Sandy bodied M151A2

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Thundertaker
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Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 2:47 pm

I have heard much conversation about the Encore bodied Mutts. I have not heard any conversation concerning the Sandy rebodies. About four years ago I bought this Sandy bodied M152A2 (looks like an A1) with the original paperwork from Sandy Engineering in Orlando, Florida. The body does not try to duplicate the original as it has a tail gate. This was originally a black Sandy with alloy wheels. Someone put a lot of time in effort to give it the essence of a Mutt. I bought it from a horse breeder in Lexington who unknowingly bought it as a nicely restored original Mutt (titled as a 1969 M151). Unfortunately, he took quite a hit when I bought it for almost half what he paid for it. It is a lot of fun, and an ideal parade car, Everything on the body is genuine military including the running gear. Is there anyone else out there that has a Sandy bodied Mutt? The differences I can find are thicker gauge metal, much fewer exposed joints, smooth firewall, flat front fender lips, and no stiffening creases on the top of the rear fenders, missing pockets for shovel and axe, and of course, the tail gate. download/file.php?mode=view&id=162112
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Last edited by Thundertaker on Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:17 am, edited 1 time in total.


fergrn37
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by fergrn37 » Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:07 pm

Pics of this tailgate?

hambone
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by hambone » Thu Oct 10, 2019 3:17 pm

I haven't heard of a Sandy, looks just like an Encore that was built in Florida, it has the rounded front fenders. I have a Titan that I restored, it was built in Texas, basically same as Encore but with squared front fenders.
Image

Thundertaker
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:02 pm

I don't have many pictures on my phone, but here is what I have that at least shows different angles of the Sandy. I am restoring the M416 trailer at the moment.download/file.php?mode=view&id=162114ht ... &id=162116
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Thundertaker
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:19 pm

Here are some more pictures. My colors are more "correct" than the way they are photographing. https://forums.g503.cohttps://forums.g5 ... &id=162119
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hambone
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by hambone » Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:41 pm

That's a good looking jeep, I would be proud of it, sounds like you got it for a fair price, only the jeep gurus will know the difference. Turn your Gerry can around and you will be good to go.

Rickf
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Rickf » Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:45 pm

That is an Encore I am sure. I have never heard of Sandy engineering. also can't find any history at all of a company by that name involved in vehicle manufacture. This is all I could find, https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/952157Z:US. What year does the paperwork from Sandy say it was made? There were four companies making aftermarket bodies and they all had tailgates. You had Encore in Fla. Carolina Growler in Carolina, Titan and one other whose name escapes me that were both in Texas I believe. The Encore is the only one out of all of them that had the footwell cutout like the original M-151. Some pics of the firewall area under the hood and the frame and underbody would help to verify.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

Rickf
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Rickf » Thu Oct 10, 2019 5:11 pm

I would really like to see a pic of that Sandy Engineering paper. The only thing I could find in Fla. was a listing for a town Sandy and it is only about 30-40 miles south of where the Encore was made. Really curious about this since if it is legit then there was a second company in Fla making bodies and nobody in the hobby has ever heard of them.

IF it is an Encore then you have yourself the most premium aftermarket body that was made and it should last you long time.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

Thundertaker
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 5:51 pm

Rick, Here are some papers that you asked for to prove the existence of yet another M151 aftermarket body producer. I said they were in Miami, but in fact they were in Orlando. It is a very nice reproduchttps://forums.g503.com/download/file.php?mode=view&id=162127tion as you can see.download/file.php?mode=view&id=162126ht ... &id=162128
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Rickf
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Rickf » Thu Oct 10, 2019 6:23 pm

Well I did find the company and they are still in business so I guess you could always call them and ask if they ever built the body but I have a theory here. First off, look at the invoice, they only sold a body, just a bare body. Why did they sell a body built in 2000 or thereabouts but list it as a 1969? And why do they list it as a M-151? That is the biggest red flag since the whole idea behind the aftermarket bodies was to relabel them as something other than a vehicle that had been outlawed for the streets. Moving on, they also list the engine, This was a bare body sale. None of the ancillary parts should have even been mentioned on the invoice since they were not part of the sale. AND, No manufacturers motor vehicle serial number.

Now, here is my theory and keep in mind this is just my opinion. I believe they probably bought a new Encore body from Encore when they went out of business in 1999 possibly with the intent of taking over the manufacture of them. Then they realized what Encore did and that there was just not enough interest in them to justify the cost. They then sold the body and most likely removed the Encore VIN tag, if it was ever even installed. Keep in mind that this was just a few years after the Jeep TJ came out with the "new" style suspension with coil springs all around and every four wheeler in the country was raving about how well they drove and worked off road. I think that had a lot to do with putting the last nail in the Encores coffin.

Get in touch with Vin Zike on here, He has had several Encores and he gets them and rebuilds them whenever he can. He will be able to tell you for sure if that is what it is plus he is in Fla. has a business there and may even know about that Sandy Company.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

Thundertaker
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 6:38 pm

Rick, Here is something that might be definitive concerning the mystery of the Sandy reproductions. Here is an actual advertisement from them which states, among other things, that there products are produced in house on state of the art machinery that they have invested many dollars.download/file.php?mode=view&id=162132
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Thundertaker
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Thundertaker » Thu Oct 10, 2019 6:43 pm

Also Rick, keep in mind that this was built as a Sandy vehicle. It was originally all black with alloy wheels and was a great off road vehicle. The second owner spent a fortune converting every part he could to mil specs. I have all his receipts in the conversion process and you would not believe how much he invested replacing everything with M151 pieces. I have a volume of receipts.

Rickf
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Rickf » Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:06 am

Interesting and very compelling evidence. The statement at the bottom of their brochure is interesting in that Encore was made not far from them in Clearwater yet they say they are the ONLY replacement body made in USA. I have to wonder if this was after Encore went under and what ever happened with Sandy? Why did they not jump into the body replacement panel business? I wonder if those CAD files still exist? I am sure Guy from CMD would be interested to know. And the biggest thing is why did none of us 151 guys ever hear of this place?
Thanks for bringing this all to light, another piece in the never ending M-151 puzzle. :mrgreen:
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone

lpcoating
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by lpcoating » Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:04 am

I just tried calling the number. It's been disconnected.

Guy

Rickf
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Re: Sandy bodied M151A2

Post by Rickf » Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:08 am

Well, I guess that answers the question about the files.
1964 M151A1
1984 M1008
1967 M416
04/1952 M100
12/1952 M100- Departed
AN/TSQ-114A Trailblazer- Gone


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