John, you have developed a very valuable resource for the research and
collector interests. Do you have plans to publish or otherwise make this
information available to the public? Is MVPA tied into it -- I thought they
had a research project like this or maybe they were referring to you?
This was obviously a labor of love and you are to be complemented for being
willing to help out the way you do.
Best,
chuck
==============================
Hi Maurice,
(I don't think this email made it. It did something weird here and
stuffed my email up.)
In simple terms, my own personal research. It has taken 12 years so far,
of mostly solid data entry to get the initial databases running. Then it
took about another six years to enter security clear, research, locate
and then collate only some of our Army Navy & Air Force records. By
using a relational database & having a good working knowledge of our
military system I got all this stuff together & still doing it!
By the way, I have just had a look at the engine ranges for these jeeps.
A small pattern has emerged. What it seems is that we got the even
numbered chassis' in the MB 13055x range, so possibly the British or
Canadians got the odd ones.
If your engine was original it should be in the range of MB 1328xx up to
MB 13305x. It may be MB 133046 ?!
regards,
John Edwards
PS: You may have seen other mail come thru concerning slat grill units.
I have photo proof that slat were issued all over the place well past
the magical 125xxx range. In my calendar there is one of similar issue
on the January page.
Attachment for your info about me & what I do or have done:
Originally, History on Wheels was called the Australian Jeep
Register(AJR). The creation of the AJR was initially set up as a
research body to locate jeep information. It was directed to aid
prospective and current WWII Willys/Ford jeep owners, both in a
technical and historical Military sense. The AJR operated for many years
and helped jeep owners get their vehicles back on the road, or with
vehicle histories.
The AJR started to evolve and so was the demands placed upon it, so a
more appropriate name was created. Other vehicle types began to be
researched and traced.
This organisation was initially researched and run by a fellow jeep
owner and is the only computer based source of cross related historical
WWII data in the Southern hemisphere. Preserving the overall data about
Australian military jeeps today, for tomorrow.
HOW presently holds some 17,000 WWII jeeps (chassis') and 10,000 jeep
trailers on record.
With any jeep or trailer of Australian usage, I should be able to
advise:-
what its Australian Military Registration number was (Army, RAAF or
RAN).
what engines it had, or should now have.
when the vehicle entered or left Australian service.
if it was ex-American. Plus its USA registration number (<10% of Aust
jeeps)
was it rebuilt in Australia. By who and when.
if there is a photo available for that jeep.
possibly where it served both during WWII & postwar
jeep trailer registration numbers.
decode or provide Australian vehicle (TAC) markings, placement, colours
etc from 1940 to 1960.
decode order of battle (ORBAT) numbers from 1940 to 1948.
HOW is also familiar with New Zealand, British, and American vehicle
marking systems of the WWII period.
>From the files of HOW, detailed and individual historical reports can be
provided concerning your jeep or jeeps. The paperwork that we provide will add
value to an already aging and appreciating vehicle. Other types of B-vehicle
research is available on an ad-hoc basis.