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Jeep Identification and History |
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two pictures that might help you identify your Jeep. I picked them up
along the way somewhere, can't remember where anymore - so if I'm not
supposed to have them, let me know and we can make another plan.
The only advice I can give you about trying to date your Jeep is that not everything you hear and read is true, and that information is very scarce. Have a look on the links section - there's some sites giving you Vehicle Identification numbers (VIN Numbers) and the years they were manufactured. This helps you nothing if (like me) your Jeep has no identification plates on it. For identification look at fenders (flat or rounded), door arches (square or rounded on one side), wheelbase (the distance between the axles), among other things. These will help you identify a Jeep when it drives by - so you can say: "Hey, that's a CJ5" and everybody thinks you know your stuff. For dating it helped me to look at types of diffs and number (eg. Dana 44), size of engine, but here it is maybe a good idea to get books about your vehicle (eg. CJ5) and then look for specific things. Mine for instance has threaded shackles, which the book says is pre-1957. Since it was only manufactured from 1951 - 1971, I know that it must be between 1951 and 1956. Look for things that were introduced in specific years, and see whether they are present or absent on your Jeep. The other thing is to assume nothing - mine has a Dana 41 axle at the back - but according to the book the Dana 41s were only used up to 1950, and then on M38s, not M38As or CJ5s. The M38As are supposed to have the shackles in front on the front leaf springs, but mine's at the back (like a CJ5s), but if it is a CJ5 then how do you explain the battery box cover and the snorkel-hole? Apparently some staff cars had the shackles in the back for a smoother ride, which would explain why my chassis had very few scratches and stone chips. But then my other theory about the back axle breaking and being replaced by a Dana 41 is not very plausible - if it wasn't used off-road, how come the axle broke? Maybe the information is incorrect, or maybe the factory had some Dana 41 axles to get rid of... who will ever know. Just a note from Sean MacLennan: The M38A1 was manufactured until 1971 in Canada, whereas the chart indicates production stopped in the States in 1955. Thanks Sean!
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