'55 M38A1 saved from the scrapper!

[1stDeuce]

Well, went up north to help a friend build a deck, and came home with a '55 M38A1. Owner wanted it out of his garage, where it's been for at least 5 years. I have the maintenance book that came with it when it was surplussed out, and it shows Wurtsmith Air Base as the last station for this Jeep, circa 1975. Has values, serial numbers for all major assemblies, and some service notes, including what looks to me like a replacement engine...

It's not real pretty, but it's relatively solid. Frame is 100% good. Body has heavy gage sheet metal for a back panel, not sure what happened to the original. Windshield hinges have a bar welded across them so it can't fold. Front fenders are a little beat up, but salvageable. The only rust through is the corner of the pass side floor.

It's been converted to 12V and stripped of a lot of the orig wiring by the looks of it... PO said it had no spark when he tried to get it running, but I see that it has no fuel in the new-ish gas tank also. Points are probably in need of a sanding and adjustment, as it rolls over nicely, and he said it was put in the garage running for a refurb that never happened.

Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I took some pics for you to enjoy!!
C

 

[rumplecat]

Looks pretty clean, nice save.
James

 

[papabear]

I say ya done real good!!! That rascal looks to be in MUCH better shape than anything we ever started out with!!

Good luck...oh...and paint it some kinda green??

 

[srodocker]

awesome did you get it for cheap?

 

[Recovry4x4]

Has data plates, a huge plus. Congrats on your new MV.

 

[1stDeuce]

Yup, has data plates, and it's solid for the most part. The dash plate that the data plates are attached to is strata blue, but the orig color was OD. Evidently started life in the Army, then xfer to AF before getting "discharged". Strata blue would be kinda cool as an alternative to OD... dingy yellow is most definitely UNACCEPTABLE!

I'd really like to fix this up... It wouldn't be that tough, and I probably would mostly have sweat equity in it... big things needed include orig style rear tailgate panel, all seats and brackets, and all the 24V wiring stuff if I want to go that route... More likely that I'd just keep it 12V and do modern lighting... I know it's a shame but I have almost nothing of the 24V wiring, lights, gages, etc. I have a really nice paper element canister air filter I'll probably mount where the oil bath was supposed to go too... Just need the carb snorkel to make that work! .

I have way too many things going on though... I gotta get the M1008 painted and sold, then my deuce needs paint... my kitchen doesn't currently exist, so house work has priority... (At least I don't have a wife or gf nagging at me...)

 

[aaron92685]

That is really clean looking compared to mine when i first got it. Good luck with her. And what is that deal on the front?? A mount for a plow?

 

[1stDeuce]

You must be from Arizona... Yup. Snow plow mount is hanging off the front, but only u-bolted on to the frame and to the front spring pack. It's coming off ASAP and the brackets and plow will become scrap. Heavy scrap, which is nice!

There is a sweet little "HY-LO-JEEP" hydraulic pump underhood that was made in Grand Rapids, MI. Raises and lowers the plow, runs off a belt from the crankshaft pulley. Very neat!
C

 

[1stDeuce]

It runs!!! I got it started Wed. and off the trailer Thursday. Cleaned up the points and it fired up and ran on one cylinder. Messed with the timing and plug wires and finally saw that the plugs were sparking everywhere but where they were supposed to... New plugs and it runs on all four!! Engine sounds really good, but i can hear it kinda backfiring through the exhaust. Out of adjustment valves?? Oil pressure is good, and I added a half gallon of water to the radiator and it turned green when I ran it and hasn't run out the bottom yet, so I think that's good too!!

There is almost nothing left of the mil wiring. It's all been cobbled to 12V, and all the blackout lighting is gone. This would make a sweet little driver jeep, or with a good bit of parts shopping, a nicely restored M38A1...

But I already have my TJ, which I don't drive much lately, and I'm not in the mood for total restoration... Think I'm going to offer it for sale and hope some kind soul buys it. At least it didn't get scrapped!!
C

 

[1stDeuce]

Now for sale!

Ok, I don't have time to mess with this thing right now, and it deserves better than to sit out in the weather for a year while I clear out some other projects.

I just put it in the classifieds: 1955 M38A1 Michigan $1200 - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

Anyone interested please PM me. I really hope this thing finds a good home!!
Chris

 

[Alredneck]

Nice save, at least it will be taken care of from someone here. I completely understand to many projects.