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I attempted to see if there is any hood number underneath layers of paint of my 1963 M38A1 but not able to find any. Though found out there are 3 main colors of paint on it.

Top layer is cream or light tan kind of color. Probably by one of previous owners.
Bottom layer is marine green. Underside of the hood was untouched and has same color.
Then in between there is good layer of bright yellow.

So curious, would any branch of services put this yellow paint for particular purpose / usage? Or is it just color put on by previous owners?

Thanks.

The sand is most likely a PO as you stated, the yellow is Forestry Yellow used by the US Forest service. Many of theses M-38A1s were surplused to the forestry service before sale to the public.

Mine was yellow, then two different colors of green before the primer...

Are you using paint stripper to look for hood numbers? Recommend 500-800 wet/dry sandpaper and wet sand when looking for numbers, they are not very deep layers of paint easily lost with remover...

OK, I may have messed up one side . Thanks, I have one more chance on other side. Let me try wet sand.

On the Passenger side hood number should be between the front and intake panel .... Where the fording hose would normally go...

Looks like I have success to reveal faint outline of markings.

For a '63, would the hood number be 5 digits or 6 digits?
And what do you all can make out of the markings?

Thanks Hal for the wet sanding tips.

I see USMC 31123 maybe a 4

USMC markings would have been in Yellow on Green, that is why you did not find them on the other side...

Do same on Bumperettes and front bumper to find Unit numbers...

The hood number you have 311XXX is a sep/oct 1963 unit. The Marines only used unit markings when more than one division was operating in the same area. Then they normally used a painted symbol on each side of the jeep.

Below are always the type of photos that are always at your fingertips in my photo album.

UPDATE: As I was posting following, Wes already posted above great vintage photos and info. Thank you Hal and Wes.

Photo didn't come out as good. Digits are 31193, the last one I think is a 4 too. Yeah this is harder to find. I think yellow was used for the marking back then. Followed by another overall layer of yellow later probably by Forestry.

This M38A1 has only patent plate number 7105 93230. I checked the serial database on this forum. It seems to be correct and falls in between few other ones in term of serial & hood #.

311934 hood number is about 200+ away from this photo found on g503 forum
https://forums.g503.com/viewtopic.php?t=140157[/b]

An outstanding recovery!! While our database will get you the first 3 digits easily enough, those last 3 will be pure guess work as they were not assigned in any order. Also, you not only know your USMC registration number, but how and where it was placed on the hood along with the font and sizing of the letters and numbers.