Has anyone seen the American Pickers show with the piece about mules

[Auto Shop teacher]

My buddy says he saw an American Pickers show where they ‘find’ a M274 mule. Has anyone seen it? If so, do you have a link to view it?

I am going through my mother’s house fixing it up and met a neighbor who was in the Marines in Vietnam, he says he has a mule operators certification, or something like that. I didn’t realize they required such formal training.

[markrdje]

Ya, to drive a jeep had to go to 1/4 ton driving school, of course in the bush nothing was required except a body to drive it.They taught the maintenance, operation ,capacity, etc .Same tech info for the mule, so if a guy screwed up he had no excuse why it happened.

[LifeLongWNYer]

The American Pickers show appears here on a channel which i can't receive, but I have a comment about Army drivers' license's. I am sure everyone else was in the same boat, but when I was in, the license had a space on the back where each, and every, vehicle that the license owner is qualified to drive, appears. In my case, that included generators. I had four separate licenses, all held together by a staple.


JBP

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

The American Pickers show appears here on a channel which i can't receive, but I have a comment about Army drivers' license's. I am sure everyone else was in the same boat, but when I was in, the license had a space on the back where each, and every, vehicle that the license owner is qualified to drive, appears. In my case, that included generators. I had four separate licenses, all held together by a staple.


JBP

That is the way mine read. Anything that used gasoline (fuel) required a operator's (driver's) license - generators, immersion heaters, yukon stoves, and - of course - vehicles.

I never was "licensed" on gasoline lanterns- which I did use, so I suppose that was one thing not requiring a license. I was licensed on all of the things I listed. M-2 burners for field ranges also required licenses. Luckily I never needed a license for those either.

"Vehicles" includes: Self-propelled howitzers and Cargo trucks of all types.

[Guam0311]

That would be great to see that show. I guess the "MULE" was also showcased on one of Gunny Lee Ermeys show Mail call years back.

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

I am not a huge fan of "made up" reality shows, but I did find this.

“Some I can get to a parade, some I can’t — like that armored personnel carrier [which is] 41,000 pounds, 10-and-a-half feet wide. I couldn’t get that over there too well. There’s a British Ferret Scout car with twin 30s on it and an Army mule with a fake 50 calibers on it, a halftrack, an Army Weasel, and a Duce and a Half. I’ve got an armored personnel carrier, too, or as I call it, my tornado shelter.”

http://www.thecourierexpress.com/shocke ... 5e6f0.html

and this



http://www.exploreclarion.com/2016/10/3 ... n-pickers/

[Auto Shop teacher]

I asked the same question over on the Mule Facebook page and Charles Fitton provided a link. It is somewhat of a disappointment as they only showed it with some of his other vehicles and didn't talk about it at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2kKCsA ... EuAZFZYctU

[wc56daveyboy]

Heck he has a ton of other MV’s as well, including a half track, a weasel, a few 3/4 ton and I seen what looks like A very complete 1/2 ton closed cab!

[Mark Jesic]

What company made the Mule ??

[Chuck W.]

There were several. All you ever wanted to know about M274 manufacturers: viewtopic.php?f=148&t=234022

[podski]

I just saw that episode! It is supposed to be somewhere in western PA which is where I am. I tried like hell to recognize the roads they were travelling on. Never met or saw that guy around, but from the show it appears clear he is one UNUSUAL dude. He drove up to chase off the "trespassers' in his British Ferret. He constructed a size-able building just to house his homemade two story tesla coil that he demonstrated on the show. Yikes!

He did say that the "local authorities" require him to remove the fake machine gun barrels from his Ferret (a registered PA antique vehicle) when he takes it on the roads. Maybe that says more about him then anything - or maybe is just B.S. added for the show. I know a large number of MVers around here that drive all over the place with 1919's and ma dueces fully displayed or towing 37mm anti-tank guns without any problems from the "local authorities".

The Mule part of the show was very brief. As far as the operator's license goes for Mules, I've seen articles that have mentioned how unstable and treacherous they are for untrained drivers so it makes sense the Army would want trained personnel driving them.

[Mark Jesic]

Thanks for that, Chuck.

[Auto Shop teacher]

I would assume the mule being unstable a high speed is the main reason the A5 mules were only 2 wheel steer. Non combat injuries and deaths has always been a problem when you have a bunch of young bucks goofing off.

As far as "reality" TV shows, I have a friend who works in management for Personal Storage Company and he said that a buddy of his with a rare vehicle was approached by the Storage Wars producers to 'rent' a super rare vehicle he owned so they could use it in their show for their stars to 'find it' when they bid on a storage unit. Talk about phony... I asked him why Personal Storage never has their units in the show and he said they wouldn't touch being associated with that show even though it is free advertising.

[Chuck W.]

A few years ago, one of our pilots was flying customers to CONEXPO in Las Vegas. He had some layover time, so he thought he'd visit the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop. They were filming an episode, and our pilot got to talking to one of the producers, who liked his Southern accent and asked if he would like to be on the show! They gave him and old book and a script and he was to go into the store and haggle with Rick Harrison over a price! They called in one of their "experts" (who just happened to be waiting in the wings!), and finally made a "deal" for the "Rare" book. 100% totally fake!

[GUNNUT in Iowa]

snip . . .

They gave him and old book and a script and he was to go into the store and haggle with Rick Harrison over a price! They called in one of their "experts" (who just happened to be waiting in the wings!), and finally made a "deal" for the "Rare" book.

. . . snip

I always wondered why the "seller" did not tell them "no" when they were presented with a low ball offer - shortly before they accepted the "offer".

Apparently the "seller" knew what the offer was going to be - and since it was not his item anyway, why not accept the offer?