Americar engine in a Slat grill

Nov. 18, 1941 - MB100001 thru Mar. 6, 1942 - MB125809 NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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Smelt
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Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Smelt » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:52 am

I,m new on this site so maybe a stupid question: :roll: I have an Americar engine #4420XX in my Slatgrill. How rare is that? Are there Any big differences between an early type Willys MB engine and an Americar engine?


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Chuck Lutz
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Chuck Lutz » Thu Dec 22, 2016 8:26 am

First off....welcome aboard!
Now....there are no stupid questions, but there are some differing opinions on most answers so get used to that!

The 1942 Americar engine (note the 442 in the number stamping) will pass the "6-foot test" for most jeepers (it looks original at 6 feet). As long as it is painted and dressed up in slat gear it is certainly a better option that nothing and if it runs well then it is a keeper unless down the line you want to restore it to a "factory class" appearance.
Chuck Lutz

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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Adam » Sat Dec 24, 2016 5:09 am

Well does it run? any pictures? Where are you located.

ADam

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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Smelt » Sat Dec 24, 2016 2:58 pm

:D my slat is in a container now on her way to Holland. Seller told me the car is running well. But a couple of days ago I sent some pictures of the engine and the engine number to an expert and hè told me it also could be a 44 or 45 Gpw engine. As soon as it arrives I will post some pictures on this site. That will be february.

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Smelt
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Smelt » Sat Dec 24, 2016 3:08 pm

well. I tried to upload some pictures but somehow it does not work.

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Michael O.
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Michael O. » Sun Dec 25, 2016 4:46 pm

Where is it being shipped from?
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Adam » Sun Dec 25, 2016 5:47 pm

If you want you can send me a few pictures, jpg format and I will upload them here. My mail link works. Engine vin number would be nice too. There is also a post on how to upload pictures to this site, you need to have them stored on the net someplace first.

Adam

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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Smelt » Tue Dec 27, 2016 7:56 am

I see I got promoted :lol: I sent some pictures of the engine and engine number (442056)to Adam. Hope he will place them. According to the title its a 1942 Willys MB with VIN 11358. So there is a digit missing. The Jeep has a slat grill, no glovebox, a two piece battery tray and Willys script on the rear panel. According to an expert it has the original gearbox. Seller told me the framenumber is missing because some Bubba changed the frontpanel for a large winch. But I think the framenumber should be: 111358 or 11358?
Final destination of this Slattie is The Netherlands. Next 2 or 3 years I will restore her from the bottom up. I think I will ask a lot of questions here.

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Fred Coldwell
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Fred Coldwell » Tue Dec 27, 2016 8:36 am

Smelt wrote: . . . I have an Americar engine #4420XX in my Slatgrill. How rare is that? Are there Any big differences between an early type Willys MB engine and an Americar engine?
Hi Smelt;

Welcome to the Gee. :) Your slat grill is an early MB jeep. The engine model in the MB was referred to by Willys internally as their model 442 engine, with accessories as specified by the U.S. Army's Quartermaster Corps. But all model 442 engines installed at the Willys factory in MB jeeps had engine serial numbers which began with prefix "MB-" and not with the prefix "442-", which indicates your engine originally was installed in a 1942 Willys Americar.

The engine block and its internal parts are basically the same for both the 1942 America and your slat grill jeep, and if you add all the period and serial number correct MB accessories and parts to your engine block it will look very correct in your slat grill jeep. But the "422-056" engine serial number will always give away your engine as originally being a civilian engine for the Americar, and not a military engine for the MB jeep. It is not particularly unusual to have a "442-" serial numbered engine fitted into a MB jeep by a private owner over the past 70 years, but to my best knowledge this was never done at the Willys factory. Hope this answer helps you. And have a blast restoring your slat grill MB over the next few years. :D
Happy Jeep Trails,

Fred Coldwell
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Adam » Tue Dec 27, 2016 9:52 am

I have them I will post them tonight when I get home. , on the 442- prefix, yea civilian, however I think this one is different, it is a -442xxx Would bet there is an mb before that dash. I think that on the 422 civi engines,cant you see the outline of all the cylinders on the passenger side of the engine? and on the MB you cant? Been so long since i looked at a 442- maybe that changer after the 39ish,,,, ? Anyway a picture or two is worth a thousand words.

ADam

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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Adam » Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:15 pm

Image

Image
Last edited by Adam on Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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FJ.Janssen
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by FJ.Janssen » Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:08 pm

Hello Smelt,

Adam thanks for posting the pictures of Smelt.
Looks like some early features on that engine block.

As far as I know the Americar engines indeed have the outline of the cylinders.
See a picture of a 1937 engine I have.
Image

There is a very good site about all the different models, but I cant find it back....

EDIT: http://ww2jeeps.com/htm/Lheadmain.htm

Where in the Netherlands are you?

Good luck with your resto!

Regards
Frank
Last edited by FJ.Janssen on Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by slatgrille » Wed Dec 28, 2016 3:49 am

I have a 442 engine that someone put in an old MB. It is stamped 442-xxx, not with the dash in FRONT of the numbers. All the pics I've seen of pre-war engines, the 441 or 442 is the prefix followed by the dash. I'm thinking this engine is in fact an MB block with serial numbers being coincidental to a 442 engine. Just my thoughts.

Craig

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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by George Hollins » Wed Dec 28, 2016 7:34 am

I agree with slatgrille above. This is probably not a civilian Americar 442 engine. The 442 engine had a serial number range from 442-80301 to 442-92011 (approx). See below photo 442-83899 original engine stamp.

This is probably an MB engine s/n MB-442056. I think I can see the MB faintly stamped in front of the dash. If you look in the below MB web site, there are engines in the MB-442056 range in mid-1944.

http://www.1941mb.com/

George
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442-83899 engine copy.jpg
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Re: Americar engine in a Slat grill

Post by Adam » Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:46 pm

I believe it is an MB engine with a GPW cylinder head on it. Casting date will probably be in line with its serial number. Not a slat engine, but it will do. It has a early slat dip stick and tube. Intake manifold may be early, there is always a hose or tube or something in the way to see what all in there. I am kinda seeing the MB prefix there, a little cleaning will probably bring it up.

Whats the chance you have a picture of the casting number and date?

Adam


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