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Manufacturers of the Deuce by year?

Bob H

Well-known member
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Location
Huron National Forest, Michigan USA
I know this has been covered before.
I have a self imposed time limit of 1 hour with the SS search function and have exceded that limit.
even a google search has not nailed this question down for me.

I have a 70 & 71, & need to get the SF97 paperwork done.
Would these be "General Products Divison of Jeep"
or " AM General?
Would a "Kaiser-Jeep" be up to 1969 but not 1970?



Looking through the vin info threads, it would seem the cage code of 65909 covers several manufacturers.

I know some just pic a name, but I'ld like it to be correct on the paperwork.
 

jimm1009

Well-known member
1,165
71
48
Location
Louisville, KY
Deuce numbers

70 & 71 will be Kaiser-Jeep.
72 is the first year for AM General who purchased the Kasier-Jeep tooling in late 71.

The first part of you VIN will tell you this.
Post the first four digits if you don't find what you are looking for.
It also tells you if they were originally produce with or without winch.
If you find the VIN on the frame you may find a Heat Treat date close to that area too.
This is the date that the frame was heat treated right before final finishing of the frame. The finished frames did not sit long and some people use this for the date of manufacture or at least compare it to the VIN digits for confirmation of date. One other thing to remember is the the VIN give you the Contracted Date and not necessarily the actual Build Date.
Others will chime in too with more info for you.
Good luck. CAUTION: If you are starting to look for the date and VIN on the frame I recommend using paint stripper and a steel tooth brush and putty knife combination. You can damage or remove the numbers if they are lightly stamped.
Jim
 

SEAFIRE

Member
210
6
18
Location
Seadrift Texas
70 & 71 will be Kaiser-Jeep.
72 is the first year for AM General who purchased the Kasier-Jeep tooling in late 71.
Both of our 1968 M35A2's were made by AM General....:?:

Our old since retired 1967 M35A2 was a Kaiser Jeep, but I have seen a 1970 M35A2 that was a Kaiser Jeep.... very confusing....:|
 

datsunaholic

New member
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Location
Tacoma, WA
Considering that AM General was founded in 1971, it's a physical impossibility to have a 1968 AM General. AM General didn't exist in 1968, it was still Kaiser-Jeep at that point, American Motors didn't buy the Jeep corp from Kaiser until 1970, which is when the AMC logo started showing up on the General Products Division data plates. They didn't start getting AM General dataplates until well into the 1971 calendar year, when AMC renamed the General Products Division "AM General". Even then, there was overlap as new dataplates started "phasing in". There was no absolute cutoff, but the overlap was fairly short.

The problem stems from a several things...

1) Many of the Original Data Plates don't have a manufacture year on them (only a contract year, and contracts can run for many years)

2) Many of the Original data plates were lots and/or replaced during depot rebuilds

3) The Manufacturer code for Kaiser-Jeep, General Products Div Jeep Corp, AND AM General is exactly the same.

4) The SF-97s aren't really verified by anybody.


With that in mind, when I applied for my SF97 I just guessed and put down 1971. Mine COULD be a '70, but DRMO didn't care, GL didn't care, and more importantly my State didn't care- they used what was on the SF97 and that's it. Never even looked at the truck. There's nothing physically on the truck that indicates either way, except maybe the serial number. I didn't know about CARNAC and his access to the lookup lists back then.
 

Chief_919

Well-known member
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Location
Western NC
2) Many of the Original data plates were lots and/or replaced during depot rebuilds
I remember clearly as a young PFC being tasked to replace a data plate that had become faded and banged up because the commander wanted it to be readable. I stamped the numbers by hand to match, noticed the new one said AM General and the old one Kaiser-Jeep, ask my Motor Sergeant, he said go ahead we don't give a damm about anything but the serial # and registration #.

I still have that plate somewhere........
 

