brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

1950 - 1952, M38, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38.
donpraxi
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brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by donpraxi » Mon Dec 07, 2020 5:18 am

Hi folks,
first of all let me introduce myself…I am a mid aged austrian guy and i fulfilled a childhood dream. I bought a month ago a M38/1951 Jeep. Jeep is in a good shape and i will mainly use it for hunting and fun.
M38 1.jpg
M38 2.jpg

Nevertheless, I am interested in the technology of the M38 and have started to work intensively with the vehicle. Here I reached my limits very quickly. So hopefully this forum could help me. I have a lot of unanswered questions that I will gradually work through. In this post I want to answer my most burning question “Information about my M38 especially Engine and serial number”. Until now I have not been able to identify the exact engine and serial number. Many numbers are confusing and do not match my documents and research on the internet.

Here are my official Vehicle registration form. Jeep was produced in 1951 and his first registration here in Austria was done 1968.
registration form 1.jpg
Registration form 2.jpg

I was not able to find Serial Number (as per document 20911881) on the car and nothing about this in the Internet…I have looked intensively at all the usual places. Some of them was in a unreadable shape (data plate rear fender passenger side) or painted over several layers of paint.


Additionally i inspected the Engine and i found these numbers:
Cylinder head cover (W5,800376 6.48 D)
Cylinder head cover.jpg
engine block driver's view right side (J631)
engine block right 1.png
engine block driver's view right side below
engline block right below 1.jpg
Behind the dashboard
behind dashboard.jpg
To avoid an endless post, I stop now ;-) ... I would really appreciate it if someone could help me and / or give me new food for thought, where I could get additional information on my questions.

Thank you very much + greetings from good old europe

donpraxi


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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by JMZ421 » Mon Dec 07, 2020 12:31 pm

The 20911881 is most likely the hood registration number. I wonder if the serial on the dash tag or the patent plate is MC 375** or near to that, based on that hood number. Appears someone replaced your M38 engine with a WW2 block, if that GPW is from the block. The RMC is a Willys replacement engine serial number but this would not match if that's a WW2 engine. Does the tag still exist on the wheel well behind the passenger seat? John

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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by donpraxi » Tue Dec 08, 2020 11:41 am

Unfortunately data plate on passenger site is in really bad condition. I tried to remove paint but without success or getting additional information...
057BF776-A3E3-4EE5-B8C4-C7E33B7450A8.jpeg
Are you sure that engine is from WWII?

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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by JMZ421 » Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:49 pm

That plate looks like it got caught in the garbage disposal. Yes that is a G503 question and I would ask on the site above. I read that many M38’s were sent to Germany. So, my guess is your engine was swapped out and replaced with that block at some point but M38 block does not have GPW. John

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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by Joe Friday » Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:45 pm

Looks like a nice vehicle.

Just for reference, the correct headlight doors are still available.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by David Hughes » Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:51 am

On the passenger side of the block, behind the oil filter, is an oval pad. This should contain a number that starts GPW-. What does your block read?
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Dec 10, 2020 4:43 am

Many clean M-38 and M-38A1 Jeeps used by the National Guard were given to friendly foreign governments in the late 60's early 70's during the changeover to the M-151. The National Guard was one of the last to receive the M-151.
Many of the Guard Jeeps served in the same units for 20 years and were maintained with "TLC" ( Except for occasional weekend drills, many of the National Guard Vehicles were only driven for two weeks a year during annual training.)
The "RMC" prefix indicates your engine is a replacement.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Dec 10, 2020 6:55 am

Get the green book; M38 Reference Guide. It will answer all your questions and much more. Can't own an M38 without it, and also get all the TMS and study them.
That book is on eBay for $65.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by donpraxi » Fri Dec 11, 2020 8:17 am

@joeFriday: thx.. i also love it... thx for your advise...

@davidHughes: at the moment there is no number stamped...I try to remove several layers of painting...as soon this is done i will come back hopefully with a number :-)

@all: thx for these useful information...

Today i placed an order to get a full set of wireing harness at Kaiserwillys because this is the only thing, that is in a really bad condition... Much has been mended here in the last few decades but not very professional.

Donpraxi

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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Dec 11, 2020 5:41 pm

The original wiring harness rubber insulation on M-38/M-38A1 and the rest of the early 50's M-Series 24 Volt Trucks would deteriorate and crumble after approximately 15 years.
Note the date marked on the wires. The wiring was improved on trucks made in the late 50's.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by dpcd67 » Sat Dec 12, 2020 7:24 am

These new wiring harnesses cost $850. Here is what I did on my M38; bought an M35 truck harness for $75. It has enough wire to make one for an M38 and the thing about all M series wiring is that every wire is numbered and those numbers have never changed. The headlight wire on a submarine is the same as on a tank or any other vehicle.
Get a wire crimper and make your own harness. I know you have already bought one....next time. You need the harness with the Douglas metal connectors; not the rubber Packard ones although those will work.
Also, make sure you buy all your parts from Ron Fitzpatrick; the guy who owns this forum and is paying for you to use it. Do not go to those other vendors. Not as good or as nice.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by donpraxi » Sun Dec 13, 2020 2:17 am

@dpcd67

To be honest, I checked Ron's homepage too. That was even my first address, because I became aware of this homepage through very good youtube videos. Unfortunately I could not find a complete wiring harness for the M38 and also no information about shipping to AT / EUROPE.

Still, I agree with you and I'll be next make a mail to RFJP before placing an order.

however ... i need support in any case, as i am a complete beginner. And here the offer of a complete feel-good package "cable harness" is exactly the right thing for me. I was able to do some research before i decided and ordered the correct "Douglas one to one and two to one" connectors. Here in Europe it was impossible for me to get them.

All the best
Christian

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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by dpcd67 » Sun Dec 13, 2020 6:58 am

Right; Ron does not sell those, but I mean for other parts you need. First get the green book. The M38 is one of the hardest of all MVs to restore correctly.
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by wc56daveyboy » Sun Dec 13, 2020 9:53 am

DPCD67 wrote:
These new wiring harnesses cost $850. Here is what I did on my M38; bought an M35 truck harness for $75. It has enough wire to make one for an M38 and the thing about all M series wiring is that every wire is numbered and those numbers have never changed.
I am considering that route also.
Brent Mullins is offering that harness you speak of on eBay.

However.
My jeep has the two (2) connector main switch though (see attached pic) mine is like the first on on the far left

Does that harness that Brent is selling require me purchasing a later, one (1) connector main switch?
Like the one in the picture on the far right?
Hard to tell from the photos that Brent has on line
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Re: brief introduction about me and request for help M38 engine / serial number

Post by Jeff_Lee » Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:02 am

Guten Tag, Don
Sorry, that is all I remember from my High School German lessons.
Very nice looking M38 - I have a 1951 "early" M38.
I agree, the Miller book is worth the money and is available still.

What voltage is your M38? Is it running the military 24V system, or has it been converted to 12V?
Jeff
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One is barely adequate....


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