At $49,500, Would You Hook Up With This 1970 American General M816 Wrecker?

Acknowledging that it's a bit of a niche vehicle, the seller of today's Nice Price or No Dice AMG M816 wrecker highlights its potential as a logging truck. Whatever usefulness it might provide, it will certainly stand out doing it. Let's decide whether it has an outstanding price, too.

At 1,645 feet at its deepest point, Lake Tahoe, on the California/Nevada border, is the third-deepest lake in North America, bested only by Crater Lake in Oregon and Canada's Great Slave Lake. Lake Tahoe is deep enough to hide the entire Empire State Building, spire and all.

Chevy took the Tahoe name for its line of mid-sized SUVs back in the '90s. All things considered, that was a better choice than Crater, or, more egregiously, Slave. We looked at a mildly refreshed and reconstituted 1997 Chevy Tahoe LT 4X2 on Tuesday, and opinions were split on the work done on the truck and whether it was worth the $13,500 asking price. When the votes were tallied, though, the Tahoe eked out a narrow victory with 54% voting 'Nice Price.'

One of the complaints leveled at yesterday's Tahoe was that it wasn't 4WD, making it less useful in inclement weather or as a tow vehicle. No such grievance could be made about today's 1970 American General M816 wrecker, as it has three axles and ten tires, all of which can be turned in anger. Based on the warning on one of the many dashboard plaques, though, they can only be turned up to a maximum of 56 miles per hour in top fifth gear. Of course, speed isn't this truck's forte: lifting and pulling heavy stuff is its jam.

The M816 Wrecker is part of a family of heavy-duty tactical trucks built by AM General for the U.S. Military between 1970 and 1982. Other members of the family included stake-bed cargo trucks, fifth-wheel tractor trucks, dump trucks, and enclosed box trucks. 

The ad claims this wrecker was totally refurbished, with just 7,181 miles on the odometer and 564 hours on the engine. According to the seller, it's been kept in a climate-controlled garage (or, more likely, a hangar) for the past decade and now needs to go because the space it occupies is needed for something else. Or maybe four something elses.

Naturally, this truck's original purpose means it now will have a very narrow audience. But for anyone seeking to fish for Megalodons or move small- to medium-sized buildings several blocks, this is your shining opportunity.

The truck has a 10-ton crane on the rear platform that can pivot a full 360°. Outriggers on the corners help keep it on its tippy-toes. On top of that, there is a 20,000-pound winch on the front bumper and a 45K one in the rear. If something needs to be moved, this thing can probably move it.

That kind of effort takes a solid motor to power it. Like all M-Series, this truck runs on a 14-liter (yes, 14-liter) naturally aspirated six-cylinder Cummins NHC250 diesel engine. That makes 240 horsepower and a stonking 685 pound-feet of torque starting at a loping 1,500 rpm. Behind that is a Dana-Spicer five-speed manual transmission with an ultra-low first and overdrive fifth. That drives a two-speed transfer case and on to all three axles as needed. Suspension is by stout leaf springs all the way around, while braking is accomplished with air-powered drums on all six axles. The tires (all 10 of them) are said to be new, and the seller claims everything in the truck works as it should.

Okay, why though would anyone need an old military wrecker like this? Well, the seller says in the ad that it could be a valuable asset for loggers, and seeing as it's offered in Colorado—a place known for having many trees—that's not a bad marketing tactic. It also appeals to the military vehicle collector crowd, who like these kinds of things in ways the rest of us might not.

Whatever the scenario, like there's a butt for every seat, there's a market for pretty much every kind of vehicle out there. All it takes is time and a Craigslist listing.

Considering this truck like it's a normal vehicle and not something that weighs in at over five tons and has the top speed of an arthritic tortoise, there's a lot to like. It comes with a clean Colorado title and, according to the ad, needs nothing but perhaps some fluids changed and a new 24-volt battery to make it a trusty off-roader. As another incentive for its use and longevity, the seller proclaims that "THIS TRUCK WAS DESIGNED FOR 18 YEAR OLDS TO MAINTAIN, REPAIR IT."

Okay, so we've tried to wrap our heads around this truck's purpose and who exactly might be the right buyer needing whatever it is that they see fit for it. Now we need to decide whether paying $49,500 is a smart move to achieve that goal.

To be honest, that represents a lot of vehicle for the money, and if you consider it purely on a cost-per-pound basis, this M816 would most assuredly come out a winner. That's not how things work around here, though, so we instead need to consider the truck's other merits and determine if they add up to a $49,500 expenditure.

What do you think? At that asking price, do you feel like this army brat will find a new home? Or does that price tag give it a dishonorable discharge?

You decide!

Denver, Colorado, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

Hat tip to Bill Darling for the hookup!

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