Lang M38

Devilnutz · Post by **Devilnutz** » Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:27 pm

Recently picked up an early M38 and plan to resto with my dad and sons, its odd to say 'sons' as my youngest of 3 was born 5 days ago. Anyway we are excited about the project but will need some help with the historic accuracy. That is why we are here. I look forward to conversing with everyone, we plan to get it painted and mostly road worthy by memorial day. so far it runs and has little rust damage. I will post pics soon along with numbers, we hope to pull the engine to work on for winter.
Side note: we will be pulling the engine with a '49 Allis Chalmers tractor with high lift that was purchased new by my great grandfather. Sons are the 5th generation owners.

Nice to meet you

Derek

Title says '51 willys from texas
SN-MC-11803

Post by **wesk** » Sat Oct 13, 2018 12:51 am

Welcome aboard. That serial is a very early M38. The serials started with MC10001 so yours is number 1802 Which should be an April or May 1951 unit.

If your unit is very original it will (Deleted) have the external resistors on the dash gauges, it will still have the firewall mounted noise filter/capacitor for the distributor, it will have the two plug main light switch, it will still have the 6 dash data plates screwed directly to the dash (not a large mounting plate), it will still have the three circuit breakers on the inboard side of the dash battery box, it will still have the CB's on the instrument cluster and there will not be 4 bolt hole in the right side step.

That should get you started.

If you want an online storage place for your M38 photos just go to the bottom of the forum index Photo Posting & Gallery requests/problems and request an album. Our forums are a bit older and you cannot load photos directly from your computer to our forum posts.

Devilnutz · Post by **Devilnutz** » Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:00 pm

Wesk you are spot on with the info, 3 breakers on battery box, 6 data plates (have all but one looks like a reproduction and one has extra holes), has a spot for breaker on inst, no holes on step. Unfortunately, it was converted to 12 and all of the original harness is gone. Has a few other issues like the rear cross member was replaced with angle iron, lighting is all gone, and tabs welded for turn signals. I also cut off the rear tub reinforcement before realizing what it was, welds looked pretty bad. Im glad I did because I found a few small rust holes that would have grew. Also pulled a paint chip from diff, jeep is painted nasty green but got to base coat. Chip matches the WW2 AJP.

Before winter I want to get the engine out and tub off. Hopefully this winter I can prep body and engine, then frame when weather breaks.

Any suggestions as to where to get a 2 plug BO light switch? plan to get the harness from Vintage Wiring.

Post by **wesk** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 12:27 am

They are readily available. I prefer them to the later one plug simply because they are rebuildable and their is technical data available for their rebuild.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sun Oct 14, 2018 10:19 am

Welcome!

Wes,
I believe in your first post you meant to say the original early gauges had the external resistors.

Brent Mullins in College Station is advertising new, old stock two
plug Bendix light switches, fwiw.

dpcd67 · Post by **dpcd67** » Tue Oct 16, 2018 9:25 am

Definitely get the green book; M38 Jeeps. And a full set of TMs, including the -9 SNL and study them every day for two years. Then you can start restoring an M38. You cannot operate and maintain a military vehicle without the TMs.

Devilnutz · Post by **Devilnutz** » Tue Oct 16, 2018 10:26 am

Green book is on order and I have downloaded many TMs. Definitely a lot of good info.

Devilnutz · Post by **Devilnutz** » Wed Oct 17, 2018 10:45 pm

Question about the noise filter. So before I ask I will say this is a long term goal question, the jeep is running 12v and will stay that way for a bit. I want it running as a tribute within a few months. But long term goals are a good resto. Wes the filter on the firewall, was that specific to a radio jeep, I was comm in the Marines so I understand the need. or was that standard in all early m38s?
Second question, where do I find one? I have tried searching on the goggle but end up with distributor capacitors. I have seen the TM pics of a square box, this along with the thought of a radio filter keeps me from believing it is an external distrib capacitor.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Oct 17, 2018 11:41 pm

No, it was not a comm jeep only special thing. The last of the com jeeps to add noise protection all over the jeeps were the WWII MZ's (mostly Marine units).

All production M38's thru serial number MC20599 (May 51) came with the firewall mounted DISTRIBUTOR noise filter (capacitor). It used a special connector cable to the power in side of the distributor. The distributor was Auto-Lite PN IAU-4004UT and did not have the internal noise filter (capacitor) that the later 2 distibutors IAU-4006UT and IAU-4006AUT had.

In your ORD 9 SNL G-740 you will see three distributors listed in the distributor section 0604.1 on page 144. To more easily determine which distibutors are being discussed in each parts listing that shows a part only for use on a specific distributor note that IAU4004UT is ORD# 7375375, IAU4006UT is ORD# 7355596 and IAU4006AUT is ORD# 7358569. Go back to page 143 and note that Capcitor, receptacle PN Auto-Lite XA790 is only used on the IAY4006 series. Now go to Radio Suppression section 0615 on page 179 and you will find the firewall mounted original filter Aerovax Corp # 19525, ORD# 7528195 and the later replacement Sprague Electric Co# 11715, ORD# 8677052. 19525 was also used on the 1950 Dodge M37 with the external noise filter IAU4005UT distr. By 51 Dodge had dropped the external noise filter for the internal capacitor in their IAU4007UT distr.

I have seen the firewall mount filters on the market. try Saturn Surplus & Memphis Equip. You will need the IAU4004UT distributor, the Filter and the special cable/conduit between them so If it's a year or so down the road then you better get started today looking for the three items!

When google searching for these type items if you have a FSN or NSN you will get more hits.

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Thu Oct 18, 2018 7:37 am

Both the cable and the filter show up on the big online auction company.

The better deal is the auction with both the cable and filter, new for about 65 dollars.

The 4004UT distributor will take a little looking but you will find one. I was doing the same as you returning both of my 51 M38s to a more original condition. I managed two NOS of the distributors, one on auction and one off of posting on forums like this one in the wanted section.

Good luck! The hunt is half the fun!

Devilnutz · Post by **Devilnutz** » Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:38 am

I see now, Im confusing 2 completely diferent filters. Thank you for the specifics on where to find the info. There are a lot of tms I need go through. Im kind of jumping the gun asking questions on parts I wont need for a while.

Post by **wesk** » Thu Oct 18, 2018 8:48 am

There's only one radio noise filter on all as delivered M38's. 1950/51 it was on the firewall and 51 & on it was inside the distributor. The condenser (also called a capacitor) was the one on the breaker plate to protect the points from arcing.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Thu Oct 18, 2018 10:50 am

Doing a resto it does not hurt to keep your eyes open for
items.

You do need to make a list or two and prioritize, but falling over
things on your list not needed immediately is not a bad thing.

mdainsd · Post by **mdainsd** » Thu Oct 18, 2018 1:51 pm

Indecently, there is a NOS 4004UT distributor body on the big online auction site right now. Just about everything will transport into one of these from the more common units. The main exception is the power plug. But even that, you can strip of the filter capacitor and add a wire to the back of it.

dpcd67 · Post by **dpcd67** » Sat Oct 20, 2018 1:41 pm

On your color chip; it is not WW2 paint; it is semi gloss; not flat like WW2. So do not use that.
Original was paint code 2430, no longer made, and 34070 is the current equivalent. Semi Gloss OD.
Or if you are portraying a post 56 rebuild, then 24807, a darker browner shade of OD.