What were YOUR original hood numbers?

[kaiser715]

For those that have found original unit markings on your hood, bumpers, or tailgate, what units/branches did you find? I'm wondering if we turn up a couple of Zoners that share "sister" trucks that both served in the same unit.

I didn't get much from mine due to previous paint stripping and repaint on the hood, but got this from the tailgate

USN-95-18371

Post up!

[brute4c]

While mine was OD, someone scratched through the OD and primer and into the metal with something like a center punch...left grooves where all the markings would have been...including the stars...then they repainted the truck in orange for county/Civil Defense use.

[compexp]

M725 - 3f0624 on the hood

1/1 M on the bumper.

[randyscycle]

I didn't get the hood numbers from its Army days, but I was able to find some Kentucky National Guard lettering on the bumperettes. It was very faint and I couldn't determine much from it.

It was also Forestry Service after that. Probably more trucks shared lot space in that configuration than anything.

[fishtail]

Well, one of the biggest reasons I bought this truck instead of others was that it was in original paint with only the numbers sprayed out. A little 600 grit wetsanding the paint around the numbers cleaned it up real nice. Good think they didn't paint over the stars, as they are painted on. The numbers are decals.

US ARMY
3F 6594



On the doors are the decals ECS 7 137, and I can see them on the front bumper as well. I searched long and far to determine what the ECS is for, around the 1967-8 years. Closest I came up with was Electronic Combat Squadron, but that was Air Force.

Other later markings on the bumpers are:

5A 361 MI

I think there is also a L after the MI, the other letters are very clear. Can't read anything on the other side of the bumper, or rear.

Would appreciate any help on those markings.

Scott

[Roy]

Solid lookin' truck...

[WeBeJeepin]

My tailgate numbers are 3G0899 and I am pretty sure they are original. It appears the hood was swapped after it left service, because the hood numbers are from a 1968truck: 03F22368. Davidallenracing gave me this info when I emailed him about getting a new set made.

[M715AKACHARLIE]

The only thing I could find is on the tailgate
US ARMY 03M92368
What does this number mean?

[14fan]

If i understand it correctly, the way Beast explained it to me.
o3=size/weight of vehicle
m923=production # (15,923rd mv vehicle made that year)
68=year it was made

[brute4c]

Hood Numbers:

The numbers found on the hood of military vehicles are divided into 2 parts. The letter/number code is referred to as the Registration Number, or sometimes the USA Number, and the Agency ID, which tells the branch of service, for example US Army. The Registration Number is put on the vehicle at the time it is originally built and it stays with the truck for its entire lifespan. Only in very unusual cases is it ever changed. Around 1964, the specification for the markings of the Registration Number and Agency ID was set at 3 inch figures. Only where space did not allow for the use of the 3 inch size was a smaller size allowable. The military technical bulletin defining proper markings indicates that, for the Agency ID, there should be periods after the U and the S in U.S. Army. Looking carefully at the pictures and illustrations in the same publication shows no periods are shown. Pictures from Vietnam show a mix of some trucks with and some without. It certainly appears that the abscence of periods is more common than the inclusion of them in this area. Placement is on the hood, on the sides at the edges and on the tailgate. On the hood, the Agency ID is on top with the Registration Number being applied 2 inches below. On the tailgate, they are in a line, not one atop the other.

What the numbers and letters in the Registration Number indicate is the subject of many inquiries I receive. Here is the information I have on this subject:

Starting in 1960, anything older does not apply, the hood numbers would look something like this example:

3A 0001

The 3 indicates a medium weight vehicle class. I believe this class runs from 1 1/4 ton to 5 ton. Any military vehicles, like 6X6's for example, with a load rating higher than 1 ton and up to and including 5 tons would start with this number. The A and the 0001 work together to show which number of medium weight vehicle built that this one is. A 0001 would be the first, A 9999 would be the 9999th one built. The next one, #10,000, built would be B 0001. Once 9999 were built as B's, the marking would change to C 0001 at number 19,999 and so on.

In 1968, the military changed the Registration Number system again and now included a year in the Registration Number as well. A sample of this style looks like this:

03A00168

The 03 still refers to the medium weight vehicle class.
The A and the 001 work together just as described for the earlier system, though only accounting for 999 vehicles before changing to the next letter instead of the previous methods 9999 limit. The 68 is the year, 1968, and does not change for any vehicle made that year.

Due to the fact that ALL medium weight vehicles, not just the M715/M724/M725/M726's, are included in these numbers, trying to use the Serial Number stamped on an M7xx to establish the Registration Number for the truck in question, when the original is not known, becomes an impossible task. It is possible to create a period correct looking number but establishing that it is the correct one for a given truck just wont happen.

In the early 70's the system changed again to the system that is still in use today. So our trucks fall into one of the 2 methods above, unlike the WWII trucks and unlike the modern trucks as well.