WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

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Michael O.
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WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

Post by Michael O. » Tue Oct 24, 2017 1:58 pm

Looking for an early to mid August dated MB Bell Housing with the raised boss on the side

I have several extra cleaned and primed MB bell housings but they are not dated appropriately to this vehicle (yes, I know....no one will see the date but I will know). I am willing to trade one of these for a late August bell housing. From memory, I know I have a Dec and Jan dated housing....will check on the others. All our late style with the raised boss.

Also, still looking for an early to mid August MB engine and cylinder head.

Thanks in advance!
Last edited by Michael O. on Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:32 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Niblet
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Niblet » Sun Nov 05, 2017 1:51 am

wheres the date on the bell housing?? I have never seen one!,,,I have 2 nice ones,,wonder what the date is
1945 Willys MB
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:19 am

Would one original to a July 31 DOD MB be close? Is there a range to the casting number?
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Michael O. » Sun Nov 05, 2017 5:32 am

Tim, the dates are located on the inside of the housing near the bearing retainer cutout.

Joel, one wouldn’t EVER see the dates but I at least have to try to find ones that are dated close. Obviously, early housings are different from the mid to late war housings so from the outside it’s easy to tell if one has a “correct” bell housing. I think if the dates are at most a week prior to the engine casting date then a guy is doing well.
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Niblet » Sun Nov 05, 2017 5:51 am

Thanks,,how does one dechiper the dates? I gotta check mine
1945 Willys MB
DOD 3-10-45
HN 20691353
SN 424804
My Restoration thread <a href=http://g503.com/forums/viewtopi ... >Here</a>

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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Michael O. » Sun Nov 05, 2017 7:51 am

The dates are simple. The are in month/day format. One can approximate the year based on the early and late features on the housing (early Slat Grill MB, early MB to mid war MB and late MB).
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:50 am

6-30 on a 7-31-44 DOD
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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
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Thunderbird712 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 7:51 pm

Another data point for you. On my MB DOD 3/28/45 the bellhousing has a cast date of 3-14, transfer case 3-14, and my transmission date stamp is 3-22. Hope it helps.

TJ
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Michael O. » Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:31 am

It does TJ....thanks! What is your MB’s DoD? Yes, the bell housing casting date should (I use the word cautiously) be within a few days to a week of the other running gear/engine casting dates.

Joel, your date spread of a month is interesting but not impossible in my mind. My Oct ‘44 MB didn’t come with a motor and had a T-90 and post war TC installed...but, the MB bell housing was dated 9-21 (which I found interesting)....and not terribly off my jeep’s DoD of 10-12-44. Could that bell housing be it’s original one after all these years of Bubba tinkering on it and swapping out major assemblies? Did your MB have its original engine with it? Is this the MB with the GPW motor you installed back in the early ‘70’s? If so...do you still have the MB motor? I’m curious of the casting date on the MB motor if you still have it.
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Re: WTB/Trade: Late August MB Bell Housing

Post by Thunderbird712 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:45 am

Michael,

Sorry I thought I put it in my response. The jeeps DOD is 3/28/45. Another data point WRT the running gear the original head to the jeep has a 3-16 cast date. Unfortunately the original motor was stolen when we sent it out for work years ago. I have an old picture of it that shows the cast date area but its not clear enough to see the date. It is a double digit number. According Tom a motor cast date I need is around 3-20 to 3-24. Probably a little more info then you need but it shows that everything is around 5-15 days of the DOD.

TJ
TJ Zackman
1945 Willys MB, 430923, 3/28/45
Scored 98.375% at 2019 MVPA Convention York, PA

1953 M38A1, 69248, 12/53, 20999713
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Re: WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing

Post by Michael O. » Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:33 pm

Thunderbird712 wrote:
Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:45 am
Michael,

Sorry I thought I put it in my response. The jeeps DOD is 3/28/45.
You did....I’m just blind I guess.

Thanks for the additional information. Also, I’ve updated my search criteria.
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Re: WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

Post by Joe Gopan » Tue Nov 07, 2017 1:31 pm

Not impossible, the Jeep was surplused at Dow Field in 46 and had one civilian owner until I bought it and was the first to disassemble the Jeep.
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: WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

Post by Michael O. » Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:21 pm

What’s the engine casting date Joel...assuming you still have the motor? Also, if you could post the transmission and transfer case casting dates (difficult when assembled, yes) it would be very helpful.
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Re: WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Nov 08, 2017 6:00 am

I Installed a NOS GPW engine back 47 years ago, also junked the transmission and transfer at the same time as I had NOS Crated A-1195 Transfers and NOS WWII Transmission housings along with NOS Borg Warner and USA Made surplus parts. There were plentiful OEM WWII Jeep part back then. The original block?, I probably reconditioned it for a customer back then. The Jeep was intact and well worn as it never saw a highway nearly 25 years of hard use on woods trails and stream crossing by Sarah Green a well known Maine Guide who lived at Katahdin Iron Works.
Jeep Serial is MB 356378, DOD 7-31-44.
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: WTB/Trade: Early to Mid August MB Bell Housing *UPDATED*

Post by Michael O. » Wed Nov 08, 2017 7:42 pm

Thanks Joel for the information. Too bad you didn’t keep the original running gear but who would’ve guessed back in 1970 we’d be trying to restore these vehicles to such a high degree in the year 2017? I’m sure not much thought was given to retaining a vehicle’s original (to that vehicle) components back then. I’m sure it wasn’t even a thought back then since g503’s were still literally everywhere.

I’m finding it a little difficult to do a proper “all dates matching” MB, but that’s my approach. Makes my GPW restoration seem easier in that regard.
Michael O’Connell

Too many jeeps…and a Dodge.

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