Willys M38 / MC (Jeep)

History

The great success of the WWII Willys MB "Jeep" 4x4 utility vehicle prompted US Army officials to look for an improved form. Willys-Overland responded with the updated Model C (Willys MC), which entered service with the U.S. Army in 1950 as the M38. The previous generic name "Jeep" was also registered as a trademark by Willys in 1950 to protect "Jeep" as the company's official product.

A reinforced frame, the militarized M38 was built on the commercial Willys CJ-3A model, eventually spanning two major brands, the original M38 and the modified M38A1. In total, about 161,200 cars were produced (including recorded foreign production), of which 60,000 were original M38 models, 80,000 were modified M38A1s, and about 21,200 were sold to foreign buyers. Other unrecorded M38 productions have also been documented, either under license or illegally, which is usually not possible when calculating total units. Production of the original M38 ran from 1949 to 1952, after which manufacturing shifted to the M38A1, which continued from 1952 to 1957.

During the Korean War (1950-1953), very few M38 series jeeps were able to serve on the Korean peninsula, and many of the jeeps that ran in theaters were original WWII-era Willys MBs.

The

Willys-Overland Motors ("Willys") brand was originally founded in 1908 by John Willys and is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. The group supplied several car brands in the 1920s and 1930s, even surviving the Great Depression until World War II. Production of the Wartime Willy MB began in 1941, with more than half a million built by the Willys and Ford Motor Company for the U.S. military and other countries, including the Soviet Union through Lend-Lease. Facing the depression of the postwar years, Willys Overland was acquired by Caesars Motor Company in 1953 and renamed the Willis Motor Company. In 1963, the Willis Company was restructured into the Caesars Jeep Company, and the Willis name changed again.

In 1970, Kaiser-Jeep was acquired by American Motor Corporation (AMC), which itself was sold to Chrysler in 1987.

At first glance, the M38 is somewhat similar to the wartime MB, although a closer inspection ultimately reveals several notable changes in its design. Dimensionally, the M38 gained a longer chassis and fuselage, increasing the vehicle's operating weight from 2,400 to 2,600 pounds. The original wartime "Go-Devil" I4 four-cylinder 60-62 hp gasoline engine was kept within the U.S. military simply because of its inherent reliability and logistical friendliness.

However, the use of a heavier frame quickly showed that the Go-Devil's new design was underpowered, so the engine was subsequently dropped in favor of a more powerful 72hp Hurricane petrol engine. When a higher profile engine was selected, the hood was raised to compensate, which then resulted in a taller, rounder hood assembly.

Changes in design and engine resulted in the U.S. Army specifying the M38A1, and Willis identified these models as Model D (Wei Leith MD), the civilian form is designated CJ-5.

Looking like part of a WWII Jeep, the M38 continues the general shape and appearance established by the original Willys MB. The engine compartment is usually arranged in the front, with the driver and passenger seats directly behind. However, the dash is rudimentary, finding the required system and power meter. A folding windshield allows unobstructed access to the front to mount a recoilless rifle etc., or when propped up to use a soft top connected by a thin strut assembly attached to the rear panel. The typical round Jeep headlights are retained, as is the vertical engine grille.

The passenger seat is equivalent to a cramped rear seat. All four tires are drive-ready (rear-wheel drive; all-wheel drive), and each axle has a pair of steel rims with rubber tips. The spare tire is usually stored on the rear fuselage wall, and the Pioneer tool is stored on the lower passenger side (the latter changed from the Willys MB's driver's underside). Doors for the driver and front passenger are optional. Dimensions include a barrel length of 133 inches and a height of 62 inches.

The engine is mated to a 3-speed T90 manual transmission system and is controlled via a conventional joystick arrangement. Water wading is possible thanks to a fully ventilated air intake and axle system as well as waterproof electrical equipment.

Canada has produced the M38 locally (through Ford Canada) since 1952 as the CDN M38 and these are in service with the Canadian Army. The M38 was eventually used in inventories in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, southern Iran, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States in a variety of roles, both armed and unarmed.

The M38 was replaced by the M151 MUTT in 1960.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on weapon configuration.

Changes