May 252006
 

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I bought this 1964 USMC Jeep right after I sold my M561 Gama Goat. This is my first military Jeep, and I think it will fix up nicely. It has a coat of what looks like Forest Service green over the original USMC semi-gloss paint. While it has some civilian modifications like a roll bar (not that it would help too much in a roll-over, as it’s bolted to the body, not the frame), it’s not too badly hacked up.

Pictures

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These are the “wrong” tires and wheels that came with the Jeep. I plan to put properly-sized tires (though they might not be military NDCC tires) on the truck eventually, and then probably sell off these big wheels.

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Cosmo poses for a picture, and Sweet Pea sneaks into the frame, too.

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These three wheels were also provided with the truck. If they’re the right kind, then I’ll just need two more to put proper wheels on it.

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Here are my new reproduction parking brake parts from Midwest Military. The lower lever and stop plate are in the white, so I’m sandblasting, priming and painting them before installation.

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My steering wheel could use some repair:

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My serial number dataplate behind the passenger seat appears to be stamped. Earlier plates that I’ve seen pictures of appear to be etched.

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Specifications

 


 

General Specifications

 

Name M38A1 1/4-Ton 4×4 Utility Truck
Manufacturer Kaiser-Jeep
Year 1964
Maximum Height 73-3/4 in
Minimum Height
(over steering wheel)
56-1/2 in
Length 138-5/8 in
Width 60-7/8 in
Electrical System 24 Volt
Number of Batteries 2
Minimum Ground Clearance 9-5/16 in
Loading Height (empty) 28 in
Towing Pintle Height 21-1/2 in
Tread (Front) 49-1/8 in
Tread (Rear) 49-3/16 in
Wheelbase 81 in
Payload
Cross-country: 800 lbs
Highway: 1,200 lbs
Weight w/o Crew
Empty: 2,665 lbs
Cross-country: 3,465 lbs
Highway: 3,865 lbs
Passengers (including crew) 4
Tire Pressure 28 PSI
Size 7.00 x 16

 


 

Performance

Allowable Speed
(Transfer: High Range)
Gear Speed
1st 24 mph
2nd 40 mph
3rd 60 mph
rev 16 mph
Allowable Speed
(Transfer: Low Range)
Gear Speed
1st 9 mph
2nd 16 mph
3rd 24 mph
rev 6 mph
Approach Angle 46 deg
Departure Angle 34 deg
Cruising Range (loaded) 280 mi
Cruising Speed 55 mph
Engine Horsepower 72 bhp at 4,000 RPM
Fording Depth 37-1/2 in
Towed Load
Cross-country: 1,500 lbs
Highway: 2,000 lbs
Turning Circle Diameter
Left: 38 ft
Right: 38 ft 8 in

 

  2 Responses to “M38A1 1/4-Ton 4×4 Truck”

  1. Where did you buy the roll bar kit, I have a 1954 m38A1

    • It came with the Jeep when I bought it. It’s just bolted to the body sheet metal, so it’s just cosmetic and would provide little to no roll over protection. Once of these days I’ll resume work on restoring this Jeep, and I plan to remove the useless fake roll bar.