M38 Hood Registration Numbers

1950 - 1952, M38, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38.
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dpcd67
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M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:45 pm

I have M38 MC21300. I need an estimate of the Registration number to be placed on the hood. Hood was blasted when I got it so the "sand it down and find the original number" idea won't work. I googled for one close but could find none.
No, I won't use the jeep serial number in the 208xxxxx sequence as suggested by some. This is a restoration and will reflect a close an approximation of what the Army registration number was. That is what we do for WW2 jeeps all the time.
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:02 pm

No one has anything close?
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by Ken Perkins » Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:24 pm

then go to the mjeeps serial number list and find 3 that start with 2089 and do the math. then take your dash plate off an inscribe a note that it is a made up hood number
1951 M38 #22936
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Mar 17, 2017 2:05 pm

Have you peeked under the dash and wheelhouse plates to see if it may have been penciled on during a previous visit to a support unit or paint shop?
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Mar 17, 2017 3:53 pm

Entire body was sand blasted or rusted before I got it so no chance of any pencil marks on it. I have been to M jeeps list but the closest one I found was 1600 away. Just looking for other data points.
Why would I want to write on the back of the data plate that is is made up number? Who cares about that?
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Mar 17, 2017 6:17 pm

The Army frequently noted the numbers on back of the plates in order to maintain the USA Registration. I was hoping that it might have been done to yours.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Mar 17, 2017 7:09 pm

I wish it was marked there too. I will put the new one the back.
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by 4X4M38 » Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:14 am

You note on the back of the dash plate that what you painted on was a made up registration
number so someone, a judge or maybe a buyer down the road will know
it is not the original documented registration number.

That is also why most restoring these use the first few numbers of the registration
number and the last five of your dash plate number so nearly anyone can tell
it is a made up number. I believe the judges are ok with that.

It isn't really a good idea to just wing an existing registration number because somewhere
Some time, you may run into the real registration number on the correct documented
vehicle. That and some unsuspecting person may think you did due diligence and
found that number on your vehicle.

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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:57 pm

Not going to do any of that and I don't care about no judges. I want a registration number that is as close as I can get to the original one. We do it all the time with WW2 jeeps; no difference here. If I put the serial number in the registration number sequence, that will definitely look funny. If another jeep surfaces with the same registration number; who cares?
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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by WillysG740 » Sat Apr 15, 2017 2:33 pm

My M38 sn is 30048 and the hood number is 20899516. The jeep was surplus out of Aberdeen Proving Grounds in the early 70's with clearly visible markings on the original hood. The following was also stenciled in white paint on the inside of the windshield vent cover: "PRICE $2,039.44". Maybe the sn is a little too far away from yours but I hope this helps anyway.

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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by Radtech » Sat Apr 15, 2017 5:39 pm

Without the registration number already on your jeep you will never find out what it was.Serial numbers do not matter when it comes to the registration number as they did not go by serial numbers.It seems the QMC issued registration numbers in batches and the batches were not always in sequence typical of the US Army QMC.

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Re: M38 Hood Registration Numbers

Post by dpcd67 » Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:12 pm

I understand well how registration numbers were issued and applied; I can try to get as close a possible. Remember, we do this all the time with WW2 jeeps; not sure why all the resistance to my trying to get to a reasonable number for my M38. I have had people insist that I use the serial number on the hood as trying to interpolate one will somehow affect some future historian. Sheer nonsense.
Are M38 owners that much different than WW2 jeep owners?
And thanks, willysg740.
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