MY m38 from the start (lots of pics)

I thought I would start a post of about my m38 from the start of its resto, since it is almost finished. I thought I would also share some of the pics of jeeps I had leading up to the m38.

Here are two pics of the 1949 cj3a I bought at at 13 for $20, it is what started it all. Never did get it to run, way to rusty to fix, sold the bare block out of it for $300 a few years after buying it.



Then I owned a 1968 cj5 with buick 225 v6, fiber glass tub, bad frame. I have no pics of this jeep right now. My brother still has parts of it that he is working on, mostly just the engine remains however. This jeep tought me alot, I was about 15 when I got it. It tought me what to look for when buying a jeep.

After that I owned a 1968 m151a1 agian no pics of it. It was a fun toy. I bought it for $500 when I was 16. Had lost of rust and was a reweld. Sold it for $400 after abusing it for a whole summer. I dont care what people say I dont think an m151a1 is that easy to tip or a 16 year old would have done it.

Then I moved onto my 1951 cj3a with buick 225v6. I had a lot of fun with this jeep. Had it from my junior year in high school through college. Put a lot of time into it. Sold it to buy my first m38. Some of you might remember this jeep. If I ever get the chance to buy her back I will probably do that.



Here is the first m38 I bought. Body was rusted away but she was complete.



Then I bought this m38 for the body had a cj engine in it that I sold for the same price the jeep cost me, was missing the cowl but came with a 2nd rusted tub that I was able to take the cowl from



I then sold off what I had started with these two jeeps to buy one in even better shape. Here is a pic of what the guy did with the one I sold



Then I bought my current m38. This is the first pic I recieved of her



Here she is during the work I did to her













The beginning of this summer I had to pull the engine again. She had taken out the exhaust vavle guide in the #1 cly, causing a big mess. Engine rebuild now she runs like a top. Still have lots to finish such as get the 16 inch wheels painted, the ndt's mounted, the center floor sections painted, the windshield painted, and maybe pull the t-case and put gaskets in it, the guy that did it must not have done a great job, just like he did on the engine, it leaks badly. Since I had to undo his work with the engine I might as well with the transfer case as well.

Here she sits as of last weekend



I will update as more work gets done to her.

 

Man, that looks great!

 

Very cool !
I just bought an M38 and am starting to gather the parts to replace/fix those that are missing-
Mine has seen a rough life...but I think I can save her...

Nice job on your build !

 

Ok I have not updated in a long time. The m38 is just about done. Just needs a few more bugs wored out. Here she is at a show last saturday. Mine is the one on the left.

 

also all 3 jeep owe something to the gray jeep posted in the first post. the other blue jeep came all the way up from oaklahoma.

 

Nice job.I like the blue paint. looks militarily correct.

mike s.

 

Yes it a real usaf m38 jeep.

 

man thats cool. nice 38!

 

It is not running well right now. It has a water proof dist and the screws that hold the outer cap all all loosned up and the cap came off. it damaged the inner cap and the rotor. I am hoping when the new parts come in she will be running well again.

 

I was kinda brain dead when i looked at the picture.then the light came on AIR FORCE.Very nice and something different.

mike s.

 

I like the strat blue, don't see to many of them.

 

quick update. I now have her running like a swiss watch again. Getting the waterproof dist and the oil pump in time with each other sucks.

 

It took a lot of work to get it going again. That waterproof dist makes thing very difficult, you cant turn it very far or you hit the block or generator. I envy the cj guys, they can turn theirs almost 360 degrees.

 

Just a small update. I have installed my ramsey 50 winch. I am still waiting for the correct pto, hanger bearing, and drive shafts.

 

bill, where did you get those d-ring shackles and mounts?

 

They are factory m38 parts. The mounts came with the jeep, the shackles I got from www.midwestmil.com

 

Bill the winch looks great on there!! Do you have any pics of how the grill tilts foward?