I may have a problem...

[DeetFreek]

Scrolling through FB marketplace last Friday evening and I run across a Jeep listed as a 1952 Willys. In the description, seller says it's military, which it is. Because it's the "C" variant!

Since they weren't really aware of what they had, I messaged the seller and filled them in a little. Pleaded to not let it go to someone that will bastardize it because it looks to be in pretty decent condition and is still a good candidate for saving. I made it clear that I have enough on my plate and wasn't looking to buy anything.

Seller messaged me back to let me know they appreciated the info and grandpa was in the same mindset as me. He didn't want it to go to someone that wouldn't be interested in keeping it in a similar condition. He was shooting to get 4k so listed it for 5k. I'd responded with those were good numbers, and I'd give 3k in a heartbeat. Sent some recent pics of my other A1 so they could see what one looks like done up-ish. We left it at that.

Saturday afternoon, I get a message from the seller saying there's another guy that told him there was no way that was a '52, the tall fenders started in '53 (boy he don't sound like he knows much) and he'd offered them 3k also but since I'd offered first, they wanted to let me have the choice of buying it! Well, for 3k, I had to at least go look at it! It was about an hour from home, so me, wife and kid went to check it out. Spent a couple of hours down there talking with grandpa and his grandson about the Jeep, life and anything else that popped up. Pretty sure I made grandpa at ease and comfortable in knowing I'd be taking it with me, and bringing it back to looking like it did earlier in its life.

Went back Sunday morning to pick it up, and the grandson had taken it out for one last drive. When he pulled up, he looked at me and said it was a lot harder than he expected to let go of it. I wondered if he really thought about asking me to not to take it at that point. A little more reassurance came out in conversation later, and we were soon back on the road for home.

So, now, I'm the owner of another A1!

It has some minor rust in the floorboards, passenger side worse that drivers. Fuel tank well has a small hole as well. Front fenders, crunched as usual and the rear crossmember has a nice curve to it. Otherwise, not in terribly bad shape overall. Already have the list of parts started, man this is an expensive hobby. I thought my other cars were bad...

 

[Mullaney]

Scrolling through FB marketplace last Friday evening and I run across a Jeep listed as a 1952 Willys. In the description, seller says it's military, which it is. Because it's the "C" variant! View attachment 842886View attachment 842887

Since they weren't really aware of what they had, I messaged the seller and filled them in a little. Pleaded to not let it go to someone that will bastardize it because it looks to be in pretty decent condition and is still a good candidate for saving. I made it clear that I have enough on my plate and wasn't looking to buy anything.

Seller messaged me back to let me know they appreciated the info and grandpa was in the same mindset as me. He didn't want it to go to someone that wouldn't be interested in keeping it in a similar condition. He was shooting to get 4k so listed it for 5k. I'd responded with those were good numbers, and I'd give 3k in a heartbeat. Sent some recent pics of my other A1 so they could see what one looks like done up-ish. We left it at that.

Saturday afternoon, I get a message from the seller saying there's another guy that told him there was no way that was a '52, the tall fenders started in '53 (boy he don't sound like he knows much) and he'd offered them 3k also but since I'd offered first, they wanted to let me have the choice of buying it! Well, for 3k, I had to at least go look at it! It was about an hour from home, so me, wife and kid went to check it out. Spent a couple of hours down there talking with grandpa and his grandson about the Jeep, life and anything else that popped up. Pretty sure I made grandpa at ease and comfortable in knowing I'd be taking it with me, and bringing it back to looking like it did earlier in its life.

Went back Sunday morning to pick it up, and the grandson had taken it out for one last drive. When he pulled up, he looked at me and said it was a lot harder than he expected to let go of it. I wondered if he really thought about asking me to not to take it at that point. A little more reassurance came out in conversation later, and we were soon back on the road for home.

So, now, I'm the owner of another A1!
View attachment 842888View attachment 842890View attachment 842889View attachment 842891View attachment 842892View attachment 842893View attachment 842894
It has some minor rust in the floorboards, passenger side worse that drivers. Fuel tank well has a small hole as well. Front fenders, crunched as usual and the rear crossmember has a nice curve to it. Otherwise, not in terribly bad shape overall. Already have the list of parts started, man this is an expensive hobby. I thought my other cars were bad...

.
Nice write-up. Heck, if you get her fixed up maybe you could take her back for a visit.
Grandpa might really light up and enjoy a spin around the block in his old truck...

You definitely got yourself a nice looking truck and the money seems really good to me.

Just don't let the other green girl in your life get jealous

 

[JEB]

I love a story with a happy ending. Well done!
Hope you can share it with the family in the future.

