Here is the only hard evidence that I have seen from Ford for M38CDN and M38A1CDN production. Based on this I disagree with Rob/Comox. To me the production records say that at November 1952 month-end there had been 41 M38A1's produced ( note that as for the M38's a jeep produced by month-end probably had a data plate with a "delivered date" quite a bit later.)
Rob: you statement implies that there were no M38A1's lower than F-200041. However M38A1 F-200014 and M38A1 F-200022 do exist: both in Ontario.
Unfortunately I do not have the 1953 report, just the handwritten notes that in December 1952 and January 1953 a further 750 M38A1 were produced. That would make a total of 791. The highest existing serial plate that I have seen is F-200683 with a delivered date of Feb.11, 1953 (so it was actually produced sometime before that).
Just a reminder to owners: the delivered date on your data plate was not the day that Ford counted as the jeep having been produced. The delivered date is often much later, perhaps due to inspection schedules, need for repair or other type of delay.
We need to find more Ford records. Especially the final month-end records for 1953. The 1952 sheet included in the upper part, not shown in my photo, details of normal Ford commercial production. ....... Brian