Vin Help!

We just bought an older cj5 the vin plate has the serial number with only 11 digits. We’re trying to figure out the year of the Jeep. We know it’s a m38a1 willys Kaiser Jeep! Other than that we know nothing about it ! Looking for some help or a way to look up vin to find out information on Jeep!

 

Join and post here (Willys M Jeeps). They should have an answer for you rather quickly. Considering the title of this thread, I felt that it was my duty to respond.

 

Just to fill in some, the M38A1 is not a CJ (civilian Jeep). That's a military Jeep from the Korean war era. The CJ-5 was based on the M38A1.

There are Jeeps out there that are part M38A1 and part CJ-5. We would need pictures and more details to say more.

Franklin where?

Welcome from Boston!

 

Thank you!

 

The CJ5 and M38a-1 are two distinct models, one civillian, and the other military. The M38a-1 has about a 7" recessed "bowl" on the passenger side cowl just ahead of the door opening, and a removable battery lid on the top of the cowl ahead of the windshield. If you, in fact, have an M38a-1 (military) Jeep, it should have a large data plate on the dashboard that has 6-7 smaller plaques riveted on. The lower right corner plaque will have the serial number of the vehicle and the build date. There is a white serial plate mounted on the forward end of the right fenderwell, just behind the passenger seat. The number should begin with "MD".
The vast majority of M38a-1 Jeeps were built in 1952 or 1953, but there were later production runs in 1964 and 1968, and maybe other years.
Does your Jeeps grill mount with hinges at the bottom, mating with frame mounted hinges, or does your grill mount with a bottom center bolt just behind the grill bars? This is a quick way to determine an early version of the M38a-1.
The civillian CJ5 should have an aluminum serial tag on the drivers side upper firewall near where the grill support rod attaches.
Either way, if you can quote your serial number, we should be able to help in determining your model and year.
-Donny

 

Welcome from Michigan, These people can answer your questions, you are in the right spot for anything Willys, Good Luck

 

Welcome from rural Pennsylvania!

 

Yes I believe it is hinges. But the plate is on the fire wall serial number is 8305A219974

 

Have you looked at the VIN document? Serial Number Or Vin Questions

The VIN 8305A219974 should be an open body CJ-5 with a 225 cid V6, ca 1967. Does the title and registration match the VIN tag? You can also look at the frame and see if the sequential part 219974 matches the tag or title or either/neither/all.

Suggest you post some pictures. That will tell us much more about what you have than pages of back-and-forth text. If your pics are reasonable size (like 640x480 or 800x600) the forum will allow you simply to drag-and-drop them into your reply. Use a utility like PixResizer to reduce the size of your pictures if needed.

 

Yes I am getting that information. It came from a state that doesn’t title. So that’s why we’re trying to get more information

 

Here are a few pictures that I have right now

 

Looks like a Dauntless. And if so, I think it’s a 66’ or 67’, since it has top mount windshield wipers. Please post a photo of the dashboard and the VIN plate. The dashboard will tell the tale and the VIN plate will confirm it.

 

I agree , it has the small front turn signals too. Early V6 Jeep 66-68. I don't see anything that looks m38a1 on it.

 

Welcome from Ga.

 

Nothing military in your pictures. That looks like it is likely a 1967 CJ5 with a Dauntless V6.
-Donny

 

Awesome thank you and all you guys for help! I will get a picture of the dash and the vin plate

 

Produced the First week of September 1966