willysmjeeps.com

hey guys I am new here from NY. just picked up a 52 m38 as a project. I am trying to locate a vin number or something that I could use for reg. the previous owner tried to clean up the dash plates and the are now unreadable . the tag behind the pass seat has about 10 coats of paint and is unreadable. is there a number somewhere else on the jeep? maybe the frame? if not any suggestions?
thanks

I would recommend trying to remove the paint on the rear fender tag. Take it off and let it soak in your favorite flavor of remover for a few days. You can't just make up serial numbers. What is on the title or do you even have a title?

DO NOT USE ABRASIVES TO REMOVE PAINT FROM DATA PLATES

Use a paint stripper or DOT 3 brake fluid. It will lift the paint off without rubbing the very lightly etched numbers off.

Willys only put two vehicle plates with vehicle serial numbers on the jeep. The dash plate and the right rear wheel house plate. They are your only two shots at ID'g the jeep.

The engine serials on the Willys jeeps do not match the vehicle serials. However some states up til the early 70's used the engine serial for titling vehicles.

There are two places on this web site you should always visit as soon as you join.

1-The "Downloads" page where all the free manuals you'll need for restoring a M38 are ready for you to download.
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... =Downloads

2-My photo album with hundreds of technical and informative photos.
http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php

Of special interest to this topic take a look at my "M38 Survey Guide" album: http://www.willysmjeeps.com/v2/modules. ... _album.php


Dash serial plate


Wheelhouse patent plate. Note how very lightly etched the numbers are.

thanks for the info. I was not given a title or reg so I have to hunt. will try the rear tag. thanks for the links they will be a big help. I am sure I will have many more questions as I go forward.
thanks again.

hey guys I was able to clean up the tag behind the pass seat does this number sound right - MC 35573
I also found a brass tag on the pass side fire wall that was stamped 45146507
this was put on with screws (older ) not riveted
also on the remnants of and old reg tag on the windshield where the reg number would be simply says GIBILL

any thoughts ?

MOST LIKELY THE TAG THAT YOU FOUND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS FROM ANOTHER STATE THAT ISSUED ONE OF THERE OWN VIN NUMBERS...I HAVE FOUND A FEW OF THOSE HERE RECENTLY ALSO..JUST MY OPINION BUT ALOT OF STATES ARE USING THERE OWN NUMBERS NOW AS THE SHORTNESS OF THE ORIGINALS OF COMING FROM ANOTHER STATE..I AM GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON TUESDAY NEXT WITH AN OUT OF STATE JEEP I BOUGHT

thanks is there a way to guess what month it was produced based on tag number.
previous owner tried to clean brass dash plate with wire brush and steel wool. and the only thing legible on rear tag is the mc number.
thanks

MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE GET THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE BOSS..

IT IS THE SMOOTH SURFACE RIGHT ABOVE THE WATER PUMP ..THEN GO TO THE ARCHIVE SECTION HERE OR SEARCH SERIAL NUMBERS AND MATCH UP YOURS WITH THE YEAR /MONTH COMPAIRED TO WHAT YOU UNCOVER ON THE BOSS..IT SHOULD START WITH EITHER A RMC OR MC BEFORE THE SERIAL NUMBERS

the MC number should be your tub serial number as per the plate Wesk showed.

I have never personally seen an M38 with a factory original engine. They are rare as hen's teeth. But even if you had a factory original engine the engine serial was several thousand numbers different then the vehicle serial. There's no real need to hunt anymore. That patent plate number is the same serial number that would have been on the dash plate. MC 35573 was delivered to the Army September 1951.

thanks for all the help. does anyone know is someone makes a new tub tag? or should I re-stamp the original ?
thanks

You can get repros from most of the vendors.