A 1970 American General M816 wrecker is being offered at $49,500, placing an unusually capable piece of heavy recovery equipment into the specialist collector and working-vehicle market.
The M816's defining hardware is a five-ton crane, backed by winches designed for serious pulling duties. That equipment gives the truck a purpose far beyond display value, whether its next owner sees it as a restoration project, an event vehicle or a functional recovery machine.
At nearly $50,000, the asking price narrows the field. A buyer would need to value the truck's industrial capability and distinctive scale, rather than approach it as a conventional classic vehicle.
As Jalopnik reports, the central question is whether the M816's formidable crane-and-winch combination can justify its price to the relatively small audience equipped to own and use it.
