt mean it doesnt exist.
One picture doesnt tell the story, but, from what I do see, it could be a M-37 with lots of local fabrication work.
You'll need full all around pictures for people to see to sell it, so they can figure out what it would take to strip that junk metal off of there and rebuild.
Then too, its kinda neat and unique as it is, and a buyer may just want it just like that.
Good luck.put up some more pics and list it in the classifieds. m-37s are bringing good money today.

 

[gunboy1656]

Could have been an m43 ambulance. We have one by me that was similar that was cut the same way.

 

[gunboy1656]

Here Is the pic

 

[FrankUSMC]

Looks like the remains of an MB2. I have seen one almost like this where the doors were removed. The back has been cut, and you can make out the hatch on the roof of the cab.
One of the few, Frank USMC RET

 

[gtgdrew]

mb2

I towed it out of the farm. the tag behind the driver seat says its a "MB2"

 

[nattieleather]

If you could get some info off of that data plate that might help solve the mystery. I'm thinking it's was an M43 ambulance that some cut down to make into that.

@gunboy1656 That's a Kaiser M725 ambulance that has been modified.

 

[gtgdrew]

The data plate says its an MB2

 

[mkcoen]

For those who are curious as to what an original one looks like:

~

 

[Valence]

I also found an image of a 1955 MB2 on this website (from 2007):

http://www.militarytrader.com/milit...the_mvpa_2007_convention-little_rock_arkansas

 

[kubotaman]

Rare truck.

 

[Oldfart]

http://vintagemilitaryvehicles.com/2014/10/super-rare-navy-mb-2-crash-rescue-truck-2/

Plowboy came up with this series of photos. It sold October of 2014 for $6500. This is the most complete M2B I have seen (actually only seen one of these in person and the rest I have found have been photos.) The M2B body was made by Gichner and it was mounted on an M56 chassis. Note the fire nozzle and tanks in the bed as original equipment.

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

So does anyone know how many were built?

 

[mkcoen]

So does anyone know how many were built?

According to David Doyle's U.S. Military Vehicles Field Guide "reportedly 200." Extremely rare and value hard to determine.

 

[Roller]

200

 

[Oldfart]

The better number is 130 M2B's built and as best as I can determine, 308 or 312 of the Air Force R2's were built. There seems to be a different mindset in the purpose of the two trucks. The Navy M2B truck had a foam spray nozzle, chemicals and water on board, no winch and seems designed to suppress fire. On the other hand, the Air Force truck had a ladder stored inside the truck that was pulled out the back to deploy and it was equipped with all sorts of electrically driven power tools (chainsaw) powered by a 180 cycle PTO driven generator. There were entrance hand tools mounted on the back doors of the R2 like and axe and pry bars. All the R2's had a winch with a grapple hook. ~~~ Cabell Garbee has accumulated some photos of both the R2 and M2B on his web site.

 

[dmetalmiki]

A unique looking truck. Surley well worth a resoration job.

 

[Oldfart]

Garbee's website with some M2B photos. Most are R2's, but at the end of the page there is a section with some M2B photos.

http://www.gag.com/~cabell/photos13.htm