Hood Lettering

[mtdave]

I know this is probably in the archives somewhere but I couldn't find it. I started wet sanding on my hood and can see the lettering coming out from under a couple layers of old paint. I'm afraid I'll sand the lettering off before I can read it and maybe the PO already did take off most of the letters. So whats the proper procedure to bring out the lettering?

[BullRun]

Having done this a few times the best advice I could give is #1 take your time and do it in a variety of light levels and light sources. I have used flashlights in the dark just to get a different look at the paint. Use water too if it will help. Whatever works.

Familiarize yourself with the various stencil styles or fonts used in lettering vehicles. Often only a corner might be left that could only be a 4 or 7 etc. Or a rounded over area might be a 6 or 8 or 9 or 0. You get the point.

USMC vehicles to this day only use USMC and 6 numbers. Army vehicles for the M38A1 are in two different configurations. Early are USA and 6 numbers, Later seem to be US Army and 8 numbers. But this is not set in stone. It is always possible to have a replacement hood or a different style or arrangement of letters and numbers than "by the book" or most likely a vehicle that has been stenciled several times over the years.

The late style is usually 2Axxxx, the early style 20xxxxxx for Army M38A1's.

It pays to get it right if possible. I have pictures of a terrifically restored USMC M38A1 with a howitzer mounted on it. However the hood number has only 5 numbers which I knew was wrong and it did not look right. I always have wondered why someone would go to such great lengths to restore a vehicle like this and then mess up the lettering. One day out of the blue it dawned on me the restorer had not included the 1 in the set of numbers. 83xxx should of been 183xxx. I checked some photographs and sure enough all the USMC howitzer M38A1's in my reference material had 183xxx or 184xxx as hood numbers.

So, some research, taking time and some educated hunches can go along way to revealing hood numbers and getting it right.

[mtdave]

Bullrun thanks for responding I was afraid nobody had any advice for me. Just for the record I'm working on a 1950 M38 MC10783 if that gives any clue about numbering series. Would working with a very fine sand out of the blaster be a better way to remove layers of paint? It seemd like the wet sanding was kind of a hit or miss depending upon paint thickness in different spots.

[wesk]

Check this topic out:
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=112487

[mtdave]

Check this topic out:
http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=112487

Man thats what I was looking for. They all mentioned several brands of paint stripper, do have any preference or advice on brands.

[BullRun]

Thats a great link Wes. But, every vehicle is going to be different so I would say there is no perfect method even though this method looks amazingly simple.

You only get to do this once, or twice if you are lucky, so speed is not necessarily your friend. If grinders marks, vinyl stencils, rust, stencils on top of stencils, etc, etc, are encountered it won't work so well. But it does look like a good approach if you have a uniform paint surface to start with.

Discovering hood numbers is kind of like forensic science on the worst case examples, but it can usually be done if someone is patient, and there is still something left to uncover.

I would use the least aggressive stripper I could find and go from there. Non-toxic furniture strippers usually are in this category. Some aircraft strippers will go right thru to the bare metal if not watched closely.

Good Luck!

[53a1]

Here's what I did.

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... highlight=

[BullRun]

Interesting 53a1. I have USMC 190xxx.

A couple of years ago a complete vehicle just like yours turned up on Ebay from Colorado. Everything worked including the radio but everything was also covered in white paint! So, there are more out there!

I have a picture from 1954 from Barstow, California of a USMC storage facility of M38A1's painted in what appears to be desert camo just like your vehicle. These vehicles also had a USMC and hood number painted in a subdued black? stencil paint. Almost like what is being used today. I have been told that the Marines did not use multi color camouflage in this period... maybe your jeep if it is original paint is from this group of Barstow vehicles, it might prove there really was at least one group of vehicles that were a multi color camo and maybe these jeeps are actually radio set vehicles. The hood number looks right also.

The Albany, GA USMC base is a very capable facility. Great town too.

Sometimes stripping down paint can have an interesting outcome.

[53a1]

The radio that was once in mine is pretty massive from what I've read. I'm going to keep the mountings and configuration intact for historical purposes but have no intent on putting the radio back in mostly because I don't have the radio.

Was there a hood number on those A1s 's in your picture? It would be great if you could post the picture.

As for cammo, I was assuming that a private owner painted the cammo on it since the hood number is underneath. as you can see in my pictures it was once army color then painted USMC. Finally it was primed in grey then painted cammo.

I'm done restoring everthing except the tub. I painted everything in USMC lusterless. You can check out my progress here ...

http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... pic&t=3475

The tub in the picture is off another A1 not the radio Jeep. I'm going to hold off on the radio Jeep tub until I hone my skills at bodywork because it's in nice shape.

[BullRun]

Thats a great looking rebuild! I will post the picture in the next few days. It is black and white but very clear these are desert camo jeeps in Barstow.

[53a1]

I believe that on a small scale anything can happen to the configuration of things in the military. They may have acquired a small lot of Jeeps and customized them for a special purpose.

A guy on the G also found a Jeep like mine and has the same configuration.

http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=158267

[BullRun]

Here is the Barstow, California photograph of what appear to be desert camouflage USMC M38A1's in deep desert storage.

The photograph dates from 1958 not 1954. These may be original (probably) or by this date could possibly be rebuilt vehicles. The hood numbers that are visible start with 197xxx. 2-tone camo with 3rd color for stenciling or 2 tone with dark camo color used for stenciling...hard to tell.


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[53a1]

Interesting photo. Look at the windshields, they look like they have sand on them.

[wesk]

For those of you not familiar with the Barstow CAL area I noticed right off that they actually use snow plows and graders to clear Sand Drifts from their roads. I spent a week there changing a twin engine aircraft's right engine last year. I was at the airport which is on the northeast side of Barstow and the depot was to the southwest a couple of miles.

[Boze]

Having read this interesting thread I must add that I have been told by a 20 year Marine veteran that served in the Korean War that vehicles of that era had 5 digit serial numbers. Six digit numbers came later. Trusting him, and not knowing my 1950 M38's true number(s), I issued a 5 digit for my own purpose. In his unit, (Baker Co., 1st Motor Transport Battalion, 1st Marine Division) the C.O. also directed to have white stars painted on the hoods of his vehicles.