Data plate & decal
1. Glove Box Plates
Like a handy manual, these plates provide crucial information about the Jeep, such as weight, serial number, and the positions of the gearbox and transfer case levers. They were essential for drivers in the field as well as mechanics, offering vital data to maintain optimal performance or even just a usage memo for the vehicle in sometimes extreme conditions.
Discover below the first identification plates, where Jeeps did not yet have glove boxes:
Ford GP
Material: Brass - Date: 02/1941 - Brass rivets
Bantam BRC
Material: Brass - Date: 03/1941 - Round-headed sheet metal screws
Willys MA
Material: Zinc - Date: 06/1941 - Round-headed sheet metal screws
Willys MB "Slat Grill" (US1)
Material: Brass - Date: 11/1941 - 06/1942 - Round-headed sheet metal screws
Now with the glove compartment after chassis number 120698 (February 1942):
Ford GPW (US1)
Material: Brass - Date: 02/1942 - 04/1942 - Brass rivets
Willys MB (US2)
Material : Brass - Date : 03/1942 - 07/1942 - Round-headed sheet metal screws
Willys MB (US3)
Material: Zinc - Date: 07/1942 - 12/1942 - Screws and nuts
Ford GPW (US2)
Material: Brass - Date: 04/1942 - 10/1942 - Brass rivets
Ford GPW (US3)
Material: Zinc - Date: 10/1942 - 01/1943 - Stainless steel rivets
Willys MB (US4)
Material: Zinc - Date: 01/1943 - 11/1943 - Screws and nuts
Ford GPW (US4)
Material: Zinc - Date: 01/1943 - 01/1944 - Stainless steel rivets
Willys MB (US5)
Material: Zinc - Date: 12/1943 - 07/1944 - Screws and nuts
Ford GPW (US5)
Material: Zinc - Date: 01/1944 - 07/1944 - Stainless steel rivets
Ford GPW (US6)
Material: Brass - Date: 01/1944 - 07/1944 - Brass rivets
Willys MB (US6)
Material: Zinc - Date: 07/1944 - 03/1945 - Screws and nuts
Ford GPW (US7)
Material: Aluminum - Date: 07/1944 - 06/1945 - Stainless steel rivets
Willys MB (US7)
Material: Zinc - Date: 03/1945 - 08/1945 - Screws and nuts
The designation JEEP officially appears for the first time
Willys CJ-2A
Material: Aluminum - Date: 1945 - 1946 - Screws and nuts
Willys CJ-2A
Material: Aluminum - Date: 1946 - 1947 - Screws and nuts
Willys CJ-2A / CJ-3A / CJ-3B
Material: Aluminum - Date: 1946 - 1968 - Screws and nuts
The chassis number is no longer stamped on the glove box identification plate but only on the VIN plate in the engine compartment, in the left corner just next to the air filter.
Willys M38
Material: Brass - Date: 1950 - 1952 - Brass rivets
Willys M38A1
Material: Brass - Date: 1952 - 1971 - Brass rivets
2. Other Plates on our Jeeps
Each major component, from the regulator to the starter and distributor, had its own instruction plate. These plates detailed procedures, maintenance tips, and specific specifications to ensure reliable vehicle operation.
Firstly, let's look at the shipping plate, which in mid-1944 replaces the stencil on the right side of the Jeep and is placed on the dashboard, between the glove box and the handbrake handle.
Shipping plate Willys MB
Material: Zinc - Date: 1944 - 1945 - Sheet metal screws
Shipping plate Ford GPW
Material: Aluminum - Date: 1944 - 1945 - Stainless steel rivets
The chassis plate is, in essence, the birth number of the Jeep, containing crucial information such as the serial number. This detail is not only a significant element of restoration but also a fragment of history and the identity of the Jeep, connecting each one to its era, manufacturing date, factory, and adventures.
