Kaiser Jeep · 1959–present
Kaiser Jeep M151 MUTT
The M151, or officially: Truck, Utility, ¼-Ton, 4×4, was the successor to the Korean War M38 and M38A1 Jeep Light Utility Vehicles. Despite being a clean-sheet Ford Motor Company redesign, it almost completely retained the same vehicle concept, dimensions and weight. But contrary to all prior U.S. 1⁄4-ton jeeps, based on the 1941, World War II Willys designs, the M151 has a unitary body and frame, and pioneered replacing leaf-sprung rigid, live axles front and rear, with all-around independent suspension and coil springs. The M151's 4 in (10 cm) longer wheelbase, and 2 in (5.1 cm) wider body and tracks, combined with the benefits of an integrated body, offered more interior room, as well as a more planted stance, with greater side-slope stability. During its decades long service-life, a considerable number of updates and variants were developed – both to deal with its rear suspension problems and provide for numerous special variants, spanning from field ambulance to weapons systems mounting a 106mm recoilless rifle or small nuclear missile. The M718 ambulance has a longer rear body, taller bows and canvas roof, and is wider from relocating the spare tire from the rear to outside on the passenger side, but rides on the same 85 in (2.16 m) wheelbase as the M151, contrary to its M170 jeep predecessor. From 1985 into the early 1990s, the M151 and M718 have been replaced by the much larger, heavier, and much more expensive AM General HMMWV, both in most utility and logistics roles, as well as in (uparmored) frontline use. The HMMWV continued using all-wheel independent suspension, enhanced with geared hubs for much greater ground clearance, but reverted to a separate aluminium body on a steel chassis – the exact opposite of the contemporaneous new 1984 Jeep Cherokee models, where Jeep (formerly Willys) adopted unitary, integrated bodywork, but stuck with rigid, live axles. With some M151A2 units still in U.S. military service in 1999, the M151 series achieved a longer run of service than that of the World War II / Korean War-era Willys MB/GPW, M38, and M38A1 series combined.
Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Generations & variants
Photos
Sources
- Wikidata / Wikipedia profiles — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/cars/Q1234272CC0 / CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M151_%C2%BC-ton_4%C3%974_utility_truckCC BY-SA 4.0 · Intro text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375381708 · retrieved 2026-10-01
- Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.