T-minus 64 days

[MattyT]

Good Evening All,

So here goes. Always had best intentions but it always seemed something would drive it to the backseat, heck the trunk for that matter. I bought my first M-38 32 years ago and clear as day I can hear my father state the following, "You got a lot of courage kid." I am sure you can just imagine what I bought for $300 in 1988.

That Jeep I bought, I first saw in 1979 at BSA camp as a kid. It was beyond neat and I had to have one. Low and behold, I would end up working at that camp as a kid.... If you know of Paul Harvey, my trials and tribulations may be presented in The Rest of the Story format.....

A few weeks ago I was watching the HBO special titled, "McMillions" regarding the Monopoly game event they run in there restaurants. I laughed out loud when the marketing firm executive stated,"Americans love to collect things." I'm just that guy, I have collected a 40 foot container of M-38 stuff because you can never be sure.

Here is the most recent purchase, the one that I am working on a motor pool restoration. Since I have never had a road worthy M-38 since i have owned them, I embarked on this a few months ago and have 64 days to get it completed...stay tuned.



This came from a Nebraska Fish and Wildlife Preserve.

Matt
Cranston Rhode Island
2 - 1951 M-38, 2 - 1952 M-38 (#63934), 2 - M-100, M274A5
Photos @ http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... php&page=1

[MattyT]

One item of interest,I found this tag attached to the Drivers Seat back springs when I removed from the seat frame today.

Front View:



"Exchange Part on UN??"

1. Vehicle ???_______________M-38
2. US Registration Number _____2 ? ?( )7 4 2 7
3. Part No._____________

Back Side



"Note._ Section # of this tag to be attached to part or unit until final ____osition"

EACH PART OR UNIT TO BEAR A SEPARATE TAG

ORGANIZATION


Anyone have any thoughts?

thoughts??

[MattyT]

One initial issue was a broken mounting plate.





Out of my league, so off to to pro's ( in my opinion anyway)

[Scott21]

Matt, Where did you get that lift? What brand and model lift?

Scott

[MattyT]

Actually bought it off of craigslist for $1200. Its a Bendpak holds up to 6000# model number MD6xp



not sure which one is more valuable, that or the sand blaster. I sold an M274a5 to get the sand blaster knowing time is of essence. Flying through parts, so much so I ran out of paint. Just ordered more from MWM and will blast away

my area



Some small stuff i blasted and primed

[Scott21]

Starting to look good, keep up the good work. Thanks for the lift info.

[45auto]

MattyT,
The tag you found on your seat frame with Registration Number could very well be the numbers found on the sides of your hood. If you will post your serial number data, we may be able to fill in the one missing digit. I know the first 3 digits will be 209, the digit after 9 is the one we need to ascertain. Also, having been with government, the Registration Number on either side of the hood may only be painted over. There is a very good chance you could uncover your original Military Registration Number!!

[MattyT]

and now I am down to 60 days....

The serial number on this one is 69845 with a delivery date of 5/52

While I will always have hope, based on last paint job and paint lines I haven't been able to find any "white" from where previous markings should be. while I've taken care to take my time, you can rest assured I will when it comes to the hood. I Will keep you posted Harold!

It's such a struggle not to make things "perfect", but there's the 64 day reason, which is now 60 ... to the people on this site and the G that help by saying, "get it up and running, make sure its safe (stopping is a priority) and use it." it took those two things to get off my arse and go....

last couple of days i have done some disassembly, blasting, and painting.




based on previous posts, coating on battery trays done in field or by next owner? Anyone see green before? It does not want to blast off, so i'm painting over it!

[MattyT]

While we have all heard the bubba mods etc... Check the tailgate out!!!

I personally love the character of the repair, especially after I bead blasted it!





You'll see here that I then continued on.



the model paint booth for sure!!


So so much of this hobby is just neat, that same feeling i had when i saw the first one!

As I look at the air precleaner, it's original .....


day 59 tomorrow....helluva storm coming which will keep me indoors...

[wesk]

Matty T,
I would not put much faith in the seat's US Army "Exchange Parts Tag" for a hood number. The tag is for a used seat that was added to the Army's stocks from a used jeep that no longer needed it or that had sent their seat in for repair and received this one in exchange. So the US Army registration # only ID's the jeep that sent the seat into the Army's reparable parts section. You have less than a 50/50 chance this seat originally came from your M38.

