----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric McFarlin" <eem@texas.net>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 2:58 PM
Subject: [MV] Newbie, which MV would make a decent driver?
> I'm a newbie wanting to get a MV for a second vehicle. I am in need of
> something that would make a (somewhat) decent daily driver since an MV has
> much more character and history compared to my Jeep Wrangler. I've
narrowed
> the list to these: M37, M715, MB, M38, M1009. Obviously the M1009 would
> have many civvie Blazers in the junkyard for parts, MB seems to have a
large
> following of parts availability, M37 and M715 seem to be a bit harder to
> find parts. How about opinions from you? I don't have time to restore so
> I'd want a frame off resto if possible. Any places or sites that sell
> restored MVs? My Wrangler will be sold soon after getting an MV and I
will
> most likely get something more practicle as a daily driver. Thanks for
your
> help.
Drove the M151A2 as a daily-driver for years less the enclosure doors
(visibility and all) in all sorts of weather, and aside from eternally wet
feet and some recurring maintenance issues, I quite liked it. Very noisy
though. One thing that did make me nervous was that every other driver on
the road in rush-hour tended to look at the nifty vehicle I was driving and
not whatever impending doom they were getting themselves into, and I didn't
much fancy my chances in any sort of serious intersection intersection given
that the side-impact resistance of the M151 is about that of a moped.
The M1009 which I've replaced it with as an all-round go-fer vehicle is
wonderful. Cheap on fuel (about 24mpg Imperial), lots of room, all the
creature comforts (less a few leaks and a fussy heater fan), and still
something military-looking which won't look out of place on those club
drives where hardier souls are braving sideways-blowing rain in their M38's.
Parts are quite readily available as well, and if you break down somewhere
in the sticks, rescue can be found at the local garage or the nearest
NAPA-kinda thing if you're handy with the vice-grips and the Wal-Mart
hammer. The glow plug and alternator systems are basically the only thing
I've had trouble with, but there are work-arounds/ugprades for both.
M37? Still just about my favourite military vehicle from the driving
perspective, but horribly slow for general transportation if you regularly
use the freeway. People behind you will not be amused, and will either
think you're mad, mechanically-challenged, or Amish. My personal record is
something like 23 vehicles behind me on a long grade coming back from a long
weekend on Vancouver Island (guess everyone else was trying to catch the
same ferry), and one wiseacre even shoved a canoe-oar out of his driver's
side window and started making paddling motions. Probably not the best way
to endear your fellow man to the wonders of Military Vehicle Collecting.
Also, the fuel mileage is something like 8 mpg downhill with a tail-wind.
Andy Hill
MVPA 9211
Vancouver, B.C.
(and if it's off the road for more than a month, OPEC sends you a "Get Well
Soon!" card.)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jul 05 2001 - 00:40:36 PDT