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M38A1C identification
- Thread starter kmccabe56
- Start date
- 10,501
- 6,631
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Welcome. VIN is way too many digits. Should be maybe 5. No M38A1s or M38A1Cs were made in the 1970s.
- 10,501
- 6,631
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
The last USMC M38A1s came out in 1964 and the newest M38A1C that I see is 1955. Can you send pictures of the dash main data plate and the rear tailgate area. The VIN plates were not held on with screws.
I've run across something suggesting after production for US military forces ended in the mid '60s, there was an order for another 500 units built in the late '60s/early '70s for the Canadian military broken down into three batches known as CDN1, CDN2 and CDN3. I suspect this unit is either a CDN2 or CDN3. Attached are two photos of the dash plates. The plate containing the numbers is obviously a repop as the numbers in it have been scratched in with an awl or something similar. Also included a shot from the rear. This unit because of the 106mm gun does not have a tailgate.
Attachments
- 10,501
- 6,631
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Well that explains everything. You have a Canadian military M38A1. Says right on the main data plate CDN3. The VIN or mfg serial number is 100190. The other plate with 71-05014 is the Canadian military registration number in front of the serial number. I would guess 71 means 1971 date of delivery.
Thanks for pointing out the CDN3. I missed that on that plate. I have found out the 71 is the code for an MD Jeep with 05 indicating the body style. Don't know if that indicates the two piece windshield and lack of tailgate or not. The delivery date scratched into the lower plate is 26-4-71, which I take tl be April 26, 1971. I'm just looking for some sort of reference document to confirm that this is a '71. For some reason there's an unsubstantiated claim that the vehicle is a 1960 which I am unable to support. The 100190 is the sequential portion of the serial number. I'm hoping someone has some documentation on the production of these vehicles to confirm the model year.
- 10,501
- 6,631
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
How could anyone dispute the 1971 year model when it’s engraved on the main data plate by the Canadian military.
I bet the Jeep was delivered as a plain A1 and the Canadian military took the recoilless rifle pieces off an older Jeep and added them to this one.
I bet the Jeep was delivered as a plain A1 and the Canadian military took the recoilless rifle pieces off an older Jeep and added them to this one.
- 694
- 470
- 63
I have a 1970/71 M38A1 and the Vin # is 99984 the DOD was Jan 71 so I think it was made in 70. 
The plate with the serial number and delivery date have been hand inscribed. The photo of the plate from eaw46 (thank you !) is stamped. I was expecting the plate on this vehicle to be stamped as well. So I'm taking that the plate now attached to the vehicle is a repop. And when a repop is involved, people tend to put whatever suits them on it. This could all well be legit, but for someone to go to the bother of getting a repop plate and then hand inscribing it rather than to beg/buy/borrow a set of stamps to mark it seems odd at the least.
- 10,501
- 6,631
- 113
- Location
- Camp Wood/LC, TX
Well I cannot speak for the Canadian military, but the US military hand engraved numbers on data plates all the time. Your plate was indeed not factory stamped like eaw46’s, but I have never seen someone in the hobbyist market repop M38A1CDN plates. Very likely not done after being surplussed. Since eaw46’s is for sure delivered in 1971, and yours is a mere 206 units after his s/n, it stands to reason yours is a 1971 too, like is inscribed.