willysmjeeps.com

I want to add my Merry Christmas to the Organization. I truly appreciate the help and communication of you folks. Your are surely a dedicated lot!

Wes, When we were communicating in November, you mentioned that my jeep, M-38 # 61702 should have a hood number something like 20909XXX. I decided to attempt to find it under the multiple layers of paint. I first tried on the side and found that the numbers had been repainted at least twice before and I could not make anything out of them. I moved to the bend in the hood and low, I found 20908970. Further up on the hood I located U.S. ARMY and the origional star. Also, on the under side of the hood is the inscription CS/3/66. Any idea what that means?

The front bumper has been abused and there is nothing readable on it. The jeep came with no bumperettes, however, I have purchased a pair on eBay. they also are not readabale.

Do the hood numbers provide any look into the history of the jeep and is there a way to come up with designations for the bumper?

I also have a YF carburetor and need a YS. Does anyone have one for sale or for trade?

Thanks for all of your help

Steve H.

M-38 #61702
Somerset, OH

Hello Steve,
Glad you found your hood numbers. They could only help with history if you found someone who recalled the jeep in his own service memories or you found a period photo with that hood number. The Army maintained no records after the jeeps were stricken from the books. Only data found on the jeep will provide you unit assignmemnt history. If none found and you want to assign unit numbers then the best route is to do a google search for the unit you're interested in and contact that unit's historian to determine correct period markings.

If that CS/3/66 is the latest entry than your was probably mustered out of service about 66 to 69. That is the coolant service date.

You'll find even YS637S cores are very expensive. The YF will work for the time being and if you use the civvy 90 degree snorkle you can easily adapt it to your air crossover pipe. That way you don't have to rush into the new carb business and can spend more time shopping for a good deal.

I know its been discussed before; that the hood numbers bear no relationship to the serial numbers at all; but were the hood numbers assigned at the factory before they left Willys or by the first organization/unit they were delivered to? My serial number; 62369 is very close to Steve's but my hood number of 20910715 is over twice the numerical gap. I guess that sometime or other the hood could have been replaced on mine but the entire jeep has only two coats of paint and two sets of hood numbers, stars. etc. The first set being painted over and slightly offset from the second set. Both sets are the same. Could the hood number assignment possibly have something to do with the contract number they were produced under or maybe the unit that the vehicles were initially being assigned to.

Each time the Army issued a contract for a specific number of vehicles they also assigned a specific number of registrations numbers. These numbers were issue by Willys as the jeeps went out the door and painted on by Willys. We all are aware that jeeps did not always go out the door in serial number sequence. So the art of determing a correct hood number is very subjective and they can differ significantly even when the serial numbers are close.