I am wondering if this was the original paint? This is supposed to have been a civil defense jeep. This sure looks like a good restoration candidate. No Title.
“This is a M38A1 Military Jeep. Data ID plate: 8/1960. Jeep was used by civil defence.
I got the engine running, but have not driven it. Engine runs nice & smooth, no smoke. It has new oil & oil filter. I started it on starting fluid, and then used gas from a temporary tank I set up. Gas tank, Carborator & Fuel lines need a major clean up. I think the fuel pump is shot. (I wanted to make sure this ran before I sold it).
Tranny shifts properly. Hi/Low & 4×4 levers shift freely & it rolls freely as well. Clutch seems to be OK. No brakes. Jeep has heavy duty front & rear leaf springs. I’m no expert on M38s, but it looks to me that 98% of it is there. Everything is original, includes a 24V system and 5 matching rims with original tires. (4 are dry-rotted)
Nobody has started to restore this, it is untouched. There are no batteries included in this auction. Frame is solid with surface rust only. The body is in pretty good, straight shape with no major rust issues except the tool box floor and surrounding area. Look closely at the pictures.
This looks bad & a real rustbucket in the photos, but it’s not how it looks. There is a lot of surface rust & peeling paint & undercoating that make it look worse then it really is. See all picture in my photoalbum at http://s1232.photobucket.com/albums/ff362/3familytree/M38%20A1%20White/
My opinion is that this is an easy restoration project. There is no title, but I will provide a bill of sale. I am selling this to finance another project. You will get everything you see in the pictures. If you have any questions, feel free to ask BEFORE you bid.”
What the heck is that electrical doodad bolted to the grille? Warp Drive?? Flux capacitor??
Dave, I can just make out the painted-over Civil Defense emblem in the last picture on the side behind the wheel well, so I’m guessing the original paint has been primered over.
Paul, I think that item on the dash is the Panic Button. The diver presses it when he hears the sirens warning that the Soviet nuclear missiles will be arriving in 10 minutes.
Steve: I think Paul was asking about the item attached to the grille. I am thinking it might be a siren or noise maker of some kind?
It certainly can’t be a flux capacitor, because it doesn’t have any flashy, plastic looking doohickeys (one keys for a functioning flux capacitor). We also know it can’t be warp drive, because in 1960 Gene R. hadn’t invented it yet. .An argument might be made that it is a close cousin of the warp drive, as (assuming it makes noise) it would scare the bajezzus out of anyone in front of the jeep, causing the other drivers to swerve out of the way and, thus, allowing the jeep to travel faster.
The item bolted behind the grill is a rectifier for the military radio system that must have been originally installed. I think it also required the 120 amp generator which was a pain to make it work right.
Thanks for the info Buz!