A Willys M38 that Invokes Feelings of Hope and Inspiration

I was doing work at a ranch, and I noticed this Jeep sitting out in the middle of a field. It looked like a CJ-2A, and I had always loved the idea of riding in a Willys Jeep ever since I was young. I asked the ranch owner if the Jeep ran, and she handed me the keys and told me to take her for a spin. . . I offered to buy it, and she said that I would have to keep this Jeep, fix it up nice, and never sell it to anyone. Terms accepted, and oh boy what a project. Surprisingly, the Jeep was an M38, a rare find in the Willys World. Two rims and tires from a CJ-2A in the rear, and solid filled tires were great for the ranch, but not for a stroll down pavement. It took 2 turns of the wheel to move left or right, as the steering gear was original, and worn down completely. Three brake drums frozen, and it leaked gear oil everywhere. The transmission was filled with muddy water, and the wiring reminded me of a literal rats nest. Days and nights, I worked on this Jeep with my Dad, friends, and other family members. Even my pet Rooster, Mr.Peepers, would help keep me up at 0300 by crowing in the garage while I worked. Ordered lots of parts ordered from Kaiser Willys, and found a new set of STA shoes on their website that I liked. For some odd reason, the M38 was painted “Civil Defense Yellow” underneath the tan color. This yellow color was everywhere, even on the transfer case, and it leads me to believe that this Jeep saw some use with the Civil Defense. Painted it myself in IDF Sand Tan, as their military used Jeeps in many past historic battles. My friends with GPW’s and MB’s wanted me to join the “Green Club” but I respectfully declined the offer.

Taking her for a test drive, I loaded up a few friends in the back. Thinking everything was A-Ok, I zoomed out from the garage, and headed about a mile out from my home base. Coming to a stop sign, we heard a loud “Metal Crunching Explosion” in the engine bay. The fan blade actually broke at the rivets, and cut my coolant hose and oil line. I drove it 1 mile back home with coolant pouring out, and oil shooting everywhere. Did I mention it shook like an earthquake? The engine was just fine, and never overheated or cracked from the stress. Back to work, I had to replace the fan blade and lines. Eventually, I took her out for another spin at night with a friend of mine. . . Another issue arose when the headlights went dim, and I could smell burning plastic coming from the headlight switch. . . Melted wires pushed me to re-wire the whole M38, and it now runs 100%. I take her to military shows in San Antonio, Texas, which is unofficially known as Military City USA. Driving her around, I really love the feeling of hope and inspiration that my M38 gives to onlookers. My Dad took her out for a drive one day, and met a Korean Veteran that flagged him down close to his neighborhood. He said “I used to drive one of those little buggies, and that M38 is tough as heck.” When the man looked under the hood, he wept with the memories that were unlocked inside for so long.

Kaiser Willys Jeep Blog Story – Shem Ruiz

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