I don't know if this has been brought up before, but has anyone seen the Kia KM450 trucks (a modern remake of the M715)? they look pretty interesting (just like a slightly updated version of the M715). Kia apparently also makes Deuce and a Halfs and quite a few other military vehicles...I found the KM420 to be pretty cool looking as a light military vehicle.
I'm really wondering if there is going to be any way to get any of these in the US at all.
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Mike
God Bless America
John 3:16
1988 M109A3 w/w,VIC1,VRC12,AOM "For God & Country"
1988 M35A2C w/w,VIC1,VRC12,AOM "The Trinity"
1968 M35A2 w/w,VIC1,VRC12 "Exodus"
**space reserved for a M923/M925**
1987 M105A2
1985 M105A2 (Expedition Trailer Project)
1967 M105A2 (Storage Unit for now)
1978 PU-650B/G 60kw Gen/M200a1 "The Brick"
i think a company was trying to import them but i dont know what happened to them. It would probably be cheaper in the long run to throw a 4BT and a set of faster axles under a truck thats already here. I do like the flowing fenders, looks like a jeep commanche
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hi im scott
1967 m35a2 whistler "crossfire"
In Memory Of CPL Kenny "CrossFire" Cross 1/23 Inf 3-2 Sect Tomahawks KIA Aug 27th 2006. 1968 m103a3w/shelter"the man cave"
I just wonder if Kia bought AM General's tooling or did they reverse engineer the trucks from scratch? Many of the new production deuce parts like windshield inner frames are actually made for these trucks.
I wonder how they will put a 4 cyl engine in the Deuce .....ok with a 20 speed trans ........lol . They don't buy any tooling from anyone they copy the patton from the records building and start pumping them out. They have no copy rite laws in Asia and aren't subject to punishment either. Thats where 99 % of the knock offs come from.
They don't buy any tooling from anyone they copy the patton from the records building and start pumping them out. They have no copy rite laws in Asia and aren't subject to punishment either. Thats where 99 % of the knock offs come from.
In relation to any truck that is more than 20 years old, this wouldn't matter anyways. Utility Patents in the US have a 20 year lifespan. After that, whatever your invention was is freely available for all to use without paying you any royalties or even providing you credit for the invention.
Outside of anything that is over 20 years old though, yes, asia (specifically China, Taiwan and Thailand (Korea is actually much lower in production of knockoffs than many other asian countries largely due to a large US influence on their government and industry).
Aside from all of that, the trucks may look alike, but they are not the same, different engines, diffs, frames, etc... etc... etc...
I wonder how they will put a 4 cyl engine in the Deuce .....ok with a 20 speed trans ........lol .
Also, from Kia's military vehicles page regarding the KM50 series (their deuce and half models):
"All vehicles are equipped with a six cylinder, 236hp diesel engine, a five-speed transmission and two-speed transfer case which transmits power to the front and rear axles"
Km450???
