Another re-stamped GPW block?

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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Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by Michael O. » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:47 pm

The topic of re-stamped numbers on GPW blocks came up in a thread the other day. Here’s one I’m in the process of buying and it appears to be restamped also. I can faintly make out “GPW” in the prefix but it’s been overstamped a few times? Definitely not the deep factory stampings we like to see.

My guess is this was another replacement block restamped with a GPW serial number? I don’t have a photo of the date disc but will post it when I get the engine home.
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dpcd67
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by dpcd67 » Tue Jan 09, 2018 4:51 pm

Check for the replacement X block markings near the exhaust manifold, and the Ordnance crossed cannon and belt mark. Your side stampings are bogus. To me.
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Michael O.
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by Michael O. » Tue Jan 09, 2018 6:14 pm

Yes, as soon as I get it home I will be checking for the Ford replacement motor number. The guy I’m dealing with is really nice so I dont want to ask for too much. Seems like a good motor to add to my “trading” inventory.
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by 17thAirborne » Tue Jan 09, 2018 7:12 pm

interesting. i just looked at a salad jeep today in a junk yard. the boss is the early oval type with GPW(curved w) 174593 which dated around jan 44. at $500 i cant imagine someone humped this up as its been sitting for 30 years.

did ford use blank early engines and restamp them to the replacement frame? what else do i need to investigate.

i dont have it yet and cant get pics
Oz

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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by Fabrizio » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:12 pm

From what I have heard, early replacement blocks were unstamped Wilson blocks, and late replacements were gpw blocks with unstamped serial pad and X serial above the exhaust port.
I don't know for sure if fully unstamped Ford blocks were supplied as factory replacements between the two styles mentionned above?
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by Wolfman » Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:14 am

Just to toss this in with what has been said.
The blocks I have seen with a restamped block serial number, so they would be numbers matching, pad was too short. But not by much.
The pad had to be shaved to remove the old number but at a glance it is not that obvious.
In this case, don't know that this matters. More a matter of, does the serial number fit the block casting # range ??
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by dpcd67 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:58 am

My GPW replacement engine is a GPW Ford made engine.
"did ford use blank early engines and restamp them to the replacement frame?" what else do i need to investigate.
The replacement engines were not used by Ford; they were bought by the Ordnance Dept as spare engines for the Army Supply system. They have nothing stamped on the side pad. No one re-stamped them to match the frame. If they do, it was most likely Bubba that did it.
The DS maintenance units do have letter and number stamps so it is possible that a mechanic tried to stamp them; possible. But the W is always wrong whether it was Private Bubba or Civilian Bubba.
I do not know, but would like to know, about any replacement engines supplied by Willys. How to ID one; but I think it is impossible; Willys engines all had their own SN, unrelated to the frame. So, any Willys replacement engine can not be identified as such. Maybe.
I know that M38 engines had the prefix RMC on the replacement engines. Instead of MC.
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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by 17thAirborne » Wed Jan 10, 2018 7:36 am

Michael,
If you don't mind, I'll get some images of the block I was looking at and post them here to further a mutual discussion. Will stand by.
Oz

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Re: Another re-stamped GPW block?

Post by Michael O. » Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:57 am

Absolutely Oz....no worries.

At the very least, this motor was cast pre-Dec 1942. Maybe I’ll be able to pass it on to someone wanting an early war GPW block. I’ll be checking the date disc as soon as I get it home and in my garage. I only have one other “post factory stamped” GPW motor....it’s stamped GPW-104570 and is installed in GPW-104111.
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