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-----Original Message-----
From: Brandon Kunicki <c322348@yahoo.com>
To: Military Vehicles List <mil-veh@uller.skylee.com>
Date: Tuesday, December 28, 1999 11:04 AM
...>Now that I'm in the Chicago area and able to visit
>with my stored MB Script project (with glove box), any
>hints from the list on where to find serial numbers?
>
>Left front frame-rail? Inside or outside??
***** On early MB such as yours, serial number was on a small aluminum tag
on the INSIDE of the LEFT frame rail bewteen the front bumper and grill. It
should read for example MB119021 (a jeep I used to own). Unfortunately this
is often damaged or destroyed when snow plows etc. were welded onto jeeps.
Late war (1945) MB jeeps had a large data plate on the inside of the RIGHT
frame rail.
The engine
>is gone, but the trans/x-fer, etc. might offer some
>additional clues.
****** No serial numbers there.
Serial number range for your jeep would be between MB120697 (glove box
intorduced) and MB125809 (last slat grill 'radiator guard' made). (Ref:
TM10-1186 Change No. 1 July 1, 1943 REPRINT).
On MB serial number (i.e. VIN) ONLY appeared on
1. Dash data plate
2. Frame data plate
Other serial numbers (NOT the VIN) appeared on
3. Engine (also a serial number LIKE the vehicle one BUT unlike the Ford GPW
it is NOT the same number - though it looks the same (e.g. MB119021 had
engine number MB120296 when it left the factory).
4. Body tub (this was the tub manufacturer's serial number. It will be CLOSE
to the Willys SN but NOT the same. Basically bodies arrived in batches at
the factory we believe, but I know for sure they were NOT used in sequence.
e.g. MB118865 has tub 22,261(NOTE: There is no comma in the number, I am
inserting it here for clarity). MB119021 -- the 19,021st MB made -- has
tub 21,264 MB127514 has body tub number 29,773. The body tub number is
stamped on the gusset under the driver's floorboard. For a 1945 MB one can
simply look in from above as it is stamped on the leading edge BUT on a 1942
MB it is stamped on the lower left side so one has to lie down in the
rain -- sorry, snow in your case -- and look up under the step with a
flashlight. Good to have some steel wool to clean off the numbers. They are
stamped into the metal and are quite large - about 1/2 inch. Look for 5
digits on a 1942 jeep.
>It's pretty !@#$%^&* cold out here, so I dont want to spend too much time
looking!
****** As we say here in the Vancouver, BC area, put your raincoat on!
Colin Macgregor Stevens
MVPA Member 954 (since 1977)
& member B Coy 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion (Living History)
Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada
E-mail: colin@pacdat.net
Personal web site: http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net
1944 Willys MB
1942 BSA airborne bicycles (2)
P.S. Don't kiss your jeep goodnight at sub-zero temperatures outside - at
least not on any metal parts or you may find your lips frozen to it!
P.P.S. I have been collecting jeep serial numbers for about 20 years and
would appreciate hearing of any serial number(s), tub number(s) etc. that
you find. I also keep track of WHO owns the vehicles in case we want to go
back later and verify something, or put someone in touch with other owners.
Several times I have found sequentially produced Willys MB jeeps, and M38CDN
jeeps. Recently we found a slat grill Willys in the UK that came off the
assembly line three vehicles from one recently acquired by a friend locally
in BC.
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