UPDATE 2: We are certain this was a scam. Contrary to what the ‘seller’ reports, no LoJack activation has never occurred on a Willys in AZ.
UPDATE: Thanks to Craig for managing to get a response. The seller claims these are sold. And, thanks especially to Jesse for his detailed analysis on this. In between tearing down my parent’s rotten deck and getting ready to build a new one I’ve been following the comments on this ad/scam/?? with interest.
“I have two modernized like new except for paint m677 FC Kaiser Jeeps with 4 door crew cabs, full skid plates, new motors, new drive train, or professionally rebuilt. Modern features like PS, PB, AC, locker Eaton Rear end. One is Gasoline powered Chevrolet LT-1 350 the other is a 6 cyl heavy duty diesel. To much to mention. $65,000 takes both and plenty of original parts. I had the custom paint jobs blasted off when the company who contracted their build at a cost of over $100,000 defaulted and we repo’ed these.. Both have new interior, AC, 24 12 and 120 volt power. Both have heavy duty winches, and one comes with a PTO winch and hydrostatic plow drive als all hoses drive lines etc. They run and drive great. Suspension is all new and engineered for the load of the new running gear. Running gear was regeared to maximize the HP torque and RPMs of the power plant(s). Paint is all these lack. They are in a climate controlled storage. Look up this model on Google. These are primer gray and all they need is a final paint job. These are rare, and unheard of in this condition. Email for a viewing time and location, as well as questions and a an extensive list of original spare parts, engines, transfer cases, glass, etc. One mor could be made original from spare frame body parts engine X fer case front and rear end etc. Zero rust. Interiors are new Taurus Burgundy colored vinyl seats. New tires, new heavy duty brakes. These cost almost $130K to build. They were meant to service cell towers in remote locations. The buyer skipped town. They had LOJACK and I went and got them back. Too many upgrades and options to list. The gasoline model is more of a toy as the engine is high compression high horsepower. They have dual 24 and 12 volt electrical, all new rubber body gaskets, no leaks. They are in line in a storage unit, and photos will be difficult. After I take them out to allow a test dive photos will be available. These were driven every 4-6 weeks to keep seals from leaking and fluids changed every 3 months regardless of use. We are using Mobile One with extra filters engine oil coolers, A two regeared 2 speed overdrive was added between the 4 speed tranny and transfer case for 16 forward gears 2 reverse. All computer modeled to avoid clearance issues, binding ill fitting parts etc. Enough parts are on hand to make these original again too. THe Cat Diesel is the true work truck. I got 27 MPG with it HWY. $35K each $65K takes everything. Parts are available with further negotiation on one truck. Both trucks you get extra frames, cabs, mounts, etc. These are very very nice inside. Dunbar did all new springs and an airbag ride was installed. Email with a number for serious buyers ONLY> This will be listed in other locations I am willing to deliver to.”
Very odd that no pix are included. Asking $65K for supposedly beautiful machines and they can’t take and post a handful of digital images? I always get suspicious when there is such a glaring inconsistency.
If the lack of pictures isn’t suspicious enough, it would be the story. Lojack… blasting off new paint… a high compression V8 toy built to be used to service cell towers…. parts to put back to normal??
no phone number and ” listed in other locations” are things that lead me to believe this is not what it seems.
I’m betting they are not real. 2 M-677’s located in Phoenix. Just talked to Jesse and he has not heard of them either. Have emailed them and will report back but I’m betting I won’t hear from them.
Craig is on the right trail here. I was going to contact Jesse also, but if Craig has already touched base with him, I will hold off. If Jesse doesn’t know about them, they are probably not for real.
Colin, Craig,
I don’t know everybody that owns FCs, and there really are a few M-series trucks out there that I haven’t seen. Phoenix is big, but in the M-series world, it really does seem like a small world.
I also have not received an answer nor have my friends, from the seller. I was away from the computer when Craig called me, Craig was going to reply and because I was with my wife on the road, I asked one of local my friends to reply to get an address, so that he and I could go see them, possibly to buy, then when I got to my daughter’s house, I made a reply.
I am wanting to talk to the seller, the price is beyond reasonable for all that is advertised, so I have a need to ask a few questions. Since this is the website he chose to place an ad. I will ask the questions here:
1. This is how you describe the vehicles.
You have two modernized like new except for paint m677 FC Kaiser Jeeps with 4 door crew cabs, full skid plates, new motors, new drive train, or professionally rebuilt. Modern features like PS, PB, AC, locker Eaton Rear end. One is Gasoline powered Chevrolet LT-1 350 the other is a. To much to mention.
The SBC is a no brainer I have been driving my M-677 with a SBC 383 stroker and modern runinng gear since the 90s.
You got my attention with the 6 cyl heavy duty diesel, you said it is a CAT, If in fact it is a heavy duty it means it is a turbo vehicle engine and not an industrial non Turbo pump motor. So for my Questions, I am going to assume you have at least a CAT C-9.
1. Your first sentence, as I interpret it, defines them as original bodied except for custom paint that you removed. In the add there is no mention of a change or replacement of the frame, only that you have extra M-677 parts to make another original truck implying that you have at least three. Is this what you have?
2. Except for the springs made by Dunbar spring company, what else of suspension has been changed on the two original truck frames?
3. Here is what I would like to know, if CAD or what ever engineering software was used, I would like to know how it all fits.
In your words:
A two regeared 2 speed overdrive was added between the 4 speed tranny and transfer case for 16 forward gears 2 reverse. With A heavy Duty 6 Cyl, I am thinking you are referring to at least a Cat C-9 so I will refer to the engine as the CAT.
