Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 5:14 pm Post subject: Serial Numbers
I am starting to refurbish a 1955 M38A1. The data plate on the dash board gives me the manufacturer serial number and the delivery date (no ord. serial number). Is there any historical information I can learn from these numbers. There is also a number across the hood.
Thanks,
Nate
Unless you find documents in the jeep or unit numbers and codes painted on the jeep the odds are you are chasing a ghost. The military did not release the vehicle's historical documents with them when surplussed out. They were held for a short period and then destroyed. You can search and review thousands of photos on hundreds of USN related web sites and never see your M38A1 and some folks spend just a few hours and stumble across a period photo of their jeep's hood number. But that's all that is available for researching jeep history. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Hello everybody,
I got the same problem as Nate.
2 Month ago i bought a M38. The only thing I know about it is that it was imported to Germany fom Greece in 1996. The date of construction in the papers must be wrong. It is 1.7.1947 and of course the M38s only were produced 1950-52.
So would it be possible to find out the propper date of construction with the body, frame and motor numbers?
Perhaps there´s a specialist out there who can help me with this topic.
I´m also wondering if the body is an original one (no rust or anything like this-best condition)? Ho can I find out this?
Here the numbers:
-Body (front of the passenger seat motor side): 9308-264
-Frame (near the right front wheel):32244
-Waterpump (I think this is not the original but a french modell):
N80575
WOF
637052
SI
-Motor (head):
W5 4 10
800376
6.48 D
-Motor (side of the maintenance plate):641087 L-W11 A NI-CR N2
The Greeks used the M38 for a long time. It is probable yours was rebuilt several times and contains parts of many jeeps.
The M38 did not leave Willys with any serial number on the frame. The M38 body had only one serial number and it was on both tags. One on the dash group lower right corner and one on the front of the right rear wheel house behind the passenger seat,
The M38 engine serial was on the small falt above the water pump and was formatted MCXXXXX for a factory original engine that was originally installed in a M38 at the factory and with RMCXXXXX for a factory new replacement engine. The two casting numbers used on these M38 blocks were 641087 and 804380. These same blocks were also used in civilian jeeps and the serial number is the only difference between them.
Willys did not place any serial numbers on the frame of the M38.
The photos needed to ID the jeep are one of both sides and both ends. One overall engine compartment, one closeup of the bumper/2 front frame rails/bottom edge of grill, one of the frame between the battery tray and the firewall, one of the overall dash, one of the each front floor, one of the overall inboard side of each wheel house, a closeup of the right dash data plate area, a closeup of the front vertical surface of the right (pass) side wheel house.
We have several Greek members and several Greek M38 owners here on the site that I am sure will help you out. Open a new thread using the "Greek M38" in the title and post your photo link there. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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