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M38A1 years of manufacture

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:49 pm
by Cacti_Ken
My nephew found a jeep which appears, by the photo to be a M38A1. He said he say a plate under the hood with the date 1965 on it.
Trying to help him more on the actual dates they were made? to see if the tag is valid.
I know it started in 1952.

Ken

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 2:29 pm
by evanso1975
According to the M38A1.com site, production ceased in 1957. However, the Dutch NEKAF jeeps were produced up to 1962 (so that site says).

And that site says the M38A1 CDN's were produced as follows:
CDN - 1952 to 1953
CDN2 - 1967 to 1968
CDN3 - 1970 to 1971

Interestingly, the CJ3B site (http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Siblings/MD.html) quotes the following info:
Total production of the M-38A1 was over 100,000. Contracts with the U.S. Army ended in 1957, but the Marine Corps didn't place its last order until 1964, and production for export continued well after that.
So, if the info on those sites are correct, then maybe it's a late production Marine Corps jeep. Hopefully, other members can verify the accuracy of the above info.

Do you know if the dash data plates intact? And can your nephew get some photos (of the jeep & the under-hood plate) that you could post on this site?

Owen.

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 5:53 pm
by wesk
The production of the A1 was from 1952 thru 1971. It was not continuous. The majority were produced on the first Army procurement system contract -630 from 1952 thru 1955. From 56 thru 62 saw export production interspersed with US military small contracts. The Marines tendered a few large contracts in 62 thru 66. The Canadian CDN 2's and 3's were exported between the mid 60's and 1971. There are many different dates, quantities and accounts but the average of those varied reports is what I have posted above.

M38A1

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 6:04 pm
by xheadnut
There was an 1971 CDN3 A1 on E-bay last month.
SER. 1000076 DEL Date. 1-71 Contract 2MEO oo58
NATO ST 2320 21-856-9412 ORD# 121301
Canadian Forces #70-08854

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:45 pm
by Cacti_Ken
Ok thanks for the info, I going to guide my brother and nephew to this site for further info if they have any.
Ken

Re: M38A1

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2012 9:11 pm
by Headcase
xheadnut wrote:There was an 1971 CDN3 A1 on E-bay last month.
SER. 1000076 DEL Date. 1-71 Contract 2MEO oo58
NATO ST 2320 21-856-9412 ORD# 121301
Canadian Forces #70-08854


Just a note if the service no. ie 70-08854 starts with a 70 it's year is a 1970 and not a 71. the lister for the ad probably has that wrong. Common mistake and they were still built by Ford of Canada in Windsor Ontario after the US dropped the line in favour of the M151 design.
Canada kept them until the Iltus came into service and many were kept as reservist vehicles until the mid 70's to 80's. Good luck!

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:36 am
by xheadnut
He put it as a 1970, I put 1971 because of delivery date on data plate,of 1/71, sorry. Marshall

Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:12 pm
by wesk
The M38A1 CDN3's were US built not Ford Canada.

From Colin's notes:
Canadian Jeep Production M38/M38A1
http://www.mil-veh.org/archives/99-09/0394.html

COLIN STEVENS (colin@pacdat.net)
Thu, 9 Sep 1999 00:30:53 -0700
* M38 Made by Wilys. Canada bought about 250 of them.
* M38CDN - made by Ford Motor Company of Canada. (1952)

* M38A1CDN - Made by Ford Motor Company of Canada. (1953)
* M38A1CDN2 - Made by Kaiser Jeep of Canada Ltd. (1967 & 1968)
* M38A1CDN3 - Made in USA by Jeep Corporation on contract for Canada
(1970-1971)