Willys MB found in Chile

If you have an unrestored WWII jeep, we would like to see pictures, and hear your comments. NO EBAY or COMMERCIAL SALES.
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MB44Jose
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Willys MB found in Chile

Post by MB44Jose » Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:11 am

Hi everyone,

After more than 5 years searching around in Chile, finally I found a WWII Willys MB to start my restoration project. It is a fairly complete jeep, with two previous owners since the army sold it in the 80's. The last one used it as his daily drive to sell bolts and nuts around town so the engine is running fine, but there is a lot to do to restore it to its glorious WWII days.


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Let me know what you think and if you see anything out of the ordinary. I would appreciate any information you can provide from the serial numbers I found. It is registered as 1942, but I think it is a late 1944.
The engine number is 440_49369 so I think it is 440 a pre-war engine, it have a lot of parts missing and it is running with a Chevrolet carb.


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The serial number on the frame tag is MB 39701(?). I presume MB397019 and it does not match the numbers on the dash.


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Looking for any information on the model year, DOD, etc.
Thanks for all the help and I promise to keep posting about the restoration process.

Cheers,
Jose


Ralph
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Ralph » Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:27 pm

Jose,
Welcome to the G and congratulations on the MB...very cool that it runs.
The glove box door data tag is from a Cross Country MB,neat...cross continent/hemisphere in this case maybe...
The frame data plate appears to be original,agree 1944 type,the serial number pages (Home page) will help you more closely plot the DOD.
Frame stamping may include a hood number,the 206....
Script F bolt on the starter bracket... :)
Check for a body number on/at the D/S gusset.get the markings at the front of the head under OF bracket if you can.
More pics please,the guys here will tell you what else is noteworthy...good luck!
Ralph

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macaddict23
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by macaddict23 » Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:24 pm

The numbers 20658735 stamped on the frame is your hood number. Here's more info on a similarly stamped Jeep: viewtopic.php?t=106014&start=15

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Chuck Lutz » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:20 am

Welcome Jose!
I believe the frame tag is original so you know the correct Serial number to use when you replace the replacement one currently on the glove box door. At some point the misread the "3" on the frame tag as an "8" and stamped the data plate serial number beginning with an "8".

You also have the USA number, 206xxxxx which would be the hood number and probably correct for an MB produced in Feb or March of 1944 as yours is based on that frame tag number.

As you suspect, the "440" is a pre-WWII Willys engine.

Post more pics as the guys here can point out things you probably want to know before starting the restoration. There are a couple G5o3 members just over the hills (that would be the Andes) in Brazil that may have parts sources closer to you than Europe or the USA
Chuck Lutz

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Michael O.
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Michael O. » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:57 pm

Welcome to the G!

I have MB 379204, DoD 10-12-44. My original registration number is 20640967.
Last edited by Michael O. on Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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twinflyer17
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by twinflyer17 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 5:17 am

Welcome to the G, Jose! Always neat to see an enthusiast from South America. I was actually in Santiago for a month last year and didn't meet many people who knew much about WWII, or even cared to learn anything about it, for that matter. It probably would have floored me to see an old WWII jeep cruising through the streets! :lol: Definitely looking forward to following your progress. Good luck!
Sean

GPW 108175 viewtopic.php?t=267732
DOD 4/14/43 Louisville, KY USA20371070

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:55 am

Michael....I believe that Jose's frame tag is an original...I also would suspect that the jeep in Germany with that as the frame tag number has a repop frame tag on it and a repop data plate....the tub number was probably used to come up with the possible data plate/frame tag stampings.019.....

Hey Michael....his is 397019....not 379019
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

Mark Jesic
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Mark Jesic » Wed Jan 10, 2018 11:44 am

Welcome to the G Jose, there are teams of jeep surgeons on here willing to help and advise you. Looks a pretty solid original jeep, well done on your find. :)

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Michael O.
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Michael O. » Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:42 am

Chuck Lutz wrote:
Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:55 am

Hey Michael....his is 397019....not 379019
That’s what I get for using my tiny smart phone to look at photos....thanks Chuck!!!!!
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by robymn » Tue Jan 30, 2018 11:43 pm

That will be a cool project for sure. Keep us updated, and welcome aboard!

MB44Jose
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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by MB44Jose » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:20 am

Thank you very much guys for your warm welcome, it is a honor to become part of the G and to share with such great group of people from all over the world.

Ralph I am curious about the cross country tag on the glove box you mentioned. It is a special version? Actually I was thinking that it could be a post war tag, as it doesn´t look like the regular ones...do you have any clue?

Thank for the info Chuck, I am trying to connect with enthusiast from Chile and Brazil to expand the chances for parts. There is a small community here, so this website will be my main source of information.

Some more pics:
(Against my will the prevoius owner applied a layer of olive drab that now I have to remove...)

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As you can see, there is a lot to do, and the fact that the engine is running, doesn´t say much, as it is the wrong engine. The fuel tank is missing and they added an old truck plastic tank in the back.

Every comment it is most welcome, I am trying to define the DOD, but I don´t know where to look in the forum. the same with the number stamped on the frame that might be the hood number. I have heard that it is possible to determine the company it was assigned to. Any info on that?

Cheers,
Jose

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Re: Willys MB found in Chile

Post by Ralph » Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:54 am

Jose,
Regret that I don't have ant more knowledge about your CC data tag, beyond its own markings...I defer to the more learned members.Robert DyReuter,the gentleman in the Netherlands who makes such fine repro data plates could possibly have some info...
The new pics you posted are neat,you have quite a good jeep to start with. :D
Ralph


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