Is it CJ-5 or M38A1?

[Heliarc]

Ok I looked on the engine and theres a J in the beggining of the engine number.The oil filter cap doesnt say anything unless there was a sticker on it that got removed.

The frame(chassis)isn't "U" shaped completely but it is for the most part , including the ends.The only part thats boxed in that I see is directly under the motor compartment.Also earlier in this post another guy said the shackles being on the front means it's a civvy frame.

I figure someone just put an M38A1 tub on a CJ-5.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The shackles are a dead give away to the origin of the frame. The M38A1 has rear shackles and the Cj series had them in the front.

 

[1953USMCM38A1]

Hello Heliarc :

What you described is what an M38A1 chassis looks like so your in luck. I think you have a military body and chassis but a CJ 5 engine.

The front spring shackle situation is a modification I was once told was done to allow jeeps that were turned into hunting rigs to better articulate as they are driven over logs in the woods at slow speed. Do'nt know if it's true.

However, I have a '52 M38A1 that had the same thing done. If you remove the side plates at the front of the front springs and bolt it directly to this fixed point it will be correct. The rear connection of the front spring should be a large U - shaped bolt with grease fittings. This is your pivot point. On the rear it is the same arrangement but side plates are sometimes used instead of the U-bolts on late model M38A1's.

An M38A1 engine has double pulley's and since in your pictures I don't see a double pulley on the crank and with the J and lack of military in the lid I would say you have a civilian engine. Not necessarily a problem.

If the engine needs to be rebuilt it will probably cost somewhere between $650 and $1500 depending on how much work you do yourself vs the machine shop. It's an easy rebuild so you know. If you want an MD military engine you can get them already rebuilt from Surplus City Jeep Parts in California for around $1850 and a core.

When in the military 4 or 5 guys could swap out the whole power plant, transmission and transfer case and put in a new one in 45 minutes or less if in a hurry. They are brilliantly simple to work on.

Hope that helps.

 

[willysmd]

Thanks for taking the time to write all that out, its much appreciated.I don't feel you're slowing me down so much, I'd hate to go through this and find I did something wrong.

Anyhow I hope I can get out tomorrow and take a look at everything you mentioned.

I'm thinking it might be civvy frame and front clip however since the bolts holding the drivers fender to the tub are mostly snapped off.

The speedometer that was laying on the floor is larger than the ones I've seen in military jeeps.It looks more like the civvy ones to me.

I'll get back and post again when I have found more out.Thanks again.

If its a civvy speedo then it should have the fuel gauge inside at the bottom, is there a tail gate if so has it been welded up, the other option it could be an M606A1/A2 which was the export version built cheaper than an M38A1 for the Swiss army, worth looking into

 

[EZFEED]

is that the super rare mustard bottle radiator?

Dude, that's the even rarer mustard bottle overflow container.

Nope, it's the exceedingly scarce mustard bottle turbo intercooler.The french Hotchkiss was equipped with a Dijon version.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dude you're cool!!!!!

 

[Crunchy]

For confirmation on the frame, look on the cross member just above the rear diff. If there's a plate about 8"x10" welded to the top of it between the cross member and the tub, it's an M38A1 frame. That's for the machine gun mount pedestal base plate.

I'm not convinced it's an A1 frame as in your engine compartment there's a battery tray on the passenger side. The CJ's had theirs in the same spot and I believe it was frame mounted.

Your battery box in the cowl however is a post Oct/Nov 1953 delivery based on the cam-lever strap lid mount.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I have a M38A1,
It had the battery tray under the hood added later, when they went to 12v, as the rest of the jeep is all M38A1. They pulled the Mil motor and rebuilt it with civy parts. The engine looks civy, but the double pulley on the crank is a dead giveaway. The problem is the interchangeability. You can take alot of the mil parts and cross them with civy parts. Over the years, people with the mil jeeps just found it easier to go to Napa or the pull it yard and get civy parts, as most wanted to use the jeep, not restore it. So alot of parts can be changed out in 40+ years.

 

[Hoot_223]

wow the 5 i have is actually an a1 wow

 

[willysmd]

Have a look on www.m38a1.com and that will tell you all you want to know about your's