Joined: Nov 24, 2010 Posts: 1390 Location: Orem, UT
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 12:50 pm Post subject: M38 MCXXXXX # range
Someone from the CJ2A page was asking what the range of MC#'s were. Trying to represent the M38 crowd, I come looking for the correct info. I looked up the database and saw that there are #'s up to MC7XXXX.
Now I also found from another source, dont know of its accuracy, said there were approx 45,500 units produced. My dumb logic would think the numbers would range from MC00000 to MC45500. But I realize there was other use of the numbers so it drove the range up, correct?
Anyone have some insight on the correct information?
Thanks,
Brett _________________ Brett
'51 M38
PHOTO DIARY OF MY BUILD
The serials started with MC10001 and ended roughly at MC72000.
The total production was in the 62,1XX range. The figures vary slightly among the different accounting reports (Willys vs Kaiser vs AMC) but not 20,000 slightly. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: May 10, 2010 Posts: 615 Location: North Yorkshire, UK
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 2:51 pm Post subject:
Looks like Wes posted his at the same time!
From Ryan's reference guide:
MC-10001 thru MC-10007 = 7 prototypes
MC-10008 = first production unit
MC-72329 = final M38 (this number is unconfirmed)
On page 197 of the guide, it lists the total number of M38's as 59,945 (copy of 1954 production sheet). Seems like the numbers above don't quite add up. Maybe Willys "lost" a few?
Again, on page 198 of the guide it lists the total number as 63657. Going off the serial numbers noted above, the total number of M38 jeeps (including prototypes) would have been 62329.
Can anyone throw any more light on this?
Owen. _________________ Owen
1951 US Air Force M38
1944 F-1 1/2-ton Airdrome Trailer
1940 C15 Chevrolet CMP 11-cab
1939 DKW KS200 Motorcycle
MVT # 19406
Joined: Aug 31, 2010 Posts: 1741 Location: SO IDAHO
Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 3:18 pm Post subject:
evanso1975 wrote:
Maybe Willys "lost" a few?
Owen.
Honest injun, officer.. all those brand new jeeps
with the fresh red paint sittin in my barn are CJ3-A's not M-38's _________________ keep 'em rollin'
RICKG MC 51986 DOD 01-52, '50 CJ3a
There may never be any light shined on any of those numbers. The three different totals are from three different in house auditors. They are not with us today to confirm or deny with. We know the first serial was MC10001 and we have the latest serial in our data base as MC72329. Simple math gives us 62,328. There have been hints of a special group of M38's that went to Greece on a second M38 production run but no written evidence to support that claim has surfaced. Sometime in the Spring of 1952 the US Army transferred 200 brand new M38's to Canada as Canada and Ford of Canada tooled up to build the M38 CDN.
The Pilot M38 manual only lists 6 M38's. The sighting of a seventh in the test program has led some to believe there were 7 pilot models. The only documentation we have seen to date shows only 6. It is my belief that the 6 pilot M38's were just not enough and a production unit or 2 or 3 found their way to the test track instead of to the Army.
We do not enjoy the availability of printed copies of Army contracts and factory production records the WWII MB and GPW folks enjoy. The military contract program after WWII required retention of the contract documents for only 6 mos after the end of the contract was reached. The WWII Logistics Statistics were very carefully recorded and studied up through the late 50's and much of that information was readily available to the MB/GPW restorers. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Forum FAQ
Search
Usergroups
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
