First post question about a Mity Mite

[landfillman]

I saw a Mity Mite a friend that passed away had years ago. They bought scads of MV and surplus for their construction company. I remember seeing it as a kid them riding it around as an escort /pilot vehicle. I was a kid then but new it was smaller than a standard jeep. Now I found out they had and OD LJ10 suzuki and the MM. My neighbor told me about them later but Passed away recently before we could dig up the pictures.


My 2 main questions are WHo made the MM and what motor did they use and was the LJ10 ever used by the US Military? THanks in advance Taylor

 

[Bad_Carp]

The M422 (Mighty Mite) was made by American Motors.

Thr LJ10 was never used by the US military to my knowledge.

 

[landfillman]

Thanks BC I wished I was older at the time because I could have bought both for peanuts. The neighbors whole fleet of Construction and MV's has gone to scrap. My nieghbor was a genious at making something run. Before he passed he had hundres of tons og MV and MV parts It was just sickening to see it all hauled off by his crackhead son and grandson. I did save an old Pengo earth drill they had mounted on an old truck.

 

[Stretch44875]

Mighty mite has an air cooled V-4 engine, all aluminum. Almost resembles aircraft engines. Maybe someday mine will run, too many projects ahead of it.

 

[cbvet]

RodUSMC1962 drove Mighty Mites in the Marine Corps & currently has two that he brings to parades in our area.
Mite is mostly aluminum, has a V-4 Wisconsin engine.
Very cool machines, but tricky to work on.

 

[NDT]

has a V-4 Wisconsin engine.

It LOOKS like a V4HD Wisconsin engine, but it is not. The aluminum engine is a one of a kind made by American Motors.

 

[cbvet]

Okay, to clarify: The engine was BUILT by Wisconsin.

"Possibly one of the most hi-tech Jeeps ever built, the Mighty Mite remains a little known enigma. The story of the M-422 is one that tends to be full of typical governmental red tape, over spending and poor planning on the part of many of the people involved with the program. The M-422 was designed as a very role specific vehicle for the United States Marine Corps. The Marines needed a Jeep that could be carried by their combat helicopter into any situation while still being light enough to allow the helicopter to carry other items and/or personnel. Unfortunately the WWII era Jeeps and the later M38s and M38a1s were too heavy for the helicopter that was in service at the time. What was to be built as an answer would be a truly revolutionary vehicle.
The power plant of this little beast was an all aluminum air cooled V-4 engine. The engine was built by Wisconsin engine under contract for AMC. "

 

[NDT]

cbvet, I stand corrected! Where did you find that tidbit of information?

 

[cbvet]

Well, I originally learned that from my buddy Rod who worked in a Marine Corps parts room for a while in the '60s. Learned more about it when we got parts from Russ Jones (RIP).
The quote came from the "Jeeps Unlimited" website.