Answers to those questions:
(1) I'm in the process of starting up a database of engine numbers with
casting ...... I would be interested in how you are storing your data.
What has happened with my data has been evolutionary. When I first
started (1984) I had a Digital Word Processor with a 20Mb hard drive.
This kept track of what I had but took forever to find things. By 1986 I
had run out of disk space. It was a nightmare. I then searched for a
higher performance platform. After a nightmare transition from the
Digital to an IBM, I ended up with a large laptop & DOS software. At
that time DBaseIII was the go, but I found it a bit clumsy as I had to
use it at work. The search was on for a better database.
The final search resulted in PARADOX 3.0. It was easy to use fast &
efficient. One other upgrade was installed at 3.5 & that has been it for
the past years. So all I run is a DOS based copy of PARADOX. There are
Windows versions now, but as we say in Australia "if it ain't broke
don't fix it". I now run a 500Mb HDD with 486/66 processor and have
about 80 different databases to call upon.
(2) I assume the records you searched are Australian military records?
Yes, true. We only had deliveries of US jeeps, both old & new. The old
ones (hacks) had their US numbers recorded so I can correlate a US
number with a chassis number. I have about 1500+ of these numbers so I
can cross check with confidence. This is something that can't be done in
the USA.
(3) My Statement:
If your engine was original it should be in the range of MB 1328xx up to
MB 13305x. It may be MB 133046 ?!
I would be interested in hearing how you arrived at these numbers.
Because I have so many databases now I have at my fingertips ALL
Australian Military chassis', engines, etc. So I can say quite easily
say what jeep had what engine. This is not a boast it is fact. Soem of
these jeeps ie MB 1305xx with a sequencial chassis number, also had
sequencial engines. So because of the sequencing it is possible that
MB130555 did have MB 133046. It may also mean it has MB 1328xx. Engines
were not normally sequencial & WILLYS jeeps never, ever had matching
engine numbers. Only FORDS did.
(4) My statement:
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.
How are you determining that the grilles were attached at the factory
and
not an arsenal rebuild? Are these dated photos?
I have looked into the slat situation in the past & had believed that
only early jeeps had slats. The Willys Body changeover period was at MB
120700, then the grill or radiator guard changed at MB 125808. As I have
a lot of photos and have researched all of these photos in detail I have
uncovered at least one slat outside this number range (MB 125808). It is
in the MB188xxx range. I expect that this was a factory job rather than
a servicing related issue. You see it was still on a Willys, and who is
to say that maybe this jeep got held up at the factory or there were
surplus slat grills which were easy & cheap to fabricate?