willysmjeeps.com

My 51 M38 came with new data plates attached to the dash without the Data Plates Mounting Plate. The Mounting Plate came with the Jeep and I am preparing to mount the Data Plates with the Mounting Plate. All of the Data Plates fit to the Mounting Plate and there is an area with four holes for which I do not have a Data Plate and do not know what may go there. Looking at M38's with Data Plates on line I see (so far) that the area where there is no plate on my M38, they are also not on others that I see. The area where there are four holes in the Mounting Plate is the bottom row middle. Anyone, please. Thank you!

winch plate

Correct. My 1950 M38 has five plates screwed directly to the dash.
The area for the winch plate is blank, with no holes.

My deduction is this vehicle did not come from the factory with a winch and
did not have one installed while in service.

Take care,

'51's had data plates screwed directly to dash up to # 34151.

Regor,
Does your dash have four holes for the winch plate?

If not your vehicle probably did not come from the factory with a winch.

As Ken says it looks like your vehicle came with the plates screwed directly
to the dash. You should not have to use the plate. There should be threaded
holes in the dash.

Take care,

Thank you for your post Ken. You bring an interesting question to the fore. My Data Plates were fastened to the dash, but; there was a Mounting Plate included in the purchase, still in original package.

The question, maybe; when were Data Plates fastened directly to the dash or the Mounting Plate; what criteria was used?

Regor,
Ken answered your question.
"
'51's had data plates screwed directly to dash up to # 34151."

M38's with serial numbers up to 34151 had them screwed directly to
the dash. Units after that serial used the plate.

If you have unit 23945 the plates screwed directly to the dash.
From the factory.

If sometime in the life of your jeep someone installed a heater they
may have cut a round hole in the dash, which was the reason for the
plate. Willys began shipping the units with that hole cut out at the factory
so began installing the dash plates on a separate piece to cover the hole.

Look up under your dash behind the dash plate location and see if there is
a round hole. If not, screw those puppies directly to the dash and sell
that plate to someone that needs it.

Take care,

Thanks y'all! I guess I'll put the mounting bracket up for sale when I find out what it's worth.

Look up under your dash behind the dash plate location and see if there is a round hole.

Regor, If that sounded confusing , it was. Since you have your data plate, mounting plate in your hands during this discussion just look at your dash. If there is not a 4 1/8" or so diameter hole just to the right of the instrument cluster then you have the earlier M38 dash that did not use the mounting plate.


On M38's bfore serial MC34152 this hole had to be cut in the dash. On MC34152 and on it was already there from Willys.


This is how the dataplates mounted after MC34151 and on earlier M38's modified for use of the gas heater.


This is where the dataplates were placed when the gas heater was installed.

On another note:


This is the winch plate that would have occupied the empty space in your set.


Here's a very original looking pre - MC34152 dataplate installation on an un-modified pre - MC34152 dash.

Bobatwarsaw asked me in a private message about availability of these plates used on m38's with winch (W/W)

any ideal where i can get the small data plate that goes on the dash
thanks

This was my answer:

I haven't seen anyone showing current stock except the link below shows one of the three plates..

Try this outfit, they always showed the extra w/w plates.

http://www.mvdataplates.com/prod01.php

Also search the part numbers for the special w/winch plates:

WO# 801803 or 802368 or 802526 ORD# 7697557 or 8677081 Serial plate w/winch

WO# 801805 ORD# 7697559 Vehicle Shipping Data plate w/winch

WO# 802372 ORD# 8677082 Winch drive control plate $12.00

Also overseas:
https://rdrnl.home.xs4all.nl/dataplates.htm Netherlands
Robert Dudkowski - horne@poczta.fm Poland

Another source, particularly for our European brothers:
http://m.ebay.com/itm/BRASS-DATA-PLATE- ... Ciid%253A1