M715 first vehicle with blinkers?

[Barrman]

I was reading David Doyle catalog of military vehicles during my teacher conference earlier this week. I noticed that the M715 was the first MV that came with blinkers.

Reading the same book, it mentions that the M151A2 was equiped with them, but no date is given for its introduction.

I know M35's, 5 tons and such were retrofitted with blinkers when they got depot level rebuilds. At the same time they got the big bucket composite style lights.

Does anyone know of another MV that came from the factory with the small bucket lights and blinkers? My thinking is that the M715 is the only vehicle so equiped from the start. With the Gama Goat and the M151A2 being right behind it.

Thoughts?

[brute4c]

The M37 uses the same distribution box for the lighting circuits...I was under the assumption, but have never owned or even ridden in one to confirm this, that they had them before us...

[amphi]

The M37 uses the same distribution box for the lighting circuits

Yep! According to this diagram the M-37 had the same box as the M-715. All wire numbers and terminations match.

http://m37.crwdesigns.com/m37wiring.jpg


I suppose George Walker will know for sure.

[Beast]

The M37 did not come with turn signals, They were retro fitted like the M35's. The dist. box like in the M715 was part of the retro kit. Also the M151a2 model I believe was first out in '69.

[k8icu]

The M151A1 was equiped with Turn signals. They were basically the small black out marker lights found on other 1/4 tons but mounted on the fender with an amber lens cover. The M151A1 hit the streets in 1964 so that was way before the M715. The M37B1 came with turnsignals The B1s came out in the late 50's or early 60's.

[Barrman]

There you go. Thanks Dave and Joe. The M715 wasn't the first to have them. Was there a M151? Compared to the M151A1 is what I am asking. Because if there was, then the M715 would have been the first vehicle to have blinkers from the very start of the G contract.

[george walker]

The M-151 model went into production during 1959, so it wasnt equipped w/ T/S at that time. Actually M-37b1's started production in 1958 and werent equipped then either, however additional production was added through 1968 (during 715 production) so some of the later production may have been equipped. The 715 prob. just happened to be the first model on the design boards when the army adopted T/S as a requirement, (going foward) apparently models already in production werent required to be immediately improved, and allowed the changes to come at the manafacturers discretion. Like all other m series elect parts the T/S system was also a standard design the first being the big mech. flasher design (approx. 1966?), then the solid state type (approx 1969?) which seemed to go through a few fast design changes in the handle design.