M38A1 saved from scrapyard

[clinto]

So a friend of mine called me last week and said "I know a guy who runs a scrapyard (not a junkyard but an actual metal recycling place) and he has some kind of Willys Jeep. It's military but before my time. They're gonna crush it next week, wanna go look at it?"


Well, does a bear............. err. forget it.


Anyhoo, we went last Saturday and looked. A well, WELL-used 1954 (2.54 DOD) M38A1 that is actually pretty complete. Front floors, gas tank and fenders are trashed. But all 5 original 16" rims, lots of small components, military fuel pump, oil filter, gas can mount, spare tire mount, etc. Engine isn't locked up, has clean oil in it. Trans and transfer are stiff but do shift fine.


So I bought it. I paid too much but the guy was............... difficult. He wanted what he wanted and otherwise it was a future beer can.


First pics are as found.

Second set is today's recovery. Left work early, came home, got deuce and trailer. Pulled it on the trailer with the #7 wrecker hoist and chain fall.


My plan is to clean it up and attempt to get it running, get the paperwork clear and in my name and sell it. I bought it to save it and I can't afford to restore it and I am knee deep in another frame off restoration right now, so I can't do this one.

I'll post up more on this thread as I accomplish more.

 

[clinto]

Recovery!

 

[NDT]

Amazingly complete. I would clean it all up and ebay it without doing any repairs. I'm in the same mode as you are, the "SPCA" of military trucks, save them, clean em up, and find them a new home with a loving owner.

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Good save, thanks for that.

 

[wreckerman893]

Another save for the "No Kill" MV shelter.

 

[wilfreeman]

Man, why would anybody scrap one that complete?

 

[tuckered]

Some people have all the luck! Great save!

Curious about aquiring the title. Lets us know the troubles you had/have with that. Thanks!

 

[zout]

Clinto - to answer your question - yes they do !!


Nice save - another great looking Willys save. Those pics made my hands twitch and hair stand up on my arms I got so excited - you should have that done in about a month

 

[clinto]

Man, why would anybody scrap one that complete?

Apparently this was a situation where an older gentlemen had it , then stopped driving it for whatever reason and it sat. He passed away, widow didn't understand it's historical significance, sent it off to scrap.

Some people have all the luck! Great save!

Curious about aquiring the title. Lets us know the troubles you had/have with that. Thanks!

I won't be able to get a title. Ga. just flat out will not issue titles for vehicles older than a certain date (Somewhere in the Sixties). Even if I had a title for this, they wouldn't send it in for me and this thing probably has a chain of broken ownership a mile long. All I'll be able to do is register it in my name.

More:
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/41227-georgia-mv-title-problems.html

 

[maddawg308]

That's a great save if I ever saw one. I think it's worth a couple grand if you can get it running and quick spray-bomb it. Clean it up a little, I don't think it would be hard to find it a home.

 

[Whitey]

Nice find!

 

[rickf]

Isn't it amazing that the scrapper would only get maybe 100.00 worth of metal out of it but I am sure he gouged you for substantially more than that. He KNEW you would not let it get crushed. Scrappers are leeches I swear! Yes I know there are a couple of well known members on here who are scrappers but admit it guys, will you sell a truck to someone for what you are going to get for the price of scrap? Nope! And that is even saving you the price of processing it.

Rick

 

[rickf]

And it even came with the bathroom sink!

 

[Amer-team]

Good save, there are a lot less M38A1's around than MB's and GPW's. Someday someone will be relating the history of this vehicle and the story that it was days away from the jaws of death.
Good job.

 

[maddawg308]

Is that a CJ-5 grille? Those marker lights look like civvy ones, not the standard mil-housing. The rest of it looks military, no worries there.

 

[clinto]

Is that a CJ-5 grille? Those marker lights look like civvy ones, not the standard mil-housing. The rest of it looks military, no worries there.

It is indeed M38A1. They have replaced the blackout lights in the grille with aftermarket turn signals, a super common modification on A1's.

The grille is identifiable as A1 but the deeply inset headlight buckets. CJ5's aren't set so deep.

I also do not think CJ's had hinged grilles, but this I could be mistaken on.


C

 

[jeepin]

It is indeed M38A1. They have replaced the blackout lights in the grille with aftermarket turn signals, a super common modification on A1's.

The grille is identifiable as A1 but the deeply inset headlight buckets. CJ5's aren't set so deep.

I also do not think CJ's had hinged grilles, but this I could be mistaken on.


C

CJ's did not have hinged grilles

 

[Flyingvan911]

Nice save!

 

[Digger09]

Great save! Those M38A1's drive real nice. Good luck with it.

 

[skytroop232]

Should not be a problem for the new owner to get a title. Here in Ohio a Georgia registration will transfer to an Ohio title. It is in the state regulations that an older Georgia vehicle will only have a registration and that is enough to get an Ohio title. You should have no problems selling that Jeep.