Seeking information on Canadian M-151A2

[Allen C Eriksen]

Howdy From the Pacific North-West of the US!

I recently purchased a M-151A2 from someone who imported a M151A2 from Canada. He never registered or licensed it here in the States, and he lost the importation papers. The 151 sat behind his warehouse for over 15 years before I bought it. I'd like to restore it and get it licensed. I looked around and couldn't find any data plates other than the dimension shipping plate. The only places that has data plates is on the side of the engine, on the heater, and on the horn. There is also a set of numbers on the spare tire carrier. The question I have is are there any data plates or any other way the Canadian Army used to identify the 151s? When I served in the US Army, we had data plates that said who made the 151s, what the serial numbers were, and an identification number. Is there anything that identifies my 151?

[rob love]

The only place the serial number was located was on the data plate to the left of the steering column. If that is gone you will not get a serial number.

You can look on the truck for a CFR. Sometimes they were in decals on the dash, grease pencil under the license plates, or occasionally stencilled somewhere on the body, but not officially. You may even find the number grease pencilles onto a new part of the Jeep somewhere. The CFR will be in the form of 74-09123 (or similar numbers but will start with the 74-and most will then have the 09 (although there were a couple hundred up in the 20,000 CFR range). If you find that number somewhere, then the serial number can be figured out. Clive Law has a database I believe of allthe CFRs vs serial numbers.

All the Canadian M151A2s were bought from the US Army and manufactured by AMGeneral so you will have to find a set of data plates with those markings. There are some on this forum who have data plates salvaged from the M151A2s before they were destroyed.

[Allen C Eriksen]

Thank you Rob. It looks like I'm fairly boned on this. The 151 was stripped and repainted, and has no data plate other than the dimension plate behind the passenger seat. Other than that, there's only the stamped numbers on the spare tire mount. I may be at the mercy of the State vehicle inspection team.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The CFR (Canadian Forces Registration) might be painted on some of the parts. In my time, we often had to prepare our vehicles in the spring to be pooled for summer camp. We'd stencil or hand write the CFR on the attractive removeable parts, like canvas tarps and doors. The CFR, or more accurately, a CFR could be inside the hood. However the hood on the '74 Pattern which is what we called the M151A2 is harder to remove than the M38A1. Universal items like spare tires, jerry cans and tools might only have had the abbreviated unit name applied somewhere.

In the situation of the OP, and welcome aboard too, you should go to the state department which registers vehicles and find out what they need to see. For example, my M151A2 has a serial number applied in Alberta and which appears on a metal foil sticker. That number was good enough to register it in Ontario. But, the 1/4 ton trailer was never registered in Quebec where I bought it. So I need to show the bill of sale, identification information and have a notarized affidavit swearing that it is mine before Ontario will give me a plate. I suppose the legal step lets the government charge me with uttering false statements should it be found to have been stolen or something forged.

http://www.ramtank.ca/m151%20mutt.htm

[Allen C Eriksen]

maple_leaf_eh, your link reminded me of field exercises I participated in West Germany when it was called West Germany..

One of the things the bothers me about world history is there's very little World War II and Cold War history regarding the Canadians and the British compared to the US. At least here in the US. I was stationed up north near Bremen, and went on Field Exercises in the Belsen-Bergan area, as well as the Munster training area. Wintertime was spent in Denmark. I knew we were in the British area of West Germany, so I started researching the history of the area. All I found regarding WWII and the region was the German forces in the Netherlands signed a surrender treaty in the Luneburg Heath area with Field Marshal Montgomery. It was more a side note that I found than anything else. I was greatly disappointed as this, to history should be considered significant as the surrender was signed prior to the official ending of the war.

[Allen C Eriksen]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

74-????? M151A2 plated and on the road
70-08876 M38A1 in dry storage waiting for more money
53-71233 M100CDN trailer manufactured by Motor Coach Industries

Whoa there! Is that how your Army identifies your vehicles? The year and the body number? If so, you may have clued me onto the identity of my 151! If the last five numbers are the numbers stamped into the body somewheres, I found those numbers on my 151!

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Allen C Eriksen

Thank you Rob. It looks like I'm fairly boned on this. The 151 was stripped and repainted, and has no data plate other than the dimension plate behind the passenger seat. Other than that, there's only the stamped numbers on the spare tire mount. I may be at the mercy of the State vehicle inspection team.

Our M151A2s did not have the plate of which you speak.

I have never noted the CFR number stamped in the body on the M151A2 or even the 1967 and 1970 M38A1s. What number have you found? We will likely know soon enough if it fits the Canadian CFR blocks.

The CFR is not the year and body number, but rather the year it was accepted into service, followed by a 5 digit number assigned by Ottawa sequentially or in reserved blocks.

[Allen C Eriksen]

Originally Posted by rob love

Our M151A2s did not have the plate of which you speak.

I have never noted the CFR number stamped in the body on the M151A2 or even the 1967 and 1970 M38A1s. What number have you found? We will likely know soon enough if it fits the Canadian CFR blocks.

The CFR is not the year and body number, but rather the year it was accepted into service, followed by a 5 digit number assigned by Ottawa sequentially or in reserved blocks.

Here are the numbers I found. They are on the spare tire mount. They weren't viable until I removed the paint. http://i879.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps7d2fkscj.jpg

[maple_leaf_eh]

That 3xxxx number is not likely to be the CFR. The series that I know is in the 09xxx range, and Rob mentioned some in the 20,xxx range.

[maple_leaf_eh]

I just remembered there might be a series of decals on the dash above the instruments. These would be about 2" high plastic digits, and heavily painted over for successive inspections. If the numbers were removed when the vehicle was demilitarized, you might find some glue remnants.

[rob love]

I don't think your M151A2 is a ex-Cdn one. The rollcage is not right, it doesn't have the common sense fasteners to hold on the grill cover, and there are other Canadian modifications that are not present on it.