Your best shot at a POSSIBLE registration # is carefully removing one layer of paint at a time from the hood sides.

If you feel you must contrive a hood number for your jeep this is the method supported by our web site and myself:

Hood numbers are registration numbers and during the period these jeeps were in service that number was not related to the jeep's serial number.

Your MC69845 if it was originally procured by the US Army and used by the US Army or the USAF would have had a hood registration number in the range: 2094XXXX. The hobby standard is to not dream a hood number up but to fabricate or contrive a hood number combining the range it should be in with the jeep's serial so as not to skewer the future data bases that are developed by researchers.

So in your case a Hobby acceptable fabricated hood number would be:
20969845 or 20949845.

The Navy and Marines used a different hood numbering system.
Marines would have been in the range 19XXXX
Navy along the lines 94-XXXXX

[45auto]

MattyT,
Wes got to you before me and hit on the head!! I do have good data around your M38 and was hoping if the Registration Numbers for your M38 were hitting around the one written on the card, we could possible fill in the missing digits. But, it is no where close. While it didn't pan out---the database has ruled out for sure it is NOT your Registration Number and like Wes has pointed out, is most likely the Registration Number from the M38 that gave up its seat frame.

[MattyT]

As always thanks for the input. THAT is what this site is about IMHO.... the short story is this....If you could have been there in the shop prior to my post .....I told the shop guys i have no hope and based on the missing 3rd and 4th digit i would have to go with the contrived number ...."what's a contrived number one asked"......

I share this that muddys the water .... or reinforce a contrived number is only way to go ....

while I bought it from Nebraska....and shared a tag from the drivers seat....

this is the passenger seat,



top of passenger fender


top of the tub


bunch of blue....

anyways...... I have pretty much read EVERY post on this site and the G in the last 13 years and have come to the conclusion that each M-38 is an archaeological dig to its history .... always ending up with another question.

Without a doubt Hood number will be 20969845

now as for a unit number... I pose this question, I know that the Seabees are a part of the the Navy, but did they by chance ever have/use an OD Jeep with their unit stenciled on the bumperette? (my father was a Seabee and would like to consider using his unit number and symbol on the Jeep.)


and in other news ...as it was torrential downpours last day and a half no sandblasting or painting...installed rebuilt carb and fuel/vac pump...




I sincerely appreciate any and all input ...keepin-a-go...

[MattyT]

Time Flies.... 46 days left.

in researching a combat rim, I came across a post that identified the "types" of M-38 rehabs. I would be classified as probably a quick renovation.

This is NOT a factory resto...its a learning experience ... just get the darn thing on the road and be respectably close to motor pool. I once referrred to it as the ice cream truck at the shop... so when i get a little too finicky...from across the room or through the door..."Matt..ICE CREAM!!"

Wes, I have spent a ton of hours working on this. Kudos to you for instilling the,"do your homework and find the answers. read the manuals." thanks again.

My mission has been to get all stripping/sanding/painting done for the 30th of April. I think I'll Make it. The plan for May is to build the wiring harness

clock is ticking.



disassembling, learning how to paint all those little parts nuts bolts, the bigger pieces and reassembling..hours....


all bolts hand tightened to get out of way.space has become an issue ..on top of misplacing/mixing parts. While I bagged and labeled EVERYTHING, after disassembly, sanding or bead blasting, i attempted to paint everything at once in a confined space. BAD MOVE. Mixed parts and pieces but a little time spent in the manuals and Ryan's book....sorted everything out.



long way to go....that look #ICONIC #Willy's #M-38 #OD #feedsthesoul #GreenIsTheNewPurple (I'll explain later)

[MattyT]

best laid plans ....weather changed for the good ... work called...

only have Drivers front fender and windshield to prep for primer and first coat of OD....hoping to have done for May 2nd or 3rd....

I decided to bead blast the fuel tank as it had a few pinholes within the "rough" parts of the outside of the tank.. The inside of the this tank looks fabulous based on my research/reading/pictures. I used a $30 boroscope i bought on one of those famous sites to see the other side of the baffle. a few dime sized areas of surface rust.
I have found in reading posts regarding fuel tank repair opinions vary. One person sees black, One sees Gray, One sees White....I made the decision to use Chemseal B2 Tank Sealant.

Unfortunately, i didn't take a picture before i used the chemseal. Here is the after.



Rain for the next few days...will keep me in the shop.

[Ryan_Miller]

Looks good so far, great progress!