Well, I didn't get much done this weekend other than dreaming. I had to get some work done (yes, income producing job related work - that kind), some work around the house, work on the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car, a party Saturday night, paying bills, doing expense report, etc. Oh, and I am shutting down one hobby to finance another. My large format photography equipment and some other miscellaneous stuff is going up on e-bay to pay for the jeep. If you are interested, here is a link to the stuff I am selling: E-bay Items
So, I am still thinking about what I need to do next ...
At least with some e-bay funds that are "off the books" so to speak, I can get some of the tools and parts I need.
I did find an interesting summary write-up you might enjoy ...
M38A1 and M170
Enter The Biscuit Fender
In 1952, Willys introduced a wildly different looking jeep than anything else they had sold to the military or their civilian customers, the M38A1 (or MD, as it was known internally). The flat fenders of the M38 were to be seen in non-combat roles from now on, as the faster, more powerful –A1 model became the weapon of choice. Interestingly, the suffix -A1, -A2, or so on, usually denotes a minor revision to an already existing model. The M38 (and its civilian counterpart, the CJ-3A) looks vaguely like the M38A1, and there the similarity ends. The body was different, most notably in its rounder fenders, the engine was the new Hurricane overhead valve four-cylinder, and the Spicer axles were heavier duty model 25s in the front and 44s in the rear. The later civilian version of the –A1 is the CJ-5, but the military bought a tougher version with a stronger frame, reversed shackles, and a 24-volt electrical system. An ambulance version, the M170, is the basis for the CJ-6 and was capable of carrying three stretcher patients or six seated troops.
Over its entire production run, the M38A1 was produced by only a handful of manufacturers. Most people can name Willys-Overland and/or Kaiser-Willys, but did you know that Ford produced some? Also, in 1955, the Dutch army received the first of its NEKAF jeeps. These M38A1s were assembled by Nederlandse Kaiser-Frazer (NEKAF) and were used for over 40 years by the royal army. (From 1958 to 1962, another company took over from NEKAF but since they acquired the rights to use the name, we’re not going into that here.)
What To Look For
The M38A1 (and CJ-5) have to be the easiest jeeps to identify in the M- and CJ- series. The changes that make the M38A1 unique are the styling cues of the old M38/CJ-3A, combined with the new engine, the new body tub, and hood. The traditional jeep grill with its round headlights framing vertical slots was still there. Clearing the overhead valve engine was simplified with the new higher and rounder hood. Carrying more equipment or troops was easier with the upgraded suspension. Telling one apart from the later CJ-7 is so easy that experienced jeepers may find it insulting to list the major differences here, but for the new folks (and we all were new at one time) take a look at the door opening. If it’s got the “rump hump” just like its older counterparts, then it’s the M38A1 or CJ-5. If it’s got the door opening that is almost square at the bottom like a YJ or TJ, then it’s a CJ-7. At least you can get into or out of the later models without hitting your butt on that darned hump! As always, look for brass data plates on the dash identifying the vehicle as military. They will also list top speed for the vehicle in every gear and describe exactly how to use the four-wheel drive. Civilian models have an aluminum plate that usually says Jeep or Willys with a background of farm and industrial buildings, giving the prospective purchaser a good idea at who the jeep was aimed.
A cool version of the –A1 was the M38A1C, which had a two-piece windshield with a vacant slot right in front of the passenger. That is, if a passenger had been able to ride on that side. The –A1C was meant to carry a 105mm or 106mm recoilless rifle which was mounted in the back, but when in transit, the barrel of the big gun was pointed forward and a normal windshield would have been in the way. The spooky version of the –A1 was the M38A1D which was the model meant to carry the “Davy Crockett” tactical nuclear missile launcher. Luckily somebody wised up and withdrew this version, since I’m not sure that letting field grade commanders have access to theater scale nukes was a good idea.
The M170 ambulance version of the M38A1 is even easier to spot. Its longer wheelbase (101” Vs 81”) differentiates it from the shorter combat jeep, and its crazy door opening insures that you’ll never mistake it for the CJ-8 Scrambler. It was built from 1954 to 1962 or 1964, depending on what source you go by.
Best Military Jeep?
Old motorpool mechanics will tell you that the M38A1 was the best jeep they ever had in the inventory. The M38 before it was too slow and the M151 after it was too complicated. This war-horse was tough and easy to maintain. It was so popular, that even as the M151 was being ordered for combat duty in Vietnam, the M38A1 was still being bought by the Marine Corps which was unimpressed with the MUTT. The M38A1 was produced well into the sixties and became the last in the long line of simply maintained and easily recognizable jeeps that the military would use. Versions of the M38A1 were produced all the way until 1971, its longevity attesting to its durability and usefulness.
In the mean-time, I keep dreaming ... I want my jeep to look like this, I want my jeep to look like this, I want my jeep to look like this:
Posts
