New to me and Dad M38A1

I'll be honest, I was looking at a Jeep project, and had no idea I'd be doing one of these. I pictured a CJ7 that needed some love (and probably a tub) but never an M38. here she is:




Won it on ebay for $289

negotiating with the seller for other parts and delivery. I think Dad and I did well on what we're paying for the jeep, what do you guys think? I figure for less than $300, we did ok. We're getting a running driveline for $500, and then we need seats, steering column, driveshafts, and lots of random stuff. Bring on the fun, right?

so any tips or pointers out there for the new Jeep guy?

Look up Midwest military on the net for parts.

Son of a beach!!

I can't believe it. I do hope the seller honors the sale. Seems more and more of these sellers are not doing that when they are inexperienced and don't put up a reserve.

You are one lucky dawg.

Here's hoping. seems like a legit guy - he's up in the Blueridge area and there's different CJ-type jeeps photobombing some of the pictures of the M38. there's one in his barn, one in a field that looks like it runs and drives, some parts here and there... I'll keep you guys posted. he originally listed it at $500 buy it now, and still left the opening bid at $200. I waited til the last day before I bid, and it worked. it could have gone horribly wrong though.

I'm hoping this is the first of several military and/or Jeep projects. I want to pass on the car hobby to my twin daughters as they get older, and if Dad (or Grandpa, as he is known to the girls) wants to fund it, who am I to argue? it'll be good times working with him on it, I think he'll enjoy it. the wiring schematic only takes one page to print, so it can't be TOO terrible, right? Maybe next time we'll do a Deuce.

some questions - should I convert it to 12 volt or leave it 24 volt? he wants to keep the military feel, so I don't think we're even gonna put a radio in it (not permanently, anyway). also, should I try and source military-style tires, or just get decent, modern all-terrain rubber? what about seat belts?

Your M38A1 has a lot of potential. Front fenders and rear floor go to the scrap, but otherwise the parts look like they will sandblast clean. I don't need to tell you this is a "ground up restoration", right? Total disassembly, blast, paint, and reassemble. Get to know the major Jeep parts retailers, Army Jeep Parts, Ron Fitzgerald Jeep Parts, Brent Mullins Jeep Parts, Surplus City Jeep Parts, others?

NDT said:

Your M38A1 has a lot of potential. Front fenders and rear floor go to the scrap, but otherwise the parts look like they will sandblast clean. I don't need to tell you this is a "ground up restoration", right? Total disassembly, blast, paint, and reassemble. Get to know the major Jeep parts retailers, Army Jeep Parts, Ron Fitzgerald Jeep Parts, Brent Mullins Jeep Parts, Surplus City Jeep Parts, others?

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Nope. I may need to tell my Dad a few more times, but "Frame-off" start flashing in my head as soon as he showed me the auction. the first thing I'll be doing is dis-assembly, which won't take long since there's not much left still bolted on. I think the devil will be in the details - finding what I can use from a CJ vs what I need to get for an M38, and then once it's clean, fix the sheet metal and frame, and then I have a clean slate to start with. or at least, that's the plan. we'l see when we get it home. no plan survives initial contact unchanged, right?

On your questions, I'm no purist, but I can honestly say, you can never go wrong it you go all original.
I would go that way on that one.

I'll probably wind up going that way as much as possible, where possible. Dad doesn't even want a roll bar - he wants to keep the original military feel for it. he bought a repro canvas top and sides already, and we don't even have the **** Jeep in my driveway yet.

Too bad you're half way across the world from me... Last summer, there was a local scrap yard that had a RUST-FREE M38A1 body (tub, fenders, w/s frame, all of it) for sale, but I couldn't find anyone to buy it. I doubt it's still there, but 'ya never know...

-WRM

wow. if it's somehow still there, let me know. might be worth it despite shipping charges.

I'm trying to dig up the post (was on another forum). If I can find it, I'll PM you the info.

-WRM

Going to be a good project. Subscribed.

willysmjeeps and G503 are great resources as well for A1s and M38s. You can thread search there for a million long threads on the tire debate (I vote NDCC!)

Lots of education out there on the web to help. You've got a lot of work ahead but I bet you guys will love it.

There are merits to 12volt wiring that you should consider. It can save a bit of $ bc some parts/accessories will be a little cheaper and you can steal from CJ's easier but youll have to decide how authentic and exact you want your repro to be. Mine is 12v and doesnt bother me a bit but everyone is different. Whatever you decide don't feel bad - its your jeep and however you decide to go is awesome. enjoy the rebuild and enjoy the jeep! A plus if you stay 24 is that you can use still use the manuals for advice!

Cheers,

Ken

The plot thickens. If you look at the photos on Ebay, there is another jeep in the barn, a blue CJ5. (it's one of the CJs "photobombing" the auction photos.) the seller says we can have it if we want it. so for $286, looks like I'm getting not one, but TWO jeeps.... so I'll likely be borrowing some things from the CJ5. apparently, the M38A1 steering gear boxes are not obtainable, and the engines he has are 12 volt CJ engines. I'm guessing it would be as simple as throwing mil-spec ignition parts on it and it would run, but I think for ease of maintenance I'll probably go 12-volt. we'll see when we get it in the driveway. Dad and I are making plans for a thunder run up to the guy's place on Saturday or Sunday with both of our trucks, a trailer on each, and an empty bed in both of our trucks. if this CJ5 isn't totally trashed, I'll fix it up as well, but for my wife. I'll see what else he has, he says he's got quite a bit of stuff. anything I should be on the lookout for in particular?

EVERYTHING! at his prices. Clean him out.

You can probably make some money on the side to help fund your project if you get every single part available.

Bundle it, like that cheap fella on American Pickers.

3dAngus said:

EVERYTHING! at his prices. Clean him out.

You can probably make some money on the side to help fund your project if you get every single part available.

Bundle it, like that cheap fella on American Pickers.

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I chuckled reading that. yeah, you have a point. just get whatever he'll let us buy/have/take or whatever, then sort it all out later. that's what I did with our MEPs and it worked out well. I have a bunch of spare stuff hanging around now as a result.

Looks like you got a good project. Congrats. I'm restoring a M38A1 right now. After you get them hit me up as I have a pair of fenders for the M38A1. Also look up Peter DeBella for parts. I've gotten a lot of my parts from him.

Al Harvey said:

Looks like you got a good project. Congrats. I'm restoring a M38A1 right now. After you get them hit me up as I have a pair of fenders for the M38A1. Also look up Peter DeBella for parts. I've gotten a lot of my parts from him.

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will do. we're heading up there Sunday to get everything. gonna be a rough one - 6 hours up, 6 hours back, a couple hours on the ground in between.... I'm gonna be beat by the time we get back.

wheels. just realized that the wheels that are on the M38 aren't the milspec pizza-cutters. gonna have to look for a set of 5 of those. I'll ask the guy when we get up there, if not, time to start flexing the ol'google and taling to some of the vendors you all mentioned earlier.

Just out of curiosity, and asked by the ignorant, what tires and wheels are on that jeepZ.
Is it the same as the M37, or 5 lug 9X16s.

Edit; Google says 7x16s