willysmjeeps.com

Just picked up my new M38.

It was mistitled as a 53' in TX under the engine serial number - 15377, but I found the passenger fender well body tag and used acetone to get the layers of paint removed. The actual serial number is MC 35574. Judging from the registry it looks to be delivered in Aug-Sep 51'.

I'm guessing by the CJ2A numbers, it looks to be a 46' engine. Runs awesome too!

Anyway, I'm looking to see if you guys can confirm the Jeep's build date and or engine date. GA, where I live doesn't give titles for anything before 65', but I'll get some sort of registration certification once a police officer inspects the Jeep.




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MC35574 is a Sep 51 jeep. Hood registration number would have been in the 20903xxx range.

Is the prefix on your engine serial CJ2A or J XXXXX

Thanks for the reply...there's no prefix on the engine. Just the numerals 15377.

They're fairly distinct also, no other numbers present. This is on the water pump boss, I haven't gotten under the oil filter to look if there's numbers ont the oval pad, or if there even is an oval pad.

Its a 641087 casting IIRC, I'll recheck tomorrow...

Its got the lifting eyelets of an M38 head, but I'm not sure about the head itself.

Other than the 24v generator, nothing on the engine looks M38 to me. Its got a 6 v distributor and regulator. The PO had it for 25 years, garaged, and only used it for the occasional hunting trip and just ran it off the battery. But he had the sense not to bubba it up. For the most part he kept it original as he found it.

Quite often the prefix is stamped very lightly. It will be to the far passenger side of the pad above the water pump.



A quick inventory of the underhood area shows:

Civvy;
WO Carb, induction elbow and crossover
Radiator hoses.
large single battery
coil, wires and plugs
voltage reg (He must have a custom set of 6 volt guts inside the original 24 volt generator you said is there.)
horn
fuel pump

M38 stuff;
lift fixture.
head (has bypass hose)
Intake (has primer holes)
Air Cleaner

I tried sanding the hood to locate some hood numbers. After sanding down through a couple of layers of camo paint I came to this greyish blue paint, then to metal. Could the Jeep be an Airforce or Navy Jeep perhaps? Or maybe someone took it down to metal years ago for a repaint and I'll never know.

I haven't tried the other side or the windshield frame yet.

Fine looking M38!