M38A1 Serial Numbers

[Ubique]

Hi,
I wonder if I can ask for some expertise regarding M38A1 serial numbers. I have just purchased my first jeep ( Having waited for some 28 years ) and I would like some answers to a few questions. Sadly the M38A1 I bought has had all the Willys data plates removed and I'm left with a zinc plate riverted to the inside of the drivers side glove box.

Being in the UK it's obviously a Dutch military jeep and the zinc plate is Dutch and has recorded a chassis number of MD 15169 & Motor MD 114324.

I believe that Willys never stamped chassis numbers onto the frame whilst on the production line in Toledo but it was recorded onto the data plates inside the tub. So I have to assume the Dutch have added their tag having removed the original data plates ( probably stolen ! )

Can anybody tell me what date the chassis is on MD15169 and the engine number on MD114324. I've searched the web with little success. Would there be any other hidden numbers.

And finally, I've managed to read the serial number on the waterpump boss and it reads MB 118955. A Dutch rebuild plate is on the left side of the block giving it a date of 19/06/64. I would therefore assume it had an overhaul and a engine replacement around that time. What is the age of the block ( Casting number SD 807895 ) with that number ?

Anyone that reads Dutch there is a Volgnummer of 23138 on the engine plate. May be of interest. Thanks

[Cuz]

MD 15169 & Motor MD 114324

These would most likely be an original 1955 NEKAF pair of serial.

MB 118955

This should read a MD 118955 and is probably a late 1955 or early 56 engine.

You can likely find more data here when their web site comes back up:
http://www.nekaf.nl/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Joe Gopan]

MD 15169 Serial No. would be for a 1952 M-38A1. There are Chassis and body features that are typical of 1952. The Front Floor board drain holes will not be at the edge of the tub, there will be no provision for braces from cowl to radiator guard, and the battery compartment cover is secured with thumb screws. The Radiator Guard will be supported to the chassis with hinges etc.

[Cuz]

Joel,
Please don't confuse the issue. This is a 1955 NEKAF unit not a US built 1952 unit. In 1955 the NEKAF units started with serial MD10001 thru around the MD19XXX in 1960.

[Joe Gopan]

M-38A1 Jeeps have been in Europe since the 50s, yes there are Dutch M-38A1 Jeeps, but there may be US Army M-38A1s that were transfered to to other Govt's. Without pics, who really knows what it is.

[Cuz]

Hello Ubique,
To satisfy Joels point which M38A1 grill do you have?


This grill which is hinged at the bottom?


Or this one with no hinges at the bottom and no hinge brackets on the frame for the grill either and the extra Nekaf lamps?

Which of the fenders below do you have?


This early (thru MAR 54) fender?


This late (After MAR 54) fender?

Which battery box lid do you have?


Early ?


Late?

[Ubique]

Guy's

Thanks for the replies. The jeep I have shows all the characteristics of the later version 2
ie, no grill hinges, only the bolt centre bottom,
a clipped battery cover, no thumb screws
vertical seams on the fenders.
All the light clusters are typical NEKAF.

Is it right that Willys manufactured all the parts, exported them across to Europe and then the Dutch assembled their own jeeps. Or did Willys sell to Europe any fully built units and then export them ?

Cheers

Ubique

[Cuz]

When the NEKAF web site is back up you can find all the data you need there. I'll post one of Carls disortations on the history of the M38A1 in the Dutch Army here.

