Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

this is a spot to post pics of your favorite mutt cause you know we all like to look at them.

Moderators: rickf, raymond, Mr. Recovery

kerryd
civilian
Posts: 5
Joined: September 6th, 2020, 8:52 pm

Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by kerryd » September 6th, 2020, 9:16 pm

Hello.
Yesterday a friend of mine was showing off his M151A1. It looks pretty cherry and he says it's all original. The only thing is, he's not sure what year it is.

I looked for the data plate and there is one under the hood on the firewall and another plate on the side of the engine.

But after searching a number of sites (and thread on this site), I can't find anything that relates to the numbers on his jeep.

The plate on the engine shows SERIAL NO. T245A-257017

Under that are places for the ORD. PART NO. and CONTRACT NO., both of which are blank.

On the firewall is a small plate painted the same colour as the rest of the vehicle, with 2 lines of stamped text/numbers.

ORD # 116605824
BUDD S/N # 8022327

Scratching my head because those numbers don't seem to conform to the formats mentioned on pretty much every site I've looked at (so far). Were any manufactured specifically for export ?
For example, on Harleys, the first character of the serial number is either a "1" (Domestic manufacture) or a "5" (International manufacture).

Maybe the "T" in the serial number denotes a foreign customer (as we know the US supplies a lot of military equipment to various countries over the years in addition to that which may be "lost" or left behind for some reason.

Thanks for your assistance !
M151A1-b.jpg
M151A1-a.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
rickf
General
General
Posts: 19740
Joined: November 26th, 2007, 1:28 pm
Location: Pemberton, NJ.

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by rickf » September 7th, 2020, 8:22 am

The only serial number on a M151 is on the data plate on the dash. That number is assigned by the military when the unit is checked in and sent out to each service unit. They do not come from the factory with serial numbers. The number you found under the hood is the next best thing and it is the assembly line run number. If you send that pic ad information to Ken the muttguru he can tell you the year and month it was made and an approximate range of serial numbers that could have been used but keep in mind that if you just pick one out of mid air you could possibly run the risk of duplicating someones elses registration number and that causes all kinds of problems for both parties. Usually with both vehicles being confiscated until things can be worked out. And add in the fact that the M-151 was never supposed to be made road legal and it could be possible that neither person could get their vehicle back! So, if the numbers he has work for title and registration just leave them alone!!!!
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

User avatar
muttguru
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1992
Joined: November 26th, 2007, 12:18 pm
Location: Li'l ol' England.....

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by muttguru » September 7th, 2020, 4:05 pm

Hello Kerry......

I hate to say this, but that plate on the firewall is, shall we say, not correct. It's a good attempt and it looks like the original (now missing) plate but those numbers bear no relation to what should be there.

There are indications that the original plate used to be there but that has been removed and this plate has been installed in its place.

You can probably hazard a guess as to why the original plate was removed. Your friend may find it worthwhile to talk to the previous owner to see if he removed the original plate or if he still has details of the owner before him....... but somewhere along the line, someone removed the real plate and replaced it with one that didn't allow for anyone to obtain the real provenance of the vehicle.

Ken
Kind regards....
Ken

Always wanted - Details and pictures of M416 Trailer data plates & M151 data plates & body-tags for my research. Thanks!

Contact address - - muttguru@aol.com

Note for 2023..... Ken..."Less Stress - More Exercise!"

acudanut

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by acudanut » September 7th, 2020, 6:34 pm

The engine data plate is no big deal, those engines got swapped out all the time. Do you have a picture of the dash plate ?
Ken, have you seen this before ? Why make fake a BUDD tag ?

kerryd
civilian
Posts: 5
Joined: September 6th, 2020, 8:52 pm

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by kerryd » September 7th, 2020, 7:29 pm

I'll talk to the owner again and find out how he acquired the jeep and see if he knows anything about the plate on the firewall.

It didn't have a plate on the dash (first place I looked). I've found some pics of other M151 dashboards with the data plates in place that I can show him.

A lot of US troops and equipment in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Maybe this jeep "fell off the back of the truck" way back then, which could explain the missing data plate on the dash and the fake plate on the firewall.

