My father was the head geologist and USGS person at Kansas University during the 1950's up through the 70's.
His department had a light green Willys that had 4 doors and in all presence looked like a weird M170 sedan.
It had USGS decals and was marked for the USGS.
Anyone have any idea what model that Willys was?
To be clear this was a military Willys, just wanted to know the specifics of the 4-door M38 or M170 if someone knew them.
It was not a M38/M38A1/M170. They are all 2 drs. There are many government agencies that purchase their own vehicles from OEM manufacturers. Those vehicles are managed by GSA (General Services Administration). They are not actually military although their appearance often has an official look and they were usually purchased in fleet lots and they were usually all the same one tone color. The USGS folks have used 4 wd vehicles of many sorts over the last 50 years and they have usually been light green. In the 50's - 60's they would have been station wagons.
His was most definitely an open top Willys, if not for the extra doors it would have been ID'd from site as a M170 with the extra length.
Not once did they ever paint it but did have to change the top out once in a while to wear.
I ran across a picture of some VIPs touring a military base during the Korean war that was a Willys with 4 door openings and looked almost identical. I just cant find it know, hence why I am posting here.
You repeated sedan several times. Are you aware a sedan has a metal roof and doors. You can modify any jeep extensively but Willys did not produce any 4dr hardtop/sedans based on the M38, M38A1 or M170. I googled USGS vehicles and saw plenty of civilian 4dr jeep wagons built during the 50’s & 60’s.
Not sure this helps but my dad worked for USGS and I'm sure knew your dad! My dad was in charge of the computer science division.
The only vehicle my dad ever mentioned that they used were International Scouts. He hated them as he said when they went out into the field (usually out west somewhere) they would inevitably snap an axle.
The only other vehicles that come to mind are Dodge Power Wagons, the Willys Station Wagons. There were some obscure Willys vehicles that had military designations but I think were based off of the Station Wagon and they were for export not domestic use but who knows maybe it was one of those.
There were some custom made MB/GPW jeeps made for the Coast Guard during WW ll. Maybe USGS ended up with one of those? I recently found out that a WW ll Jungle Jeep still exists in storage at Aberdeen, MD. So who knows, the possibility exists...
Having been on several USGS survey's in the 1970's in Colorado where we used Surburban's the question is best answered by who knows? Peoples memory falter's unfortunately.
As for my dad's memory after retiring 3rd in line at USGS after a 35 year career that spanned the globe I'll take his word for it.
