1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

1952 - 1968, M38A1, M170, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38a1 series.
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1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:35 am

I have bought a 1974 CJ5. I thought it was just a normal CJ5 but I have many questions about some of its unusual features. I thought the military used the M38 and M38a1 for the Korean War and the m151 and m151a1 for Vietnam. Did they use the actual CJ5 for a military jeep? It has an odd dash. It has a tailgate and a side mounted spare tire bracket. It has an odd bracket on the back right quarter panel that looks like it was a spare tire bumper to protect the body. It has the bumperettes on the rear cross member. Just a speedometer, temp, and fuel combo in the center of the dash. Splitting the steering column is the volt gauge and the oil pressure gauge. It has head light guards. It also has holes to the left of the glove box for what appears to be data tags. The front right fender has a groove on it like the m38a1 for a snorkel. Can anyone tell me anything about it?

Blake


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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Feb 10, 2017 9:27 am

The Army bought a quantity of CJ-5's with Meyers Cabs for administrative use, they had the longer hood and fenders and the AMC straight 6. They were not fitted for tactical use. Should be a brass data plate on the dash. Other services were issued some also.
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by eaw46 » Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:23 am

The Canadian army had a lot of CJs they had a few differences from the Civi one. The biggest difference was that under the passenger seat there is a converter from 12V to 24V and a plug for the Nato slave cable. Eddy
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by Mark Tombleson » Fri Feb 10, 2017 11:34 am

Blake, you need to post some photos for any real help... we need to see your issues to answer your questions .

The Navy bought CJ-5s... here is a thread on a couple.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=224511&start=15


The blue one won an award at the 2008 MVPA convention in Portland and had lots of documentation to back up the purchase by the Navy.
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:03 pm


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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Fri Feb 10, 2017 6:09 pm

Some how it uploaded all my photo bucket but it's the first 11 pictures

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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by skyjeep50 » Sat Feb 11, 2017 4:30 am

Your CJ looks great! But the unusual features appear to be aftermarket civilian mods put on by previous owners. The bumperettes were attached with the tang facing up - like a WWII era jeep - and unlike the follow on M38 and M38A1 models where the tang pointed down. The headlight rings look a little lightweight for military feature. Chrome trim rings on the gauges point to a civilian mod. Just a note, while the M38 and M38A1 were developed around the time of the Korean war, during the conflict the army used mostly leftover WWII jeeps. That was what they had available at the time and mixing in the newer 24 volt models with different parts needs was not a priority. M38A1's did serve in Vietnam.

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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Sat Feb 11, 2017 4:54 am

I scraped away some of the paint on the body and it has OD Green. To the left of the glove box there are 8 holes which seems as if the data plates were mounted there. The bumperettes have been removed and put back on by the previous owner. The previous owner said he thought the jeep was military but I had never heard of a cj5 being military so I just brushed that off.

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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Feb 11, 2017 5:16 am

These were common in DRMO sales of the 80's OD was a sort of "pea green" as seen on staff cars. Maine Army Guard had one, it ended up at Maine Forest Service flight station.
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:26 am

This is the only similar dash that I could find on the Internet.
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:28 am

This cj5 jeep looks identical to the one I have too with all the modifications minus the hardtop.
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:33 am

Note the Meyers Cab. The Jeep is generic 1974 era CJ-5 with straight AMC 6 and a few add on Gov't spec touches made for post 71 CJ's.
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
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 9:15 am

Is it tough to find a Meyers cab?

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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:17 pm

I was offered the last Meyers CJ-5 cab by the factory in the late 80's
They are a nice cab. Good used ones do show up at shows and forums like this one from time to time.
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
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

WillysMb42
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Re: 1974 CJ5 Military Jeep?

Post by WillysMb42 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:29 pm

Is there a place that I can have the data plates remade?


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