1950 M38 - wanting opinions

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Sat Oct 11, 2014 10:34 pm

I will take pictures and document those 24 volt parts tomorrow and post them.

By the way, while digging through my parts pile I found the responsible party tag that is missing from my dash. I'm almost positive it must be the original, but is not stamped with anything. Any reason why that would be? Posted the picture on my album.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 1:05 am

That's exactly how that tag left Willys. That tag indicates your jeep was procured under a US Army contract for use by the US Army. It also indicates no special equipment was mounted in the jeep.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 8:49 pm

Ok, I am still working on cleaning up the tags on these parts, but the pictures are posted in my album.

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

Generator:
Spec No. AXS 1788 Rev. 2
ORDN. 7524310
MFR's No. GHA 48028UT
Serial No. (10) G503601

Ignitor:
IAM-4006AUT
9H756512

Regulator:
VBC - 4002UT
4G-02820

Starter:
MFR's. No. MCZ4001UT
Ordn. C-7355782
Serial. (12) G353256

Post by **wesk** » Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:53 pm

Just a couple of corrections:

Generator is GHA-4802BUT the sn (10) G503601 would make the generator either a Oct 52 or Oct 74 unit.

Distributor (Ignitor) is an IAU4006AUT This is a much later M38A1 unit. The sn 9H756512 would be a SEP 53 or SEP 75 unit.

Regulator SN 4G-02820 would be APR 1952 or APR 1974 unit.

Starter is a late M38 unit that came out for the late bell housing in FEB 52. With a short test run in DEC 51 of a few hundred units. The sn (12) G353256 is for DEC 1952 or DEC 1974

So your bell, starter and distributor are clearly for a much later M38 than yours.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:06 am

Well, that's disappointing to hear.

I guess I should still be satisfied that I have all these parts that I can still use even though they are not original to the jeep.
Thanks for all the information Wes.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:28 am

Harold,
He's luckier than that. As in mine, when they converted to 12 volt, they left the double groove water pump pulley. I bet the crank pulley is original as well.

Brian

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 8:31 am

The Army might have had repairs/mods done over the years to accommodate those later parts. Changed out flywheel, etc.

If so, no show queen, but certainly a candidate for a motor pool resto.

Brian

Post by **wesk** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:51 am

The flywheel change also requires the bell housing change.

1-Early M38 up through MC53262 or engine SN MC74419 Feb 52 not including a short test run of late M38 engine in DEC 51
A-Small frame starter MBP4301UT (3/8" mounting bolts)
B-124 tooth flywheel.
C-Bell with small starter hole, bushing in rear face for starter, two bolt inspection cover and an adapter plate that matches the early block.

2-Late M38 MC53263 & on or eng sn 74420 & on Feb 52 andf including a short test run of these late engines in DEC 51.
A-Large frame closed nose starter MCZ4001UT (1/2" mounting bolts)
B-129 tooth flywheel. (Has clearance issues when you attempt to use it in an early bell.
C-Bell with large starter hole, no bushing, 6 bolt inspection cover, and an adapter plate that matches the late block with the 3 extra bolts on each side.

I put these illustrations together about 10 years ago.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:03 pm

I luckily also found the flywheel that I took out 20 some years ago with the other 24 volt items.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Tue Oct 14, 2014 8:37 pm

Interesting inspection sticker on the front firewall I uncovered tonight.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:02 am

Aaron, Did you make the switch to 12 volt 20 years ago? I ask because most folks that made that switch with a 129 tooth flywheel in their jeep just bought a 55 or up CJ5 12 volt starter which uses that same 129 tooth flywheel. It was a very simple upgrade with no need to change flywheels.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 12:29 pm

Wes,

What I did 20 years ago, or at least what I remember as I was a dumb high school kid, was I took a l-head motor and transmission out of one of my Willys overland pickups and put it in this jeep. I'm pretty sure the starter and everything came out of one of those pickups. I would have to look at the pickups year, but think it was around '49-'52

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 6:27 pm

Then you now have a an early small frame starter bell and an old 97 tooth flywheel for the early starters with the ten tooth pinion. So you are going to have only two choices. Keep the small starter frame bell and fit a 122 tooth early M38 flywheel (the 129 tooth doesn't fit in the early bell) so you can use the early M38 MCP4301UT starter. Or find a late bell for the large frame starter and install your 129 tooth flywheel and the later MCZ4001UT starter. Don't forget to get the correct adapter plate between the bell and block.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:37 pm

Thanks Wes, I think I may have found the transmission that was in the jeep before I replaced it. My friend that helped me way back when says he thinks its in the hay loft of his parents barn, so will check it out in the next few weeks. Will let you know what I find.

Also, this may seem like a silly question, but what is the definition of a motor pool class restoration?

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 15, 2014 10:16 pm

Factory Class equals as it rolled off the assembly line. This is a great class for the very fine detailed type folks but is often not a lot of fun for folks that would like to add a few things to make the jeep more interesting.

Motor Pool class means it now appears as it may have been observed in service. If you are showing the jeep in this class you will normally have to show that the jeep as you configured it would be correct to the period in time and the service/unit you wanted it to represent.

Driver is a good running jeep that looks good.