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MASH Unit: 1952 Willys Army Jeep

Located in Salt Lake City Utah, this 1952 Willys M-38 Jeep is for sale here on eBay. The bids have reached $3,500 but the reserve is not yet met. The Jeep is said to be in very good original condition. With five days remaining in the auction, there is plenty of time to take a look at this Jeep and join the bidding. This M-38 Jeep was produced in the last year of production. It carried a 13-gallon gas tank and had a maximum speed of 60 mph.

The interior looks just like it came of a Korean battlefield or the filming of MASH. The seller states that there are no dents or rust and the Jeep has all its original mechanical parts. The ad states that the seller believes the Jeep still has its original paint. The Jeep is said to be part of a collection that was stored for over 40 years.

The Willys Jeep was equipped with an inline 4 cylinder engine and three speed manual transmission. The four wheel drive selector is also mounted on the floor. The engine is not running but it is said to have run 40 years ago before it was put in storage. I guess you could say that about any 50+ year old vehicle that has been stored that long!

The odometer reflects 27,960 miles. The M-38 Jeep was produced from 1949 to 1952 and over 45,000 units were produced. At a weight of only 2,600 lbs, this vehicle was light and maneuverable. All windshields on M-38 Jeeps could be folded flat and they also came with a font pintle hook for towing. Please share your impression of this Jeep?

Comments

  1. Avatar Howard A Member

    Again, dating me, but in the late 50’s, early 60’s, magazines offered new unassembled surplus military Jeeps, in a crate packed in cosmoline( nasty stuff) for an alleged $50 bucks. What it was, was you got a list of military auctions for that $50 bucks, and many times was an early type of scam. According to this article, there was a short time, one could purchase a military Jeep, but that was quickly halted due to a lawsuit, I believe. Cool find, just remember folks, it’s a ’52 Willys, not a new Rubicon,,,
    https://olive-drab.com/od_mvg_jeeps_50dollars.php

    Like 7
    • Avatar 370zpp Member

      Weren’t “surplus military Harleys” also marketed the same way?

      Like 2
    • Avatar CJinSD

      That scam still existed in the backs of magazines popular with young men well into the ’80s. “Buy a list of government auctions where you can get a new surplus Jeep in the crate for as little as $400!” was the pitch by then, IIRC. The kid who ran the local Putt-Putt claimed to have actually landed one. I never saw it, but there were various Jeeps on farms that could have once belonged to the government.

      One of the magazines eventually felt obligated to investigate the government auction game. What they found at the one they attended was lots of stuff that was of value to scrap dealers and maybe machine tool shops, and a hand-full of cars that had been purchased for some sort of proposed testing that mostly didn’t happen. The bureaucrat having a good time on the taxpayers’ dimes selected a cross section of toys including a Porsche 924 to play with. The auction prices wound up being closer to retail than wholesale for the two-year old, low mileage cars.

      Like 1
  2. Avatar Classic Steel

    So only 27k miles. (Prove it)
    Just driven by a general on Sundays to battle grounds probably…..
    maybe Sherman Potter drove it to chase Hawkeye and Trapper John down …

    Engine not started in 40 years … i am sure the seller didn’t try to start it to get more profits 😉

    I like old jeeps but think with engine rebuild one can search and get one running. I am sure a engine transplant is possible for more ponies but this should left original even though it has 2,227,000 miles on it.

    Like 4
  3. Avatar Cam W.

    I owned a few of these back in the 80’s. They were somewhat similar to the WW2 version with a flathead 4 cyl engine, but were equipped with a waterproof 24 volt system, and had a tailgate. The pintle hook was mounted on the rear for trailering. The tow bar assembly on the front was not issued with the M38. These were replaced buy the M38A1, which looked similar to the CJ5, powered by a4 cyl overhead valve engine, also with a 24volt electrical system. The odometer reading of 27k was fairly common for a such a unit when sold.
    Once they became surplus, all M38, and M38A1 “Jeeps” (some actually made by Ford, others by Kaiser)were sold through public auction and were freely available to the public. While some non-runners or damaged vehicles went cheap, decent ones got fairly good money.
    Howard was on the right track when he said the Govt stopped selling “Jeeps” to the public. The model that came next was the M151, and M151A2. There were issues with stability and rollovers with the M151 series (built by Ford and AM General).
    They were a unibody design with independent suspension. While some eventually made it into public hands, most M151 series were destroyed. Currently, surplus Humvees are generally available for civilian ownership.
    As for the M38 for sale here, it would be a nice project. Parts are readily available , and they are somewhat collectible. Really nice ones fetch $25+K.
    This one needs alot, but is solid and complete, so I would expect bids will be over $5k.

    Like 3
  4. Avatar Dual Jetfire

    It’s the girlie Alan Alda Jeep, not the cool, awesome Rat Patrol Jeep with the machine gun that could miraculously penetrate tank armor.

    Like 4
  5. Avatar Kenneth Carney

    They were 370ozpp. My Mom bought one to ride to and from school. Hers
    was an army 45 with most everything in
    place. She told me it got great gas
    mileage and was easy to fix. My sister
    has pics of her sitting on it.

    Like 0
  6. Avatar Karl

    It needs a fair bit of work and as far as no rust, I would want to spend a bit of time under the vehicle they are know to rust pretty easily. The engines were good along with the drive line but like any other vehicle that has sat this long your problems are going to be the same and that can include bearings in the diffs, transfer case and trans granted if it was moved and things were allowed to be in oil and gear lube once in awhile your fine if not you have dry bearings everywhere and the will corrode. Body wise it looks ok. Like was said all parts are readily available and usually reasonable price wise. I collect both US and German Military trucks but have never owned a Jeep, maybe someday?

    Like 1
  7. Avatar benjy58

    I traded for one that did not run. It had a fiberglass body that was really nice. The P.O. had a tailgate installed. Seats needed cushions which I made. Opening up the motor I found that the connecting rods were installed wrong. To explain that even rods go one way and odd rods go the other. Once that was fixed and the motor buttoned up. It started with no trouble.

    Like 1
  8. Avatar steve

    This is a clean jeep.m38 had a flat head and flat fenders M38a1 had a split head Intake valves in head ex valves in block.same as a CJ 5 body wise, Some Marine Corps jeeps had posi track rear ends.Parts and body panels are dirt cheap Join the MVPA to find dealers of NOS parts.No they dont rust easy,the bodys are made from high carbon steel not the chezzy crap that cars are made of today,put a overdrive in the puppy and do 70 all day long strong dependable ,I drive my 1952 M38A1 every day 24 volt takes two golf car batteries,run stops and is a champ.MADE IN TOLEDO OHIO USA

    Like 4
    • Avatar PRA4SNW

      Toledo, you say.
      Klinger would approve.

      Like 2
      • Avatar Howard A Member

        HOLY TOLEDO! ( as Max would say) which, ironically, has nothing to do with Ohio. When one mentions Toledo, Ohio, and Willys, one must include Champion Spark Plug, as well.

        Like 2
  9. Avatar FrankY

    Butler Pennsylvania…Birthplace of the Jeep
    Every year they have a Bantam Jeep Festival.
    This year they did not for obvious reasons. .

    Like 0

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