CJ or DJ: VIN quandry

The VIN on my newly-acquired Jeep starts with 8505, which indicates that it is a postal Jeep. The title shows it as a '66, but the last five numbers are eleven thousand something (can't remember the exact number) which indicates a 1960 model. I'm wondering if someone switched the VIN plate sometime, or if someone swapped a postal tub onto it. Is there anything specific for a postal tub? I know the grill and fenders would be different, but mine are standard CJ fare... I'm puzzled.

 

My guess is that you have a dispatcher that might not necessarily be a postal jeep. DJ5A would be the first postal and would have a grille like a CJ with the large orange lenses in the grille for signal lights. Would also have painted headlight rings and side marker lenses in the fender. On a postal you would have a hard top tub. If frame vin matches then your photo looks like a DJ5 Jeep Dispatcher with newer fenders.

The lights on top of the fender on this photo are not standard. Those didn't start until a DJ5B. This photo could be a 68-70.

 

Nothing I see on your JEEP indicates anything postal, I'm with Patrick look at the serial on the frame.

 

I'm in vacation now, but I'll check the frame number when I get home. Ii've never had much luck in finding them on the frame in the past, because of rust and scaling, but I'll give this one a shot.

I agree that nothing appears to be DJ to me, but I didn't know if I was missing something. I definitely don't have to vents in the side of the cowl...

 

Wow - I can't believe you still have that picture!!

 

8505 = 2wd, Universal DJ-5, open body
no postal indicated
most folks associate 2wd with postal vehicles, but that's not always the case.

 

um..maybe.
were all DJ5s left hand drive ?
no
were 99% of Postals right hand drive ?
yes

 

See if this will help.

http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/Siblings/DispatcherDJ5.html