Crackerjax

New member
176
0
0
Location
Fuquay, North Carolina
my data plates say am general and 1970....but mine was rebuilt in 92 so they might have typed it wrong frame numbers match dataplate havent looked into heat treat number but i dont care much anyway its all good
 

atankersdad

In Memorial
In Memorial
1,878
15
0
Location
Glen Arm Maryland
I do all of mine as Kaiser Jeep since it helps at the MVA and telling the insurance people its a Jeep. I have 1 truck that was built from 2 trucks. Maybe I should of titled that one the General Kaiser!!!
 

SEAFIRE

Member
210
6
18
Location
Seadrift Texas
The SF-97s aren't really verified by anybody.
I'm really confused now...:|

Our two trucks are still property of the federal government, so no SF-97's, both data plates clearly say AM General, 1968, both trucks came with multiple copies of government paperwork and records saying AM General 1968, and both trucks are listed with the Federal and State Forest Service rosters as AM General 1968.

So.... both data plates must have been changed out and re-stamped, and all of the government records and paperwork have been changed over the years as a result :?:

Oh well.....
 
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olly hondro

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
882
525
93
Location
tucson AZ
I chose the year myself. The data plate sez Kaiser-Jeep, which was purchased from Willys-Overland around 1965, I think. Then, like y'all said, sold to AM General around 1970. I could pick any year inbetween there, so its a '66.
Alex
 
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jimm1009

Well-known member
1,165
71
48
Location
Louisville, KY
misidentified trucks

Hey SEAFIRE get your serial numbers and registratin numbers and post them as we can decode them here on S.S.
The serial numbers are on the frames near the upper left shock mounts or just behind the attachment area for the steering gearbox on the vertical portion of the frame if they are original mulit-fuel trucks.
Gasser truck vary some in the stamp locations.
If the frame the frame if original to the truck then the real information can be found about your two.
I advise using paint stripper and soft steel brushes for this as grinding can destroy the numbers.
Jim
 

citizensoldier

Active member
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Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
I have found them to be all over the place as far as Date of manufacture and maker and data plate info... Many times GSA trucks have a SF 97 with the year a municipality decided to put it into service and might say big red truck LOL. Also trucks that were rebuilt in one year and then tagged for that year not the original year produced.
Hey Bob are you getting yours to go through? Most of my trucks are 71's so I can remember when people ask. :-D I know when you bring up the SF97 page and you put in a different ID # than what they supposedly sold you its going to continue the Grayling mess.. I flip flopped numbers once on two trucks and GL called me saying they were not right and I needed to check them.. Ughhh..:wink:
 

Bob H

Well-known member
3,145
163
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Location
Huron National Forest, Michigan USA
I included the trucks DTID # on the line for comments on the SF-97 app.
Joe noted the DTID #'s of the trucks I took. I expect there will be issues, but this auction screw up is known about at GL offices in New York, Florida and Arizona and likely a few others.
I know I could get them titled without the SF97, but due to the whole mess up I want the SF-97's on these. They should have put a hold on the auction when discrepancies were noted at the preview.
They could still cancel the whole thing and reclaim the trucks, but they will do anything to avoid that expense.
 

citizensoldier

Active member
3,981
17
38
Location
Northern Michigan. Smelt City
I agree but remember some people sent in for there SF97 before picking up the truck based on the info off the auction listing and billing invoice. They then used this number for insuring the truck to drive it home. I have seen others with the title already and plates to drive one home.. Now how they going to fix that mess? They chose to run a illegal auction and just didn't care. Some guys profited from this and others lost out. I was told to go by the vehicle description and ID # in the lot not the pictures.. I never do go by the picture anyway when I cant preview. One auction they go by one number and one auction they go by another. :roll: Which is it GL??
I have not been able to get a truck titled in Michigan bought through the government without a SF 97 anymore.. They changed the ruling and you can no longer use the yellow short form and fill out the ID # and explain where it came from.. If you get yours titled without a SF 97 let me know how you did it.
 
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