So please help me understand the math, I am doing this from memory so I may be off a little so this is why I would like for you to answer a few more of my dumb measurement questions:
Starting from the front bumper to the front cross member and this is also where the dog house opening starts, 16″,+ 1″,
air gap to the front of the Radiator, at least a 10 gal system that will be enough to cool the big CAT, it will need to be at least a 6 row thick in the core, high density rectangular tubes, 18″ wide by 28″ tall and because of the large tanks 10″ thick,
a full mechanical 7 or 8 blade 18″ Diameter fan and shroud12″,
at this point the front of the waterpump of the Cat begins, this is also the centerline of the front wheel base. The C-9 or equal HD Diesel is 47″,
An adapter to the trans used is 4″,
4 speed Allison 545 with bell housing is 32″,
(A manual top shift Clark or Rockwell with clutch in the bellhousing is longer)
a large U-Joint on both ends drive shaft, to connect to the transfercase 12″ min.,
large divorced transfercase, like the Rockwell or equal U-joint to U-joint is 28″, add another large U-Joint on both ends drive shaft, to connect to the OD 12″,
a heavy duty Brownie style remote OD U-joint to U-joint is 26″,
and add another large double U-Joint on one end and a single on the other end, drive shaft, to the axle 15″,
from the front U-joint of the large Eaton to the centerline of the axle WB is 15″,
from the Centerline of the axle to the rear bumper is 35″.
16+1+10+12+57+4+32+12+28+12+26+15+15+35=275″ bumper to bumper aprox, and 214 min WB. Without seeing what you have, I wonder how this fits
An M-677 is 13+ feet long and has a 106″ Wheelbase. how did your computer tell you to adjust the 214″ to fit in 106″?
4. Weight of a Cerlist powered M-677 is 3650 lb. so removing the 1000 pound running gear and springs, leaves 2650. The CAT C-9 is 1650 dry with no acc. add the radiator and all the acc items is closer to 2000. adding the rest of the running gear, in short math of all that is listed above without itemizing, all adds up to near 10,000 lb, so my questions are related to the front tires are taking on 3,000 each, the rears are 2,000 each, but how does it stop.
5. If they defaulted $100,000 and you have all of this info about them, to repo them, and you did the repo, how did you know what to get without pictures, how did the lender not give you pictures? Do you think readers here are inbred morons?
6. From the beginning, during and after the Western US Cell tower build out, I was onsite with my M-677, on most AZ and other Western US Mountain top, Cell tower installations, I worked as the consultant structural engineer of record for the most of the near impossible foundation and tower installations, work included geo tech, foundation design, and construction project management, for most of the wireless carriers. It may seem like a big world in Phoenix, to where I may not know all of the M-677 Owners, I have met most of the owners here at my house, but it is a really small world of only a handful of contractors, and structural engineers that do this work. Do you think I wouldn’t have seen another M-677 on the mountain tops?
7. I was holding back, but I need to ask a final question, if you did the repo of these type trucks, why did you care what the paint looked like?
I couldn’t help remembering, how the fresh cut, zig zag rock cut trails were at so steep of angles and te turn abouts were so tight that many times, I would slide on wet rock and scratch both sides of my truck, why would I believe or think, that the previous owner would have a custom paint job to do that type work.
8. If I have upset you, remember that this should be expected, you are a repo man, I want to believe that you have these trucks,I do wish that at this point if you do have a chance, and you can provide the serial VIN numbers, to Craig, to be included in the M-series registry.
9.If you are not a scammer, then please let it be known. There really are people that spend more money to build M-677s, than you are asking for yours.
Ha…Jesse! can’t wait for his reply to that one 😉
Got an email from him a couple of hours ago. Sorry, they both sold. And he still forgot the pictures or any other information. Wow, the big one that got away! LOL!!!!!
Okay, looks pretty solid as BS. But I don’t get the scam. This guy went to quite a lot of work in his listing, but for what reason? What’s the scam and how does it work?
Thanks for all the comments. I’ve updated the post. I guess if they ‘sold’, they must have been underpriced … lol.
And Jesse, loved the analysis!
Well, do I feel bad. Just yesterday I received a phone call from Mr. Ben Dover informing me I had won the Irish sweepstakes even though I never entered. How lucky is that? Anyway, as soon as my money clears the Bank of Nigeria I’m supposed to get a check for about a gazillion dollars and I really wanted to buy these two Jeeps but it looks like I missed out. I guess I’ll buy the Goddess something nice with my winnings but right now I’m going out and sit by the mailbox where I’ll wait for my check. Wish me luck!
paul…..you’ll probably get a call from the bank of nigeria asking you for your personal banking info and password so they can direct deposit your gazillion dollars. so go work on your jeep and wait for a call.
One has to wonder if the seller wasn’t planning to steal Jesse’s black truck if a buyer cornered him, sandblasting all that black paint away and shooting on a quick coat of primer gray…
Not surprised it happened on a 3 day weekend. If it was a scam that would make sense. Too late to get to the post office or Fed Ex for an overnight payment. Can’t get to the back for a cashiers check. If you want me to hold the truck for you send me a Western union wire right now.
The first one to send me a deposit gets the truck.
We’ve been warned about that kind of scam on E-Willys before I think with a GPW being sold all over the country over and over again.
I would say the ad was pulled quick because he was getting caught right up front in such a specialized area.
Jesse and Craig-
Thanks for your involvement in this. If anybody ever doubted that Jesse didn’t know all about the M677 trucks, there should be no doubt now. Between he and Craig, they are the two top guys about these FC trucks. Scam from the seller, you bet! My buddy John who is also retired AZDPS Auto Theft now works for LoJack. He gets notification anytime there is a Lojack activated in Arizona or is tracked to Arizona and he says there has never been a Lojack hit on a Willys in AZ. John also owns a 55 Willys pickup truck.