Willys MB Chassis Plate 1st model
Material: Zinc - Date: 11/1941 - 06/1944 - Twisted rivets
The first plates (11/1941 - 02/1942) were without the MB prefix
Willys MB Chassis Plate 2nd model
Material: Zinc - Date: 06/1944 - 09/1945 - Twisted rivets
The JEEP inscription officially appears (just like on the identification plate), and the writing is still in red
For Ford GPW, the chassis number is always stamped directly on the left rail in this form "GPW☆237046☆"
Willys VIN Plate
Material: Aluminum - Date: 1945 - 1971 - Stainless steel rivets
As explained earlier with the identification plate of the Willys CJ-2A, this small plate is the "Serial number" on Willys CJ until 1971, with the CJ-5. It is riveted on the dashboard, under the hood, on the passenger side to the left of the air filter.
The numbers correspond to technical diagrams. The 2,125,526 corresponds to the transmission mechanism; the 2,154,929 corresponds to the handbrake mechanism; the 2,238,649 corresponds to the distributor adjustment.
Willys 1/4T Trailer Plate
Material: Zinc - Brand: Willys - Brass or copper rivets
On trailers, the plates are always placed on the front panel, top driver's side
For trailers, there is ONLY the month and year after "date of delivery"
Interesting detail for Bantam, in the course of 1943, the worker at Bantam who stamped the numbers had probably lost the punch to stamp the hyphen, all original plates from that year bear a horizontal number 1 instead of the lost hyphen.
Regulator 12V / 6V Plate
Material: Zinc - Brand: Auto-Lite - Twisted rivets
Red 6V: VRY4203G Model 2Z027882 Serial Max. AMPS. 40
Green 12V: VRH4I04A1 Model 8G002409 Serial Max. AMPS. 55
6V Distributor Plate
Material: Zinc - Brand: Auto-Lite - Twisted rivets
"IAD 4008"
6V Starter Plate
Material: Zinc - Brand: Auto-Lite - Twisted rivets
"MZ 4113"
Ford Starter Plate
Material: Zinc - Twisted rivets
"GPW model 6 Volts 4Y0B104 Serial"
6V Dynamo Plate
Material: Zinc - Brand: Auto-Lite - Twisted rivets
"GEG-5001-A Model 1W004189 Serial 40 AMPS"
Ford Dynamo Plate
Material: Zinc - Twisted rivets
"GPW model 6 Volts NEG GND 40 AMPS 10W02833 Serial"
Carburetor Carter Plate
Material: Brass - Brand: Carter
Front Axle Plate
Material: Zinc - Bendix Joint / Tracta Joint / Rzeppa Joint
Front axle identification plate to choose according to yours, whether it is Bendix, Tracta, or Rzeppa
There are still many other plates such as the rotary light switch, radio thread, winch, transfer case, tandem when the Jeep is equipped with a towbar, siren, and more!
3. Decals
Decals on fuel and air filters were more than just an aesthetic addition. They indicated replacement procedures, precautions to take, and were a tangible reminder of the era when these Jeeps were in service.
To apply a decal, it is not like a sticker; you need to go through a few steps:
- Soak the decal in a bowl of warm water
- Wait a few minutes until the image detaches from the paper by gently rubbing it
- Apply the image by sliding it onto the slightly moistened surface
- Check its position and gently stamp the water with a clean cloth to remove the water
Fuel Filter Decal
Location: on the front of the fuel filter, the raw part
Air Filter "Pancake" Decal
Location: on the front of the Willys MB Slat Grill pancake air filter
Willys MB Oil Filter Decal
Brand: FRAM
Ford GPW Oil Filter Decal
Brand: Purolator
Conclusion
Instruction plates are much more than decorative elements on our beloved Jeeps. They are windows to the past, guides that allow us to understand the ingenuity and complexity of these iconic vehicles. By preserving them, we preserve a valuable part of automotive history, ensuring that future generations can also feel the unique connection we have with these remarkable machines and all the reflections of the U.S. Army on our Jeeps.
Sources: dataplates4u.com, Emile Becker / Guy Dentzer, Jeep 1940-1945
