M38A1 any common problems or concerns?

[Jay Foster]

Quick question re M38A1, still negotiating ( ) to buy one... are there any problem areas or common faults (ie body panel seams) or mechanical issues that I should watch for? Hey just saw and add for a mutt on Kijiji Toronto if anybodys interested (no connection to seller) says its uncut...

[rob love]

A major common problem is tired engines (they only had about 20-25 thousand good miles in them and wore out by 35 thousand) with low oil pressure (check when hot.....cold does not tell the whole tale.

Worn steering boxes can also be a bit of a pain getting certain parts for them (in particular the main worm shaft).

After that, everything else I consider minor. Eastern Canada (yes, Ontario is Eastern, since geographically, Manitoba is the center of Canada) bodies were subject to more rust than those out West. The first place that rusts out on any jeep is the metal on the outside at the door pillers, along with the under body hat channels, located under the driver's floor. If those are OK, you are buying a winner.

[Jay Foster]

Thanks Rob, outside sheet metal all seems solid, will give hat channels & steering box a good twice over. Motor was rebuilt a long time ago, seals & stuck rings will be a concern (owner estimates hasn't run in 20 years)
Thanks

[Frank v R]

Hi Jay, take a small magnet with you to check for bondo , is the vehicle a 53 or a 67 or 70, and what is he asking for it , the 53's tend to be in very good condition rust wise the others not so much, if you want give me a call and I'll give you some tips on what to look for , you do not want to buy a vehicle that bubba has played with ie converted to 12 volt , the damage done by that can cost in the range of 2 grand if all the items need to be aquired, like I said give me a call I'm more than happy to help , 705-437-3757,
regards Frank

[rob love]

If it is just hat channels, they are available through midwest military and others. You can even make short patches on the bench vise. Usually the floor will rust out as well in the same pattern of the hat channels, they are rust magnets.

Sheet metal like the fenders or the hood are only a couple hundred $$, so don't sweat damage on them.

Regarding the steering, expect to be doing the once over on things like the bellcrank, the center link, and the kingpin bearings. Luckily, all of them are reasonably priced.

If the vehicle has been sitting a long time, expect to be doing the brake cylinders all around. Again, reasonably priced, especially if you have a way of bringing them up from the USA.

If the fuel has been sitting a long time, expect to be cleaning the tank out, and also the pump/carb.

If starting a engine that has been sitting 20 years, you should oil the cylinders, and if possible, get some oil pressure into the lube system before starting it. On some engines you can prime the lube system by driving the pump with a drill and screwdriver shaft through the distributor hole (I recently did this with a deuce that had been sitting for 27 years) Unfortunately the jeep pump has the gear to the cam, so you will have to find another way of pressurizing the system, like a pump onto the oil gallery of the block.

Twenty years of sitting does not necessarily mean the rings are stuck, especially if the engine was well worn. If the carb was open, it increases the chance of problems, but if the engine turns over by hand, then very possibly the rings will be fine.

[Jay Foster]

I appreciate the heads up guys and thank you, just the the info you guys shared stopped me from buying a piece of swiss cheese with a bad engine, there was more bondo than metal. So on to option two... a 52 M38a1 with a hard top... hasnt run in 25 years, stored indoors with a pto hanging on the rear end? Could anybody tell me what if what I'm looking at here is worth even driving down to look at? thanks again guys.

http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehi...AdIdZ435996371

[rob love]

The US Jeep has had the back cut out and a civilian tailgate added. The rear PTO setup is also civilian. You can put it on ebay and perhaps recoupe two or three hundred $. Bumperettes are missing, if the seats and the air cleaner are also missing, those are kind of big(ger) ticket items. He mentions re-upholstered seats..hopefully they are the military seats and not civilian buckets.

It looks like it had a fuel fired heater installed at one time, judging by the heater box on the dash and the deflector box under the dash. Or it may have had the hot water heater and had the coolant heater also installed. But since it is American, and includes the hardtop, I would suspect it was a gas heater on the fender.

The oil filter has been modified to a spin on filter. The Jeep filters are only a partial flow filter......change the oil often.

The price is not bad if the ad is correct in that it has a rebuilt engine, new rad and it would appear to have a later Canadian replacement gas tank. But it is going to be a project. Hopefully all the parts are there, otherwise you could be spending a fair bit to replace them.

Re the hardtop, there is a feeling of freedom when driving an open top jeep. The Jeep almost becomes an extension of the person driving it. That feeling is lost when you install the hardtop or even the complete soft top enclosure.

[Frank v R]

Hi Jay , you need to give me a call , I've spoken with the owner of this vehicle in my CFR quest and I have additional photos that he has sent me, motor group is all there other than the change in the oil filter, both front floors appear to have been replaced, and as Rob pointed out it needs a rear panel , it is ex U.S. Army ,it will need tires and a new wiring harness that I've seen just to start, it does deserve a look , the sheet metal may be very good, hope this helps you,
regards Frank