Whether you want to restore an antique army truck or have a whole fleet of military vehicles for your business, army surplus vehicles and vintage vehicles are not as hard to find as you might think. You don't have to have experience with military vehicles to buy or operate all surplus vehicles either, since manuals and information are available online.

Master military vehicles basics before you buy through familiarizing yourself with the various types of and uses for army vehicles, and studying manuals and other information regarding the proper operation of military vehicles. Once you have the information you need, you'll have the necessary tools to find a range of military vehicles for sale that can benefit your business.

When getting to know the military vehicles basics, do the following:

1. Gather information about jeeps and other vintage military vehicles;

2. Look into larger army trucks and M-series military vehicles for more utility;

3. Find information about amphibious and hard-to-find military vehicles.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Invest in a piece of history with jeeps and other vintage military vehicles

A military truck or jeep can be an excellent historic artifact to take your business back to the early twentieth century. WWII jeeps are a popular military vehicle to own, and many army jeeps are vintage or antique military vehicles. If you serve a customer base that includes veterans or active service military, if your business is located on or near a military base or if you sell army surplus merchandise, incorporating a military jeep into your business fleet will provide good publicity.

I recommend: Olive-Drab offers a military vehicles chart with specifications and information on several types of military vehicle, including jeeps. Brian's Military Jeeps has many online services for learning about military vehicles, specifically jeeps, including information on different models.

Get utility from military vehicles with army trucks

A military truck can be a good choice for utility and style if you need an army vehicle with a large load capacity. Army trucks are good military vehicles to use if you need a business vehicle for hauling, shipping or utility work.

I recommend: Clark Truck Parts has an online listing of a range of M-series and other heavy duty army vehicles and trucks. The U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground also provides a list of vehicle specifications for a number of army trucks and machinery in the document "Description of Vehicles."

Gather information about unique and specialty army vehicles

Military vehicles have also been developed for innovative tactical situations and purposes over the years, resulting in some impressive pieces of machinery that can really make an impression. Get information about many of these hard-to-find military vehicles online and determine whether your business has a use for an army tank or amphibious vehicle.

I recommend: Check out the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation's inventory of known hard-to-find vehicles, such as tanks and amphibious vehicles, to locate the type of vehicle that interests you and may best fit your business needs. You can also get information on past and current amphibious vehicles from 4WD Online and Army-technology.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you do not receive a manual for operating your military vehicle when you buy, look for one online to have on hand.
• •  When buying a restored or antique army truck or jeep, make sure you know if parts will need to be replaced and where to buy them. Most military jeeps and trucks use standard military parts that can be found online or through an army vehicle distributor.

If you're looking for an army truck as a novelty item or a fleet of army trucks for a particular business need, finding such military vehicles for sale is not as hard as one might think. Traditional transportation offerings are limited in their abilities for off-road tasks. Both dealers and enthusiasts alike offer a wealth of resources for military vehicle buyers.

After addressing your business needs of either a military truck or vehicle for work duties or a tank to participate and advertise in a Memorial Day parade, consider the following:

1. Find military vehicle manufacturers, restorers or locators of military vehicles for sale.

2. Search for military parts to overhaul your army truck or army vehicles.

3. Stay informed about your military truck or used military tanks via specialty publications and other military vehicle enthusiasts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find army vehicles or a locator of military vehicles

Locate large military trucks to serve specialized business needs or to transport equipment or military vehicles. Many military vehicles manufacturers also build general heavy-duty transportation vehicles to move equipment. When going the used route, find a reputable dealer who helps you locate a particular vehicle, handles restoration and can even transport it for you.

I recommend: Contact Oshkosh for heavy-duty transport vehicles. Go to Int'l Repo Depo for reconditioned military vehicles. Military Vehicle Repair & Restoration is the place to contact for maintenance and storage. Ask the company about its vehicle locating and consulting services. Khaki Corps Imports brings military vehicles and equipment to the United States. Contact the company about its current inventory already in the U.S.

Locate a variety of army parts for army surplus vehicles and other military vehicles

At some point in time, your military vehicle is going to need parts. Most of your locators and dealers have a cache of military and army parts for sale. However, if you still need something that they haven't found yet, manufacturers are available to make replacement parts or refurbish old parts.

I recommend: Find manufactured military vehicle replacement parts at M.V. Spares. Search the D&L Bensinger site for military vehicle parts, and the company also restores vehicles and can help you find a vehicle. Get technical assistance or request rebuilt parts from Army Jeep Parts. Register at The Long Olive Drab Line for military jeep parts and paint.

Go to the military vehicle authorities with technical know-how and find like-minded enthusiasts

Whether you're buying a new military truck or vehicle, need information on parts or just need support from other military vehicle owners, there are companies and associations there for you. Older military vehicles in particular require special attention. Networking in the right circles helps you find key people familiar with driving and maintaining army trucks and vehicles.

