What Jeepster Model

[saclem]

I have just taken possession of my fathers Jeepster. I no nothing about Jeepsters or cars for that matter. I have heard conflicting answers that the jeepster is either a 1949 or a 1950. It is my understanding that the grill makes it a 1949. I would also like to know which model it is, I know it has is a 6 cylinder, I am pretty sure it is the original. So if it is a 1949 is it a 663-vj3 or a 463-vj3? If it is a 1950 if is it a L-161 or a F-134. 

The number on a plate that was mounted to the back of the heater is 4 63 75037.

 

Anything else that is needed to identify the vehicle?

 

Thank you

[keiser31]

Try here for information, too....https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&biw=1440&bih=786&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=RbvBXcezJI_A0PEP_MCpgAk&q=Jeepster+serial+number+photo&oq=Jeepster+serial+number+photo&gs_l=img.3...13354.19690..19876...0.0..0.98.1301.15......0....1..gws-wiz-img.......0i24.tVGjvXnikBo&ved=0ahUKEwiH6qre1dPlAhUPIDQIHXxgCpAQ4dUDCAY&uact=5#imgrc=_

[JACK M]

The vin is on the passenger side of the toe pad. Or maybe higher up on the firewall.

I think there is a way to identify from that number on one of the suppliers sites.

Or possibly in my service manual. Not sure about the year ID but the model ID for sure.

But If I recall the series of numbers will let you know the year.

 

Just reread. If its a 49 its a 663. the first digit being the number of cylinders.

134 is the displacement of the flathead four cyl.

I am beginning to think your engine was a 4 and got replaced with a 6.

I will see if I can cypher the number that you supplied.

There will also be an engine number that would help.

Give me a day or two.

 

I see that you are new so I will wait for a response before I dig into this.

 

 

Edited November 5, 2019 by JACK M (see edit history)

[saclem]

Thank you both for your help 

[saclem]

Would the vin number be of help it starts with a w20?

[mercer09]

designed by Brooks Stevens- these "jeeps" are two wheel drive.

[zeke01]

I believe it to be a 1948 or 1949. 1950 models had different grill and fenders. As to the engine, I’m doubting it is original but would have to look closer. Zeke

[saclem]

I was able to find some additional information. Sorry I don’t know how to add this to my original message.

i found a book or page that says license and insurance data under that in pencil my dad wrote 

serial # 15110 

engine # p50778

is there anywhere to track these numbers to see what I have.

on that same page they list the specs for a model 4-73 and model 6-73. Which I believe would clarify that I have a 1949 jeepster.

sounds like the question is is this the original engine or not?

 

 

[Grimy]

I have owned a 1948 Jeepster 463 L-4 for 10 years, and had a 1949 463 L-4 (SN 83160--still fondly remembered) from 1981 to 2015.  Following is information, not necessarily verbatim, taken from an article by the tech advisor in the Willys Overland Jeepster Club:

"First Jeepster was s/n 65199 (serials mixed in with station wagons and panel deliveries) and was introduced to the public July 20-21, 1948.  1948 production ended with s/n 79715 (not necessarily a Jeepster).

"1949 463-series Jeepsters began with s/n 79716 up to the 90,000-range and were discontinued in October 1949.

"1949 VJ3 Jeepsters were built after March 1949 with s/n NOT mixed in with other vehicles.  4-cyl Jeepsters (VJ-2) numbers began with 463 10001; 6-cyl Jeepsters began with VJ3 6 10001.  These VJ3 Jeepsters were sold from March 1949 until the restyled 1950s came out in February or early March 1950.  The late 1949 models with 1948-49 styling could have been sold as either 1949 or 1950 year models.

"The true 1950 models had serials beginning 473VJ and 673VJ beginning (each) at 10001." 

 

Comment:  The substitution of a L-6 Jeepster/wagon engine is very common, requiring only a change in motor mounts (getting hard to find) and removing the L-4's fan shroud.  The L-6 is much smoother than the L-4.  Early 6s had 148 cid, soon enlarged to 161.

 

[saclem]

Thanks grimy,

I did a little more digging and found a couple

of other numbers on thee engine I couldn’t find the anything more for the body. 
now trying to determine if this is the original engine to my Jeepster or a 4 cylinder was swapped out for a 6 or if this is possibly a L6 jeepster wagon engine.

I have attached a few photos

the first two images numbers are MZ 4137 90

 

[saclem]

I think the  number  is 3003593

Do either of these set of images help determine the engine 

[Grimy]

6 minutes ago, saclem said:

the first two images numbers are MZ 4137 90

That''s the model number of the Autolite starter.  The Jeepsters have two identifying numbers:  The serial/chassis number is on a rectangular plate screwed not riveted to (early models) the passenger side of the firewall, and (later models, such as my 1949 463 SN 83160) the underside of the curved lip below the windshield above the passenger side glove box (look up from the passenger floor).

 

Engine numbers for both 4s and 6s are STAMPED into a boss just above the water pump mounting.

 

See attached photos of those numbers from my fairly early 1948 463 L4.

 

Your number 4 63 75037 indicates to me (1) it's a 1948 (see my post above, 1948 production ended with serial 79715) and (2) the 4 63 indicates that the original engine was a L-4 (it would read 6 63 if a 6-cyl engine had been installed at the factory.  Don't sweat it--the L6 is a fine engine of modern design for the time, of thinwall construction.  I've read that 6-cyl engines in Jeepsters were only about 10% of production.

