42 Willys MB CDN 505

[TJ Hall]

Good day everyone.
I haven't made a lot of posts on here yet so I thought I would post some pictures of My 42 Willys MB CDN 505.

Cheers
TJ

[Eric B]

Hello TJ

Very Nice

By chance have I hit you up yet for your serial, frame, engine numbers and Manufacture date?

There are some pretty good reproduction headlight guards and tie down rings now. I believe somebody was selling some of the guards here not to long ago.

Thanks
Eric

[TJ Hall]

Hi Eric
No you haven't hit me up yet so the frame number is # 171243
I am at work right now so I can get back to you with the engine number and the exact day of manufacture. I do know it was September of 1942.
Close to the very end of the last Canadian contract and would not have had the tie down loops on it. I would love to get the headlight guards as I'm still having fun collecting bits and pieces for her.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Great Jeep, TJ! The kind a Canadian vehicle enthusiast like myself would like to own.

FYI, Jordan Baker has made repro’s of the headlight guard.

[Jordan Baker]

Great looking Jeep.

Yes I’ve got headlight guards in stock. Send me a PM

[TJ Hall]

Thanks Hanno and Jordan. Jordan they look amazing. I will PM you soon.

[Eric B]

Hello TJ

All of the CDN contract 505 MB's would have been delivered to the contract specifications, which included the tie down.

The contracts after 242 and 505 did not have the tie down rings.

You can tell if yours was sent overseas as there would have been an additional plate and switches added to the left side of the dash for the axle and brake lights. These were added when the vehicles were assembled in the UK.

If yours does not have those then it would most likely have remained within Canada.

CDN Contact MB's within Canada had the 2 light guards while those overseas had one with the bridge plate over the other.

I have no information on your frame number but note that 1 built 4 days later and one built 12 days earlier were used in BC and were both built on 02 September.

The electric wiper motors will be more of a challenge. Is your tub original? I am unable to see the hole for the electric wire.

There was also the blackout headlight which are now hard to find.

The tire locks are available.

I have attached a few reference photos.

Thanks Eric

[Eric B]

Hello TJ

I forgot to mention that the 5cwt which had WD number CM4243085 was issued to the British at some point.

We loaned and traded vehicles with them as needed. Those on loan would have retained the C while those traded would have had the C painted over.

This one was part of a large group transferred to the British.

Thanks
Eric

[david moore]

Eric
Did you ever get the number for my 505 jeep? It is 170425. It served in the RCN in Halifax in the war. You might mention that all 505 jeeps, even those that stayed behind, had the extra little TM data plate on the drivers side of the dash - or at least the rivet holes where it should be!
My jeep has the hole for the windshield wiper wire and even the clips for the wire up the windshield frame tube - but sadly no wiper motor.

[Eric B]

Hello David

Yes I do have your SN number, remember I tried to get you to mark it up as RCN. Thanks

Yes lots of other little details as well on the CDN Contracts. Such as both taillights were the same pattern with NO brake-lights. But that would be a safety issue these days.

Thanks
Eric

[TJ Hall]

Thanks for all the good info Eric. Sadly the tub is new so I am still searching for and collecting bits and pieces for the Jeep to truly kit it out with all the CDN contract stuff. Here is a picture of the original data plate. If you have anymore information on this Jeep it would be much appreciated. Would you know what WD hood number this jeep would have had? I might as well redo the hood with the proper number and larger star.


https://i.imgur.com/XRJ9vgl.jpg

[Eric B]

Hello TJ

The closest WD number I could find is CM4233328 which was on SN173194

In Canada SN 171224 had DND number 35-804
" 171202 " 61-438

These numbers are not related to the vehicles SN and were not assigned in chronological order pertaining to the vehicles serial number.

There are 2 styles of electric wiper motors. One with 1 power plug while the other has two. Either one will work. The proper one has been debated. There is no doubt the single plug is contract 241/242 but there is a possibility that the 2 plug was used on contract 505 as the 2 parts manuals show different part numbers. These were also used on other vehicles, so you must check the shaft length, the wiper arm attachment style and the voltage.

There are some very nicely restored CDN Contract 242/241 and 505 MB's. They are good for reference points as they were the same other than the data plates and of course the manufacture changes in production.

If you wish to portray a specific units vehicle, which you are. Sometimes you can find WD numbers on their war establishment lists on the Canadian Library and Archives web page. It takes a bit of searching and may not turn up anything.

Thanks
Eric

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This is the same blackout headlight, correct?

[TJ Hall]

Thanks Eric
You have a lot of great information I thought I would never fined.
This is going to help a great deal. I have been on the Canadian Library and Archives web page before, when I was Curating the South Alberta Light Horse museum. I didn't find very much on anything vehicle related for the SAR in Europe. So my question to you is this. hypothetically If SN 171243 did have a WD number would CM4231377 be a closer more accurate number or am I out in left field? Also do you know anywhere I can get the BO lamp and wiper motor?
Again thanks for all your help.

[Eric B]

Hello Hanno

Something looks wrong with that light. It looks like it is inside out.

Those lights are really hard to find now. Brian Asbury use to have them NOS.

The wipers are even harder to find. E-bay is most likely the best chance or G503. The proper wiper will not be cheap. Dirk Leegwater had some brackets and arms at one point for them.

The WD number can be a roll of the dice. When they were assembled in the UK they were initially assigned a CMD number. They might have sat there for a short while before being assigned to a unit. Only once assigned to a unit were they given a WD number. They just took what they had and assigned it. i.e. 4 cars 5cwt to Black Watch of Canada. Then they assigned 5 WD numbers in sequence.

Most of my research was in house looking at actual documents or Microfiche. The Microfiche is now on line.

Thanks

Eric

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Eric B

Something looks wrong with that light. It looks like it is inside out.

Hello Eric,

Having seen the picture you posted above makes clear the headlight I posted pictures of, is a different light altogether.

The black out mask may be the same, used inside out, but the headlight bucket is clearly a different one.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[BCA]

Just a note that my email address in the flier of parts suppliers that Eric posted is an old email and will not work. I can always be contacted via PM on this forum (BCA).
... Brian

[Eric B]

Yes the page from CMP Magazine is dated and was more of a reference.

Thanks
Eric