• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

M274 die-cast replicas

LTCB

New member
9
0
0
I'm new to this forum (first post).

I'm trying to find any information possible on the die-cast models either made by Willys or a toy company for Willys in the mid to late 1950s. Best guess is that these were produced around 1957 and may have been used as a sales tool. These models are approximately 10 1/2 inches long, 4 3/4 inches wide and weigh about 3 1/2 pounds. My research has only found one official photo of a die-cast. It was a 1958 issue of Leatherneck magaize with a Marine Lt Col holding one.

I plan to place an article in Army Motors magazine winter issue on this subject and would like to colaborate any info provided here with my other findings.

If you know of, heard or seen anything at all about these models please let me know.

Thanks in advance!
 

Attachments

LTCB

New member
9
0
0
Brant,

You are correct. It's likely the one you see here. I just about went nuts when I first saw this die-cast after seeing the picture of one in the Leatherneck magazine. It was at that time I decided to do a little research.

The problem is that so little is officially known about them. Researched the web for nearly 2 years with little luck. I have been fortunate enough to speak to a couple of fellows that shared what they recalled or were told. I'll spell this out in the article later.

Although Al-Toys were made for Willys around that era I don't believe these were mass produced as toys. There are no casting markings that I can find that would indicate manufacturer or date. The detail is excellent on the die-casts. The undercarriage shows nice detail of the 4 cyl engine, tranny, transfer, steering linkage, brake and drop axels. With that type of detail I would expect they were used as a sales tool.

In the meantime the search continues.
 

Brant

New member
17
0
0
Location
Clarksville, Tennessee
I was lucky to get ahold of not one, but two 1959 Army trading cards featureing the m274. The mule was the m274xm. The pre-production model.
Not as cool as the die-cast mule, but über cool just the same.
 

Brant

New member
17
0
0
Location
Clarksville, Tennessee
I was lucky to get ahold of not one, but two 1959 Army trading cards featureing the m274. The mule was the m274xm. The pre-production model.
Not as cool as the die-cast mule, but über cool just the same.
 

LTCB

New member
9
0
0
Trading cards??? That's a new one to me! No doubt that is awesome! :D

I've been searching for about 2 1/2 years for anything mule and have never seen nor heard of a trading card. They must be extremely rare and you are one lucky owner!

Were they made by Willys? Any chance we can see it here? (Pic)

I found a couple of sales brochures some time ago. One had the name "Maj Gen Rush B. Lincoln, Jr" hand printed on the top and another that was rubber stamped "Weinmann's Sales Co, Inc. Trenton, N.J."on the back. Did some research on this one and found it was a Nash dealership.

Here is another piece of trivia. I found a Willys News periodical (January 1958) that mentioned Willy's displaying an M274 in the American Stock Exchange visitor gallery after the vehicle was introduced. It also mentioned a TV commercial of the Mechanical Mule run during an episode of the TV series "Maverick". It reads: "Millions of other people also have seen the mule on television, as it appeared in commercials on "Maverick" show recently."

Wouldn't it be neat to find that episode with the commercial?? :lol:
 

LTCB

New member
9
0
0
Congratulations. That is a very nice collector's item. First one I've ever seen. The fact it is dated is important too. Something I'm not quite certain of with the die-cast models. Just guessing they were made around 1957.

Really appreciate you posting this picture. I'm sure that more than just one of us will now be looking for one of these treasures.
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks