Slat grill low windshield cutoff serial number

[Dawgman]

I have 103904. It looks like it’s been together forever and the paint layers match among parts. It has a low windshield and hood with the long latches. My question is, the forum serial number list has 103545 as the last low windshield. Is it possible that my slat could be correct, maybe held back or reworked and parts that were on hand were used in spite of what the “serial number lists” say?
I’m not sure whether to restore it as is or restore with the later high windshield. Thanks for all reply’s.

[slatgrille]

Nothing is 'absolute' in the WWII jeep world. Low w/s are a rarity and since your serial number is soooooooooo close, in my opinion, I vote to retain that w/s. If the hood has those long catches, it sounds pretty original to me. Doesn't seem that someone would go and change a matching hood and w/s to 'an old jeep'. Also, check to verify that holes weren't added to the hood for those longer catches.

As a side note, Willys didn't have matching engine/body numbers. I found an early engine block that is stamped 106727. My slat is 105557. It's as close as I'm ever going to get to the correct number, so I'm going to rebuild it this spring. Currently (past 23 years), I have a very late MB block in it. At least the new engine could have been a possibility when new, certainly not what's in it now!

Craig