Looking for M38A1 info
 

Hi, I’m new here.
I recently acquired a 1953 US made M38A1. CFR number 53-33469, Willys serial number MD45486. I have read the posts on US made models used in the Korean War and Canadian mods for the M38, such as electric wiper.

So I’m trying to figure out on my M38A1 what is a bubba mod and what is not. There is a heater installed under the dash where the batteries used to go. Electric wipers are installed. A roll bar was installed on the rear wheel wells. The air cleaner was moved to the drivers side and the battery was installed under the hood on the passenger wheel well/firewall. It has front and rear signal lights. The trailer plug was removed and a clear light with a switch on the dash installed.

My end goal is to slowly bring it back to a more original state and I am trying to figure out what the Canadian Military may have done, and what was done by previous owners. Any information anybody could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

M38a1
 

Congratulations, you have a unique Jeep that deserves to be restored back to its Korean War state. Can you provide a photograph of the data plate? Thank you.

All of the changes you listed sound like civilian modifications. Sounds like you have a lot of work to un-do.

Thanks Rob and Ed. I will post a picture of the data plates later when I get better pictures.
Those mods I listed are the ones I was curious about. It has also been converted to a 12v system, so there is a number of items that were changed there as well.

As I said I will slowly be changing it back.

Data plate pics. Delivery date 4/53. Built under US ord. Dept. spec.
Attachment 122764

Attachment 122765

Korean War Vintage M38A1
 

Thank you for the data plate images, I cannot stress enough the rarity of the vehicle and its ties to the Korean War. There are very few preserved military vehicles that have such a known history.

Hi Ed, you mentioned the fact of there being very few preserved military vehicles with a known history. Just for my curiosity, where did the information come from for these Korean War vehicles?

Korean War Vintage M38A1
 

Brian Ashbury provided information on the Jeep CFR numbers and the Service Publication book Canadian Vehicles in Korea - 2015 ISBN 978-1-927822-03-6 contains information on the M-Series vehicles.

Thanks for the info Ed

Dale: Your Willys M38A1 is a typical American model and your restoration guide should be a set of American manuals for the M38A1: Operation and Maintenance, Body and Power Train, Engine and Clutch and a ORD9 parts book. PM me if you need to source these manuals. It probably has an added convoy light and convoy light switch to "up-grade" it to Canadian configuration. The CFR number is typical for American-acquired 1951 Willys M38's and 1953 Willys M38A1's (Otherwise we used the Ford Canada-produced 1952 M38CDN and 1953-produced M38A1CDN) in that the last five digit start with 33. In your case 53-33469. Most documented CFR numbers in this range are from historical photographs so the Willys serial numbers are not known. Your M38A1 is rather special because we know both the CFR number and the Willys serial number. Perhaps the other serial plate is still on the wheel-well behind the passenger seat; it should also be 45486. .. Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for the info. I did find US service and parts books online. The serial plate is on the right rear wheel well tub. That’s where I got the MD45486, so yes both plates match. There is no convoy light under it, but there is an out of place bolt on a frame rail. Possible spot. Hopefully one day I get it back to its original condition.
Take care.

M38a1
 

Depending on how far back the restoration is going to go, the question I have is were the convoy lights used in Korea or were they installed by the RCOC once the vehicle was in Canada?

The other thing to look for would be signs of the Convoy Lamp Switch on the Dash Panel.

David

Convoy light and switch: I have the Modification Instructions for installing the convoy light on 3/4-ton Dodge (7 Oct. 1953) and 2-1/2-ton GMC (30 April 1953). Both imply that later production vehicles already had the convoy light installed at time of production and that the modification was to add it to early vehicles. In the case of the Dodge the early vehicles were pre s.n. 91401714 (3/1953).
The implication is that by March 1953 the convoy light was factory installed on Dodges and GMC's. I do not have the Modification Instruction to deal with the M38 and M38A1 jeeps. But it follows that in 1953 the convoy light was to be added to the M38 and M38A1. On M38's they always appear to be a locally added feature based on the location variation and crudeness of the dashboard hole for the switch. I haven't paid much attention to convoy switches on the M38A1 CDN (1953 production).
So for Dale's April 1954 American M38A1 that was brought into the Canadian inventory it stands to reason that it would have had the convoy light added as part of routine local E.M.E. instructions. When or if this happened is to be determined. Finally, it was produced 4/53 but when did it arrive in Canadian inventory? Unlikely in time to be a Korean veteran.

Korean War M38A1 Jeep
 

I don't agree and am pretty sure Dale's M38A1 is a Korean veteran as his CFR number falls within the known lot shipped back from Korea. According to Canadian Vehicles in Korea - 2015 ISBN 978-1-927822-03-6, 25 CIBG in Korea began receiving its new M-Series vehicles from US Army Ordnance in July 1953. The vehicles arrived in batches of 50 and by September all of the new Jeeps, 404 in total, had been issued. It was in 1954 and 1955 that 389 M38A1 Jeeps and 16 M62 Wreckers were shipped from Korea to Canada as these vehicles were deemed compatible with M-Series vehicles being manufactured in Canada.

The 16 Korean War vintage M62 wreckers served well into the early 1990s before they were replaced by the HLVW. I suspect the Korean War vintage M38A1 Jeeps had all been sold off by the early 1970s as newer M38A1CDN vehicles were procured.

The mysteries that have not been solved with the Korean War vintage M38A1 Jeeps is first tying the post-Koran War Canadian CFR number to the Willy's serial number and secondly tying the CFR number to the US Ordnance number used in by the Canadian Brigade in Korea.

Convoy Light Switch; as far as a switch goes, I have 3 switches installed. 1. Electric windshield wipers(12volt). 2. Park and tail lights (12volt). 3. Reverse light, possible it was the convoy light, but now it is where the trailer light receptacle used to be. All the holes are drilled, but oversized for the switches. There is washers added to keep the switches in place. Curious thing though, who ever added or moved the lights, they used the Douglas metal shell connectors.