indentions for shovel and axe ?

I am picking up my first Willys saturday, a 1953 CJ3a.I have owned 19 Jeeps so far and have always wanted a flatfender so I am stoked. The passenger side has indentions for a shovel and a axe but the drivers side doesnt ? I know (or think I know) a CJ3a doesnt have indentions at all but my question is the early models with indentions ,Are they on both sides ? My first guess was that it had a early tub but then again maybe just one side was replaced?

Scott

 

Yeah I just looked at the M-38 and I bet thats what it is.I will see if I can post a couple pictures.

 

Is there a glove box on the passenger side?

 

Yeah here is a picture of the dash.He is selling it as a 1953 CJ-3A but I am sure now that it's a M-38.Does anyone sell a repo battery box ?

 

I've seen them at http://www.midwestmil.com/m38p11.html

David

 

Mine's a CJ2A but I have a repo M-38 body. This one is probably the same.

 

The tub might not be a reproduction tub. The glove box looks correct for an m38, on the early reprop tubs that had the m38 tool indents the glove box looked like one from a mb/gpw. As the plate bolted to the left of the glove box if you take that off and find a big round hole, then it is a stock m38 tub that someone removed the battery box from. If you sand on the cowl I bet you can find the spot where they patched it

 

My repo has the correct glove box with lid, indents, and the large filler neck hole, but no battery box. I made a plate to cover the large hole to use the civvie fuel tank. Maybe this was done here also.

 

Sure you can always do things the easy way. Also you can check the tool box under the passenger seat, if it says jeep then it is an orgainal tub unless someone took the time to cut one out from an orginal.

 

Good point

 

I just got home from picking it up.17 1/2 hours for the trip.I am tired but the Jeep is in great condition,new brakes,bearings and axle seals,the body is excellent the top is good the stock seat frames are there.He also just converted it to 12 volt so the alternator and related items are new.He reached in the door and as soon as he bumped the starter it was running,not a puff of smoke,ran smooth.
Tomorrow I will get to inspect it a lot closer.
The filler neck has a aluminum or stainless plate covering a larger cut out .I will look under the cowl and take a closer look at the tool box tomorrow.its so clean I am guessing it is a reproduction tub but maybe not.
Is there a place on the frame to find a vin ?

Scott

 

take a picture of the front frame and in between the bumper and front cross member.

 

It does have the Jeep script in the front of the toolbox.I will try and get a picture of the front of the frame today.There is a heater in it where the battery box would have been which may explain it being gone (if the body is origional)

Scott