1943 MB

[Mightyoak]

Gentlemen,

Last fall I started looking for a military vehicle to restore and decided upon a jeep as my first project. After first reading and then joining this website, I've come to appreciate and rely upon the vast amount of information contained within. With that being said, I hope to somehow give back by telling you about the jeep that I brought home about 6 weeks ago.

I was fortunate to have discovered this jeep by word of mouth before it got on ebay. It's not perfect but there aren't too many out there that are. It appears to have some good bones with at least 6 coats of paint added over the years. Engine was rebuilt in the early 80s. It had been stored inside since 1983, driven periodically but not over the last 8-9 years. The prior owners intent was to restore it but he never got around to it. Genealogic details are sketchy. It has some add ons such as the front bumper and removals such as the gutted out rear. Not sure if it was probably used on a farm.

Here's the data

Tub: 122517
Frame: MB 221380
Engine: MB 239086
Engine block: 3-4 638632-W4 A NI-CR N2
Data plates missing unfortunately
Hood number none, but blue S is on the cowl, star on hood and left rear panel

My research has put this with a DOD in early to mid 1943. Can you give me any details as to more of an exact date and production plant?

The grill has four drill holes of which I suspect the 2 lower ones are for a license plate. Any thoughts on the upper two drill holes?

hood star1.jpg (131.89 KiB) Viewed 1335 times

grill1.jpg (139.67 KiB) Viewed 1335 times

2501.jpg (116.13 KiB) Viewed 1335 times

[hell-fire]

Looks good,

If the photo of it on the trailer is at the purchase point make sure you go back & get that inner windscreen frame Oh & the Jerry can.
Good luck with it.

[Fat Albert]

Hey Mighty Oak... Welcome to the G as they say! I also have a 43 MB just purchased this year. Mine is a little before yours with a serial number of MB217048. DoD is March 8-9, 1943 according to some of the fine scholars on here. In regards to the plant of manufacture, Willys only had one plant in Toledo, Ohio if I remember right. Ford had five plants rolling off their GPWs.

Have fun with your little MB... You have a nice looking Jeep there. I've received the same advice many times over here... Just keep it fun... It's an addictive thing to get into!

Dutch

[sjalbert]

Hopefully Rene will chime in with an estimate. I've got MB 228032 with a 4/19/43 DOD and the previous poster had MB217048 with March 8-9 DOD, 1943. Your number is between those so I'd estimate it at approx. 3/19/43. FWIW your engine number is within the right range to be original. Can you read the body number on the drivers side toeboard?

[Rovai Rene]

Hi All

From my MB's datas list:

MB 220728 DoD 3-21-43 ACMC type 1 #122474 registration 20321851
MB 221449 DoD 3-22-43
MB 221729 DoD 3-25-43 registration 20323353

probably engine is genuine, casting date 3-4, can you say its number ?

Best regards

Rene

[Mightyoak]

Thanks guys for the date information. The body number is 122517 and engine number is 239086.

I've attached a few more photos

left side star1.jpg (120.66 KiB) Viewed 1195 times

back view jeep1.jpg (139.96 KiB) Viewed 1195 times

2921.jpg (145.2 KiB) Viewed 1195 times

The current speedometer registers up to 80 mph; don't think so... I've got another speedo to replace this one.
MO

[Jim Kilbourne]

this is a matcing set from 22 or 23 MARCH 1943...

too bad about the hood numbers...

[Mightyoak]

Yes I was disappointed the hood numbers were missing despite careful sanding. I just couldn't find the same OD green paint layer that was on the cowl and body. The last 2 layers on the hood were light gray then a lighter green before bare metal whereas the body has again same multiple layers of paint ending in light gray, lighter green then dark OD green, then red primer.

Would it then be safe to say the potential hood numbers would start out at 20322... or 20323... based upon your data?

[Jim Kilbourne]

I think the hood number is in the 20321XXX range...

[Brian Wolf]

Is it possible the four holes in the grill are for the radiator overflow tank in the desert cooling kit?

[Mightyoak]

Well I've finally started on the MB restoration and pulled the body today. Unfortunately most of the bolts/nuts had to be cut over the last few days.

body off frame

jeep body.JPG (134.74 KiB) Viewed 490 times

I noticed a wood spacer that had a stamp on it and this rested between the rear body and the frame pintle hook brace. The stamp reads "Weyerhaeuser 4S". Has anyone else noticed this? Is this nothing or is this something that was part of the original jeep assembly in 1943?

frame pintle brace

frame pintle hook brace.JPG (125.13 KiB) Viewed 490 times

Wood slat close up

frame pintle hook brace 1.jpg (100.27 KiB) Viewed 490 times

thanks for your comments.

MO
March 1943 MB under resto

[The Raven]

The hood numbers may have been there but the blue drab if it had, it would have come off very easily. I've seen more cases of people trying to sand as you have to uncover them only to go to bare metal and think they have no numbers.....I'm somewhat guilty of that myself, having almost lost my own.

Sanding unless VERY patient and slow is NOT the best way if used as the only method. I've found with mine that a combination of pressure washer, carefully timed application of AIrcraft Clear and base remover, and a combination of fine coarse, wet and dry sanding is the only way to slowly strip paint to find the origional markings.

Sure it's not navy powder blue, rather than grey?

[Ethan L]

Greetings,

Wish my jeep was as complete as yours was when I bought mine. About the hood markings, I noticed that the other half of the star that should be on the hood is also missing/undiscovered. Is it possible that the hood is not original to that jeep? That also may explain the missing numbers.

Best of luck on your project.

[Mightyoak]

Thanks Raven and Ethan for the comments. Raven, I tried the techniques you described and still no #s. Oh well...
Engine work has begun. Cylinder head is Ford. I discovered that two of the pistons (#2 and 3) had the arrow pointing in the wrong direction. The piston ring end gaps were too wide as well, so am in the process of rebuilding these. After removal of the oil pan, I found the block final assembly date stamp of 3 12 43 on the underside.

F marked head

Ford marked cylinder head.jpg (138.39 KiB) Viewed 71 times

pistons

pistons.jpg (139.79 KiB) Viewed 71 times

EB stamp

engine block stamp.jpg (147.77 KiB) Viewed 71 times

Was the DOD a week or so after this date? I'm missing the glove box data plates.

[wo2jeeper]

Was the DOD a week or so after this date? I'm missing the glove box data plates.

Most seen is 2 weeks in later production.