Gama Goat -yes or no???

Amen! When I get out of the army the Gama Goat is the second toy on my list right after I buy a jeep preferably a m151.

I had one before, sold, now have another one. They are alot of work, but worth all the smiles, odd looks and waves you get when you drive around in it. Get one.

Im with you scorpion, cept my starter list is flipped. Loved the M151 when I was in the Corps!

ALL the "spare" drivers on my trucks list to get to shows LOVE driving the goat! well capable of keeping up with the convoy..a crowd puller, ( the engine sound is really addictive!) and the looks on the faces of Mr. Public. ? PRICELESS!

All pro from here, i have two, one is all original and restored, i use it as a daily driver to work all summake. er, put 8000 miles on it in two years, my other one is modified, i pulled a 500 mile total mileage detroit and installed a custom sall block chevy 400 small block, quieter and more top end. some parts can be hard to find, but by and large if you are really a decent mech its all a piece of cake . dont believe all the garbage about hard to drive, difficult mait, dangerous to drive, its all crap, they are simple in design, and well layed out. If you have worked aviation mait, its real easy, if all you worked was M35 mait, its not as open or easy to get to things.. All in all i have had few issues, an altenator or stater here or ther and a few switchs. Good luck

Thats alot of miles in 2 years.

I still like the looks I get on me daily driver

Yay man, good work.

I seen my share of goats, went for a ride in mud and hills, lots of fun. I didn't know the mileage was that low. I have an M37 now that hit 10mpg on a real good day. Just a stupid question, could the back trailer section be removed and driven with only the two axles, or would this effect the steering? I don't know, never owned one, never saw one that way.

majorhitt said:

. Just a stupid question, could the back trailer section be removed and driven with only the two axles, or would this effect the steering? I don't know, never owned one, never saw one that way.

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From what I've heard, driving a 'goat w/o it's trailer attached was rather dangerous (may have been against regs but I'm not sure) as the tractor unit with it's really short wheel base would be prone to roll overs. To answer your question, yes the M561's tractor unit can be driven without it's attached trailer.
Matt

They can be driven with out the carrier but tend to get squirlly at speed.
A well tuned 353 in a Goat will give you 13 to 15 MPG. Mine is getting tired but still manages 14 MPG on level ground, at 6500 feet in altitude.
On hills, forget it.

If U are in PA and do get one PLEASE bring it to the MTA April show We have a GamaGoat award every year, But its the only one that never gets to be given because no one ever brings one ... Hope U do i think they are worth every cent and every bit of work to keep em going Good Luck ...

I just drove my Goat forty miles to an Military Family day in Cape Cod. Was quite a site rumbling over the Bourne Bridge and oddly no one gave me any crap in the rotarys.

After more than a year of working on it, doing brakes ect I feel like I have a real skill and since I can work on it at my own pace with an old Coot nearby for questions I have started to enjoy it.

I even had a flat family day and just rolled off the spare ...Jacked and switched tires with all the tools I needed at hand...

Nice to kinda know whats going on with it..

Joe

Great progress Joe!!
You do know a Goat never carried a spare, right?
I do tho, it's too much work putting the truss kit on..

Ya' know, I'm starting to regret subscribing to this thread as now I think I want a 'goat . Actually, an M561 is on my "got to own one of those some day" list.

Matt

If you like a little work now and then, you'll never be sorry.

look on ebay right now

look on ebay right now

I think the CON for me is the trailer bed is too small, I'd have to live in it if I got one. The wife would probably give me the boot! They are the bomb as far as odd vehicles.
I remember the Vulcan gun crews in Germany used to have them. I'd see piles of Goat parts in their motor pool from all the damage they'd do on manuvers and always some horror story about someone getting squashed at the pivot point.
I think as far as a cold war combat vehicle it was good. The GI's liked it cause it went everywhere but the mechanics hated it. I never got to drive one but the drivers had a ball with them!
Rebuilt a 4 wheel steer Mule and made the mistake of selling it so maybe a Goat? Hmmmmm. (might have to sell off some crap to hide it in the garage)