There are a number of old "scrap yards" around the country with old WW 2 and Vietnam era equipment in them. I've been trying to find one I visited before that had an old Harley with side car in it, maybe as a restoration project (if the price is right). Saw one with an old Huey, some small "spotter" planes and a couple of small "river boats" as well.
scrapyard-a.jpg
scrapyard-b.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

acudanut

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by acudanut » September 8th, 2020, 2:01 pm

Cool pictures. Do you live in Thailand ?

kerryd
civilian
Posts: 5
Joined: September 6th, 2020, 8:52 pm

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by kerryd » September 8th, 2020, 7:02 pm

acudanut wrote:
September 8th, 2020, 2:01 pm
Cool pictures. Do you live in Thailand ?
Indeed.
Started living here while I was working in Afghanistan (where I went to after I left the military). When the job finished there, I came back here and haven't left.

acudanut

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by acudanut » September 8th, 2020, 10:11 pm

Pretty cool. I would love to own a Spotter plane and a Huey. Your English is perfect. Where are you from ?

kerryd
civilian
Posts: 5
Joined: September 6th, 2020, 8:52 pm

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by kerryd » September 8th, 2020, 10:31 pm

acudanut wrote:
September 8th, 2020, 10:11 pm
Pretty cool. I would love to own a Spotter plane and a Huey. Your English is perfect. Where are you from ?
Canada eh !

User avatar
rickf
General
General
Posts: 19740
Joined: November 26th, 2007, 1:28 pm
Location: Pemberton, NJ.

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by rickf » September 9th, 2020, 10:04 am

Kerry, while sitting here bored I was doing some net surfing and I came across a bunch of crazies racing long tailed canal boats. These things are outrageous!!!! I remember the boats from my time overseas but nothing like 500 horsepower twin turbo diesels!! I have always said that the Asian people are some of the most innovative in the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB0qtd6IVOc
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

User avatar
Horst
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1956
Joined: December 9th, 2007, 6:21 am
Location: Munich, Germany

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by Horst » September 9th, 2020, 11:37 am

interesting 6x6 jeep in the first picture.

But I want the Huey, always wanted to fly one, maybe I have to buy one to do so...
Horst

1972 USMC M151A2 w/ROPS (ex Barstow) and M416
1962 M201 and trailer
1966 GTO,1982 E350 Skoolie, 1987 SJ413, 1987 911
Gone: 2xM35A2c, Unimog 404S, Hanomag AL28, DKW Munga

User avatar
m3a1
Lt. General
Lt. General
Posts: 4028
Joined: August 7th, 2014, 6:36 pm

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by m3a1 » September 9th, 2020, 12:03 pm

Long-tailed...whaaa? Um...no thank you.. I had a bad experience with an overpowered Wooster Hellion once.

kerryd
civilian
Posts: 5
Joined: September 6th, 2020, 8:52 pm

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by kerryd » September 20th, 2020, 9:18 am

OK. Just talked to the owner again about this jeep.

He says it came from the Thai Army which sold them off as surplus when they bought something newer.

No doubt built in the USA, sold/given to the Thai Army and then........who knows how it became "surplus" but if someone went through the trouble of changing the plate on the firewall and adding new one with a bogus BUDD number, then it may have "fallen off the truck" somewhere along the line.

I showed him pics of other jeeps with the data plate near the steering column. He has never seen it so it probably disappeared at the same time the ID plate on the firewall was changed.

Last weekend I did a fly-by (on a motorcycle) of the place that has those other jeeps (that I posted pics of above). Unfortunately that place was on the other side of the highway and I was with a group so I didn't get a chance to stop in and take some up close and personal pics.

I found a small place not far from where I live though, that has a little bit of (overpriced) surplus stuff and a lot of knock-off crap.

They had a couple interesting things in their yard.
119673480_10158530887084220_2962146445758414794_n.jpg
119599275_10158530886854220_6007212250878335106_n.jpg
119594325_10158530886969220_3424219042643274677_n.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

User avatar
Horst
Colonel
Colonel
Posts: 1956
Joined: December 9th, 2007, 6:21 am
Location: Munich, Germany

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by Horst » September 20th, 2020, 3:59 pm

cool stuff!

The Bell 47 has it's main rotor stabilizer missing, but for a front yard ornament it is probably still usable
Horst

1972 USMC M151A2 w/ROPS (ex Barstow) and M416
1962 M201 and trailer
1966 GTO,1982 E350 Skoolie, 1987 SJ413, 1987 911
Gone: 2xM35A2c, Unimog 404S, Hanomag AL28, DKW Munga

acudanut

Re: Weird serial numbers on this M151A1 ?

Unread post by acudanut » September 21st, 2020, 3:05 pm

I would love to own that Bell, if I had the Money.
I was talking to a expert on Vin numbers and Budd plates being faked. He made a very good clear reason, especially ones on the road in the USA. A lot of them were "borrowed" or driven off bases (stolen). Then the (theft) owner decided to hide it's real id and that is why so many are fake ones out there. Makes perfect sense.
Good news though, if it already has a State title it is best to leave it alone and be happy. Cheers !!

Post Reply