The R represents a Factory new replacement engine built for the Military for use in the M38A1/M170. The military contracts for the Jeeps included a specified number of spare new replacement engines.
MDXXXXXX is a new engine that came in the chassis of a M38A1 or m170 from the factory.
RMDXXXXX is a new engine that left the factory in a crate on it's way to a military supply depot. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
The R represents a Factory new replacement engine built for the Military for use in the M38A1/M170. The military contracts for the Jeeps included a specified number of spare new replacement engines.
MDXXXXXX is a new engine that came in the chassis of a M38A1 or m170 from the factory.
RMDXXXXX is a new engine that left the factory in a crate on it's way to a military supply depot.
My engine number is MD24697. Any idea of what time frame that number stands for.
Trying to date these randomly installed engine serial numbers is not an art or science. It is dart board scoring. A little background is appropriate here.
Military vehicle procurement contracts included the jeeps, the spare parts and the spare engines.
The contracts were only maintained in files less than a year. No one to date has posted a valid copy of any of the M38/M38A1/M170 Army Procurement Contracts to date.
The engines were serialled consecutively without regard to the prefix MD or RMD. This means without a copy of the contracts to determine how many engines on each contract were MD's and how many were RMD's it is pretty tough to approximate which serial dates to when. The farther we get from 1952 for the M38A1 the more margin for error in any attempt to estimate accurately.
You will find a few folks that profess to have the gospel on dating engine serials but they rarely show their data basis they build those estimates on.
Suffice it to understand that with the number of M38A1's built, the estimated number of M38A1 engines built and the disposition of the MD/RMD engines between M38A1's, M170's and Power unit engines without actual contract figures is pure quesswork.
The only answer I would venture on your engine is probably not a 53 or later engine. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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