M38 tub question

Applebee · Post by **Applebee** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 1:36 pm

In the process of acquiring a 1951 M38 that has all the usual features ie small glove box, cowl-battery box, large fuel neck, hinged grille, but what it does not have is the tool indents in passenger side. Doesn't appear to have been repaired; 2010 Ambassador Issue of Military Vehicles Magazine shows one on page 49 also without the tool indents. Any info on this as a variant or fluke or ?

I haven't mastered loading pix; if you want to email me at militaryjeeps@q.com, I'll be glad to respond back with some photos.

Thanks!

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:36 pm

All M38's left Willys with tool indents on the right side, including the 6 pilot M38's.

Most likely you have a repop tub, and aftermarket repair using repop panels,
or a CJ3A tub modified into an M38 tub.

Does the top of your tool box match this one with those 3 little flat rectangular metal blocks?

Does your dash match this one? Does your passenger floor have this panel bolted in the upward slope? Not hand brake on left side of steering wheel.

Does your cowl have two of these holes for the vacuum line (one on each side)?

Do you have one of these floor drains in each front floor?

Does your tub have the small square bracket at the top right of the photo? It has a small round hole cut out in it for an electrical plug.

Does your tub have this metal patent plate or the four holes remaining for it behind the passenger seat?

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:44 pm

Cal,

Here's the link to your photo album. Just follow the directions to load your photos.

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php

Applebee · Post by **Applebee** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 8:52 am

Thanks for the replies. It's still parked down the street at my neighbors and the original photos I took were in the dark so I don't think that much detail on interior is available. I'll do another inspection this weekend - I do know it is also missing the tool box so that's another clue; but the hand brake is in the correct position. It is also missing the three-post light switch, but the cutout is there for it. I'll get new photos this weekend and post them. Thanks for your photos - those are great!

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 8:52 am

Wes,
I noticed on your pictures, the ID plate behind the passenger seat looks like it is brass, with black background just like the data plates on the dash. I have never seen the brass plate behind the passenger seat, I always have seen the aluminum with the white back ground. Can you shed some light on this? Next question would be where is a source for this plate? I will have to get one for my M38 as it is missing.
Thanks,
Bill

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:21 am

Wes,
Never mind my last post. I just noticed the sticky post talking about this.
Bill

Post by **wesk** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 10:30 am

Bill, both plates were used. I haven't established a switch date and serial yet but there are not a lot of the black painted plates.

Dave Kelone sells the plates and there's a new outfit making them in Europe.

http://www.mvdataplates.com/

Robert does nice plates but he doesn't list M series
http://www.xs4all.nl/~rdrnl/4UWPIntro2.html

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 11:50 am

Thank you Wes. Were these patent plates rivetted on?

Post by **wesk** » Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:21 pm

No. Four self tapping screws.

Applebee · Post by **Applebee** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 12:03 pm

I now have the jeep home and have been stripping civilian parts and accessories; I've been able to examine the tub better and can now see where someone cut out the tool indents on the passenger side and spliced another body panel in. The floors have been rebuilt with diamond plate rather than hat channels underneath, plus the usual amount of bondo on other side panels. I will probably replace the tub at some point rather than attempting to repair all of those major areas.

Thanks for the insights!

Cal

Post by **wesk** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 2:09 pm

Before you plop down several thousand dollars on a MD Juan repop tub do a little research and cost comparisons. All the flat panels and hat channels are available. They are not expensive and lend themselves easily to the Willys spot weld assembly program. John at Midwest Military has the best front floors and hat channels. Classic Enterprises and Jeep Panels Plus can fill the rest of the panel needs.

If you still want to go with the so called easy straight tub replacement you will learn quickly that the repop tub is not a perfect unit. Stock Willys windhields most often will not match the curved contour of the new tubs cowl. Instrument clusters usually require a bit of work to make fit. The gas tank locating brackets will need work as will hat channel alignment with the frame tub mounts.

Neither way equals simple! But the more real M38 you own the more value it has.

12B · Post by **12B** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 8:19 pm

I agree that replacing the tub is a bad idea, but from my recent search, I can say nobody is making a replacement panel for the pioneer tool indents. . . really wished they would! From what I could find, Jeep Panel Plus is no more. . . or at the least, unreachable. I had to forgo fixing/replacing my axe indent, and instead just settle for a flat panel. It was a huge disappointment for me in my project.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:38 am

The son is still running Jeep Panels Plus but they no longer have a web site. The phone is the only contact.

12B · Post by **12B** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 6:01 pm

I had their telephone number, but maybe it was an old one. . . because it out of service. Is it a published number?

Post by **wesk** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 9:54 pm

The contact info I have is:

Steve

jeepanelsplus@live.com
(207) 743-7671
96 Reservoir Rd
South Parris, ME 04218