MB engine and frame serial number spread

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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Michael O.
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MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by Michael O. » Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:51 pm

Someone had made a list of the engine and frame serial number spreads for the MB's but I can't locate the thread. I have two engines that could work for my Oct '44 MB but was trying to find this list before I decide. Maybe I'll just ask for opinions...for MB 379204 (10-12-44) would you use engine # MB 480324 (cast 9-21, machined 9-23-44) or MB 488057 (cast 9-28, machined 9-30-44) or should I find another with a "better" serial number?

On a side note, I also own MB 369488 (approx 9-11-44)...what would the approximate serial number of its original engine be? Something in the MB 467XXX to MB 470XXX range?

I appreciate your suggestions!
Michael O’Connell

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dpcd67
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:07 pm

I have 44 MB 348500 and the engine is 439500; (rounded off) which I assume to be original.
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Michael O.
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by Michael O. » Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:28 pm

dpcd67 wrote:
Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:07 pm
I have 44 MB 348500 and the engine is 439500; (rounded off) which I assume to be original.
Seems like it very well could be. What's the casting date on the block and how does that number compare with your MB's DoD?
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by sjalbert » Fri Sep 22, 2017 6:49 pm

Michael,

I'd go with the later engine. I'll add both of those engines to my spreadsheet.

dpcd67

Seems plausible that they're original to each other. My jeep 349858 had a replacement block that was stamped 43983x (I'm don't have access to my spreadsheet from the computer I'm on and don't remember the exact engine #).
Seth
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by Michael O. » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:16 am

Seth, any chance I could get a copy of your spreadsheet? I have other MB engines...I could send you tgecdata on those also.

Thanks for your advice.
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by dpcd67 » Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:44 am

My 44 MB is in storage in another town (I have stuff stored all over), and I won't be getting to it very soon, so I can't get any numbers off it right now.
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by htc » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:52 am

Michael O. wrote:
Fri Sep 22, 2017 2:51 pm
Someone had made a list of the engine and frame serial number spreads for the MB's but I can't locate the thread.
Hello Michael

Do you refer to the articles that Jim Kilbourn wrote?
They are in the G503 archive.

This is the link to several articles:

http://web.archive.org/web/200412051214 ... /articles/

Look at the MB engine article.
Hope this helps

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Chuck Lutz
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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by Chuck Lutz » Sat Sep 23, 2017 11:25 am

Michael....you at looking for Rene Rovai or Jim Kilbourne's article on the skew. Contact them as well to see if they have additional info for you. I believe by May 1945 the skew was up to 90,000 so the motor would have a number 90,000 HIGHER than the frame tag for instance.

I could not find Jim's article but it might be on Jeepdraw...which I did not check yet.
Chuck Lutz

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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by sjalbert » Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:07 am

Jim's articles are at the web archive that Hans referenced. My database started with Jim's & Rene's data but also comes from other sources. I need to verify that there are no copyright concerns before I share it. Unfortunately my free time right now is tied up with compiling the inventory for my Hurricane Harvey flood claim so I'm not sure when I'll be able to check.
Seth
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1944 MB 349858, 20620361
1942 MBT 10968 viewtopic.php?f=18&t=149552
1942 MBT 15799, USA 0217497 viewtopic.php?f=18&t=225199
MVPA # 8587
Com / Inst. SMEL
CFII - ASEL
KI5LYB

Collecting Willys Engine Info. Please send me Engine #, Casting Date & Machining Date if known

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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by Chuck Lutz » Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:13 am

I believe if Jim and Rene have posted it on the gee then it is there to be shared, linking the posts or just posting their findings should not be a problem unless you received it off-line and it was copyrighted.
Chuck Lutz

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Bantam T3-C 1947

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Re: MB engine and frame serial number spread

Post by sjalbert » Mon Sep 25, 2017 9:53 am

Chuck Lutz wrote:
Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:13 am
I believe if Jim and Rene have posted it on the gee then it is there to be shared, linking the posts or just posting their findings should not be a problem unless you received it off-line and it was copyrighted.
Agreed. It's not their data that I have concerns with. FWIW I always credit their data as the source when I post it.
Seth
******
1944 MB 349858, 20620361
1942 MBT 10968 viewtopic.php?f=18&t=149552
1942 MBT 15799, USA 0217497 viewtopic.php?f=18&t=225199
MVPA # 8587
Com / Inst. SMEL
CFII - ASEL
KI5LYB

Collecting Willys Engine Info. Please send me Engine #, Casting Date & Machining Date if known


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