Body Numbers

Nov. 18, 1941 - MB100001 thru Mar. 6, 1942 - MB125809 NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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Mark Tombleson
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Body Numbers

Post by Mark Tombleson » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:19 pm

I'm doing a little experiment.

I need to know if anyone has or knows of body numbers as follows, or any numbers close to the following body numbers

2072
3818
3859
4235

:?
MB-NAVY-MZ-1 352625 - 07/20/44 (DOD est.)
U.S.N. 133818
2nd place Restored Class 2008 Portland Convention
MVPA Hall of Fame - 2013


Michael J. Boyle
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Post by Michael J. Boyle » Sat Mar 05, 2005 8:15 pm

I've got body number 3591 Mike
EX-MVPA #28445
41 Willys MB I0II93 slat grill
the "Phoenix"--rising out of the ashes...
Welbike Parascooter Mark I #798
BSA Folding Para Bicycle R38199


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Houtsch Marc
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body numbers

Post by Houtsch Marc » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:07 pm

Hello;

- my body number is 4542
- serial number 101895 ( 1941 - 12 - 1 )
- Marc

Larry Loyd
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Post by Larry Loyd » Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:59 am

Hi Marck

I've got body no. 4328 12-4-41 sn 101948

Thanks
Larry Loyd
MVPA 14952
GA MVPA
Vietnam Vet 1968-69
41 MB slatgrill
45 GPW
Bantam trailer

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Chris Fourroux
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Post by Chris Fourroux » Sun Mar 06, 2005 7:54 am

I've got whats left of 4368
MB102376 12/4/1941
Chris Fourroux

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Mark Tombleson
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Post by Mark Tombleson » Sun Mar 06, 2005 8:36 am

I just want to verify the gusset and numbers look like this?

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MB-NAVY-MZ-1 352625 - 07/20/44 (DOD est.)
U.S.N. 133818
2nd place Restored Class 2008 Portland Convention
MVPA Hall of Fame - 2013

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Bill Eldred
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Post by Bill Eldred » Sun Mar 06, 2005 8:50 am

Mark even though mine is a five digit number those look correct.
42 MB123366 USA 2078369 est.
Need a hood number for my Slat.
USAF Foward Air Combat Controller
Lebanon, Libya, Grenada, Panama, DS1
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Chris Fourroux
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Post by Chris Fourroux » Sun Mar 06, 2005 11:33 am

thats what mine looks like too.
Chris Fourroux

ricksslats

Post by ricksslats » Sun Mar 06, 2005 6:16 pm

I have body #3302 on slat grill 107930, DOD 12-30-41, Body # 5391 on stat grill 103089 DOD 12-10-41estimated. Body# 10271 on slat grill 106351 DOD 12-23-41, and body # 16874 on slat grill 114680, DOD last week of jan???

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Mark Tombleson
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Post by Mark Tombleson » Sun Mar 06, 2005 10:13 pm

I told you that this was an experiment. The four numbers on my first post were bodies from a 1942 WO contract with the Navy to make 1990 radio jeeps. They were made between May 1943 and July 1944. The gusset photo is from my jeep. :shock:

So, can anyone hazard a guess why these slat grill gussets were used? Were the gussets made, stamped and stockpiled, and used at the end of the square gusset body period, prior to ACM making composite bodies? :?

Those low numbers will certainly give some uninformed individual a shock.
MB-NAVY-MZ-1 352625 - 07/20/44 (DOD est.)
U.S.N. 133818
2nd place Restored Class 2008 Portland Convention
MVPA Hall of Fame - 2013

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Bill Eldred
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Post by Bill Eldred » Mon Mar 07, 2005 7:00 am

That would be a likely guess. Although it is possible that the Navy requested these jeeps to conform to the earlier standard but unlikely that would be the fact.
42 MB123366 USA 2078369 est.
Need a hood number for my Slat.
USAF Foward Air Combat Controller
Lebanon, Libya, Grenada, Panama, DS1
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Jim Kilbourne
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Navy Radio Jeeps

Post by Jim Kilbourne » Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:08 am

Mark,

I have been tracking down the Navy method of purchasing/contracting for jeeps and I think I have found where the records are...

think about this ...the contract would have had to have been in 1941...thats when bodies in the range you listed were made....Nov and Dec of 41 really...or did Willys reuse spare bodies?....or bodies that were unissued Navy spares.....whoa, there is a thought ...happens all the time nowadays...items already in stock are sent back to be made into something else...and I dont mean an MWO... Check the reinforcing straps on your frame rail tops...long or short?? could the whole jeep have been rebuilt and issued a new number by the factory??

So, who is this uninformed individual?
Jim Kilbourne
I COLLECT WILLYS MB NUMBERS! Please send me your Frame, Engine, Body, Hood numbers and DOD. Thanks!
WANTED: MB unrestored, used, OD paint, dash panel light housings

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Tom Wolboldt
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mz 1 bodies

Post by Tom Wolboldt » Wed Mar 09, 2005 3:53 pm

Hi Mark

I don't remember but I guess your body # 4235 has the 3 piece cowl of a ACM type 1 body. How is rear seat support made ? Is it made out of 1 piece or is it 3 pieces all welded together?
Could MZ bodies have had their own numbering system and then could be made anytime some was needed?

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Jim Kilbourne
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body number

Post by Jim Kilbourne » Wed Mar 09, 2005 4:46 pm

L. Nabholtz mentions a separate body type....possible but not probable in my view...

Consider post war CJ tubs made by ACM for willys..they kept the composite design fire wall, cowl,gussets, floor supports.....

Why would willys keep their proprietary design for a few hundred jeeps and then not use that design for 100Ks of jeeps post war if it meant that much to them? just does not make good business sense...

The detail of how the cowl is constructed is a good point to make...that could answer the question....

An early gusset with a late cowl would mean a custom production...

An early gusset with an early cowl could be the same but is more likely remodeled spares or turn-ins I think...
Jim Kilbourne
I COLLECT WILLYS MB NUMBERS! Please send me your Frame, Engine, Body, Hood numbers and DOD. Thanks!
WANTED: MB unrestored, used, OD paint, dash panel light housings

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Mark Tombleson
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Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2002 7:58 pm
Location: Selah, Washington

Post by Mark Tombleson » Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:58 pm

Navy Contract NXss 17083 dated 3 November 1942 for 1990 radio jeeps.

MB-MZ-1 BOM, Group 19 - Body, page 1 of 1 dated 10-18-43

A-12156 Body assembly, as purchased, painted
A-12157 Body Complete.

I'm as sure as one can be that the jeep was built to spec from the frame up including the body. Bryce Sunderlin and Lloyd White inspected the body and frame and are convinced it was built to spec. There are way too many small hard to fabricate items on the body to do after the fact, like the oval hole in the glove box floor, the stamped and spotwelded reinforcement sections, the detailed cuts for the generator mount as such. All the holes for the generator, sheetmetal attacment holes and lift ring holes are punched.

Oh, the rear seat is not like anything else. It is a sheet metal box on the floor and the back frame is bolted to the rear hat channel.

Cowl, just tell me what part you need a photo of?

Image
MB-NAVY-MZ-1 352625 - 07/20/44 (DOD est.)
U.S.N. 133818
2nd place Restored Class 2008 Portland Convention
MVPA Hall of Fame - 2013


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