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Experimental mule pictures - the first one?

maddawg308

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Was cruising on the information supertollbooth today and ran across a closed eBay ad from March 2011, of a rare bird. Looks like one of the first mechanical mule prototypes, looks like it was a no-sale at a high bid of less than $300. I'm not sure if the seller still has it.

Anyways, here's a blurb that the seller put in the ad:


"This is a prototype that was built by Willys to test the feasibility of what became the M274 Mule. Apparently there were several early prototypes and this may have been the first one....This Mule has a number of unique parts that I cannot identify, but I think the wheel hubs are Jeep parts. It is all-wheel drive and driven by as series of sprockets and chains. It has a gearbox and clutch, but the motor is missing. You can see by the motor mounts that it was some kind of stationary engine. I would think there might be several ways to go with that, and perhaps someone more knowledgeable might know exactly what the correct engine is.

I had intended to do a complete and accurate restoration, but just can’t get to it. I would rather see it go to someone who can do it correctly....
The M274 evolved from improvements to a vehicle designed at the end of World War Two by Willys-Overland as a medical evaluation litter carrier from areas and terrain that would even be a problem for its famous Jeep to access. Further tests by the US Army at Elgin Field, Florida proved it also useful as carrier for both supplies and men. In 1948 the US Army purchased a small number of these test vehicles with the designation the Jungle Burden Carrier for evaluation in jungle warfare and with airborne forces....

the transmission is from a 45 flathead harley 3 speed with reverse."

Sorry if the font is messed up, I was trying to correct the weird changes on the eBay webpage.

Anyways, some pics of it. Hopefully someone can fill in more details about this unit.



 

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73m819

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HOME MADE, no matter what the seller said, the welding, fitting, parts, ect. are to CRUDE even for a prototype
 

maddawg308

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You might be right, it is pretty rough. I attributed the bed welds to possibly being Bubba-fied over the years, But it still looks pretty odd.

Here's a couple more pics, these are period photos, of possibly another early mule?
 

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73m819

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Different, 4x4 extra light weight vechile
look on page 210, of U.S. MILITARY WHEELED VECHILES, You will find those TWO pics

I was looking at the linkage, ect
 
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Danger Ranger

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Without taking the time to go through all the pics slowly, I don't think the military would have used a harley transmission, but I don't know....

It looks cool, sort of?
 

linx310

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I saw that same one on another forum in the for sale section about 2-4 years ago. The seller claimed he bought it at the willys factory when they were auctioning off every thing.

http://americandreamcars.com/1950prototypewillysm274armymule.htm

[FONT=Verdana,Arial]Purchased by previous owner's father
at Kaiser-Willys factory auction (Toledo OH)
Around 1960


[/FONT] So if it was a bubba built machine why would it have been at the Willys factory?


Also Willys built prototype aircooled mini jeeps using harley parts at one point to.
 
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73m819

Rock = older than dirt , GA. MAFIA , Dirty
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I saw that same one on another forum in the for sale section about 2-4 years ago. The seller claimed he bought it at the willys factory when they were auctioning off every thing. So if it was a bubba built machine why would it have been at the Willys factory?
CLAIMED is the key word, NO way that CLASS of work came out of willys, in those days there was a lot better work QUILTLY even for PROTOTYPE then now
 
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