RANGER SPEAKS ARMY and CJ-2A thru CJ-5 JEEPS TOO.

[RANGER]

Shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone, 'ol Ranger's been speaking Jeep for 62 years.
My family sold new Civilian Jeeps from 45-66 along with Army Jeeps. We also serviced USAF M-Series Jeeps from the local USAF Base. Jeeps have been my hobby since they appeared on the Civilian Market in 1945. The late Lawrence Nabholtz, greatest WWII and M-Series Jeep expert, ever, was a good friend for nearly 40 years.
Lawrence remarked that the Jeep hobby peaked over 10 years ago, and has been reduced to nitpicking and spreading myths. There is some truth to it as the oldtime experts with hands on experience on factory fresh 40s-50s Jeeps fade away and history revisionists dilute the details. The sudden influx of instant jeep experts and history revisionists has done much to throw new collectors way off track.
Thank goodness there are still some of us left that really know Jeeps as the factory built them.

[RANGER]

Just because the majority of my posts are on CCKW (They are more fun), doesn't mean ol Ranger can't talk Jeep. He can talk Jeep with the best of them after 60 years of Jeep trained hands on experience.
At one time I had the SNLs for the MB M-38, M-38A1 and Civilian catalog W-1143 just about memorized, not to mention the Civilian CJ2A thru CJ5 Parts manuals.
Nice Radio Jeep on the cover of the latest ARMY MOTORS
Lawrence Nabholtz would approve also.

Ranger would like to think that his 2003 G-503 tip on how to buy NOS OEM WWII Jeep Tow Hooks may have helped.

[Robbo]

Nothing in this hobby is more entertaining or irritating than the "instant expert".

I have seen this time and time again over the years, they willl stumble onto some crappy old jeep or truck and shazam!! they suddenly know everything there is to know about this type of vehicle - their expertize is usually based on some article they have read in a magazine written by an ignorant hack journalist. Usually they are too cheap to spend the money to buy the manuals relating to their vehicle or even ask sensible questions. Most have argumentative personalties which must always be right even when they are clearly wrong in their statements.

When you meet up with them again in six months, almost invariably they have sold their "restored" vehicle on to some other sap who knows no better or else sent it to the scrap bin as it was too much for them - not that they would ever admit it.

Or perhaps I am just too old and cynical!!

[RANGER]

The best Parts Manual for the M-38A1 is Willys Catalog W-1143 M-38A1 and M-170. There are no Illustrations, but every component for those Jeeps is listed in a manner that leaves no doubt which variation, or which series of chassis numbers that part is intended for. There are several style M-38A1 fenders and this manual leaves no doubt which serial number range they were installed on.

[RANGER]

There is so much G-503 topic BS on the internet that military and early CJ history has become diluted with misleading information. It was better when it was kept simple in the periodicals and books by Jeep experts with long time hands on experience on virgin Jeeps. Lawrence Nabholtz was factual and practical. His tour in the US Army as an Ordnance Officer was like being a kid in a candy store. Lawrence had access to MB/GPW/M-Series in factory condition, along with years of examining MB/GPW starting in 1945. Texas was overflowing with NOS WWII Jeep parts at the many large post WWII Surplus dealers.
His parts lists and photos he offered were a Jeep study in themselves. Hy Berg in Chicago and Sarafans cut their teeth beginning at wars end on NOS JEEP parts including BRC, MA,and GP parts. New books are being written constantly, and the information is not always correct. There are some true experts left, but choose not to not get involved in swimming against the tide.

What is ironic is that the new "politically correct" collector attempting to restore their early WWII Jeep to the way it left the factory will spend years looking for obsolete parts that were deleted in production and scrapped during the war. Ordnance and Willys was constantly upgrading parts and systems that failed when the Jeeps went into action. It is nice if they could those parts, but many were returned to the smelters during the war in order to alleviate shortages.

[RANGER]

One item on the WWII Jeep that almost always gets installed backward is the clamping plate used on the late spare tire bracket, The raw outer edge should face away from the wheel. The flat outer portion should be contacting the wheel. I have the factory drawing Lawrence Nabholtz provided stored away, and it illustrates ta side view of the chamfered holes. The Clamp had two part numbers for the same item. One number was for the OD painted Clamp for the US Army, the other was for when it was painted in USMC Green.

Many collectors appear to use a "monkey see, monkey do" approach when installing the clamp on backwards. There are hundreds of photos on Jeep web sites of restored WWII Jeeps with the clamp on backwards.
In defense of the practice, it is an easy mistake to do.

Lawrence had a wealth of drawings, factory specs, and just about every bulletin and MWO available on the MB/GPW. He sold much of his private data and photo collection along with his prize vehicles a few years before his untimely December 1995 death.

[RANGER]

And M-38A1 Better than anyone else in the USofA, got well over 50 years dealing with them the way Uncle Sam and Willys meant them to be. There is quite a difference in the experience of one who has 50+ years hands on experience and is experienced with 100% of the parts that comprise the M-38 Series Jeeps, and one who trys to gain it from a manual 50 years later without ever handling the parts.
I am making plans for later on this fall to be available to M-38A1 owners for accurate information on Technical and parts questions. No sense letting 50+ years of hands on experience being wasted.
Phone calls are my specialty.

Ranger, aka "so and so," and "Name that can't be mentioned"

[RANGER]

Rangers' friend Joel Gopan is Army trained on the M-38/M-38A1 Jeep, he was Honor Graduate of his class and set a 20 year school record. His immaculate Jeeps speak for themselves. Joel is known as "So and So" on one of those amateur collector Jeep sites.

[jonjeep]

I treasure the Lawrence Nabholtz books!! Ranger, You were very lucky to know the man!!! I have also talked with Ranger's friend Joel and have learned much from him through the years. Ranger, you are very fortunate to have Joel as a friend.