Hi everyone! New M151a2 owner!

[Nugent81]

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good Friday evening. I've recently acquired a 1977 M151A2 and I am having a small issue. The title on it has the 5 digit serial number on it, and when I called my insurance company they, understandably, said "that's not enough characters". I've already scanned the forum for alternate locations of the VIN and I've come up empty on finding anything.
It's a USMC mutt and I've done a ton of looking around online, would it be a reasonable assumption that the VIN is USMC and then the serial number?

Thanks for reading and helping. I'll get some photos on here soon. I'm excited to have this thing!

[buzzinduzzin]

try Hagarty insurance

[W. Winget]

Sorry to tell you, VIN's were not assigned to the M151's (or any US Military vehicle) They only had serial numbers, (by factory) then registration numbers assigned by the military and you may find a contract number which only tells you what batch it was built under.

I too have an M151A2 I need to obtain title for, and normally this would have been covered through what is known as an SF-97 upon release from the military as surplus sales. Not going to get that for an M151A2 as they were (in theory) never released intact and therefore no SF-97's were issued.

Mine (formerly LTC (Ret)Thad Mendenhall's MUTT) came out as "scrap", from the cannibalization point and DRMO sales and might have had a sales receipt only but no SF-97 would be issued. He's gone now and we had no receipts, only basic history written on some parts letter requests to vendors and the DRMO sales auction lot description and notice.

So in my State (Virginia) I can file the forms and get title via:

Kit or home assembled car (with VIN assigned by DMV with a State LEO visit attach the VIN tag)
Obtain two previous sales receipts and have them assign ownership then title and have VIN assigned, LEO officer inspect and tag with VIN tag.
Claim it was a salvage rebuild and assign a new VIN with LEO visit, etc.

Now used to be, you obtain and old Ford title for a truck, from a titling agent in Alabama for example, then transfer the numbers over to your blank
data tag and then you magically had title to the MUTT. (Ford Pickup Truck) Most states cracked down on that, but it's why you see some whacky "VIN" numbers and years on many A1's and A2's.
Once any one of the above is accomplished the Insurance agent doesn't care and your covered.
Start by going to your State DMV where you got (or will get) your license plate from and asking them for their process, you may get lucky and only need a registration with VIN assigned due to age.
Now if you happen to HAVE license plates already, then the insurance company will likely accept whatever the State paperwork is that got your plates.
V/R W. Winget

[Nugent81]

Grand. I ha e a title though sooooo this should be interesting lol.

[Rickf]

Contact Vin Zike, he is down there in Fla. and he has, or had, a business rebuilding 151's and I am sure he has dealt with the title issue many times.

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=54756

[Nugent81]

I tried Haggerrty. Super easy and thwy took the 5 digit number

[Rickf]

You have insurance now but you are probably going to have an issue with registration. Does Fla. require a title?

[Nugent81]

Yes, but I have the title from the previous owner. He had it registered and insured already so that should go smoothly enough I hope

[Rickf]

Good luck, I have never seen a 5 digit serial number. But since you have a title and not just a bill of sale they should accept it and possibly asign you a new number. If they do that be sure to update Hagerty.

[Nugent81]

Ok so, they took the 5 digit number from the old title ans put it on the new one. So I'm all set! This thing is super fun to drive! Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

[MAKOTO MATSUMIYA]

Sorry to tell you, VIN's were not assigned to the M151's (or any US Military vehicle) They only had serial numbers, (by factory) then registration numbers assigned by the military and you may find a contract number which only tells you what batch it was built under.

I too have an M151A2 I need to obtain title for, and normally this would have been covered through what is known as an SF-97 upon release from the military as surplus sales. Not going to get that for an M151A2 as they were (in theory) never released intact and therefore no SF-97's were issued.

Mine (formerly LTC (Ret)Thad Mendenhall's MUTT) came out as "scrap", from the cannibalization point and DRMO sales and might have had a sales receipt only but no SF-97 would be issued. He's gone now and we had no receipts, only basic history written on some parts letter requests to vendors and the DRMO sales auction lot description and notice.

So in my State (Virginia) I can file the forms and get title via:

Kit or home assembled car (with VIN assigned by DMV with a State LEO visit attach the VIN tag)
Obtain two previous sales receipts and have them assign ownership then title and have VIN assigned, LEO officer inspect and tag with VIN tag.
Claim it was a salvage rebuild and assign a new VIN with LEO visit, etc.

