M38A1 series owner we need your help with this frame survey.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:44 am

All M38A1 series including NEKAF, CDN, CDN2, CDN3, A1C & A1D

Can each of you EMAIL me your MDXXXXX serial number and tell me which frame you have? wsknettl@centurytel.net

Early frame

Intermediate frame

Late frame.

Post by **wesk** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:27 am

Well not too bad. Of the over 300 M38A1 owners registered on our web site the following folks have helped me out:
Adam Harlow
Andy Weeds
Chris Koopman
David Manning
David Morton
Dave - Kern CO
John Ryan
Kendall Lundy
Samual Helm

Thanks a million guys and for the remaining 291 M38A1 owners I can just hope you will make the effort these guys made.

An additional point I need to know is on the late frames only the first few still had the unused two small holes for the grill hinge that was no longer used. Later late frames dropped those two holes as well.

GPA · Post by **GPA** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 2:56 pm

Hi Wes,
Do you collect the frame data of the Dutch built vehicles or US only?

Nic · Post by **Nic** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 4:46 pm

I have a NEKAF and have dropped my info to Wes this evening.

Regards

Nic

Oldsalt · Post by **Oldsalt** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:30 am

My newly acquired A1 is a 52. VIN: MD 24270

It has an old style frame according to your pics.

So far the VIN is just about all I know about it. The dash data plates are gone. The VIN plate behind the seat is there.

The engine serial number is faint but so far I've beeen able to see MD2685? Last digit may be either a 0 or 6. At least I think there is a last digit. Very faint. There are also some numbers stamped later at the ends of the flat spot that look like rebuild info? Not sure. They are stamped at 90 degrees to the regular numbers.

Russell

Post by **wesk** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:10 am

Do you collect the frame data of the Dutch built vehicles or US only?

Yes all the M38A1 series.

Norseman · Post by **Norseman** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:22 pm

New to the forum.

My M38 is late frame, Number is 5714418615

Is that right? and can anyone tell me year etc. from that number?

(It is ex Danish Army, and schould be part of late Marschall plan aid???)

Thank you.

Norseman

Post by **wesk** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:44 pm

Your serial fits in the 1960 time frame in the data base. There is one serial close to yours that disagrees with the data base and that is 57144-18316 which is registered as a 61 but there's no data plate to support it being a 1961 DOD. So the weight of the evidence makes your's a 1960 NEKAF.

On your late frame are the two small grill hinge holes on it?

Norseman · Post by **Norseman** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:54 am

Thank you Wesk.
I was leaning toward 1960, but I am in serious doubt about it being a NEKAF. Cause, according to Danish Army records; From 1960 to 1965 about 1.000 M38A1 jeeps were delivered to the Danish Army. Of those at least 400 were assembled locally by Nordisk Diesel, the Danish distributor of the Willys products. Must be one of those 400 since it doesn´t have the MD. All US made ones would have the MD, right?
(Out of the odd 1000 M38A1´s in Denmark, 125 was donated to the 3 Baltic states in 1994, rest was sold to civic use in Denmark).
The passenger side data plate is gone as is the Danish Army identification plate, and The Danish army never used/use manufacture identification/win number for registration. When the snow melts, I´ll get it out of the barn and take the necessary photos for a “line up identification”.
Thanks again, also for a very nice site.
CAF

GPA · Post by **GPA** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:06 am

Why did they donated them to those countries? Were they still in running condition? 125 of them is too many for museums.

Norseman · Post by **Norseman** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:30 am

After the Baltic states left the former soviet union, the Danish Army trained there armed forces. In this process equipment donations became necessary, so over a decade the Danish Army shipped surplus kit to the Baltic states instead of auctioning it off to the civic. All the M38A1´s went into active service over there. Most of the stored M38A1´s in 94 was anti tank, fitted with the recoilless rifle or monition carriers for that weapon system. Think they went without the weapons, intended for traditional utility use. (Historically the 3 Baltic states and Denmark/all of Scandinavia, has always had close relations).

GPA · Post by **GPA** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:18 am

Thank you Norseman for the answer, I am sure other people will also find it interesting.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 5:42 pm

BigJim · Post by **BigJim** » Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:39 pm

I don't know where to look for the serial # but my title says it is a 55 model and for a serial # only has the number 8487.It does have the late frame on it.

Post by **wesk** » Mon Feb 21, 2011 12:08 am

On the dash serial plate and on the right rear wheel house patent plate.