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Just purchased two A1s in varies forms of completion. I am going through everything to see what I have that I can use on my jeep I plan to build and things I havent seen before. First question of many to come. I found on one of the jeeps that both axles have a tag on the cover that says 43/8. I know what it means but just wondering if that is something that would have been on the jeep during its military days or something put on after.

Second question. One of the jeeps is a 55 with the s/n 84849. From what the previous owner said and what I can see by the way the rear of the body and frame is rusted its been together for some time. However the frame and grill have the hinges where the body has the latched cover for the batteries and the s/n on the body tag on the wheel well says its a 55. I know bodies could have been moved from frame to frame but is this something that I would have incorrect if I have the body on the frame with the hinges for the grill?

Thanks for the help

TJ

I found on one of the jeeps that both axles have a tag on the cover that says 43/8.

Axle ratio tag. They came from the factory like that, so don't discard them!

According to the ORD 9, the hinged grille was used upto MD-60406. However, it wasn't uncommon for the motorpool folks to get the data plates of the jeeps mixed up during maintenance activities. Does your s/n 84849 come from the dash plate or the patent plate (on the wheel well behind the passenger seat)? And do both plates have the same s/n?

Also from the ORD 9: up to MD- 63252 the battery lid was held down with screws. MD-63253 and later had a latch at one end. So, the latched cover would be correct for MD-84849. But the hinged grille would not.

Hope this helps.

Owen.

The s/n comes from the patent plate. The dash board plates are missing of course. I figured something along those lines happened during its life time. It could be a mutt from many previous owners as well. Thanks for the answer

TJ

Missing dash plates usually mean a replacement tub. Most tinkerers don't even realize the patent plate is there behind the pass seat.

The bolt holes in the frame were there for quite awhile after the hinged grill was dropped.