Another Hood Registration Number Question

Eades · Post by **Eades** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:07 am

I have sanded the hood lightly and I do have part of registration number for my 1951 M38 serial number 38,0XX. Here are a few pictures including the number written on the underside of the hood with a grease or paint pen. I hope it is actually the registration number. I have been researching and many 8 digit numbers begin with 208, 209, 236 etc. Has there been documentation of a 264XXXX? What do you all think? Thank you for your technical knowledge.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:50 am

Your photos don't show us all of what you can see in person. The best I can make out in photo 1 is the 5. In photo 2 I can make out a 9 space 5.

No 26XXXXXX M38 hood numbers. Those numbers as paired are probably just a quick recording of the four numbers; 20, 60, 45, 45 which I think are the compressions someone wanted to remember on the 4 cylinders.

Your only M38 Army hood number choices are 236XXXX, 238XXXX, 208XXXXX and 209XXXXX.

Eades · Post by **Eades** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:59 am

Definitely difficult to see in the photos. The last three digits for the hood number is 855 I believe. Thanks for the thought on compression. That did not cross my mind but makes total sense written in that format.

MattyT · Post by **MattyT** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:45 pm

This was my post seeking guidance. Maybe it could be useful.

http://willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules.php? ... highlight=

For what it’s worth I personally FEEL I see two numbers possibly a ‘6’ and an ‘8’ to the left of the three clearly identified ones(855). wet it first and take a couple more pics then based on what you see or don’t see, I would use 1000,1500 or even 2000 grit sandpaper a little at a time, ensure it’s wet, patience, take many pictures as you go without the flash/different angles and then choose a couple to post. I love the chase for what I consider the holy graille.....some documentation to the past...history... whatever it may be.

Good luck and look forward to seeing a few more pics!!!

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:33 pm

I think I see 649552. so 23649552. My opinion. John

Eades · Post by **Eades** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:37 pm

Thanks Oileaker. I need to take some greater time and lightly sand the area again. Other parts of the project and life are pulling me there. I would like to play with the photo in black and white or similar to see if there is more of a highlight.

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 7:51 pm

Try paint stripper. I have better luck with it. Practice elsewhere first. Spray it on and then wipe it back off just after it starts working. Wear some rubber gloves and eye protection. Different paints seem to strip at different rates. On one of my M38's, it had been through a re-build program in Japan. They sandblasted it and re-painted. One side was totally the same etch to the metal, but on the other side, the paint thickness and blast duration left a ghost image of the number in the metal. When I shined the blast lamp on my commercial hose at a angle, I saw the numbers in the metal. The etch was just enough different you could read the hood number. A once in a lifetime experience.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:43 am

MC380XX would have a 209XXXXX hood #. So if as said above the number on that hood is 23649552 it would be something other than an M38 since the highest 236XXXX # assigned to the M38's was about 2368650. If the last 5 are really 649552 then that would mean the 6 must really be a 9 or an 8. Since the real serial must be classified I'll offer this for an idea where the number would really be. MC38000's hood number would have been 20906166.

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 5:48 am

It looks like USA or US ARMY is also above. Hope you can see the numbers better without totally removing them. Sometimes the numbers have been repainted on a newer paint job, and you'll find them again below.

The other nasty joke on you is that the hood got replaced at one time and the numbers are from another Jeep. I think Lloyd White who wrote some wonderful books on MB's has a data base compiled on M38 hood numbers too.

One of my two M38's had the whole tub replaced at one time, or all the tags swapped. Jeeps have had lots of owners and lots of messing with over the years.

Rick_L · Post by **Rick_L** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 6:58 am

My hood has similar numbers written in grease pen on the underside. Mine read:

Feb '62

1-90
2-100
3-110
4-105