I recommend: Subscribe to Jane's, the authority on military vehicles and equipment. Online subscriber content includes supplier and manufacturer information. To make contact with technical advisers or participate in a military vehicle driver program, join the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. Membership includes its bimonthly newsletter, Supply Line, and its quarterly historical and technical journal, Army Motors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Contact your local DMV or insurance company for more information on your state's rules and regulations for purchasing and insuring a military vehicle. Many antique auto and collector car insurance companies set up unique policies for a variety of vehicles.
• •  Review requirements for self-insurance at the DMV for your state. Your business insurance may cover a portion or all of your insurance needs.
• •  Get advice from a heavy equipment dealer on how to transport your acquisition from a military vehicles sale. The dealer may be able to offer assistance or point you in the right direction.

Working on military vehicles is a passion for some, hobby for others and gainful employment for many. The military vehicles industry is largely experienced based; you're much more likely to see hands-on military experience listed as a preferred quality than a higher education degree.

A GED or high school diploma is preferred by almost all employers, although most will accept appropriate experience as a substitute. Beyond that basic requirement, the best military vehicles repair education and training may include:

1. Train for repairing military vehicles through hands-on military experience.
2. Scout for civilian training classes to increase your chances of securing a military job or to acquire similar skills.
3. Learn about unfamiliar vehicles through military vehicle manufacturers manuals and parts catalogs.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get on the job training with Army vehicles

Military experience is a preferred attribute for many military truck and vehicle jobs in both civilian and military sectors. Military service as a mechanic is also the best way to get intensive, hands-on training with military vehicles. Civilian automotive training is also helpful for being placed in an automotive field in the Army, or can be used as a basis for being hired by civilian contractors that work on Army or other military vehicles.

I recommend: USMilitary.com lays out some of the skills necessary to do light wheel military vehicle repair, and makes a case for receiving that training in the armed forces. The Alaska Army National Guard details the skills and training you'd received when preparing to work as a light wheel vehicle mechanic, plus information about corresponding civilian jobs. If you'd rather get experience as a civilian, EDinformatics offers a useful list of automotive training schools and their hands-on training opportunities.

Find training and seminars to work with almost any civilian or Army truck or wheeled vehicles

The right online resources can help you track down both free and paid training opportunities so you can learn how to work on military vehicles. You can also use online resources to track down seminars and expos that might give you a chance to network with both military and civilian employers, as well as familiarizing yourself with the newest technology.

I recommend: TEAM AVI offers comprehensive video training for wheeled vehicle repair, plus a free newsletter including feature articles and tips from TEAM AVI instructors. Business Fleet offers information about seminars and expos that include both corporate and military attendees, offering you an interesting cross-section of training opportunities and a chance to network.

Familiarize yourself with Army parts and vehicle operations

Having the right manual on hand can help you deal with unfamiliar military parts or specialized operating systems you may encounter in Army surplus vehicles. It also gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with military trucks and other wheeled vehicles without actually joining the military.

I recommend: MilitaryManuals.com and Portrayal Press both give you a chance to learn about the operation, parts lists and more for a variety of military vehicles with vehicle-specific operation manuals.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some military vehicles will have modifications beyond their typical civilian uses or non-military counterparts, so don't underestimate the importance of having the right military parts catalog on hand.
• •  Even though having a higher education degree is not necessary to secure a job working on military vehicles, it might help you be selected over other competition or to secure more advanced work.

There are many types of military vehicles, past and present, used in many industries in addition to the military. Some businesses restore and resell military vehicles, while others provide parts and repair services. Other businesses prefer the unique characteristics of military vehicles compared to civilian vehicles, and use them for business transportation services.

If you're currently involved in any business that deals with military vehicles, or are considering utilizing them for your company, get some clarification on common terms you'll come across.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Amphibious

Amphibious military vehicles can be driven through water, as well as on land.

I recommend: Get all the information you could possibly want about amphibious vehicles from GlobalSecurity.org. Browse the different types of amphibian vehicles, including the Quadski, the Terraqua, the ACC-E and the ACC-R, produced by Gibbs Technologies Limited.

Army jeep

The military jeep was created in 1940 for the U.S Army by the American Bantam Car Company first, then by Willys and Ford. It was a lightweight, four-wheel drive vehicle used for reconnaissance and other tasks.

I recommend: Olive-Drab.com gives the history of the Army jeep. The Jeeps of World War II gives tons of information, including pictures, history, specs and more about jeeps used in the war.

HMMWV

The High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), also known as the Humvee, has been in use since 1985. The military used the truck to keep up with quick tanks and to take the place of multiple other older vehicles in use by the Army at the time. It serves many purposes, such as carrying troops or weapons, scouting and serving as an ambulance.

I recommend: Find a definition of the HMMWV at Military Vehicles Magazine. Find more facts about the HMMWV from the U.S. Army's official website.

MVPA

The Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA) is for anyone interested in restoring, collecting, preserving or having anything else to do with military vehicles. The organization conducts parades, educational events and other activities for its members.

I recommend: Get the specifics from the MVPA website.

Anti-aircraft artillery

Anti-aircraft artillery vehicles refer to transportation vessels that engage hostile aircraft or enforce air space regulations.

I recommend: See photos of anti-aircraft vehicles at MilitaryFactory.com.

Deuce or deuce-and-a-half

These are military trucks in the two-ton or two-and-a-half-ton weight class that can be configured to transport troops, fuel, food and artillery, to name a few. This measurement refers to how much these vehicles can carry, not how much they weigh.

I recommend: See photos of restored trucks at Toyland Combat Vehicles.