Serial number year and dod question

[Bill H.]

Can someone please give me a year and maybe dod on serial number MD55375? The best I can come up with is July, 1953???

Thank you in advance.

[Bill H.]

Nobody? Nothing?

[Ron D]

Hi Bill,
There's a database of sorts and more than a few threads about it over on the willysmjeeps site.
Am guessing maybe you already knew that.

Good luck!

[Bill H.]

Hi Bill,
There's a database of sorts and more than a few threads about it over on the willysmjeeps site.
Am guessing maybe you already knew that.

Good luck!

I tried joining without success. I can't access any data.

[dpcd67]

8-53
Here is the data base; it reads up and down, not left and right. Not that complete. http://www.willysmjeeps.com/downloads/M38A1SNDB.pdf

[Bill H.]

Thank you. I tried downloading that yesterday without success. Got it this time.

[AFM38A1]

Thanks for posting the link.
There is a 1955 vehicle listed with a MD serial just 83 past mine.
Fortunately, it is one of the few in the year range with a hood number, so by doing the math (2A hood number -83), I was able to estimate the [probable hood number of my unit. (Barring a change in deliveries, serial number type/range, or allocation to another service, etc).

Not that it will do much good since so am repainting it in Air Force markings.
There was no history or hood numbers on mine, but I'll make a note of that number to pass into future owners.

[CHS843]

I have tried to download the database several times without success. I have what I’m told is a’52 M38a1 serial number MD 21966.

The story I got was that it came off production line after the ceasefire and was sold at surplus to a utility company in Texas that used it to run power lines. It was then bought by a gentleman in SC who took the pto and rims off for a restore project and sold it to our farm.

I am trying to restore it after years of sitting in a barn. Unfortunately, Dad has passed away so I have no way of contacting anyone to verify this information so I’m hoping someone who has accessed the database can help me out.

[AFM38A1]

CHS 843

I just found one for sale with slightly earlier number...21583.
It was delivered 9/52.

So, we can assume yours was built around the same time.
But to be sure, let's do some math to figure out daily/weekly/monthly build rates...

So, if f there were no gaps in the serials....admittedly a bit of an assumption.... and I'm sure some will chime in to say if I'm wrong...

Mine was built in 3/55 and is 82551.
So, it is roughly 60,000 units and 30 months after the 21583 unit.

So, 60,000 ÷ 30 is 2000 a month.
So say 500 a week.
So yours is 400 after one built in 9/52...that's about four days.
So yours was built in 9 or 10 of 1952.

Make sense?

[illini]

My ex M38A1 with a 10/52 date stamp was MD23050

[dpcd67]

That link/list pops up for me every time. Get a new computer.

[AFM38A1]

The database doesn't have many numbers past 1955.
Does anyone have later numbers?

The reason I ask is over on BAT someone is trying to sell a "1954" M38A1...but it has a Willys serial of 89XXX.
I know 89 is not correct for that year. Mine is a 55 and has a 82XXX serial.
Any idea when it would have been built?

Also, the Patent plate and dash plate have VERY heavy number stampings, quite different than mine. (My patent plate was almost illegible due to wear or being sand blasted. These could almost pass for Braille.
The Inspector stamp has initials but no year stamp.

Maybe someone is trying to make a Jeep fit the title?

Aside from that, the Jeep looks nice. Very clean underneath with reportedly all the fording gear.

it has the early fold down grille but later battery box cover. The left fender is the later type with a vertical seam, the right fender has no visible seam.

[Joe Friday]

I don't have serials for 1954 or 1955, but I have total prduction numbers (combined) for M38A1 and M170,
1953 33,988 (only 2 were M170)
1954 11,578
1955 6,940

Knowing that Serial 72051 is 2//54, A serial of 89xxx (if it was real) would be the very end of 1955?

[markpickens57]

I just reaching out. I have a 1954 that I received after my dad passed away. On the title it has a serial number of 11025. I am moving the jeep to Ohio but I can't find the serial number on the jeep