Now used to be, you obtain and old Ford title for a truck, from a titling agent in Alabama for example, then transfer the numbers over to your blank
data tag and then you magically had title to the MUTT. (Ford Pickup Truck) Most states cracked down on that, but it's why you see some whacky "VIN" numbers and years on many A1's and A2's.
Once any one of the above is accomplished the Insurance agent doesn't care and your covered.
Start by going to your State DMV where you got (or will get) your license plate from and asking them for their process, you may get lucky and only need a registration with VIN assigned due to age.
Now if you happen to HAVE license plates already, then the insurance company will likely accept whatever the State paperwork is that got your plates.
V/R W. Winget

The information on how to register MUTT in the US was very interesting and helpful.
Here's my question: In the United States, do vehicles need to be modified to comply with
motor vehicle safety standards depending on the year of manufacture?
In Japan, vehicles manufactured after April 1969 must additionally be fitted with side turn signals,
back up light, seatbelts and headrests.

[Nugent81]

Sorry to tell you, VIN's were not assigned to the M151's (or any US Military vehicle) They only had serial numbers, (by factory) then registration numbers assigned by the military and you may find a contract number which only tells you what batch it was built under.

I too have an M151A2 I need to obtain title for, and normally this would have been covered through what is known as an SF-97 upon release from the military as surplus sales. Not going to get that for an M151A2 as they were (in theory) never released intact and therefore no SF-97's were issued.

Mine (formerly LTC (Ret)Thad Mendenhall's MUTT) came out as "scrap", from the cannibalization point and DRMO sales and might have had a sales receipt only but no SF-97 would be issued. He's gone now and we had no receipts, only basic history written on some parts letter requests to vendors and the DRMO sales auction lot description and notice.

So in my State (Virginia) I can file the forms and get title via:

Kit or home assembled car (with VIN assigned by DMV with a State LEO visit attach the VIN tag)
Obtain two previous sales receipts and have them assign ownership then title and have VIN assigned, LEO officer inspect and tag with VIN tag.
Claim it was a salvage rebuild and assign a new VIN with LEO visit, etc.

Now used to be, you obtain and old Ford title for a truck, from a titling agent in Alabama for example, then transfer the numbers over to your blank
data tag and then you magically had title to the MUTT. (Ford Pickup Truck) Most states cracked down on that, but it's why you see some whacky "VIN" numbers and years on many A1's and A2's.
Once any one of the above is accomplished the Insurance agent doesn't care and your covered.
Start by going to your State DMV where you got (or will get) your license plate from and asking them for their process, you may get lucky and only need a registration with VIN assigned due to age.
Now if you happen to HAVE license plates already, then the insurance company will likely accept whatever the State paperwork is that got your plates.
V/R W. Winget

The information on how to register MUTT in the US was very interesting and helpful.
Here's my question: In the United States, do vehicles need to be modified to comply with
motor vehicle safety standards depending on the year of manufacture?
In Japan, vehicles manufactured after April 1969 must additionally be fitted with side turn signals,
back up light, seatbelts and headrests.

Here in Florida if a vehicle didn't have it when it was manufactured, it isn't required (as far as I know anyway). I had a 67 F250 for a good while and that particular year was made before they started requiring side markers on everything and it never ever was an issue for me. I got pulled over in it and the officer asked if the truck even had seat belts "its an older vehicle and I notice you're not wearing a seat belt, does this truck have seat belts?" to which I stupidly answered "yes" lol.
If you're registering an "in state" title, they really don't care. I've seen some absolute piles of garbage that definitely shouldn't be driving just puttering down the road.

[Rickf]

But, It would have only had lap belts and he had no way of knowing if you had it on or not short of looking in the vehicle at your lap.

[MAKOTO MATSUMIYA]

＞Here in Florida if a vehicle didn't have it when it was manufactured, it isn't required (as far as I know anyway). I had a 67 F250 for a good while and 　　　　＞that particular year was made before they started requiring side markers on everything and it never ever was an issue for me. I got pulled over in it ＞and the officer asked if the truck even had seat belts "its an older vehicle and I notice you're not wearing a seat belt, does this truck have seat belts?" ＞to which I stupidly answered "yes" lol.
＞If you're registering an "in state" title, they really don't care. I've seen some absolute piles of garbage that definitely shouldn't be driving just
＞puttering down the road.

Japanese people often hear that the US vehicle inspection system varies from state to state and is simpler than Japan's.
In Japan, vehicles must be inspected at the Land Transport Bureau once every year or once every two years, depending on their vehicles type.
The inspections include side slip, brakes, speedometer, exhaust, headlights, and chassis.
In addition, the vehicle is inspected for motor vehicle safety standards according to the year of manufacture.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dssSdWp6yP0

[Gunny_Hei_USMC]

Wow, nice find and rare being a USMC model.

Yep, I’m jealous. lol

Gunny