Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post your jeep photos, Pre or Post restoration. Bragging Photos etc. Also LIFE jeep photos.
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Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Tue Aug 24, 2021 7:40 am

Hello,

I was looking at online pictures of Elvis during his time in the 3rd Armored Division in Germany.
He was pictured in several jeeps.
From the M-38 to his own M-38A1.
That jeep was well equipped with a 1919A4 on pedestal mount, with a tripod also at hand, the M1 Garand,
his .45, and it also looks like they jeep carried a bazooka as well.
Note the great markings on the jeeps, that I haven't seen replicated on restored jeeps, or even stateside pics of the M38-A1.
Very informative for a restorer to look into. The Third Armored Division had some pretty sharp and well equipped jeeps for their role in protecting Germany and all of Western Europe.
109422_20150107_183116_app11_08.jpg
18b0fda20fa0100a5724806c0aaea1a8.jpg
1a0c125f16af58738e4cb6f6ebc96d8a--army-day-priscilla-presley.jpg
109422_20150107_183116_app11_07.jpg
elvis-presley-and-other-soldiers-read-a-map-on-maneuvers-in-germany,2438484.jpg
934033d6e8ddbf8eef0f899366c12561.jpg
Of course these are post war jeeps, but great to look at anyways !!


Best Regards,
Ray
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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by W. Winget » Tue Aug 24, 2021 8:31 am

Funny you mention it, I'm going to make a 52 I bought into Presleys jeep...

Thats a Blonde at our local pizza place hee hee.
Should up the value significantly if I get her to pose with it.
V/R W. Winget
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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Tue Aug 24, 2021 8:53 am

Hello,

That will be awesome !!!!
I don't think anyone has done one like that before, at least I have not seen one.

It will be a great tribute.
Elvis spent 2 years in the Army, and was a first class soldier .

He was also at the "front " of the Cold War, as a scout, for the 3rd Armored Division .


Not in some special entertainment unit.

If you look at the last picture, you can see some great dash stenciling, and the 15 number painted on the side.
I really like that idea, for numbering the jeeps.
You can see other jeeps with higher numbers.
You can also see a sticker on the glove box, and a lot of equipment, radio, etc.
There were M1 Rifles, the 1919A4, a Bazooka, Elvis wore a .45, pretty well equipped for a scout jeep !!

Good luck, and post pictures when you start !!
I don't think I have seen a better looking M38A1 than Elvis' Jeep !!

Best Regards,
Ray
Last edited by 70th Division on Wed Aug 25, 2021 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Tue Aug 24, 2021 4:30 pm

Hello,

I wonder if anyone has found his Jeep #15 ?
Was it sold by DRMO in Germany ?
50156l_lg.jpeg
6e8a462992852edc887eb447408e0154--moving-out-running-away.jpg
Could you imagine sanding your jeep down and finding his jeep 15 ??
lonnie-wolfe-and-elvis-presley-us-army-germany-4.jpg
What a great discovery that would be !
We have the hood number as well on a couple different ones.

Note the Bazooka that they tied to the machine gun pedestal !!
A well equipped Army jeep !!

I would have thought the Army might have kept it and put it in a museum. It would have been a great recruiting tool as well !

I hope it is out there somewhere, maybe back in the US, or in Germany somewhere.

Here is a link to some more Elvis Jeep info :

https://cj3b.info/Siblings/SurreyElvis.html

Best Regards,
Ray

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:07 pm

Hello,

I don't think I have seen any M38A1 jeeps, pictured anywhere, that are more tactically equipped than Elvis Presley's Jeep .

His jeep is the best example of a forward deployed jeep that I have ever seen.

This is the ultimate level target for a restoration project , of an M38A1 jeeo, that was deployed during the Cold War !!

Bar none !!!


Best Regards
Ray


Best Regards,
Ray

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by D Pizzoferrato » Tue Aug 31, 2021 5:26 am

An interesting (to me) item seen in the pic of Elvis looking into the engine compartment of the M38A1. Anyone else notice the ax handle over the shovel? It would seem that the ax and shovel are mounted in tandem. When mounting a radio on the passenger fender house top, the ax needs to go elsewhere. Was this an approved fix? I don't think this would work in anything other than an early M38A1 as the radiator support rods barely clear the shovel on the later models. M38A1 owners; what say you?
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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Wed Sep 01, 2021 3:12 pm

Hello David,

Yes I noticed that, very interesting.
There are a lot of other things in these pictures.
Note the red air cleaner inlet cap.

Also note that the sticker on the glove box, is black, with white writing, much more tactical and subdued .
Not the bright yellow with black writing as seen on many other jeeps M38A1 jeeps.
I can't figure out a what is written on the lower windshield.
It looks like : Amer Will Not S....
I would like to find out what it actually says !!


There is also some speed designations written on the lower right dash, like found in many WW2 Jeeps.
50156l_lg(1).jpeg
Also look at the windshield wiper motors. Are they installed upside down, or were the 1952 model jeeps equipped with them mounted like this ?
50156l_lg(1).jpg
Here you can see on his earlier M-38 Jeep, the stencil on the top of the windshield says, "Turn Radio Off" .
A very nice stencil that people can add to make their radio jeep more authentic during restoration.
6171546_artdetail-responsive-small_1u-KnO_I1lIIS.jpg
Also note the window defroster is in service with both model jeeps.
Looks like a standard issue feature, at least in Germany during the cold winters !!


Best Regards,
Ray

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by W. Winget » Wed Sep 01, 2021 3:44 pm

Dash: "Driver will not Smoke"
V/R W. Winget
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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Wed Sep 01, 2021 3:54 pm

Hello,

Great !!!!

That is a pretty rare type Jeep stencil, having never seen it before !!!


I do see the Gunner is smoking in most of the pics .


Thanks for that info !!!

Makes for a more accurate restoration if one was to do their jeep as Elvis' Jeep, or from his Armored Division.
Now, do you know what his complete hood number is on Jeep # 15 ??
That will be a great search 😁😁


Also, is it just me, or are there almost no pics of "deployed" M38A1 Jeeps from the 1950's available online ???
I would think there would be more pictures online ?


Best Regards,
Ray

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by 70th Division » Wed Sep 01, 2021 4:14 pm

Hello,

Also what is the story on the M-38 driver's side entry area .
The top of the panel looks modified, or has a big piece of something capping it ?
18b0fda20fa0100a5724806c0aaea1a8.jpg
109422_20150107_183116_app11_08.jpg
Hmm.....


Best Regards,
Ray

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by puananen » Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:30 am

Hello ! Youtube is Elvis Presley - Smokey Mountain Boy video.
My own jeep has the same symbols as the Elvis. I respect the king of rock.
Greating Finland !

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Re: Elvis and his Army Jeeps

Post by AFM38A1 » Fri Dec 03, 2021 7:54 pm

puananen wrote:
Thu Sep 02, 2021 10:30 am
Hello ! Youtube is Elvis Presley - Smokey Mountain Boy video.
My own jeep has the same symbols as the Elvis. I respect the king of rock.
Greating Finland !
Thank you for doing that!
Your Jeep honors Elvis as well as the U.S. military in the Cold War.
M38A1 MD 82551. Built 3/1955. Purchased in Nov. 2021.
Former owner/restorer of 1977 Jeep CJ-5 Renegade Levis Edition.
All stock w/factory V-8. Used as a daily driver for 7 years.


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