Repro body kits

[davem201m38]

Well, today I went to pick up a rusty old M38 tub and bits to add to my collection of 'projects'.
Anyway, I was shown a M38 tub that was 'new' almost straight off Toledo's production line, I was amazed.
The story is it was bought from a European dealer, still in the 'crate', but I've been buying stuff in Europe for years and I've never ever seen a new M38 tub. Back in 1999 in Antwerp I was shown a never issued MB tub but that was in a dealers private collection.
My guess is this was a repro tub, but WOW! it was so good, I didn't have time to have a really good look. A few years ago at Ursell in Belgium I saw a M38 with a repro tub and it was awful, dreadful and easy to spot. But, the owner was sure it was an original tub that had been in storage all this time. He might be right, there is some interesting stuff being released from Greece (via the dealers and they know what it's worth) there is some stuff surfacing from Isreal of all places.
So my question is; How good are these repro tubs? what do you look for in the M38 tub? how to you spot a repro M38 tub ?
Thanks,
Dave.

[wesk]

The sure way to spot the repop MD Juan tib is the serial number to the left of the hood hinge area on the cowl.

Try fastening an original M38 windshield or tail gate to the suspect tub.

The tubs built through about 1985 had a lot of generic use issues. They had CJ features that needed parts from the old M38 tub to make them right. The tubs improved after that.

The Army did stock complete M38 tubs in the regional depot level supply system so they do surface now and again.
_________________
Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100

Mjeeps photo album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php?set_albumName=Wes-Knettle&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

[TomM]

If you have an original tub take a look at the captive nuts for the transmission hump. Then compare it to the other. Repro captive nuts are different from the original.
Look for welded nuts under the dash for the air cleaner bracket. Originals were welded. Many repros were delivered with no drilled holes and the builder used standard hex nuts to hold firewall brackets in place.
Look at the forward facing panel of the toolbox under the passenger seat. "Jeep" script is on originals. Many (not all) repros do not have "Jeep" (don't mistake this for CDN M38).

As Wes mentions, the 70's and 80's repro tubs had mixtures of features. MB glove boxes on M38 and CJ tubs, no-hole dashboards and firewalls, tool indents on passenger side or drivers side. There was not much of a goal for quality control or originality.

The French made beautiful MB bodies through the 70's and these still appear for sale unused from time to time. They have tons of extra holes punched for accessories.