NEKAF Production Units../images/models/MD13387Nekaf.jpg(Cor Streutjens - Reprinted with permission)This vehicle, owned by Cor Streutjens was registered June 30, 1956 with Dutch army registration number MD13387.The vehicle with the longest service record in the Dutch military, serving in the Royal Army for more than 40 years from 1952 until 1996, is the M38A1 Jeep. During and shortly after World War II, the Dutch army used jeeps left behind by American forces. By the early 1950's however, the army was looking for a replacement, and in 1952 received a number of U.S.-built M38A1's under the Mutual Defence Assistance ProgramThe army had two principal options for purchase of additional vehicles: the M38A1 and the DAF YA 054 light terrain vehicle. The DAF was designed by the Dutch company of the same name, with the requirements of the Royal Army in mind, but may have lost the race simply because its price was a couple of hundred guilders higher than the M38A1's.According to the contract with Kaiser-Willys, parts for the Dutch M38A1 Jeeps were to come from the U.S., but as an aid to the Dutch industry, the Jeeps would be assembled at the "Nederlandse Kaiser-Frazer" (NEKAF) factory in Rotterdam. The first of what became known as the "Nekaf Jeeps" was delivered on 28 May 1955. The initial order was for 4000 Jeeps, plus a rolling prototype which served the purpose of establishing the conformity of all parts. Eventually some 24 percent of the parts would be delivered by local suppliers. Batteries and tires were supplied by Dutch firms Bataafse Accufabriek (now known as Varta), and Vredestein. This increased the price of a Nekaf to 12,670 Dutch guilders, which made it a very expensive vehicle at that time.The Nekaf Jeep was basically an M38A1 with a few additions needed to comply to the Dutch traffic regulations of the time: extra reflectors screwed to the front fenders, low-intensity "city lights" added to the grille, and turn signals mounted to the left and right sides of the tub just behind the seats. The Nekaf was equipped with a canvas roof; provisions were made for mounting a hardtop but these were not used in the Dutch army.At start of production, Kaiser-Frazer delivered about 55 Nekafs per week. An additional order for another 150 Jeeps for the Royal Army was placed in 1956, as well as an order for 156 Jeeps to be delivered to the Air Force. However, deliveries apparently went down to 27 per week by 1957, and production finally ceased when the factory was faced with a large penalty for failing to make deliveries at the rate stated in the contract. The 5676th and last Kaiser-Frazer-produced Nekaf was delivered to the army in 1958. The Dordrecht firm Kemper & Van Twist Diesel took over production from 1958 to 1962, and held on to the "Nekaf" name. Kemper & Van Twist assembled about 2000 Jeeps.When the Ministry of Defence (then called Ministry of War) decided to acquire the Nekaf, its life was expected to be twenty years; ten years in active duty and the remainder in storage. During the 1960's and beyond, changed priorities meant the Ministry spent a large part of its budget buying tracked and wheeled armoured vehicles for the mechanization of the Royal Army. There was no money left to replace the Nekaf, and therefore the Jeep remained in active service much longer than originally intended. Alongside the standard issue Jeep used for general purposes, the Nekaf was used as a radio Jeep, ambulance, fire engine and snow plow. After 1959 it was used as a weapons carrier equipped with the 106mm M40 recoilless rifle (in Dutch, "Terugstootloze Vuurmond" or TLV.) With the use of American part sets, 355 Nekafs were converted to M38A1C TLV carriers. In order to be able to carry the extra weight of 217 kilograms, heavier springs were mounted. The windshield had separated window panes, a gun barrel support was mounted, and ammunition storage racks were added. From 1983 until 1989, forty M38A1Cs were equipped with cable-guided TOW missiles.In the 1960's the army tried to replace some of the Nekafs, with a vehicle built in Germany by DKW, called the Munga. This was not a success; the Mungas were worn out before their planned 10 years' service had passed, and the Nekafs were back into use.Starting in the late 1970's, the Nekafs began to be replaced by the Leyland Land Rover and the Mercedes diesel-powered G-series. After being taken out of active duty, most of the Jeeps were sold by the government, with the last Nekafs apparently being sold in the year 2000. To assist in reducing download time, Thumbnail pictures are below - simply click on the picture to see an enlarged version. To return to this page, use your Browsers BACK button.

[Sarah]

Hi Wes,

Our Ex-NEKAF M38A1, chassis number MD14722, engine number MD113582, was apparently manufactured in 1957. As the chassis number at the start of the thread is about 450 later, would this mean that ours is not a 1957 one? Ours has all the attributes of a later model M38A1.


Regards,

Sarah

[Cuz]

Hello Sarah,
All of the NEKAF M38A1's are of the later A1 configurations.

Your chassis
tub serial is definately not a 1957 #. MD14000 is the transition from 1956 to 57.

[Ubique]

Again thanks for the replies. Just to finish off I took a couple of pics of the two plates I have. Hope they are of interest. The first one is from the engine block and the second from the glove box . Hope it comes out. Good job I learnt to type last week !!!
Cheers
Phil ( Ubique )

[NEKAF4EVER]

Dear Nekaf-owners,

Here some infomation about the MD15169 and MD14722 and the nearest serialnumbers in my Nekaf-records.
The KX and KP serials are the former military license plate numbers.

MD15162 1958 KX-65-70
MD15169 1958 KX-68-31 UK motornr. MD114324
MD15178 1958 KX-68-01

MD14720 1957 KP-98-15
MD14722 1957 KP-##-## UK motornr. MD113582
MD14729 1957 KP-98-06

Regards,

Harold Bergers
The Netherlands

[Flag Man]

Could someone please tell me the year on the NEKAF Jeep with the following information.

Motor Number: MD114336
Chassis Number: MD15205

Thank you in advance.

S

[NEKAF4EVER]

Yes I can !

This is a 1958 Nekaf according to the nearest numbers in my survey.
Where is this vehicle currently? UK, USA?

MD15190 1958 KX-65-71
MD15205 1958 ********** motornr. MD114336
MD15206 1958 KX-62-62

Harold
The Netherlands

[NEKAF4EVER]

Dear Sarah,

I finally found information about your jeep in a 40 year old auction catalogue!

Nekaf M38a1
MD14722
1957
KX-63-08 (= former military registration number on number plate)