Fact or BS!

[r.morrison]

Gentlemen....just did a quick fly through "WillysForSale.com" and there is a "Red M38A1 Jeep" listed here for sale (listing ID: 3865993D58DC912E). The seller claims that it's a 1969 M38A1 Frame off Restoration "special order made for the Canadian Military with a CJ-5 Dashboard and 12 volt system.
News to me! Any comments from Rob, Chris and the M38A1 experts?

Thanks....Robert :

[rob love]

Canada did buy commercial Jeeps in small quantities through the years....it's possible that it was a CJ5 purchase that eventually had a M38A1 hood tossed onto it. But I think I would want to see a data summary covering this truck in order to back up the seller's claim.

Looking under the hood, I see CJ5 and not M38A1.

[Grant Bowker]

To add to the confusion, the data plate on the dash says it is (at least the plate) a DJ-5A Truck,Light Delivery ordered by the POD (?Post Office Department?). Perhaps the "Canadian" description has been added to cover a "bitsa".

[rob love]

I have a data summary for 2 1967 DJ5s purchased in 1967, so the CF did use something similar.

[Bruce MacMillan]

Canada Post did buy Kaiser DJ5 jeeps that were painted red and white. Used for rural delivery.

[maple_leaf_eh]

I had a mental image of a Postal delivery jeep, DJ. A bit of internet searching later confirmed, that the vehicle in the ad does not meet the narrative. There are several distinguishing features on the Postal jeep which are not noticeable on the one offered. I concur that the vehicle is a 12v CJ, and was never an M38A1.

- Postal has a distinctive bulged front grill vs flat
- Postal is right-hand drive vs left-hand drive
- Dash panel is reverse with controls in front of relocated driver.
- No slave cable recess on right side vs the common 24-v plug and recess
- Postal has a large cargo door across the rear body panel vs enclosed panel
- Door sills are at floor-level vs slightly higher for fording
- Rear body is completely different
- Ends of front bumper are rounded vs straight U-channel

[Jes Andersen]

My first foray into the world of 'jeeps' was a late '60s ex postal DJ. Well worn by the time I got it. That particular model was normal left hand drive, had a steel hardtop with sliding doors and was built on CJ5 sheet metal. The drivers side had the sill chopped down to the floor for easier access but the rest was unmolested. I did some minor work on it and sold it hoping to find something better. In the late '70s, there were a lot more surplused 1/4tons of all models out there. Sadly, many went on to become sand drag or bubba concoctions, long since dead and gone.