Today on The Survival Podcast, Jack interviewed a young man who had a great deal of knowledge to share about ATVs and UTVs for survival or homestead use. They also delved into other off road rigs like military vehicles and 6x6 amphibious things. But they didn't mention one of my favorites.
Back in the early 90's, at work we bought a couple of Mitsubishi Mighty Mits trucks. They were 4x4, tilt/dump beds, with fully enclosed cabs. Those little things would go anywhere, and haul several hundred pounds in the bed.
Here's some detail from a DOT application response:
The submission describes the vehicle as a lightweight work vehicle, which consists of a frame construction and a cargo bed. Its overall length is 125.8 inches. The cargo bed measures 52.4 inches wide and 76.4 inches long. The vehicle has a curb weight of 1,300 pounds and is powered by a 30 h.p. gasoline-powered, 3-cylinder internal combustion engine. Its tires measure 5.00-10.00 (standard), or 20 x 8.0-10 (optional) and has a top speed of 21.7 mph (35 km/h).
The Mighty Mits is available in three models. The first model is equipped with a full cab with top, doors and full glass, (windshield, rear glass and side windows). The second model has a cab with top, partial glass (windshield and rear glass), and side bars, but no doors. The third model has a cab with top, no glass or doors and only side bars. The submission states that each cab version of the vehicle may be available in a two or four wheel drive and may be equipped with a tilt bed, which gives the vehicle dumper capability.
Brochures describing the vehicles state that they are rugged, dependable multipurpose vehicles that cover a variety of general work needs. They also state that these vehicles are designed with rugged construction to handle heavy loads and easy maneuverability to negotiate varying terrain.
One of the great things about the Mits is the top speed of 21.7 mph. Seems they had governors on them, but if you were cruising along at top speed, you could put in the clutch, turn the ignition quickly off and then on again, and release the clutch to jump the governor. You could do this at least twice after topping out, bringing the speed up to about 60 or so. Quite a thrill in such a tiny rig!
Here's what one looks like:
As cool as these things were, they have not been available new for quite a while. There seem to be some Internet groups dedicated to preserving and rebuilding them. I could not find any for sale, however... not even on EBay. I did find a recently closed GSA auction for one that was all beat to heck and did not run. It sold for a mere $110, I'd assume to someone who had one and wanted some spare parts.
Anyway, if you have a need for a rugged, yet small off-road utility vehicle, see if you can track down a Mighty Mits.
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