Too many people don't appreciate or respect the history of rare vehicles..and 60+ years on, M38A1s are fairly rare and certainly historic given their participation in national defense and world events.

 

[exhogflyer]

What's up with that tailgate? Military didn't have them.........someone hacked it in?

 

[DeetFreek]

What's up with that tailgate? Military didn't have them.........someone hacked it in?

Yup, someone wanted a tailgate back on it, and they made a rear seat for it too. The seat is out now, the gate will be out eventually as well.

Nice call sign BTW

 

[modified]

Have you looked into what features distinguish a "C" variant?

M38A1.COM - Model Differences between years and variants.

M38A1.COM Model differences and variants produced. The M38A1C model or 106 variant.

m38a1.com

 

[Recovry4x4]

Wonder if they were trying to start it on 12 volts?

 

[exhogflyer]

Have you looked into what features distinguish a "C" variant?

M38A1.COM - Model Differences between years and variants.

M38A1.COM Model differences and variants produced. The M38A1C model or 106 variant.

m38a1.com

You're correct! Somehow I missed that it's a "C" model, that is one RARE Jeep right there!

 

[DeetFreek]

So this morning I finally decide to make a mock up of the spare tire carrier. I had a buddy send some pictures of one he has last fall but hadn't got around to even thinking about doing anything with it. Went pretty smooth, my template came together quite nicely, until........I noticed that I'd folded the upper lip up instead of underneath which dropped the entire mount down a good inch. Can't be having that! So it was back to the cutting board. At least I'd gotten a good idea of what needed done and this time went even a bit quicker.

The correct versions are on the left.
As it can be seen, the difference in height is noticeable and I'm gonna throw out a mildly educated guess and say the upper mounting tab was done that way for strength/stress resistance.

So now, I'll hand it off to another buddy that has a laser table, let him cut it, have it bent to shape and then I'll weld it up, get some studs on it and it should be good to go.

 

[DeetFreek]

After almost a year, I finally got the charging system fixed. After doing a little troubleshooting over the weekend, I'd determined that the generator was faulty. I really didn't want to spend for a new one, spendy spending, but John up at Midwest hooked me up Monday and it arrived Tuesday!

At least I can get it out of the shop once again, and, not worry about whether or not it's going to start.

 

[msgjd]

nice find ! .. and about your previous jeep i sure recognize the (Fort) lost in the woods bumper / unit markings, but by the 1970's i don't recall 5A (5th Army) being on base support vehicles .. was that just a 1950's thing?

 

[DeetFreek]

nice find ! .. and about your previous jeep i sure recognize the lost in the woods bumper / unit markings but by the 1970's i don't recall 5A (5th Army) being on base support vehicles .. was that just a 1950's thing?

I don't know how I missed this reply for so long, but I'm sorry I did. Dad was in from '67-'69, and while I don't know for certain if company vehicles would have been marked quite that way since he was in a designated specialty unit and I'd be surprised if they actually had a large allotment of vehicles to begin with.

I was going off his discharge papers and piecing together info on how to lay out bumper/unit designations.

 

[msgjd]

Dad was in from '67-'69..I was going off his discharge papers and piecing together info on how to lay out bumper/unit designations.

Well that's a nice way to honor him . Looks impressive. I was asking because I also have an A1 and would like to mark it for FLW range support early 60's- early 70's era, but am only familiar with what they had mid-late 70s .. I admit I have not done any web pic searches, the A1 is pretty low on the list in recent years

 

[DeetFreek]

Well that's a nice way to honor him . Looks impressive. I was asking because I also have an A1 and would like to mark it for FLW range support early 60's- early 70's era, but am only familiar with what they had mid-late 70s .. I admit I have not done any web pic searches, the A1 is pretty low on the list in recent years

It's funny how it all even came about. Dad was still alive when I first got it and it never crossed my mind what I'd mark it as down the road. Fast forward a few years, dad has passed, I made a FB friend who was doing his A1 resto when I was. He could trace his back to the MN guard unit it was issued to. We get to talking one day about it all, he says, find out what the Iowa units were, and boom! Hits me, why not do dad's unit? When I first got the Jeep, we were taking a short ride and he says, I remember freezing my ass off in one of these pulling guard duty one night! So, I know they were still being used here, I just don't know to what capacity. In the end, I know it doesn't really matter since we all personalize them as we see fit. I really didn't intend to honor him exactly, in my mind, it's an honor to all of them. Just to bring an old horse back from the dead, give some old vets something to talk about and have some good conversations. And of course, give those who can't walk a parade route a lift so they can still be a part of it all.