M38 frame serial number tag?

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Mon May 05, 2025 6:16 pm

Did the M38 have a small tag on the front frame horn, mine doesn't have it? I just had someone send me a picture of on that was buried behind his snow plow sub-frame. The number stamped on it is MB38xxxx... I'm confused! Could he have a MB frame under his M38 body? The serial number is 6 digits long where is think th M38 are only 5. He did say there is a machine gun mount cross member on his frame...did the MB's all have them?

Thanks for a info you can share!

Mike B.

Post by **wesk** » Mon May 05, 2025 8:35 pm

Did the M38 have a small tag on the front frame horn

NO

Could he have a MB frame under his M38 body?

Yes

machine gun mount cross member on his frame...did the MB's all have them?

Yes & so did the M38A1.

After WWII Willys discontinued any frame serial stamps or plates. M38's left Willys with 3 serial numbers. One on the dash plate. One on the patent plate behind the passenger seat that matched the one on the dash. One on the front of the engine at the front edge of the block that extended slightly forward from the head that did NOT match the body serial.

Kendall · Post by **Kendall** » Mon May 05, 2025 8:44 pm

Wes,
I think you meant to say that MB's had a frame tag, but M38's did not.
Kendall

Post by **wesk** » Mon May 05, 2025 10:05 pm

Thanks Kendall. That was a dumb typo!!

Mike_B · Post by **Mike_B** » Tue May 06, 2025 7:58 am

Thanks Wes and Kendal!

Looks like the Jeep in question is a "frank'n-Jeep'...

Mike B

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Wed May 07, 2025 12:53 pm

Many of them are.
My 1950 M38 has an earlier rear differential.