willysmjeeps.com

Hey Guys,
I'm planning a factory class restoration on a 1951 M38. Would anyone have or know where I could look at some factory photos. I've seen great detailed photos of the 38A1's but not the 38's. I did look through the photo gallery but didn't see any there either.

Thanks, Joel

Do you have a copy of the M38 Reference Guide by Ryan Miller (plus many more contributors)? It is a great resource - lot of pics of parts, diagrams and reference materials. More information is on the Home page of this website.

You're not looking hard enough,

My album,


Keats album,


Willys Motors album

Yes I have seen these pictures and they are great! But, I am wanting to see the small details of which bolts were painted and and which were not. And this might be crazy but, was every part that was painted with the same paint code acutually the same shade? I do have Ryan Millers book and it is GREAT! As a matter of fact, I was just looking at the back cover. The split image shows the old original Jeep on the left and the new restored Jeep on the right. And if you look at the head light rings the screws holding it on are painted on the restored jeep. On the front cover of the book, the restored jeep has the head light ring screws unpainted. So,, I'm not sure which one is factory correct.

Regards, Joel

There are very few M38 production line photos. There are fewer folks that were actually there to witness them 1950-52. What we can't see in the few available photos we must determine through post delivery and use research and analysis. This is one of the purposes for this web site.

A quick check of the production line photo above with a magnifying glass quickly confirms they were painted.

Wesk,
I see they are painted! And it looks like the fender bolts might not be painted. It's like a giant puzzle and it's a lot of fun figuring out what is correct and what is not. Thanks to all for the input!

regards, Joel

When you are looking at the pilot model M38 photos keep in mind they are pre-production and will not necessarily help in representing production units.

It is interesting that the headlight guards are missing in the second photo. It seems that many other small bolt on items are installed (rear view mirror, wipers, etc) yet the headlight guards are not. From an assembly minded point of view, I would expect them to be installed with the rest of the grille/headlight parts.

Ya you'd think the the whole grill assembly would have been assembled complete at another area then brought together with the rest of the build. Its still on the assembly line so it got them somewhere down the line.

You guys are forgetting one thing that any mechanic should pick up on right off.!

The headlights must be aligned after the grill installation. That is probably one of the last stops in the line since the jeep needs to be resting on it's wheels for a proper alignment of the headlights.

If that is the case, I wonder then why they have the door assembly on then. They have to come off to align the lights. In that factory line picture, it looks like the M38s are on a track and may not be on their feet yet.

It's a logistics issue. The headlamp assy includes the door all the way back to the pigtails. It would have been installed as an assembly station where the grill was assembled and it would not be a good idea to separate parts of the assembly there. I assume they have a standard initial setting when they were installed. The equipment used in the 50's for aiming headlamps was a closeup unit that slid up and down on bars and was quickly swung in place use and swing out. They probably rarely needed adjusting. The light bars would have been stocked at this station and installed after the aiming check.