Need help with Identification on my M422A1

[estuart]

I own M422A1 #2890 and have for about ten years. I have tried for years to find out more about the truck but have had little luck. The truck has a fiberglass hardtop which appears to be a factory job, but to the best of my knowledge AMC never made a top for this vehicle. It also is not OD green and the ID plate is not stamped other than the VIN. I was told when I bought it that it was some sort of arctic retrofit that was tested by AMC. The intake and and several parts of the heads and intake have been insulated with an extremely hard foam of some sort. The Windshield frame is fiberglass and there is a set of 14" US Indy Mag rims on the truck. I bought the truck years ago from a Jeep repair shop in the Medford area by paying off the lien on the vehicle. It does not run as the motor is siezed. I have two partial engines, 7 cylinders, 4 heads and other misc parts. Looking for a place to start on restoration.

 

[estuart]

Reading some of these threads I am confused a bit. The ID plate states the vehicle is a M422A1 which based on the VIN number makes sense. However my tailgate has seats in it not on the sides of the truck and there are no tool boxes behind the seat.

 

[NDT]

Wow! Your Mite appears to be a American Motors "CJ" prototype to explore the civilian marketplace. My guess anyway.

 

[RodUSMC1962]

If the data plate says m422-a1 some one has changed the tailgate. The original m422 had no tool boxes and had the seats in the tail gateThe a1 had the seats on the sides and the tool box cut outs .The a1 is 6 inches longer. American Motors did no work on any civilan proto types .Some one did some modification to this vehicle, and there are not enough pics to tell much.I ran the parts room in the 4th Marines motor pool and drove mites for 2 years in the early and mid 1960`s.This might or might not be a mite, need more info.

 

[estuart]

It most definetly is a M422A1 and I won't disagree that it has been heavily modified from its original design. It has the name plate, title, the correct wheel base, frame, engine, suspension and sheetmetal. The question I really have is who did the alterations as they appear to be a factory or done at a very good fab shop.

The hardtop and windshield appear to be made for this vehicle not another one and altered. There is a insulated vinyl headliner in the cab that is extremely well made. Stiching runs down the corners of the cab clear to the sills. The interior is definetly not military. It has a thick carpet throughout, AMC bucket seats and AMC tilt steering column and AMC gauges. Every component that has been altered appears to be of AMC origin. It also has the strange stainless name plates on the front and rear which say AMC Mighty-Mite.

The F-100 short box unibody in the pictures beside the Mite is somewhat less of a rarity that is destined to be a hot-rod. I am trying to prioritze projects at this point.

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Seeing the front pics I can see it is a mite. Someone sure put a lot of work into this.

 

[NDT]

I see the data plate is not attached to the truck. Was it ever riveted on? I stand by my assertion that your vehicle was a 1960's prototype of a civilian Mite, done in house by AMC. Seems like AM General tried this a second time, with the H1 "Hummer".

 

[estuart]

Most of the plates were not attached when I got the Mite. Everything was in the back and it has remained that way. Based on the tears at the rivet holes I would assume that the plates were attached at some point. More pics attached.

 

[estuart]

Things to note in Pictures above;

Tailgate mounted seats, I see no holes or brackets for fender mounted seats. Not sure how the correct A1 seats attached to the fenders.

The side of the truck has emblems, I have never seen this in photos of other Mites. The 4 wheeldrive emblem I don't see as being that significant as many vehicles had similar emblems but the dicast V4 emblem I am not sure where it would have been "borrowed" from.

Intake that has been foamed. It also has had a 3/4" inch riser added. I am not sure that the carb is correct as it is a very small 2 barrel. Bores are around 7/8" and 3/4".

Last picture is the hood stamp. I see that some people find significance in those numbers.

 

[estuart]

So where would the best place be to send the engine/transaxle/tranny to be rebuilt? I see D&L Bensinger sells most parts but I have never touched anything except cast iron V6s in my CJ and small blocks so don't really feel up to the task.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

November 15th, 2012.

Interesting Mighty Mite, I had M422A1 #2043 from 1961, the fibreglass or artic top might be factory made, as many of these were sent to the scientific outposts in Antartica, as they were lighter to ship, used less fuel, and had no coolant/antifreeze issues as other vehicles there tended to do.
Rebuilding your mighty mite at home should not be a problem, provided you can find the spare parts. a lot of the engine parts numbers and axle numbers will cross over to various civillian vehicles from the time, as AMC was generally known to only assemble other peoples parts in their vehicles.....
Good luck, they corner like a scared cat, and they will give regular Jeep drivers fits due to their agility on side slopes and very rough terrain.