 

MoToR manual does not list engine number start/end, so I can't help with that, but the 148 seems to be a 1948-only engine (3.0 bore x 3.5 stroke), and the 161 L-head was used 1949-53 in various models, and had 3-1/8 bore.

 

It was common among all makes in these years for states to use engine numbers rather than serial numbers for titles and registration.  TODAY states get very hinky about serial plates that were screwed rather riveted to the car.  So my recommendation is that if your title or registration documents agrees with the ENGINE NUMBER *stamped* into the water pump boss, continue to use that number.  For my 1948, I had to use a commercial "registration expediter" to get that mess cleared up.

 

 

[TerryB]

The MZ number is the Auto-Lite part number for the starter. It might be helpful to see what year engine used that starter.  The other number might be more helpful with identifying the engine.  And I’m late to the party with that info!

Edited November 6, 2019 by TerryB (see edit history)

[TerryB]

From my electrical catalog, the 1948-50 6-63 engine used the MZ4137 starter as did the 1950-51 6-73 engine.

[saclem]

Thank you terryb and grimy 

 

so grimy when I look on the build list for jeepster i don’t see any build numbers for the 1948, was there a 4 cylinder and a 6 cylinder any idea what the build numbers were?

[Grimy]

11 hours ago, saclem said:

 

so grimy when I look on the build list for jeepster i don’t see any build numbers for the 1948, was there a 4 cylinder and a 6 cylinder any idea what the build numbers were?

Commonly accepted numbers are 19,000+change for all Jeepsters 1948-51 (the 51s were left over 50s), with 10,000+change for 1948.  Some question whether that's calendar year or model year, especially because the VJ2 and VJ3 serials, dedicated specifically to Jeepsters, began late March 1949--and the first Jeepsters were produced in JULY 1948.  Further confusing the issue is that for 463 and 663 prefixes, other 2WD vehicles such as wagons and sedan deliveries were in the same batch of sequential numbers.  Some who have studied this stuff say that far fewer than 19,000 Jeepsters were built due to the other vehicles in the 463 and 663 series.  Quickly looking at 1948 numbers, the last sequential number (cited above) was 79715, and the first *Jeepster* was 65199, from which we can derive a total production of 14,516 463 and 663 *vehicles* between July 20, 1948 and (presumably) March 1949.  I personally can't imagine that Jeepsters were 70% of 2WD production during that period.

 

I strongly suggest you join the Willys-Overland Jeepster Club (WOJC) https://jeepsterclub.com/

They have online archives available to members.

 

You will have a great deal of fun with your Jeepster, and feel free to use me as a tech resource.

[saclem]

Thanks Grimy you have been awesome.

i think I would drive you nuts with all my questions.

thanks again 

[JACK M]

Once you get to this page you should be able to navigate to answers for all of your questions.

 

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/tech-guide/1948-1950-willys-jeepster

 

[saclem]

Thanks jack I will take a look 

[JACK M]

Yours was originally a four cylinder car..

[saclem]

Thanks jack just curious what numbers made you arrive to the conclusion it was a 4 cylinder?

Can you also confirm it is a 1948 or 1949?

[Grimy]

Saclem, see my Wednesday post as follows:

 

On 11/6/2019 at 10:17 AM, Grimy said:

Your number 4 63 75037 indicates to me (1) it's a 1948 (see my post above, 1948 production ended with serial 79715) and (2) the 4 63 indicates that the original engine was a L-4 (it would read 6 63 if a 6-cyl engine had been installed at the factory.  Don't sweat it--the L6 is a fine engine of modern design for the time, of thinwall construction.  I've read that 6-cyl engines in Jeepsters were only about 10% of production.

Your serial is 463 75037 which puts it in the "1948" range, but may legitimately be titled as a 1949 BECAUSE the VJ2 (4 cyl) and VJ3 (6 cyl) serial prefixes were not used until late March of 1949.  Remember that wagons and sedan deliveries were mixed in with Jeepsters among these sequential numbers until March 1949, at which time the VJ prefixes were applied only to Jeepsters.

[saclem]

I appreciate It, I was just curious if Jack had something different that I shared that led him to the same conclusion 

[JACK M]

Nope, the 4-63 is a four cylinder car. 6-63 is a six cylinder car.

I just spent awhile looking thru my literature to try and id your engine number.

I have in my notes that the engine number on the one in my car falls into a correct engine for 1948. I cant verify that it is the original engine but is the correct one and could very well be the original.

However I for the life of me cannot find where I confirmed that.

I have an original mechanics manual as well as the printed catalog from the site that I posted the link to earlier and if this info is in either of these I missed it.

My suggestion is if you want to ID your engine is to you call  www.kaiserwillys.com  (888-648-49236) and ask them. (have that number from above the water pump) They are all onto the early Jeeps and are good help.

Have fun with it, these are great little cars.

Mine is for sale as I want to move onto other projects.

 

[victorialynn2]

@JackM, I also did extensive research on your Jeepster and determined that it was the correct engine. The info is in the links provided earlier in this thread. 

Jack, have you contacted https://jeepsterclub.com/ to advertise or contact someone from the group about your sale? There is also a link to submit a story. With the background photos of my dad starting the resto and you finishing it, it would make for good reading for that club. Do you have a current link for it for sale?

[JACK M]

24 minutes ago, victorialynn2 said:

Do you have a current link for it for sale?

 

I think my Hemmings ad is still up.

A bunch of wannabes on there.

[saclem]

Hi Jack,

thank you for taking the time to

research. I really appreciate it!

 

good luck on the sale of your jeepster